Last-minute program changes for West Coast Network Feed?

[Bob1370]

"Haven't some segments of "Saturday Night Live" been deleted for the West Coast feed?

Two examples come to mind, both involving guest hosts' monologues...

One was Andrew Dice Clay's...he was already put on a 10 second delay because of the nature of his routine, but the dump button wasn't fast enough for some of his stuff to be bleeped for the live feed to the Eastern and Central zones. A lot less of his monologue was heard west of the Rockies.

The other was Martin Lawrence. He wasn't known as a raunchy standup act and he was an experienced prime time TV performer by the time he hosted so no one thought a delay was necessary. Bad idea...his monologue had some riffs touching on feminine hygeine which I won't get into here, and folks from about Denver west never heard but those of us watching in the east got in full.

I think SNL is run on a 10 second delay nationwide now, for every show, because the FCC has gotten so draconian in its content rules and enforcement.

 

[dhett]

I think SNL is run on a 10 second delay nationwide now, for every show, because the FCC has gotten so draconian in its content rules and enforcement.

Why would that affect SNL? They air after 10 PM in all time zones. The FCC doesn't go after foul language after 10 - just ask WNBC's Sue Simmons, who dropped the f-bomb during a live news promo not too long ago. The FCC did nothing to WNBC.

 

[Hal Erickson]

February 19 1956: During a live broadcast of Reginald Rose's drama "Tragedy in a Temporary Town" on THE ALCOA HOUR, Lloyd Bridges got so carried away in one scene that he adlibbed "You goddamned stinking pigs!" The network switchboard lit up like a Christmas tree. When the kinescope played on the West Coast a few hours later, the expletive had been deleted.
Bridges spent the next week dodging reporters and anxious fans, apologizing for his gaffe.
NOT an apocryphal story! It was reported in newspapers and in BROADCASTING magazine shortly after it occured. This was no "Uncle Don" urban legend.

 

[firepoint525]

There was a "Wayne's World" sketch on Saturday Night Live in which Wayne and Garth (Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey) poked fun at Chelsea Clinton (then about 13 years old) in a top 10 list that they were doing. It must have not been politically correct, because an incomplete top 10 list now airs whenever this episode is rerun. I am not certain if it was cut for west coast feeds, or just for reruns.

 

[mleach]

Why would that affect SNL? They air after 10 PM in all time zones. The FCC doesn't go after foul language after 10 - just ask WNBC's Sue Simmons, who dropped the f-bomb during a live news promo not too long ago. The FCC did nothing to WNBC.

The FCC also didn't do anything to Hagerstown, Maryland's WQCM-FM either when back in 2004 one of their jocks ( Andy Thomas ) while doing his show on the classic rocker uttered the "F" word...well over 50 times and describing very graphic sex acts between his sister and boyfriend..all LIVE and on a SUNDAY AFTERNOON !! Like Simmons and WNBC, the WQCM/Thomas incident was caught on tape..still the FCC did nothing.

 

[radiorob2.0]

I think SNL is run on a 10 second delay nationwide now, for every show, because the FCC has gotten so draconian in its content rules and enforcement.

Why would that affect SNL? They air after 10 PM in all time zones. The FCC doesn't go after foul language after 10 - just ask WNBC's Sue Simmons, who dropped the f-bomb during a live news promo not too long ago. The FCC did nothing to WNBC.

Before those guarding our morality began filling the FCC's inbox, the obscenity rule was based on intent. The Sue Simmons incident was an accident. If News 4 New York began each program with, "How ya motherf***ers doin?", that would be considered intentional.

Speaking of SNL, an "F" bomb almost happened intentionally. The first program after 9/11 was hosted by Resse Witherspoon. Lorne Michaels had wanted Witherspoon to tell a joke during the monologue that had the word "f**k". Michaels was willing to pay for the FCC fine to push the limits just one time. Witherspoon wouldn't do it, so the punch line was changed.

 

[mleach]

Before those guarding our morality began filling the FCC's inbox, the obscenity rule was based on intent. The Sue Simmons incident was an accident. If News 4 New York began each program with, "How ya motherf***ers doin?", that would be considered intentional.

Not trying to change the subject but I wonder if the rules are, well different in radio than they are with TV? In the case of WQCM-FM as I recall a tape was made of jock Andy Thomas and was sent to the FCC as a result of the foul language and the graphic discusion of sex acts during his Sunday afternoon program, yet the FCC did nothing even though all of this was intentional. Over the years I heard various reasons as to the lack of the FCC getting involved with this. Everything ranging from WQCM being in a small market ( Hagerstown, MD ), to the WQCM format ( classic rock ) to even Thomas' medical condition ( Andy Thomas had/has Bipolar Disorder..claiming that he had "forgot" to take his meds that day ).

 

[chris12]

According to the one wikepedia entry about Turn-On it said it was also pulled mid-way through by the ABC station out in Cleveland and the station out in Portland upon hearing about it decided they wouldn't air it.

Also, wasn't the Gong Show on a dual 1/12 and 4/3 dual feed when the Popsicle Twins epiosde aired so that stations in the Mid-West and East Coast who used the 4/3 feed didn't see it either?

Another one that happened in September 2005 shortly after Katrina CBS aired a Price Is Right summer rerun where the one Showcase gave away a trip to New Orleans which was corrected before the West Coast feed.

 

[bpatrick]

According to the story, WEWS (ABC5 Cleveland) general
manager Don Perris sent a wire to ABC; I'm not sure I'm
quoting this exactly, but he said something like, "If you're
going to write on the walls, please don't use our walls."
Turns out, Perris hadn't even seen the show.

 

[mleach]

According to the story, WEWS (ABC5 Cleveland) general
manager Don Perris sent a wire to ABC; I'm not sure I'm
quoting this exactly, but he said something like, "If you're
going to write on the walls, please don't use our walls."
Turns out, Perris hadn't even seen the show.

I am beginning to wonder if any of these "Turn-On" stories are even true. Afterall it's been said that Baltimore's WJZ-TV was the first station to had cancelled the show ( WJZ denies that ). Plus many of books claim that Denver's then KBTV ( KUSA ) channel 9 had pulled the show half way through the airing. Denver's Rocky Mountain News/Denver Post dis-credited the story not that long away even though for many years longtime Denver channel 9 anchorman Ward Lucas has called the Denver/Turn-ON story " a god-damn f*cking lie".

Plus the bit about thanks to an "agreement/lawsuit" between the actors, staff & sponsors of Turn-ON and ABC-TV it is agreed to lock up the show and never allow it to be seen again"..that story is totally false as well.

I would love to see that Perris/Wire to ABC to see if at least that "Turn-ON" story is true.

 

[mleach]

Today a friend of mine was telling me about a Canadian example of a show being yanked before it reached the west coast. In this case it was the infamous Canadian sitcom "The Trouble With Tracy" which aired on CTV in the early 70's.

From what he was telling me, in the episode in question Tracy ( played by Diane Nyland ) had got a parking ticket. He husband ( played by actor the late Steve Weston ) says "Tracy..not another parking ticket??" Then Tracy says "...Gee I don't know how I got that sucker..I saw the sign..it said FINE FOR PARKING..and I did !!".

Some bigwig at CTV must had felt that was the most dumbest thing he/she had ever heard because it was yanked before that episode of "The Trouble with Tracy" had reached the Mountain/West Coast time zones of Canada.

Of course since I know very little about Canadian TV I can't say if this incident was true or not but the stories I have heard about this show..well........

 

[azumanga]

I probably wouldn't believe that story -- given the notoriety of "The Trouble With Tracy", with flimsy scripts, sets and acting, they probably would've scotched the entire series. Yet, even though it lasted only one season, "Tracy" was part of rerun hell on Canadian stations way into the 1980s, thanks to Cancon rules.

 

[Stanislav]

From what he was telling me, in the episode in question Tracy (played by Diane Nyland ) had got a parking ticket. He husband ( played by actor the late Steve Weston ) says "Tracy..not another parking ticket??" Then Tracy says "...Gee I don't know how I got that sucker..I saw the sign..it said FINE FOR PARKING..and I did !!".

Uh, yeah...that joke goes back at least to the Roman Empire.....

Some bigwig at CTV must had felt that was the most dumbest thing he/she had ever heard because it was yanked before that episode of "The Trouble with Tracy" had reached the Mountain/West Coast time zones of Canada.

Unless the term "sucker" was considered risque or in poor taste at the time. (I wouldn't know much about which English words might be considered vulgar in general Canadian usage, but not American.) Maybe just too close to a similar noun with a different initial consonant?

I'm surprised "sucker" has been relatively accepted (usually as a synonym for "dupe") over the years in U.S. media, given it's alternate, obviously sexual inference. And while you could call a dumb person a "sucker," or refer to a lollipop as an "all-day sucker," until relatively recently you could not say that something "sucks." Go figure. (But then, this is a country in which [the old Hays Code] the exclamation "nuts!" used to be on the movie no-no list, and a man and woman seen on a bed together each had to have at least one foot on the floor...)

 

[azumanga]

...this is a country in which [the old Hays Code] the exclamation "nuts!" used to be on the movie no-no list...

I recall seeing an old Looney Tunes cartoon where Elmer Fudd was chasing a chipmunk (or Bugs Bunny, don't remember) up a tree, in which the critter dumped a whole load of nuts on top of Elmer. In exasperation, Elmer cried, then yelled "Nuts!".

If the Hays Code was still in force at the time, they would've had to reshoot the scene. (Or is it all about context?)

 

[Davros2006]

It was the Goofy Gophers, Mac and Tosh, and the short was called "Pests for Guests", and I saw it on Teletoon Retro a couple of days ago.

 

[Stanislav]

...this is a country in which [the old Hays Code] the exclamation "nuts!" used to be on the movie no-no list...

I recall seeing an old Looney Tunes cartoon where Elmer Fudd was chasing a chipmunk (or Bugs Bunny, don't remember) up a tree, in which the critter dumped a whole load of nuts on top of Elmer. In exasperation, Elmer cried, then yelled "Nuts!".

If the Hays Code was still in force at the time, they would've had to reshoot the scene. (Or is it all about context?)

I've seen most every WB cartoon, but that scene doesn't ring a bell. In any case, though, maybe it was context -- they could have argued that there actually were nuts in the scene, so Elmer's outcry was merely descriptive in nature. (Flimsier logic has been used to try to beat the censor...)

 

[cowboybud]

I probably wouldn't believe that story -- given the notoriety of "The Trouble With Tracy", with flimsy scripts, sets and acting, they probably would've scotched the entire series. Yet, even though it lasted only one season, "Tracy" was part of rerun hell on Canadian stations way into the 1980s, thanks to Cancon rules.

This sounds like something so bad that I HAVE to see it. Is it on DVD?

 

[mleach]

I probably wouldn't believe that story -- given the notoriety of "The Trouble With Tracy", with flimsy scripts, sets and acting, they probably would've scotched the entire series. Yet, even though it lasted only one season, "Tracy" was part of rerun hell on Canadian stations way into the 1980s, thanks to Cancon rules.

I had my doubts myself.

Besides doesent Canada's CBC, CTV and Global work differently than CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX as far as how they send out their shows? As in, even though some Canadian shows are live, stations in Canada can air whatever the network sends them anytime they want no questions asked? In other words..no set pattern.

 

[azumanga]

Besides doesent Canada's CBC, CTV and Global work differently than CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX as far as how they send out their shows? As in, even though some Canadian shows are live, stations in Canada can air whatever the network sends them anytime they want no questions asked? In other words..no set pattern.

I think that USED to be the way, though the last several years, the American schedules and the popularity of American programs play a role in schedules for Canadian stations, mainly for "simsubbing".

CBC, however, is a special case, as it very rarely shows American programs in prime time anymore, with most of its shows being Canadian or British. Also, almost all CBC-owned stations follow the same schedule, with variances on weekends for sports.

 

[oldtimeradio]

To Chris 12

You can this posting date, so it took me this long to see the following post Re: The Gong Show":

Also, wasn't the Gong Show on a dual 1/12 and 4/3 dual feed when the Popsicle Twins epiosde aired so that stations in the Mid-West and East Coast who used the 4/3 feed didn't see it either?

For those of us who don't know --- what the heck is a 1/12 and 4/3 dual feed?

Thanks,
mike