For the music video of her hit "If I Could Turn Back Time," Cher decided to film it aboard the USS Missouri, the last ever battleship the U.S. produced. Her team asked for permission before filming, and per the Los Angeles Times, the Navy was given the chance to look over the storyline to ensure that the ship will be shown in good light before granting them approval. However, they forgot to ask what she was going to wear.
She wore what Bob Mackie called the "seatbelt outfit," according to Variety. It was a see-through ensemble with only a small strap that covered her privates. It was an iconic outfit by all means, but it also exposed her behind. The LA Times reported that around 200 crewmen stayed up to watch the filming and at the time, they were happy about what they saw to the point that one sailor even gave Cher his hat.
It all changed, however, when the music video was finally released. The Navy expressed their outrage, and according to the book "I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution" (via We Are Mighty), MTV banned the video largely due to "visibility of Cher's butt cheeks". The network backtracked on their decision and continued to play the video, but only after 9 PM.
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