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"Bad" word on WEEI

D

djflash

Having just finished almost 13 years on community/college radio, where the "bad" words for radio were regularly remembered in staff meetings, I was struck by Mike Adams frequent use of the word *piss* the other night. I tried to ask the producer about it but he was rude and hung up. It wasn't pissed (angry) of pissy (whiney) but piss as in urine, as in "filled with piss and vinegar". These were offered between 6:30 and 7 pm.

Then today Callahan the giant leprechaun referred to Manny R as "Pissing down on them"...(referring to fans and management) and that they were used to those "warm summer showers" All at about 7:30am. Nice breakfast image eh?

I was always taught that safe harbor for these and others colorful phrases is 10pm-6am. I really don't think this has changed. Piss is still on the "bad" word list for the FCC...Yet it appears that Jason Wolf...by his silence to my inquiry... does not care about it.

WEEI seems to be doing to FCC rules what Manny did to respect for the game...urinate all over it.
 
Remember that ultimately FCC governs local social morays and acts in response to complaints. It's possible that none of WEEI's listener's have found this language offensive enough to warrant complaining to the FCC.

I don't want somebody from Dallas telling somebody from Boston what is and isn't "offensive." What they find acceptable in Chicago may be distasteful in Atlanta.

If you are bothered by the language they are using... fcc.gov
 
I think the horse left the barn on "piss" when FDR's Vice-President John N. Garner referred to his office thusly, "The Vice-Presidency isn't worth a bucket of warm piss." Now there's an image...

More directly related though, is piss more crass than pee? Didn't Judge Judy write a book called something like, "Don't Pee On My Leg and Tell Me its Raining"? Her audience is probably more prudish than WEEI's. Are we unfairly discriminating against piss? Is it time to take "piss" off the list of the seven dirty words?

On the other hand we need to draw the line somewhere. Pete Sheppard can call someone a turd or a worthless piece of crap, but we can't let him use the s word or it will be total anarchy. This whole thing is silly, and is IMHO part of the reason that cable TV (and to a lesser degree satellite radio) have a huge advantage in the creation of quality content (subscription revenue streams, and thus the ability to narrowcast is another...).

In summation, you are right, but I don't think anybody in Boston (other than you perhaps) is pissed about it.
 
This thread is starting to sound like a bit that George Carlin did back in the 60's. If I recall it was one of the bits that launched his career.

With regard to the word in question, I believe that it is better to be pissed off than to be pissed on. But that's just me.
 
One would assume you would know if you had been pissed on?!
Do tell.

Some words just sneak in and nobody bats an eye.
Pete S talking about a turd at 4:50pm somehow isn't as *offensive* (to me) as "piss down on them...warm summer showers" being added to the breakfast table, as you pick up your orange juice. But if your urine is the color of orange juice, call the doctor.

I guess that I am calling for more eye batting stating that any of these words don't make for better radio. Just cause you can say turd or crap, doesn't mean you should. Maybe I just want better radio in general...

But commercial radio isn't about better radio...just ratings and ad revenue.
The American way.
 
It's pretty amazing the things they're able to get away with on WEEI compared to Opie & Anthony's terrestrial radio show (WBCN). One recent example is that Shaq rap "Kobe, tell me how my ___ tastes." WEEI has played the hell out of it, without a beep at all. Opie & Anthony weren't allowed to do that.
 
jlehmann said:
It's pretty amazing the things they're able to get away with on WEEI compared to Opie & Anthony's terrestrial radio show (WBCN). One recent example is that Shaq rap "Kobe, tell me how my ___ tastes." WEEI has played the hell out of it, without a beep at all. Opie & Anthony weren't allowed to do that.
Click to expand...

I'm sure part of that could just be the differing philosophies of the ownership or the PDs or whomever determines what gets beeped and what doesn't.

But also, given O&A's history, their leash is probably far shorter and thus even with the borderline stuff, they err on the side of caution because they feel the stare of the FCC. On the other hand, WEEI has not had the problems nor do any of the on-air staff have the reputation/noteriety that O&A do. Thus they can and do push the envelope or just have a wider berth in which to operate. I'd imagine that until they get in some kind of trouble, WEEI will continue to be far looser with their own self-censoring than something like the O&A show.
 
djflash said:
Having just finished almost 13 years on community/college radio, where the "bad" words for radio were regularly remembered in staff meetings, I was struck by Mike Adams frequent use of the word *piss* the other night. I tried to ask the producer about it but he was rude and hung up. It wasn't pissed (angry) of pissy (whiney) but piss as in urine, as in "filled with piss and vinegar". These were offered between 6:30 and 7 pm.

Then today Callahan the giant leprechaun referred to Manny R as "Pissing down on them"...(referring to fans and management) and that they were used to those "warm summer showers" All at about 7:30am. Nice breakfast image eh?

I was always taught that safe harbor for these and others colorful phrases is 10pm-6am. I really don't think this has changed. Piss is still on the "bad" word list for the FCC...Yet it appears that Jason Wolf...by his silence to my inquiry... does not care about it.

WEEI seems to be doing to FCC rules what Manny did to respect for the game...urinate all over it.
Click to expand...

There is no list of "bad words." Indecency complaints are examined in context...or were, until the current crop of holier-than-thou fundamentalist morons who run the country decided they had to protect our virgin ears. For the FCC to maintain a list of "bad words" skirts dangerously close to a violation of the First Amendment. If you're thinking of the old George Carlin routine ("The Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television"), that was examined by the FCC in context and found to be indecent, but specific words were not singled out.

I would have to guess that Jason Wolfe has better things to do than to respond to every single complaint about something that "OFFENDED ME!!!!" Some people are offended when you say "hello" to them. One thing you learn really quickly in radio is that you will never please everyone.

If you're so easily offended, remember: your radio is not hard-wired to 850. It has a tuning control and an "off" switch.
 
Even "wardrobe malfunction" CBS TV doesn't shy away from the "P" word. During times
when captioning some of the conversation between house guests on Big Brother, they
actually spell out the word "piss" in any of its various forms. I guess they're not too
worried about their friends at the FCC "raining" down on them.
 
big deal.... actually, Lew Goldstein used the word "prick" to describe someone on his show a few weeks back and was told he couldn't do that again. To quote (or paraphrase) Carlin--you can talk about pricking your finger but not fingering your prick!

There are FAR more offensive things on D&C than the use of the word piss. And, as everyone says here, if they're getting the ratings, who gives a f.... um, darn about what a few blue-nosed easily-offended folks think. Put on Disney or WEZE...
 
Oh yes indeed, kudos to those intrepid souls braving the slings and arrows of those religious fanatics by daring to say "piss" over the air...how courageous and heedless of their own welfare are they!

As brave men once conquered the frontiers of the wild, now do these hardy men conquer the frontiers of language by daring - daring! to say "piss" over the air...

In awe we remain with bated breath waiting for their next linguistic conquest!
 
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