US TV decency (1 Viewer)

[ColinEssex]

The British actress Helen Mirren picked up an Emmy for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth 1. During her speech she said that she nearly went "arse over tit" on her way to the stage. (note - 'arse over tit' is a common everyday British expression meaning 'head over heels')

However, it seems that the "Parents Television Council" has filed an indecency complaint about it. Ref

from the PTC website - “It is utterly irresponsible and atrocious for NBC to air this vulgar language during the safe harbor time when millions of children were in the viewing audience. People are getting sick and tired of networks allowing unedited profanity on their award shows in front of millions of youngsters, and with NBC this practice is becoming habitual.

This programme went out at 9:30pm.

Bear in mind that the USA is the largest producer of hardcore porn, hardcore websites, paedophilia etc - yet they get uptight over this remark????

note - must look up the true meaning of hypocrasy. . . . . . . . . .

Col

 

[Karma]

note - must look up the true meaning of hypocrasy. . . . . . . . . .

Col

I did; it asked me if i'd like to look up the word hypocrisy instead.

 

[Rich]

Yes kinda odd that gratuitous violence is not just allowed but is part of the daily diet yet "ass over tit" is regarded as a heinous crime.

 

[ColinEssex]

I did; it asked me if i'd like to look up the word hypocrisy instead.

Thank you for missing the whole point of the post and focusing on a typo. You obviously read the Guardian, presumably so you can spend all night finding the typing errors

Col

 

[ColinEssex]

Yes kinda odd that gratuitous violence is not just allowed but is part of the daily diet yet "ass over tit" is regarded as a heinous crime.

There was a programme on satellite the other night focusing on the porno night clubs of New Orleans (obviously I flicked past it ) - anyway there's a street called Bourbon or something and the "goings on" in these clubs was akin to an 18-30 Ibiza holiday +++. It was quite disgusting actually. Yet it seems these clubs thrive very well with no problems.

Then a respected British actress says "arse over tit" on live TV and its a national outcry I admit to being confused by the US moral code

Col

 

[Karma]

Thank you for missing the whole point of the post and focusing on a typo. You obviously read the Guardian, presumably so you can spend all night finding the typing errors

Col

 

[Pauldohert]

Whats the US show with Ian McShane (Lovejoy to me) that has the word cocksucker every few minutes?

 

[msp]

I always loved "Mork and Mindy", that 70s TV show with Robin Williams. The landlord was called "Mr Wanker", the amount of times his name was said was amazing.

I can only guess "Wanker" is not (or was not) a word in the US..

 

[Pauldohert]

Talking of wankers - I wondered if Captain Pugwash and Master Bates had been banned and came across (no pun intended) this.

http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/pugwash.htm

the audio is interesting.

 

[MrsGorilla]

I can only guess "Wanker" is not (or was not) a word in the US..

No, wanker isn't really a word here.

There are several shows on pay cable stations, etc. (The Shield, Rescue Me, etc.) that really push the limits. For the most part, these shows are only on after 9:00 or so.

There is usually only an uproar about something like this if it is shown during "regular" viewing hours or if young children are expected to be watching it (like the Super Bowl ). That being said, I don't think that what she said is too big a deal, but the words "ass" (or "arse" ) and "tit" probably wouldn't be considered proper for an awards ceremony.

 

[Mile-O]

Whats the US show with Ian McShane (Lovejoy to me) that has the word cocksucker every few minutes?

Deadwood. That's on a network which allows swearing. ABC is worse. That's why nobody said fuck me, I'm lucky to be alive when the plane crashed in Lost.

There was an article in Metro this morning about US censorship regarding movie releases. It talked about how outdated the system was - having been set up in the 1920s - and how, now, it was affecting the industry as a whole by limiting the independent movie makers over the crass Hollywood high rollers in such that a clip of public hair causes a film to be given the NC-17 rating which effectively means the film can't be promoted. Bigger studios tend to sterilise there movies of such content so that they can attain the 17 rating. Thus sex (which most people do) is more offensive than films where you can burn a girl's face with a blowtorch and have her eye hanging out before she jumps in front of a train with a satisfying crunch. Eh?

And, unless the censorship body is sorted out, then the rise of Christian Fundamentalism (and all the silly values that goes with it) will further sanitise the industry to their own vision, which would be feature length remakes of The Waltons.

 

[Bodisathva]

Bear in mind that the USA is the largest producer of hardcore porn, hardcore websites, paedophilia etc - yet they get uptight over this remark????

What would you expect from a country founded by religious fanatics?

Seriously though, that part of the history permeates and creates that positively Quaker prudishness that runs rampant with the "moral majority". You'll also note that those websites require proof of age, and your corner porn shops are not permitted to use anything but text advertisements while having large fences to shield their patrons from public view and pornographic magazines come in the mail, wrapped in plain brown paper. In other words, it is considered a right to be able to view it, but because it's "dirty" you should be able to do so without anyone knowing you do so confused: ). The poor little kiddies shouldn't be subjected to such debauchery until they are already well into their promiscuous years on the assumption that parents actually perform their duties and teach the children about sexuality


Karma...WTF

 

[ColinEssex]

Nice explanation Mile-O

I remember the "Crocodile Dundee" film was censored for the US market. In the UK version Hogan says "It tastes like shit, but you can live on it" - for the sanitised US they changed it to "It tastes like dung, but you can live on it"

I think TV censorship is interesting, in Spain and France (for example) you get full frontal ladies in the adverts (on national TV) - at any time of day. It's accepted as the norm.

Col

 

[ColinEssex]

You'll also note that those websites require proof of age,

Hi Bod, I haven't got tinternet at home so don't really know about the access of "those" websites. But I bow to your superior knowledge

The intriguing thing to me is the total absurdity of it. On one hand you have porno clubs allowing whatever (so do we incidentally) yet a post 9:30pm comment like "arse over tit" is viewed as outrageous.

Is such a reaction over a common phrase commonplace? or is it just extremists that kick up.

I'm reminded of the song "Harper Valley PTA" where the PTA tried to tell a mother she was basically unfit to bring up a child because she wore a short skirt, then she went along to the PTA and told of the committee's "shortcomings"

Col

 

[Bodisathva]

Is such a reaction over a common phrase commonplace? or is it just extremists that kick up.

I don't get it at times, either. There are different broadcasting standards between Cable, Satellite, and "free air", but with the proliferation of Cable and Satellite, I don't know why they bother anymore. The basic assumption was that if you have to pay for access, you can see more "dirty stuff", but those broadcasts which are readily available and free must conform to "standards of decency"(one onders exactly who's standards)... and there is indeed a direct corellation between how much you pay and how much you see. Yes, it's the extremists. Most people have enough common sense to turn the bloody thing off...it's not all Barney and TelleTubbies but, since the squeaky wheel gets the grease...

Freedom of Speech does have it's drawbacks

 

[ColinEssex]

Yes, I follow what you mean.

From what you and Mile-O said earlier, it maybe time to review the apparent discrepancies in the "decency" laws. After all, this is the 21st century, not the 18th
I know I have wound up a few people by going on about the single beds in The Dick Van Dyke show or Samantha in Bewitched being the perfect US housewife. Ane I have been ribbed about watching 1950's and 60's US shows BUT when you get an outcry over the "arse over tit" thing, you have to wonder - has the US really moved on?

I think things must move with the times, take fashion for example (female predominately). There was a time when showing an ankle was inappropriate. Now it seems the less you wear (or the more you expose) the better - just walk down any High St in the UK. It just is the norm now. Like topless or nude sunbathing - more in warmer Europe than the freezing UK but its the norm. You get stared at on some beaches if you have clothes on

Col

 

[ColinEssex]

Note - can someone tell Cindy this is a sensible discussion

Col

 

[Rich]

Talking of wankers - I wondered if Captain Pugwash and Master Bates had been banned and came across (no pun intended) this.

http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/pugwash.htm

the audio is interesting.

Don't snopes know what Willy means?

 

[Bodisathva]

There's a documentary type movie out in theaters now, ..."This Film Not Yet Rated", on the current workings of the MPAA rating system. From what I can gather, the crux of the film is trying to find out exactly who is responsible for assigning the current ratings of films and what criteria they use. Oddly enough, neither of those two questions seems to be readily answerable, hence the documentary.

 

[MrsGorilla]

Note - can someone tell Cindy this is a sensible discussion

Col

No need to tell me, I'm not usually the one who hijacks.