READ THIS: Anna Pickard’s review of Gaga’s latest production-laden video says it all. Pickard uses screenshots and the driest of commentary.

“Lady Gaga has out-sexied the entire world and for this crime she’s landed in a semi-nudist jail. Luckily she has a well-known brand of mobile, and her friend Beyoncé, on hand to help,” says Pickard.

“In minute four this happens, Gaga touching herself, wrapped in police tape in a medium to maximum security prison … and that’s intercut with pics of her planning her escape with the help of some really high-profile product placements.”

PRISON PHONES

Apart from the ridiculous fetishistic portrayal of jail, the violent skirmish greeted with laughs and the sell-out crotch-rub, the most offensive thing about the video is Gaga’s frustration at the phone line breaking-up.

Families across the United States have been fighting legal battles to break up the monopoly and racket that is prison telephone contracts. You can sign a petition here against MCI/Global Tel Link.

Unfortunately, many lawsuits have fallen away, but as the New York Times reported last November the public attention of lawsuits has brought about significant reform and lowered prices in a “terribly unfair system.”

I’m not saying that prison or jail inmates and families would necessarily be offended by a multimillion-dollar-pop-thing using a failing jail payphone as a prop for her next breast-thrusting million, I am saying that I am.

PRISONS IN MUSIC VIDEOS

This is not the first time I’ve been confused with popstars appropriating prisons for their music videos. Michael Jackson put on the full crotch-grabbing show in a prison chow-hall for his video They Don’t Really Care About Us.