ANy one surprised by this:

[b344077]

Where is George Carlin when we need him?

 

[LKellerIII]

My guess is that this may be in the nature of a Trial Balloon just to see what
they can get away with. I think I have seen this once before, on an episode
of Becker which CBS ran early in the decade. For much of the episode Shawnee
Smith's character is essentially topless. I remember thinking that was very strange for a broadcast prime-time show. This was not too long before the Janet
Jackson Super Bowl fiasco, which leads me to believe that they were testing out potential reaction beforehand. If that was their strategy it certainly did not work as planned.

Does NBC have the Super Bowl next year? If so perhaps they are looking at Eminem for the halftime show?

Ironically, whenever that episode of Becker runs now on cable there is a huge black bar placed over Shawnee Smith's chest.

There is another thread on this same subject. I was not a fan of Becker, and I must have missed that episode (damn it! ;D). The show ran from 98 to 04, so that episode may have aired during the Clinton era FCC. Also, the big FCC crack-down didn't really start until the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" incident in 2004.

I remember an early episode of Malcolm in the Middle in which Malcolm's mom walks around topless for much of the episode. The camera doesn't really show much - she's shot from behind most of the time. It was a more lenient era.

Since cable is not regulated by the FCC, I doubt it's the cable networks that put the black bar over Shawnee Smith's chest - it's more likely the show's syndicators, and its probably too much bother to have separate cable and broadcast versions.

What I find interesting is the new trend to censor based on context. So you can say "pussycat," but "*****" used in a sexual or derogatory sense is prohibited. Similarly, you can say "blow," as in "blow in the breathalyzer," but not "b___ me" or "b___ job."

 

[PTBoardOp94]

NBC does not have the super bowl next year. CBS has Super Bowl 44.

 

[raccoonradio]

I'm sure the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit has been on free TV several times. Toward the end,
there was a bit of dialogue like this:
--"But he was sure no Toon!"
--"Or a wolf!"
--"Or a dog!"
--(Sylvester) "Or a ------!" (That word)

I think they used that word on purpose. (At another point in the movie, Eddie Valiant refers to a bit of
self defense Jessica did with her breasts: "Hey, nice boobytrap"). The horror...

 

[MarcB]

Ironically, whenever that episode of Becker runs now on cable there is a huge black bar placed over Shawnee Smith's chest.

I know and it's not fair. LOL. Becker runs 6AM Monday, Wednesday-Friday on USA. Along with 3AM Sunday Morning. (Saturday night). And 6PM-7PM Monday-Friday on WGN America and Wednesdays 9PM-10PM on WGN America.

 

[MarcB]

I seem to remember hearing somewhere that when JAY-Z's "Black Album" was released WIRED 96.5, the Beasley owned hip-hop station in Philly played the entire album uncensored. (and it was outside of safe harbor).