Well, this is disappointing. Rihanna is out with the video for “S&M,” the third single from Loud. The album’s lead-off track is an assertive stomper, a song that earns bonus points for a chorus that nicks an uncredited bit from The Cure’s “Let’s Go To Bed.” I like it, like it.

Too bad the music video is a mess, attempting to make some sort of Statement About The Media and its treatment of stars like Rihanna. Perez Hilton is a dog, the press are a bunch of clowns. Literally, in both cases. “Na-na-na, come on,” indeed.

Here I thought only the lyrical content might keep “S&M” from becoming Rihanna’s third consecutive #1 from Loud, after “Only Girl (In The World)” and “What’s My Name.” After all, there is the matter of “Sex in the air, I don’t care, I like the smell of it.” But while I can look past my nose on that point since the song has so much more going for it, I can’t imagine going one more round with this seizure-inducing clip. No matter how much I think Rihanna’s giant-cherries chapeau is the tops.

You want me to watch “S&M”? Not tonight, dear. I’ve got a headache:

Purchase Rihanna – “S&M” via iTunes, Amazon MP3.