# South Park **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 16, 2001, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039 "2001-06-16T15:29:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/1 "2001-06-16T15:29:41Z")
I saw a commercial for the season premier of South Park in which they promised that a curse (“shit” I believe) will be said uncensored. I don’t really care to hear your opinions on this here (its GQ after all.) My questions are: 1. Will it be censored on repeats of the show? 2. How did they get this apporved? 3. What will be the next show, on a different network, that’ll do this? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/2 "2001-06-16T15:39:31Z")
Dunno about South Park but I’ve know that word “bullshit” has already been aired uncensored, on network TV, no less. When CBS did that live “On Golden Pond”, this punk kid said the word. Their justificatin was that they couldn’t censor a classic play. I actually caught this on David Letterman. He played the clip, uncensored, then he complained that he couldn’t say bull **BLEEP** without being censored. They did it several time just to underscore the point. clip: [uncensored] Dave: bull **BLEEP** clip: [uncensored] Dave: bull **BLEEP** clip: [uncensored] Dave: bull **BLEEP** ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/3 "2001-06-16T15:41:54Z")
That’s classic, **Terminus**. You wouldn’t happen to have a tape, would you? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/4 "2001-06-16T16:36:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qwertyasdfg \* > they promised that a curse (“shit” I believe) will be said uncensored Another word off Carlin’s original list. I personally have heard “piss” on broadcast, unedited TV, as well as “tits.” I imagine the last one to go will be one of the twelve-letter ones. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/5 "2001-06-16T16:38:09Z")
Pardon me. I meant _the_ twelve-letter one, as there is only one twelve-letter one on Carlin’s original list. ---
**Author:** ![RoboDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bbe5ce/32.png) [@RoboDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoboDude)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/6 "2001-06-16T16:58:10Z")
Later versions of Carlin’s list included the word “fart”, but I’ve heard it spoken on broadcast TV at least a couple of times. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/7 "2001-06-16T17:09:17Z")
I saw George Carlin on Craig Kilborn’s show and he said that “piss” was acceptable as in being “pissed off” and Kilborn said that CBS said that “piss” could be used in the sense of “urinate”, at least on his show, but it comes on very late. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/8 "2001-06-16T17:18:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > “piss” was acceptable as in being “pissed off” Yep, and come to think of it, that’s the phrase that was used. So I guess we’re back up to five from the original list of seven. What a hijack! ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/9 "2001-06-16T17:20:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alan Smithee \* > \*\*That’s classic, Terminus. You wouldn’t happen to have a tape, would you? \*\* Sorry, I don’t. This was a couple months ago; you might catch it on rerun this summer. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/10 "2001-06-16T18:40:25Z")
Anyhoo, to get back to, ya know, the answer, cable TV isn’t particularly regulated. The only determination of what’s acceptable to air on cable pretty much comes from the station’s own policies and the advertisers. (Many products to not wish to be associated with a cartoon eight year old screaming “Shit!”) ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/11 "2001-06-16T20:09:05Z")
How could anybody object to the word “piss” when it’s in the Bible? > [@](#): > > **Isaiah 36: 11-13** But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/12 "2001-06-16T22:24:10Z")
Heck, a “bullshit” has aired uncensored on South Park before. In “Ike’s Bris” episode, when Mr. Mackie is walking down the street, he bumps into someone and says something like, “I don’t have to listen to your bullshit.” It was unbleeped for the first airing of the show, but has been bleeped every broadcast since then. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2001, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/13 "2001-06-16T23:56:34Z")
Looks like they can do it because the show airs after 10 PM. From [an FCC web page](http://www.fcc.gov/cib/consumerfacts/obscene.html): (bolding added) > [@](#): > > 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 day when there is a reasonable risk that children may be in the audience. In the wake of decisions rendered by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, The Commission adopted new rule, 47 C.F.R. 73.3999, to prohibit the broadcast of indecent material – both on television and radio – aired between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. \*\*Thus, indecent material aired outside the 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. period is not subject to indecency enforcement action. > \*\* ---
**Author:** ![mblackwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@mblackwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mblackwell)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2001, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/14 "2001-06-17T01:22:37Z")
Hmm. That must be why they can say the F word every 30 seconds on community access. ---
**Author:** ![bafaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@bafaa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bafaa)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2001, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/15 "2001-06-17T02:10:58Z")
I think Mark Harmon said “Shit happens” on an episode of _Chicago Hope_. I think that aired at 10pm on CBS. They’ve said asshole a couple of times on South Park so I don’t see the problem with saying bullshit. On a similar note, the censorship rules on the radio here in the NY area are a complete mess. On the _Opie & Anthony_ show (3-7pm) they can no longer say “masterbate” but you can say “pleasure myself” and other euphemisms. You can call someone a “pussy” but you can’t use it in a sexual/biological sense. They end up just using the first letter of any sexual words when talking about sex and it’s actually funnier because it sounds so silly. “I’ll stick my C in her A” and “I’ll jam my C in HER C” and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/16 "2001-06-17T02:38:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Obscene speech is not protected by the First Amendment and cannot be broadcast at any time. To be obscene, material must meet a three-prong test \*\* Hmm… > [@](#): > > \*\* > Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. \*\* “Execept stuff we don’t like.” Yeah, I’m hijacking my own thread. What are **you** gonna do about it, biotch? ---
**Author:** ![Lego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@Lego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lego)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2001, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/17 "2001-06-17T03:18:50Z")
I remember that “Ike’s Wee-Wee” episode. I noticed immediately. What is the twelve-letter one? ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2001, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/18 "2001-06-17T03:29:49Z")
I DISTINCTLY remember hearing “shit” air, unbleeped, on a TV special about children who curse. This would have been 95-96 or so. They aired the clip from E.T. where the older brother and Gertie discover E.T. in the closet and the older brother says something along the lines of “What is this shit!?” They didn’t bleep shit. I was so shocked I ran downstairs and had my parents turn the show on, but from then on out each curse was bleeped. I don’t know if this was purposeful, or censor error, but shit has aired uncensored at least three times now, on network TV. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2001, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/19 "2001-06-17T04:35:20Z")
And then there was the time that Picard muttered _Merde!_ in a particulary tense scene in ST:TNG. ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2001, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039/20 "2001-06-17T04:43:03Z")
Not that long ago, a local network station aired the original **Scared Straight** show, the one from the late 70s, and then did an update on the kids. Lots of language (s-word, f-word, g-damn, all of it uncensored. And it was aired in prime time, before 10:00. IIRC, it started at 8:00. I also distinctly remembered hearing publicity about the show **Chicago Hope** , and how the s-word was used uncensored in that episode. Doesn’t bother me. Frankly it kind of strikes me as ridiculous when they bleep language like that. Especially when the argument is used that it is supposed to prevent young, tender ears from being befouled by the cuss words. Guess those folks who believe that haven’t been to a public school lately. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park/69039.md?page=2)