# 'Shit' on South Park **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 21, 2001, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shit-on-south-park/69634 "2001-06-21T15:19:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shit-on-south-park/69634/1 "2001-06-21T15:19:33Z")
Last night’s _South Park_ was the most hilarious thing I’ve even seen on TV. They said “shit” nearly 200 times (and kept a running tally). My question is, how can they all of a sudden get away wit this? Basic cable has had (roughly) the same bleeping standards as broadcast TV (they bleep “tits” and “goddamn” but not “asshole”). Were they informal standards for basic cable that Comedy Central decided to go ahead and violate? Or was there a recent change in the bleeping rules that SP wasted no time in exploiting? I have heard the occasional “shit” slip through on the documentary channels, and even once on PBS. Bleepin-a! ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shit-on-south-park/69634/2 "2001-06-21T15:39:57Z")
It is not illegal to say “shit” on cable television, provided that nobody complains to the FCC. It never had been. It is also not illegal to say “shit” on broadcast television, provided that nobody complains about it to the FCC. Each network’s individual Standards & Practices department decides what will and will not be allowed on that network’s air. “South Park”'s target market is not the type of people who would call or write to the FCC about hearing the word “shit” on television, even 100+ times in a half-hour. ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shit-on-south-park/69634/3 "2001-06-21T16:35:39Z")
OK, so that raises the question “what’s changed on Comedy Central?” I didn’t see the episode, but I know that in times past they’ve always used the same censored (mangled) versions of movies you’d see on regular broadcast TV. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shit-on-south-park/69634/4 "2001-06-21T17:52:33Z")
Another thread on the subject: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=74587](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=74587) ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shit-on-south-park/69634/5 "2001-06-21T20:01:28Z")
Well shit, I guess that pretty much settles that shit. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shit-on-south-park/69634/6 "2001-06-21T20:37:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by frogstein \* > \*\*OK, so that raises the question “what’s changed on Comedy Central?” I didn’t see the episode, but I know that in times past they’ve always used the same censored (mangled) versions of movies you’d see on regular broadcast TV. \*\* Remember too that non-premium networks have their bleeping standards determined by their advertisers. There have been many cases of advertisers pulling their ads when they objected to content. So they would have to make sure whoever advertised during South Park was OK with it. ---
**Author:** ![Mercutio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mercutio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercutio)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shit-on-south-park/69634/7 "2001-06-21T20:47:33Z")
I’ve heard every curse word in the book on **network** TV. UPN was running _Scared Straght: 20 years later_ and the convicts were yelling it at the kids. Seems like the FCC takes the stick out of its ass for good causes. ---
**Author:** ![Lego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@Lego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lego)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2001, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shit-on-south-park/69634/8 "2001-06-22T02:06:31Z")
And Cartman says “tits” (meaning, “wow, that’s great!”) many times unbleeped in the Tooth Fairy episode. ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2001, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shit-on-south-park/69634/9 "2001-06-22T12:18:43Z")
This isn’t the first time South Park has aired the word “shit”. The first time was the episode when Mr. Mackey was fired and became a hippie. He told Jimbo and Ned that he wasn’t going to take their “right wing, authoritarian bullshit.” No bleep. I have it on tape. On subsequent airings, however, it was bleeped.