# they can say shit on tv now!! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 21, 2001, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578 "2001-06-21T06:26:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ssj\_man2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ssj\_man2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssj_man2k)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/1 "2001-06-21T06:26:35Z")
I just watched southpark, and they said the word “shit” like 160 times (they had a counter at the bottom of the screen). They also said the word “fag” a number of times, but only Mr. Garrison could say it, because he is gay. Just like only black people can say “nigger.” IMHO, this is a great triumph for tv. I can’t wait till they can say fuck on tv. Things will be so much better. ---
**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, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/2 "2001-06-21T06:44:23Z")
Next thing you know, they will be flaming in **MPSIMS** and the mods will be helpless to stop it. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/3 "2001-06-21T07:05:27Z")
Southpark is now on broadcast TV? ---
**Author:** ![jaimest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/48db29/32.png) [@jaimest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaimest)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/4 "2001-06-21T07:08:34Z")
Two years ago, Mark Harmon broke the “shit barrier” on BROADCAST television in an attempt to boost “Chicago Hopes” dead ratings. But still Comedy Central and other “basic” channels are different than say HBO, so its still a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Fromesiter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Fromesiter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Fromesiter)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/5 "2001-06-21T09:02:26Z")
Yes, but who cares. As SP pointed out, after 160 times, no one cares if you say shit again. I mean shit, there’s no real point in not saying shit as much as you want. Those shitty ass censorshit peoeple at the T.V. can eat shit for all I care. It’s just a shitty word really. Shit can only describe shit and after the shit hits the shitty fan the shit won’t smell so shitty anymore. See? Shit has no impact on your shitty little mind and more. It’s totally shitorific. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/6 "2001-06-21T09:03:32Z")
It’s amazing how much stuff can be said on TV now that was prohibited in my memory (and I’m only 28). I remember when you couldn’t say ‘butt’ or ‘pee’, and being surprised the first times I heard it. ‘Piss’ is a lot more recent, I think that happened sometime when I was 18 or 19. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/7 "2001-06-21T09:05:35Z")
“Fuck” was said once on Saturday Night Live years and years ago IIRC. It was during the really low days of SNL, maybe early 80’s. I remember Bill Murray coming on the next week as a guest and telling the guy to “watch your mouth.” ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/8 "2001-06-21T10:40:17Z")
_I bet they won’t play this song on the radio I bet you they won’t play this new (bleep) song It’s not that it’s (bleep) or (bleep) controversial Just that the (bleep)ing words are awfully strong_ Saying “shit” on TV is a problem in the US? Even night time TV? Wow. “Breaking the shit barrier”. That cracked me up. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/9 "2001-06-21T12:04:48Z")
The guy who said “fuck” on SNL was Charlie Rocket, surely one of the most unfunny people on a series that has become increasingly unfunny since about 1978. For what its worth, that one word cost Charlie Rocket his job - no great loss IMHO. ---
**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, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/10 "2001-06-21T12:08:27Z")
They could say “shit” on TV before, too, they just didn’t, because Middle America is comprised largely of bizarrely Puritanical people. They can actually say whatever they want on TV if nobody complains. The problem is that a lot of people do. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/11 "2001-06-21T12:31:57Z")
I still remember the year they started showing butts on primetime television. They were all over the place. Hell, they even showed butts on Northern Exposure. Once they proved they could do it, they stopped, though. Bummer. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/12 "2001-06-21T12:46:36Z")
A few years ago (2?) NBC showed Schindler’s List uninterrupted, starting at 7 or 7:30PM one Sunday. They left it totally uncut, with every fuck and shit intact. It was quite strange, hearing “Fuck” on broadcast TV. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/13 "2001-06-21T13:02:36Z")
So what’s changed? As far as I can see, 99% of the dialogue on TV has been shit for years . . . ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c2a13f/32.png) [@The\_Man\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_Who)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2001, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/14 "2001-06-21T23:59:18Z")
Haven’t seen the South Park, but about 3 weeks ago PBS ran a documentary/news show about Insane Clown Posse fans (and other ways stuff is marketed to kids) which ran the ICP fans’ comments unedited. Also, yesterday on the syndicated Bob and Tom radio morning show, John Cleese was allowed a “bullshit” with regard to his new program on reading people’s faces. It was almost quaint. -Myron ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2001, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/15 "2001-06-22T00:30:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\* > Saying “shit” on TV is a problem in the US? Even night time TV? Wow. > \*\* Amazed me too. I knew the US is conservative, but not that much. In Australia there isn’t much coarse language in the daytime, but at night, “shit” doesn’t raise an eyebrow. “Fuck” hardly does either. And most of the “fucks” we hear are from US movies. Do you guys have to sit through a lot of bleeps? I’ve heard “c\*\*t” once or twice. There is, however, a warning at the beginning of a show if there is swearing in it. ---
**Author:** ![jaimest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/48db29/32.png) [@jaimest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaimest)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2001, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/16 "2001-06-22T01:02:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > \*\* > And most of the “fucks” we hear are from US movies. Do you guys have to sit through a lot of bleeps? \*\* No, we usually just get awful cuts with new words dubbed in. So the original “Shut the fuck up, you dickhead!” may become “shut the (drop an octave and complete change of accent) talk (back to original speaker) up, (another octave and change of accent) you thickhead!”. ---
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2001, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/17 "2001-06-22T02:15:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*So what’s changed? As far as I can see, 99% of the dialogue on TV has been shit for years . . . \*\* ::wipes off monitor:: Thanks, Eve…I think you owe me a Diet Coke… ---
**Author:** ![ssj\_man2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ssj\_man2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssj_man2k)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2001, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/18 "2001-06-22T06:58:54Z")
Well, the U.S. was founded by puritans. Alot of times i wish it was founded by people from the netherlands. They can say curse words in movies, but the rating thing is a big deal. It’s dumb though, it’s not like anyone under 17 doesn’t know what sex is, or what any cuss words are. I’ve noticed though that censors are relaxing alot more. I remember hearing the word “fuck” in one pg-13 movie. Bitch and ass are said alot more on tv now. I encourage you all to watch the movie “kids.” That is really how kids talk, even “good” kids. And scared straight, on mtv, is good too. They can cuss because it is educational. I laughed my ass off though when they made fun of it on the andy dick show, and they had to bleep all the cuss words, and man, there were so many bleeps. It just sounds funny. Ok, i’m done rambling. But how long do you think it will be until they can work “fuck” into normal primtime tv? I think about when im 20 or so. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@Jonathan43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan43)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2001, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/19 "2001-06-22T18:41:30Z")
Over here in England we’ve been swearing like troupers ever since arts critic Kenneth Tynan came out with an unscripted “fuck” during a live TV discussion in 1967. There is little or no censorship of language after 9.00pm and quite right too - this, for better or worse is how most adults (and children) talk. Maybe the everyday use of these mysteriously upsetting words will encourage people to be a little more articulate - but don’t bet on it! ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2001, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578/20 "2001-06-22T20:17:09Z")
Oh, hooray. The world is now a better place, now that we can hear “shit” on TV. Huzzah. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-can-say-shit-on-tv-now/69578.md?page=2)