''Too Much 4 Much'' is a Canadian television series, which aired on

MuchMusic Much (an abbreviation for its full name MuchMusic) is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. through its Bell Media subsidiary that airs programming aimed at teenagers and young adults. MuchMusic launched on August 31 ...

. The series, which aired at 12:00am

Eastern time The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico, Panama, Colombia, mainland Ecuador, Peru, and a small port ...

,"New Much boss will tackle issues". ''

Montreal Gazette The ''Montreal Gazette'', formerly titled ''The Gazette'', is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Three other daily English-language newspapers shuttered at various times during the second half of th ...

'', February 27, 1993. played controversial videos which had, for one reason or another, been banned from regular rotation on the network, and featured panel discussions on the issues raised by the videos in question. Beginning in 1991 as a series of irregular specials aired when a particularly high-profile video was in dispute, it was expanded into a regular monthly series in 1993. Created by

Denise Donlon Denise Anne Donlon, (born 22 February 1956) is a Canadian business executive, television producer, author, public speaker, host, and member of the Order of Canada. Born in Toronto, Ontario, she joined MuchMusic in 1985 as a host and producer of ...

,Denise Donlon
at

The Canadian Encyclopedia ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage. Available fo ...

. the series' goals included increasing

media literacy Media literacy is an expanded conceptualization of literacy that includes the ability to access and analyze media messages as well as create, reflect and take action, using the power of information and communication to make a difference in the w ...

skills among the channel's viewers, and providing a forum for the channel to discuss, debate and be accountable to viewers for its programming decisions. The series first aired as a one-off special, subtitled ''A Question of Taste'', in April 1991, after the channel had banned two high-profile pop videos,

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

's "

Justify My Love "Justify My Love" is a song by American singer Madonna from her first greatest hits album ''The Immaculate Collection'' (1990). It was released on November 6, 1990, by Sire Records as the lead single from ''The Immaculate Collection''. The song ...

" and

Mitsou Mitsou Annie Marie Gélinas (born September 1, 1970, in Loretteville, Quebec) is a Canadian pop singer, businesswoman, television and radio host, and actress. She is credited as Mitsou Gélinas when acting, but records simply as Mitsou (the Fre ...

's "Dis-moi, dis-moi", within a short time of each other."MuchMusic to play two racy videos only once". ''

Ottawa Citizen The ''Ottawa Citizen'' is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. History Established as ''The Bytown Packet'' in 1845 by William Harris (journalist), William Harris, it was renamed the '' ...

'', April 26, 1991. On the program's first airing, both videos were played in their uncensored, unedited entirety, followed by a panel discussion on whether the videos' explicit sexuality and nudity constituted

pornography Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults,

or art. Panelists included broadcaster

Daniel Richler Daniel Richler (born 1957) is a Canadian arts and pop culture broadcaster and writer."The apprenticeship of Daniel Richler". ''Montreal Gazette'', May 19, 1991. Biography Richler was born in London, England."When it's time to stop looking like a ...

and newspaper publisher

Michael Hollett Michael Hollett is the founder and president of North by Northeast (NXNE) music festival which happens every June in Toronto since 1995. Hollett is also founder of the national print and online arts magazine, ''NEXT'', available in Toronto, Vancouve ...

. A second special aired in October 1992, after another Madonna video, "

Erotica Erotica is literature or art that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erotic art may use a ...

", was determined to violate the channel's broadcast standards."Madonna shocks on MuchMusic -- at least, I think so". ''

'', October 13, 1992. ''Too Much'' became a regular monthly series in 1993, after Donlon was promoted to head of programming for the channel. Other artists whose videos were discussed on the series included

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

("Delia's Gone", 1993),

Morbid Angel Morbid Angel is an American death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling ...

("Rapture", 1993),

Sepultura Sepultura (, "grave")Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 17. is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte. Formed in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera,Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 16. the band was a major force in the groove metal, thra ...

("Territory", 1993),

Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the band which shares his name, of which he remains the only constant member since it ...

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

(" Turn the Page", 1998),

Nine Inch Nails Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN and stylized as NIИ, is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland in 1988. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Trent Reznor was the only permanent member of the band ...

Happiness in Slavery "Happiness in Slavery" is a song by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from their extended play, '' Broken'' (1992). It was released in November 1992 as a promotional single from the EP. The song takes its title and refrain from Jean ...

", 1992),

New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block enjoy ...

Dirty Dawg "Dirty Dawg" is a song by American boyband NKOTB (formerly New Kids on the Block), which became their final single to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 until the 2008 single "Summertime (New Kids on the Block song), Summerti ...

", 1994),

Meshell Ndegeocello Michelle Lynn Johnson, better known as Meshell Ndegeocello (; born August 29, 1968), is a German-born American singer-songwriter, rapper, and bassist. She has gone by the name Meshell Suhaila Bashir-Shakur which is used as a writing credit on so ...

(" Leviticus: Faggot", 1996),

95 South 95 South are an American hip hop group from Jacksonville, Florida. They started as a Miami bass group of Artice "AB" Bartley, Carlos "Daddy Black" Spencer and Jay "Ski" McGowan. The group's name is a reference to Interstate 95, which passes thr ...

Whoot, There It Is "Whoot, There It Is" is the lead single released from 95 South's debut album, '' Quad City Knock''. It was produced and written by C.C. Lemonhead and Jay Ski (The Bass Mechanics), the production duo who were responsible for several other popular ...

", 1993) and

Tool A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates ba ...

Prison Sex "Prison Sex" is a song by American rock band Tool. Frontman Maynard James Keenan wrote the lyrics. The song was released as their second single from their debut studio album '' Undertow''. The song uses a modified drop-B tuning. The track f ...

", 1993). The series was cancelled in 2003.

References

{{reflist Censorship in Canada Self-censorship Much (TV channel) original programming Pop music television series Rock music television series 1991 Canadian television series debuts 2003 Canadian television series endings 1990s Canadian music television series 2000s Canadian music television series