# Mild cursing in old timey TV (The Real McCoys: Grandpa's Birthday (1958)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-cursing-in-old-timey-tv-the-real-mccoys-grandpas-birthday-1958/1032462>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 21, 2026, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-cursing-in-old-timey-tv-the-real-mccoys-grandpas-birthday-1958/1032462 "2026-08-21T01:38:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-cursing-in-old-timey-tv-the-real-mccoys-grandpas-birthday-1958/1032462/21 "2026-08-22T02:17:12Z")

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My father can’t stand Woody Allen, but the first time **Annie Hall** was on TV, when the “What an asshole,” scene came on, he laughed like I have never heard him laugh, before or since. He also loved **Radio Days** , especially when the crooks emptied out the house and, well, you know — spoiler alert.

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**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-cursing-in-old-timey-tv-the-real-mccoys-grandpas-birthday-1958/1032462/22 "2026-08-22T03:18:42Z")

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> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#):
>
> “I just want a piece of that damn cake!”

I think he says, “What I want is a piece of that there birthday cake!”

To my ear at least, “that there” is kind of an Appalachian/Southern usage, so to me that tracks.

But his “there” definitely does sound like “damn,” too. Maybe part of it has to do with the audio quality.

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**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2026, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mild-cursing-in-old-timey-tv-the-real-mccoys-grandpas-birthday-1958/1032462/23 "2026-08-22T04:40:57Z")

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I don’t like the 4 letter word _mild._

Personally.

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