# Is a penis more appropriate than labia in mainstream film?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [March 9, 2014, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238 "2014-03-09T03:32:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/21 "2014-03-10T07:15:31Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#):
>
> There was a comedy movie released recently that had a completely nude Riki Lindhome (comedy songstress) in one scene. [Hell Baby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell_Baby).
I haven’t seen this movie so I’ll admit to the possibility that some more explicit shots in the movie didn’t make it online (but when has _that_ ever happened) but the stills I’ve found online don’t seem to show labia (note: yes, **GuanoLad** didn’t claim that the film shows labia but that’s kinda what the Thread is about).
There’s full frontal, but as best I can tell she’s sporting neatly trimmed blonde pubic hair- nearly the same color as her skin tone. It is possible that she’s fully shaved and showing labia majora but definitely not labia minora (I really can’t tell for sure from the largest most hi-res stills that I could find) but I’m not seeing any separation, that’s why I think it’s covered by pubic hair.
If you find a still from the scene, you’ll notice her golden skin tone and you’ll understand why I’m not sure if she’s fully shaved or not- her hair color really does very closely match her skin color.
> [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](#):
>
> By contrast, the penis is absolutely no problem to show, especially in a comedic context. Recent movies to feature this ‘gag’
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#):
>
> Add to that list \*two \*of the films nominated for Best Picture this year, _The Wolf of Wall Street_ and (the winner) _12 Years a Slave_.
> [@Incubus](#):
>
> Oh yeah, and Django, if you want to see explicit grabbing of Jaime Fox’s Junk.
I don’t remember seeing Jaime Fox’s penis in _Django_ but it’s been quite some time since I’ve watched it.
I had absolutely no idea what joke Ellen was making with Jonah Hill at the Oscars- and I had just seen _The Wolf of Wall Street_ only two weeks earlier! I have no memory, no memory whatsoever, of seeing Jonah Hill’s penis (prosthetic or otherwise) in that movie.
One recent penis movie that hasn’t been mentioned is _Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story_ which was released within 6 or 7 months of _Forgetting Sarah Marshall_. At the time, producer Judd Apatow said that he was going to make it a point to have a naked penis in every one of his movies. He certainly hasn’t followed through and shown penis in _every_ one of his movies since then, but did _any_ other examples from his work follow since those two?
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/22 "2014-03-10T10:47:04Z")
_Bad Lieutenant_, Harvey Keitel. I remember being :eek:
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/23 "2014-03-10T11:31:43Z")
> [@bienville](#):
>
> It is possible that she’s fully shaved and showing labia majora but definitely not **labia minora** …
You might be asking a bit much if that’s what you want.
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### Author:  [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/24 "2014-03-10T12:26:50Z")
I don’t frequent the site myself, but as a regular Howard Stern listener, I know there’s a site called Mr. Skin that has exactly this sort of detail about movies. If you’re looking to do some – ahem – research, it would be a good starting point.
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### Author:  [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/25 "2014-03-10T12:40:30Z")
> [@gonzoron](#):
>
> I don’t frequent the site myself, but as a regular Howard Stern listener, I know there’s a site called Mr. Skin that has exactly this sort of detail about movies. If you’re looking to do some – ahem – research, it would be a good starting point.
I always found celebritymoviearchive .com easier to browse without paying for membership.
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### Author:  [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/26 "2014-03-10T12:45:53Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#):
>
> You might be asking a bit much if that’s what you want.
Actually, I just reread the OP and although the word labia is used in the Thread title the first mention of lady parts in the actual OP only calls for vulva- thus setting an even lower bar than asking for labia majora. Although there’s another call for labia by the end of the OP.
From most easy to show in a mainstream film to least easy to show in a mainstream film, the order is:
Vulva –\> Labia Majora –\> Labia Minora –\> Vagina
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### Author:  [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/27 "2014-03-10T15:23:15Z")
> [@bienville](#):
>
> I had absolutely no idea what joke Ellen was making with Jonah Hill at the Oscars- and I had just seen _The Wolf of Wall Street_ only two weeks earlier! I have no memory, no memory whatsoever, of seeing Jonah Hill’s penis (prosthetic or otherwise) in that movie.
He’s at a big party at Jordan Belfort’s house and gets completely wasted on pills and walks out into the room and starts masturbating in front of everyone. It’s the same scene where Belfort meets his second wife.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/28 "2014-03-10T15:42:56Z")
> [@bienville](#):
>
> A
> From most easy to show in a mainstream film to least easy to show in a mainstream film, the order is:
> Vulva –\> Labia Majora –\> Labia Minora –\> Vagina
-
Knocked Up\* manages to get some labial display in, albeit rather…stretched. 😛
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### Author:  [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/29 "2014-03-10T17:07:03Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#):
>
> walks out into the room and starts masturbating in front of everyone.
Huh. I totally remember him doing that in that scene (but I didn’t remember it until you mentioned it), but I don’t remember that we actually saw a penis. I’m remembering any view of the penis being obscured by clothing/his hand. I am _not_ claiming that my memory is correct, I’m just now coming to realize how little of an impression that movie left on me. I’m actually pretty surprised how I remember so little detail from it.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/30 "2014-03-10T17:19:56Z")
While, strictly speaking, the vulva encompasses more than the labia, I have a hard time imagining a camera angle and pose that could show any recognizable portion of vulva without showing the labia majora in the process.
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### Author:  [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/31 "2014-03-10T17:21:20Z")
> [@Incubus](#):
>
> Penii …
The plural of _penis_ is _penes_ or _penises._
I don’t mean to be a dick.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/32 "2014-03-10T17:26:39Z")
> [@bienville](#):
>
> I don’t remember seeing Jaime Fox’s penis in _Django_ but it’s been quite some time since I’ve watched it.
It gets rather prolonged and prominent exposure in the scene where he’s suspended upside down naked and being threatened with castration.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/33 "2014-03-10T21:45:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> While, strictly speaking, the vulva encompasses more than the labia, I have a hard time imagining a camera angle and pose that could show any recognizable portion of vulva without showing the labia majora in the process.
Silhouette from behind, maybe - could have been the case in the scene linked below (spoilered for two-click rule):
(it’s from the movie _Oblivion_) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYn2i5ValV4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYn2i5ValV4)
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### Author:  [@Jack\_Burden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Burden)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/34 "2014-03-10T23:38:07Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#):
>
> Add to that list \*two \*of the films nominated for Best Picture this year, _The Wolf of Wall Street_ and (the winner) _12 Years a Slave_.
And 2004 nominee Sideways, with the man parts smashed up against the driver-side window. How on earth did Giamatti not wreck the Saab right then and there?
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### Author:  [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2014, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/35 "2014-03-10T23:39:05Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> I have a hard time imagining a camera angle and pose that could show any recognizable portion of vulva without showing the labia majora in the process.
I’d give them credit for showing vulva with a frontal nude shot with pubic hair, but if the pubic hair obscures the separation of the labia majora then I’m not giving them credit for showing labia majora.
Consider the Riki Lindhome scene from _Hell Baby_ that **GuanoLad** and I discussed above.
We _definitely_ see her vulva, but from the stills found online I am not confident that we see her labia majora. I mentioned up thread that her skin tone and hair color are a very close match and I’m not certain if she’s fully shaved or just neatly trimmed, but from those stills I’m not seeing any separation of the labia majora that’s why I’m inclined to think it is hidden by pubic hair.
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### Author:  [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/36 "2014-03-11T00:56:51Z")
There’s a brief, full-frontal nude scene in _Her_ of an in-universe female celebrity that the main character (Joaquin Phoenix) is fantasizing about. The woman has trimmed pubic hair, and I remember thinking “Well, the only way I could be seeing more of this woman right now would be if she spread her legs.” I was a little surprised because I hadn’t heard anything about this movie having any nudity at all, and since the primary love interest is a computer program (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) I would have assumed that if anyone was shown nude it would be Joaquin Phoenix.
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### Author:  [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2014, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/37 "2014-03-11T03:00:36Z")
You get quite the view of Bob Hoskins’ wedding tackle in _Mrs Henderson Presents_. It was certainly the last thing I expected to see in that film.
Also, a pretty good film.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/38 "2014-03-11T03:03:22Z")
Pubic hair is not part of the vulva.
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### Author:  [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/39 "2014-03-11T03:34:54Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> Pubic hair is not part of the vulva.
I was going to be more specific, I suppose I should have been.
Yes, I know that pubic hair is not part of the vulva and I don’t equate seeing pubic hair with seeing a vulva- this is why I specified full frontal, but still that wasn’t specific enough. If a bit of pubic hair were visible over the waist band of a pair of underwear, perhaps as the underwear was being pushed down, but then there’s a cut away- I wouldn’t count that as a vulva shot.
Full frontal nudity could also fail to count as a vulva shot if the pubic hair was very plentiful.
But, to go back once more to the Riki Lindhome/_Hell Baby_ scene (have we all image searched that by now), any pubic hair that she has is very shortly trimmed and shaved into a small neat strip. I’m going to count her full frontal scene there as a vulva shot even with pubic hair.
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### Author:  [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)
#### Post date: [March 11, 2014, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-penis-more-appropriate-than-labia-in-mainstream-film/683238/40 "2014-03-11T03:47:53Z")
> [@bienville](#):
>
> If a bit of pubic hair were visible over the waist band of a pair of underwear, perhaps as the underwear was being pushed down, but then there’s a cut away- I wouldn’t count that as a vulva shot.
Would the MPAA count it as an instant R, if the film was otherwise PG-13?
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