# Swearing on American TV \[contains expletives\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 20, 2002, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-on-american-tv-contains-expletives/128752 "2002-09-20T07:18:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-on-american-tv-contains-expletives/128752/21 "2002-09-23T20:32:18Z")
I was watching Top Gun on USA not too long ago, and everything cleared the censor except for one word–yep, the solid form of excrement. It was really annoying, too, as it’s used a lot in that movie. Wasn’t there an episode of South Park that used the aforementioned word something like 200 times? ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-on-american-tv-contains-expletives/128752/22 "2002-09-23T20:36:27Z")
Yes. With a little speedometer-like graphic at the bottom of the screen to keep count. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-on-american-tv-contains-expletives/128752/23 "2002-09-23T21:13:03Z")
Some data points. I’m replacing the actual profanity with euphemisms in order to respect the forum, or something. 1. On the “Anna Nicole” show (the second episode, I believe), the titular blonde (snicker) said, unbleeped, “S\*\*\* happens.” At the time, I considered starting a thread, “Has the s\*\*\* barrier been broken?” to discuss whether that “South Park” episode had managed to open that heretofore solidly locked door (“Chicago Hope” notwithstanding). 2. BBC America regularly airs “So Graham Norton” without bleeping any of the profanity. We’ve heard the Irish Pouf and his guests say everything up to and including the c-word. Once, and only once, but definitely unbleeped. The f-word comes out to play maybe once or twice a month (the show airs nightly here). As a side note, the show is rather inconsistent about bare breasts; sometimes they’re visible, sometimes they’re fuzzed. 3. Captain Picard once said “merde” on the TV show, but I don’t remember which episode. I look forward to hearing “chinga tu madre!” on “Enterprise.” ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-on-american-tv-contains-expletives/128752/24 "2002-09-23T21:47:36Z")
“Wanker” is a fairly strong swear word in the UK, and would be edited out if the programme was shown before 9pm. As was already mentioned by Bordelond, it refers more to someone being a jerk rather than anything to do with masturbation. “Shag” is certainly not as strong as “fuck” in the UK, but you definately wouldn’t here it on any daytime or breakfast type programmes. I think “pissed” as in “pissed off” is seen to be much more offensive to Brits than to Americans, probably seen as offensive as “bloody”. There are a few words which could be “bleeped” as swearwords or not, depending on the context “bugger” - can mean the act or buggery “bloody” - it was a bloody war “bastard” - illegitemate child ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-on-american-tv-contains-expletives/128752/25 "2002-09-23T22:58:00Z")
I’ve heard “shiznit” in a commercial in the US. I’ve been led to believe that it’s gangsta-speak for “shit” (as in the trying-to-be-cool character shouting “it’s the shiznit!”), and I was pretty damn surprised to hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-on-american-tv-contains-expletives/128752/26 "2002-09-23T23:45:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > \*\*Some data points. I’m replacing the actual profanity with euphemisms in order to respect the forum, or something. > > 1. On the “Anna Nicole” show (the second episode, I believe), the titular blonde (snicker) said, unbleeped, “S\*\*\* happens.” At the time, I considered starting a thread, “Has the s\*\*\* barrier been broken?” to discuss whether that “South Park” episode had managed to open that heretofore solidly locked door (“Chicago Hope” notwithstanding). > \*\* Huh? I saw that episode (it was the first one) and I thought it **was** bleeped. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-on-american-tv-contains-expletives/128752/27 "2002-09-24T00:45:10Z")
> [@](#): > > At the time, I considered starting a thread, “Has the s\*\*\* barrier been broken?” to discuss whether that “South Park” episode had managed to open that heretofore solidly locked door (“Chicago Hope” notwithstanding). “Shit” is used repeatedly on _The Shield_. I was surprised to hear it, but then again I don’t watch _Chicago Hope_, nor had I even heard of that _South Park_ episode until this thread… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-on-american-tv-contains-expletives/128752.md?page=1)