# How did they slip THAT by the censors? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2002, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754 "2002-12-19T06:26:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/121 "2003-01-01T23:28:36Z")
The other day, Robert DeNiro hosted SNL… in the opening sketch, he played the head of Homeland Security, reading off a list of suspected terrorist names, such as: U’Liqua M’Diq U’Suqua M’Diq ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/122 "2003-01-02T11:16:55Z")
OK, yesterday I watched the Simpsons episode [“Trash of the Titans”](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/5F09) and I can’t believe that it used the word “wankers” not once but twice - I thought I was hearing things first time, but no - Mr Burns says it again right at the end (referring to U2). And this show was prefixed with a “G” rating, meaning “suitable for all” on Fox 8 (I’m in Australia at the moment). What’s up with that? ---
**Author:** ![Latch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@Latch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latch)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/123 "2003-01-02T13:22:08Z")
This isn’t shocking, but just pretty funny. In The Simpsons where Homer smokes pot for half the episode… (no, not that he’s smoking pot). Marge decides to grow all her own vegetables, so she makes a garden. The fertilizer she uses is “Dirty Hoe” brand. Again, not too shocking, just funny. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/124 "2003-01-02T15:33:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by marinwood \* > \*\*It was Tara who was levitating & moaning. Don’t forget her closing lines: > > “You make me complete, you make me complete, you make me com–”\*\* I just saw this episode for the first time a few days ago, and all I can say is Kee-rist! The scene was incredibly hot but romantic at the same time. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/125 "2003-01-02T16:16:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by r\_k \* > \*\*OK, yesterday I watched the Simpsons episode [“Trash of the Titans”](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/5F09) and I can’t believe that it used the word “wankers” not once but twice - I thought I was hearing things first time, but no - Mr Burns says it again right at the end (referring to U2). And this show was prefixed with a “G” rating, meaning “suitable for all” on Fox 8 (I’m in Australia at the moment). > > What’s up with that? \*\* There was a recent thread on this that I can’t be bothered to find. Basically, “wanker” is rarely understood and is not a swear word in the US. I suspect that Fox 8 in Oz didn’t bother checking as to whether to re-rate the episode and just used the US rating. ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/126 "2003-01-02T16:27:06Z")
Here’s an example of censorship that makes no sense to me. In the movie Seinfeld, another comedian is scheduled to appear on Letterman and censors had to approve his jokes. He had one that went: > [@](#): > > I’m pretty sure I’ve got Lupus. I was riding the bus the other day and there was this poster that said, "Chances are, one person on this bus has Lupus. I looked around and I was the only one riding the bus! The censors wanted him to change _Lupus_ to _Psoriasis_. 😕 This is ridiculous. Is it taboo to even mention a serious disease in a joke? He wasn’t making fun of people who have Lupus. Anyway, I got the impression that these censors were actually on the Late Night staff, but they might have network censors. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/127 "2003-01-02T16:45:20Z")
_cough_ The way I pronounce psoriasis is dirtier than Lupus. ---
**Author:** ![psychomonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@psychomonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychomonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/128 "2003-01-02T21:13:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by heresiarch \* > \*\*Here’s an example of censorship that makes no sense to me. In the movie Seinfeld, another comedian is scheduled to appear on Letterman and censors had to approve his jokes. He had one that went: > > The censors wanted him to change _Lupus_ to _Psoriasis_. 😕 This is ridiculous. Is it taboo to even mention a serious disease in a joke? He wasn’t making fun of people who have Lupus. > > Anyway, I got the impression that these censors were actually on the Late Night staff, but they might have network censors. \*\* I believe the movie was The Comedian and I think he decided at the last minute that Psoriasis would be less offensive to his audience, didnt he? Anywho, on the same note, anything will offend somebody, so my guess is that the censors take only what is blatantly offensive to the viewing audience out. -PSM ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/129 "2003-01-03T14:54:59Z")
One time, on a fairly early episode of Friends, Ross visits his ex-wife’s apartment for some reason. After knocking a couple of times, she finally answers the door, obviously finishing getting dressed. She seems a bit flustered and anxious for him to leave, and points out that it’s her and her lesbian lover’s anniversary. During the conversation, she reaches up and takes something off her tongue, just like you would if you had a hair in your mouth. I had to sit there for a few minutes and make sure I’d just seen what I’d thought I’d seen. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/130 "2003-01-03T15:22:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Larry Mudd \* > \*\* > > While “flaming” is occasionally used by itself in an innocent way, (especially among gay folk,) to refer to someone who’s exceptionally camp, “flaming homo” or “flaming 'mo” is an ugly epithet used by knuckle-dragging gay-bashers and ignorant juveniles. \*\* I’ve never heard gaybashers or juveniles use this term. Lots of gay men, yes, but no gaybashers or juveniles. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/131 "2003-01-03T15:32:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pjen \* > \*\*Mid 1980s UK sketch show- called ‘Not the Nine o clock News’ airing as it suggests at 9pm. starred Mel Smith, Pamela Stephenson (Billy Connolly’s wife and Rowan Atkinson). Each show had a spoof music video (this was at the height of popularity of the ‘new’ MTV. Their videos were often better than those on the real MTV! > > \*\* Minor pedant: NT9OCN ran from 1978-1982, a bit earlier than you thought. Major pedant: Pamela Stephenson is not Rowan Atkinson. Remember - careless punctuation costs lives. The best video they did was a direct parody of MTV jiggling by means of a skit on Blondie’s Atomic video, with the three men dressed in torn leather and being molested by scantily-clad women. The scene where one of them goes down on Mel Smith and he looks so totally sick and tired of it… If you can find the BBC videos of the Best Of series, buy them; they’re great. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/132 "2003-01-03T15:36:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \* > > \ > > \*\*Heck, I don’t get this. \*\* They actually say “cunnilingus”. “Kinda lingers” is what comes up as a subtitle. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/133 "2003-01-03T15:41:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Evil Captor \* > \*\*Two nice uses of supernatural: > > When Buffy is invisible and Spike is making love to her, and is discovered doing so by Xander, and has to pretend he’s been doing some weird masturbation thing or other to hide his relationship with Buffy … \*\* IIRC, doesn’t he pretend that he’s doing press-ups in bed? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/134 "2003-01-03T15:54:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Evil Death \* > \*\*IIRC, doesn’t he pretend that he’s doing press-ups in bed? \*\* Er, that’s Evil [Captor] ;\> He may well have done so, my memory on that point is hazy, but I definitely remember that Xander doesn’t believe him. ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/135 "2003-01-03T17:03:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by psychomonkey \* > \*\*I believe the movie was The Comedian and I think he decided at the last minute that Psoriasis would be less offensive to his audience, didnt he? > Anywho, on the same note, anything will offend somebody, so my guess is that the censors take only what is blatantly offensive to the viewing audience out. > -PSM \*\* You’re right - it was Comedian (but no “the” in the title.) And the name of the comedian in that incident was Orny Adams. Thanks [IMDB](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0328962). As I recall it, Orny wasn’t the one who decided to change the joke. In fact, he was a little upset about the change. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/136 "2003-01-03T17:26:42Z")
There was an episode of The Simpsons last season or the year before that included a commercial or movie trailer for “Ed O’Neil is The Mummy”. In that spot, the Mummy is on a youth soccer team, and there is a rather voloptuous woman in a tight shirt jumping up and down in the stands. The Mummy sees her and is, um, impressed. A child yells, “The doctor said he shouldn’t get a woody!” or words to that effect, and you hear fabric ripping. It’s a hazy memory, to be sure, and although I laughed my ass off, it suprised me that they could say “woody” in that context, not to mention provide a sound effect for it. ---
**Author:** ![Sauroposeidon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Sauroposeidon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauroposeidon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/137 "2003-01-03T18:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Casey1505 \* > \*\*It’s a hazy memory, to be sure, and although I laughed my ass off, it suprised me that they could say “woody” in that context, not to mention provide a sound effect for it. \*\* Did they say “woody” on some stations? I’m sure they said “boner” here. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/138 "2003-01-03T19:07:12Z")
It may have been. When I saw the repeat, I started laughing, knowing what was coming up (no pun intended), so I missed the exact phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/139 "2003-01-03T19:10:38Z")
There’s a current commercial where some young adults are in a laundromat and fill the washers with detergent, making bubbles everywhere. Alcohol-fueld hijinks ensue to a catchy rock beat, and towards the end one guy is standing there, when a woman comes up out of the bubbles. It’s more than obvious what she was supposed to have been doing down there under the bubbles. ---
**Author:** ![Weary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/aeb1de/32.png) [@Weary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weary)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-they-slip-that-by-the-censors/143754/140 "2003-01-03T20:20:09Z")
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