How can I delete default text areas in slide master

[lsalzman]

I want to create a "clean" slide master. However, when I try to delete the title text area or bulleted text area in the slide master view, I keep getting the following error:

"This function cannot be run from the selected objects."

Not one mention of this in the OOo manuals and neither has anyone in the entire internet been able to answer this question, making it a conspiracy in my book. Why can't I make a clean slide master like in Powerpoint? Is it because these fields are needed to populate the Notes and/or Outline views? Someone please come clean with the public!