Tonight’s Family Guy was “Road to Rhode Island”, a send up of the classic traveling buddy pic, one of the better episode of the show, actually. Early on, and remember, this predated 9/11, there was a scene of Stewie getting through airport security by destracting the guards by singing “Good Ship Lollypop”. It works, and as he shoulders his pack ( full of nefarious devices that had gone through the xray machine unoticed because the guards were watching him sing), he mutters under his breath " better hope Osama bin-Laden dosen’t know any showtunes", followed by a quick clip of ObL singing “I hope I get it” from A Chorus Line. Funny stuff.
And the Adult Swim bastards cut the entire scene. Instead of retroactively wincing and avoiding any mention of something that pertains to 9/11, perhaps we would have been better served if the point being made in the show had been taken more seriously, hmm?
9/11 was a national tradgedy. That dosen’t mean that it’s a forbidden topic, or even one that can’t be the butt of an ocasional joke, especially if the joke predates the attack. The “WTC Onion headlines” thread certainly helped me adjust to and accept what had happened post 9/11. Wincing and dancing around things dosen’t help anyone, IMHO.
Well, this is the same network that has been waffling for months over showing the hilarious (to me anyway) Don Hertzfeldt short Rejected because of the presence of the phrase “Sweet Jesus!” which Hertzfeldt refuses to let them edit out. I’ve also noticed that they edited the word “Jesus” as spoken by Dr. Zoidberg out of several episodes of Futurama, a show that originally aired at 7pm. On FOX yeah, but still . . .
And all of this in their supposedly adult after 10pm lineup. Rather pathetic really.
Seriously, there has never been anything in Cartoon Network’s “Adult” Swim lineup that just about any other network wouldn’t feel comfortable air much earlier in the evening in unedited form, yet they still feel the need to warn us against the possibility of extreme violence, sexuality, harsh language, etc.
There’s harsher language in an average episode of Touched By An Angel or Seventh Heaven than there is on anything Adult Swim airs. Nice to know CN so trusts the ability of adults to watch cartoons with objectionable content without needing someone to play nanny for us . . .
They probably do it because they don’t really think Adults are the main audience. I know that if I was the person in charge of Cartoon Networks, I’d be pretty damned careful. the last thing they need is some wacko parent freaking the fuck out because little Johnny heard a naughty word on the Cartoon Network, because they don’t get the concept that some cartoons are not meant for Children.
It’s not about playing nanny for us, it’s about protecting their asses from the Insane Parent Brigade.
That’s one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard. And you know something? It’s one of the first jokes I’ve ever heard that’s funnier BECAUSE of September 11. I hope I can find someone with a copy of this episode. What season is it from? Maybe I’ll ask for it on DVD…
And what, airing the shows after 11pm isn’t protection enough? In the case of Family Guy and Futurama we’re talking about shows that aired much earlier in the evening on a broadcast network.
If some “Insane Parent” obejects to Cartoon Network airing mildly offensive and/or racy content, Cartoon Network could counter by asking, “What the fuck’s your kid doing watching tv at midnight anyway?” Shut them up right quick.
Well, yeah, I know. That’s what I think too. I’m not saying that the parents are right or that’s how it should be, but I’ve already seen some places online where people are complaining that their children are seeing shows on the Cartoon Network of all places (horror!) that they don’t approve of.
Okay, I can understand if Cartoon Network is skittish about airing shows with bad words and sex in them.
But what does that have to do with the scene that was cut from Family Guy? Are they worried that toddlers watching the show will start to blurt out “Osama Bin Laden” at embarrassing moments?
Yep. I have the DVD and can confirm that the X-ray scene is indeed cut. I’m guessing the decision was with whoever maintains the shows for syndication and video release (the studio, I guess.)
The target audience of the Cartoon Network is children. Period. It’s really not that complicated. I don’t know how the demographics break down, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised that they get as many or even more adults watching than kids. Especially if you include the stoner demographic. But the fact remains that a majority of their programming is devoted to kids.
To go from airing “Hamtaro” and “Dragonball Z” during the day to “Sealab 2021” at night, with no explanation, would be just irresponsible. It’s not a question of accountability; sure, they could see how much they can get away with before people complain, and then turn the argument back on them, asking why they have kids watching at that hour – but why? It’s a lot more responsible to avoid the complaints in the first place.
Y’all can complain about censorship and pandering and all that, but I respect their discretion. If somebody can’t be funny without saying “Jesus” or making jokes about terrorism, then it’s a cop-out to blame it on the editor.
And if Cartoon Network is uncomfortable airing something as mildly objectionable as the use of the word “Jesus” out of its religiously proper context even after 11pm, maybe they should use that discretion you so respect to find another show to air in that timeslot.
Cartoon Network has done all the ass-covering it needs to by airing the show after 11pm and including a discretionary warning before every airing. Anything further just seems ridiculous. Why have an adult lineup at all if you don’t trust that adults can handle the occasional utterance of an objectionable (but in this case not obscene) word or the occasional joke about a serious or touchy subject?
If anyone remembers who he is by the time today’s infants start talking.