# Netwks can air the word "fucking" when used "as an adjective or to emphasize" no **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 7, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103 "2003-10-07T17:20:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/1 "2003-10-07T17:20:50Z")
[http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=529&e=2&u=/ap/20031007/ap\_en\_mu/people\_bono](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=529&e=2&u=/ap/20031007/ap_en_mu/people_bono) > [@](#): > > The complaints objected to Bono’s uttering the phrase “this is really, really, f------ brilliant.” > > The FCC, using the F-word more often to explain its decision than Bono did on the air, said the word “may be crude and offensive, but, in the context presented here, did not describe sexual or excretory organs or activities.” That distinction is a key test to measure whether a statement meets a federal standard for broadcast indecency. > > David Solomon, chief of the FCC’s enforcement bureau, said in the ruling that Bono used the vulgarity as an adjective or to emphasize an exclamation and that “the use of specific words, including expletives or other ‘four-letter words’ does not render material obscene.” So, the FCC wouldn’t have an objection to naming a show “Everybody Fucking Loves Raymond”, but might with “Everybody Loves Fucking Raymond”? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/2 "2003-10-07T17:22:05Z")
Err, the title was supposed to end with “now”, not “no”. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/3 "2003-10-07T17:40:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\* > So, the FCC wouldn’t have an objection to naming a show “Everybody Fucking Loves Raymond”, but might with “Everybody Loves Fucking Raymond”? \*\* Oh, I think they might care about that. The relevant remark from the FCC’s David Solomon is, “We have previously found that \*\*fleeting and isolated \*\*remarks of this nature do not warrant commission action.” (Bolding mine.) ---
**Author:** ![Roches](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bc8723/32.png) [@Roches](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roches)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/4 "2003-10-07T18:20:55Z")
I think this is a technicality. There are still people who will be shocked to hear the f-dash-dash-dash word on TV, even if it doesn’t refer to sexual activity. Since ‘community standards of decency’ are also important in determining obscenity, and there are communities in the US which have very strict standards of decency and are quite vocal about it, I imagine that the F-word will be bleeped out for some time. Anyway, I think the ruling is about a decision not to take punitive action against the broadcaster, rather than to allow uncensored use of ‘fucking’ in the future. Canadian television is quite different in this regard. After a certain time of day (I’m not sure what, but I think maybe 9 pm), most profanities are permitted. News programs and documentaries are always uncensored. (American TV has done this a few times: in amateur videotape of major news events, for example.) There are still a few words you can’t say: _------fucker_, _----sucker_ and _—damn_ (from _goddamn_). Words for genitalia generally seem to be censored too. Incidentally, the word _expletive_ means “filling-out”; compare _complete_. So expletives are really only the filler words, though the term is used for all profanity. In a strict sense, though, ‘expletive’ really only refers to ‘fucking’, ‘damn’, etc., when used for emphasis or as filler. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/5 "2003-10-07T18:25:37Z")
I don’t care if any profanity is used on late night TV, up to a point. But it certainly demeans any program that uses it. And it is in no way a meaningful victory for freedom or democracy. As Dennis Miller ranted, “these days the riposte ‘fuck you’ gets you a seat around the local Algonquin table”. ---
**Author:** ![whatami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/85f322/32.png) [@whatami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatami)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/6 "2003-10-07T20:06:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dr\_Paprika \* > \*\*I don’t care if any profanity is used on late night TV, up to a point. > > But it certainly demeans any program that uses it. And it is in no way a meaningful victory for freedom or democracy. As Dennis Miller ranted, “these days the riposte ‘fuck you’ gets you a seat around the local Algonquin table”. \*\* Kind of interesting that you quote Dennis Miller, who loves nothing more than using the word “fuck”. I don’t understand your view that it “demeans any program that uses it” That’s how a lot of people talk nowadays. I don’t at work, or my parents. If I’m hanging out with my friends though, or watching a football game, you bet your ass I’m gonna let a few F-bombs go. And now that I’ve typed this, I see I put us into GD territory… ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/7 "2003-10-07T20:21:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Kind of interesting that you quote Dennis Miller, who loves nothing more than using the word “fuck”. And whose frequent guest is Norm Macdonald, who works the word “cock” into every appearance. Now, to put us back into GQ territory, I’ll point out that American standards also get looser late at night, although I believe it’s a loose sort of policy followed by each network, rather than an FCC mandate. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/8 "2003-10-07T20:44:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Now, to put us back into GQ territory, I’ll point out that American standards also get looser late at night, although I believe it’s a loose sort of policy followed by each network, rather than an FCC mandate. It’s [federal law](http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/obscene.html), plus FCC regs, plus court decisions: > [@](#): > > The FCC has defined broadcast indecency as “language or material that, in context, depicts or describes, in terms patently offensive as measured by contemporary community broadcast standards for the broadcast medium, sexual or excretory organs or activities.” Indecent programming contains patently offensive sexual or excretory references that do not rise to the level of obscenity. As such, the courts have held that indecent material is protected by the First Amendment and cannot be banned entirely. It may, however, be restricted in order to avoid its broadcast during times of the day when there is a reasonable risk that children may be in the audience. > > Consistent with a federal statute and federal court decisions interpreting the indecency statute, the Commission adopted a rule pursuant to which broadcasts – both on television and radio – that fit within the indecency definition and that are aired between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. are subject to indecency enforcement action. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/9 "2003-10-07T20:52:50Z")
The MPAA changed their “F-word immediately means an R rating” rule about 9 or 10 years ago to this same standard (only gets an R if its sexual or used excessively as a modifier, i.e. like in Glengarry Glen Ross). I still think it’ll be a while before you hear it in primetime. You only hear the S-word in primetime cable shows occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/10 "2003-10-07T21:31:27Z")
…does someone at the FCC have a “big book of indecent words and subjects” that they reference? And, if so, can I get a copy of it? ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/11 "2003-10-07T23:25:39Z")
The FCC library does have a copy of the book you’re looking for, but George Carlin has it out on loan and refuses to return it… ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/12 "2003-10-08T00:13:35Z")
Go here [http://personal.centric.net/reapy/CARLIN.HTM](http://personal.centric.net/reapy/CARLIN.HTM) for Georges 7 words. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/13 "2003-10-08T03:46:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ltfire \* > \*\*Go here [http://personal.centric.net/reapy/CARLIN.HTM](http://personal.centric.net/reapy/CARLIN.HTM) > > for Georges 7 words. \*\* According to Mr. Krab, there’s 12 words if you’re a sailor. Arrrrrr! Jon ---
**Author:** ![np\_complete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecb155/32.png) [@np\_complete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/np_complete)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netwks-can-air-the-word-fucking-when-used-as-an-adjective-or-to-emphasize-no/206103/14 "2003-10-08T05:56:47Z")
This is the little-known _paddy-exemption_, though I don’t have a cite handy, I believe it states: _Acknowledging that profanity sounds better when spoken with an Irish accent, the above rules regarding spoken profanity shall not apply to any person who was both born in Ireland and is, at the time of utterance, an Irish citizen._ As the quote in question belonged to Bono, the FCC rules do not apply. This also explains the lack of censorship in Colin Farrell’s TV appearences.