10 Times Musicians Owned Interviewers
4. David Bowie - MTV Under-representing Black Musicians
Now, it might surprise you to know, but back in the 1980s MTV didn't really play music by black American artists, not to a degree that would reflect the abundance of musical talent that has existed in America since... well, since the start of American music...
So when David Bowie appeared in an interview with Mark Goodman, to promote the release of his Let's Dance video, he took the opportunity to hold MTV to account about this perplexing phenomena.
Goodman, speaking on behalf of MTV attempted to explain the lack of black artists by expressing that the demographic of MTV might be "scared to death by Prince - or a string of other black faces" to which Bowie smiled incredulously.
Instead of Bowie attempting to dismantle the absurdity of Goodman's statements by challenging them in an outraged manor, he instead allowed Goodman to undermine his own arguments, by probing just at the right times, highlighting certain points, and tactfully deploying that much-missed Bowie charm and charisma.
Despite this being an example of what made Bowie so tantalising to watch, it also showcases a time when institutionalized racism within the music industry was so brazenly on display.