# Waitaminute, you can say "fuck" on Comedy Central? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2005, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995 "2005-01-16T06:06:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/1 "2005-01-16T06:06:06Z")
I’m sitting her watching the South Park movie on Comedy Central and everyone’s saying “fuck.” They can do that? How come they normally bleep it then? Can you say “fuck” after 10 PM or something? ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/2 "2005-01-16T06:08:44Z")
Well, IIRC, Comedy Central can do whatever they want since they’re cable. I’m sure someone will be along shortly to either correct me or provide more details. ---
**Author:** ![Ottoerotic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6de8d8/32.png) [@Ottoerotic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ottoerotic)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/3 "2005-01-16T06:23:37Z")
Its there back room collection or something like that. They play movies and routines without censoring anything. They just play it late so nobody complains, and to be honest with you I’ve never seen them play anything other than the south park movie. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/4 "2005-01-16T06:25:41Z")
They actually do a have a thing on Saturday nights where they air things unbleeped. They’ve showed some Richard Pryor and Chris Rock as well. ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/5 "2005-01-16T06:28:05Z")
[http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/obscene.html](http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/obscene.html) Not sure if these rules apply to cable. But it seems you do whatever you want after 10pm unless it fails this three prong test: An average person, applying contemporary community standards, must find that the material, as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest; The material must depict or describe, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by applicable law; and The material, taken as a whole, must lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Restraint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c4cdca/32.png) [@Joe\_Restraint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Restraint)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/6 "2005-01-16T07:33:47Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > The material, taken as a whole, must lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. Don’t see how South Park applies. The series (and accompanying movie) represent some of the most astute social commentary America has ever enjoyed. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/7 "2005-01-16T07:34:59Z")
> [@Joe Restraint](#): > > Don’t see how South Park applies. The series (and accompanying movie) represent some of the most astute social commentary America has ever enjoyed. You’re thinking of Crank Yankers. Anyway, CC probably censors themselves because they want to avoid controversy, not because the law requires them to. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Restraint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c4cdca/32.png) [@Joe\_Restraint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Restraint)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/8 "2005-01-16T07:44:46Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > You’re thinking of Crank Yankers. Anyway, CC probably censors themselves because they want to avoid controversy, not because the law requires them to. I’m thinking of South Park, actually. Crank Yankers sounds funny, though. Might check it out. ---
**Author:** ![Kyyrewyyoae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Kyyrewyyoae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyyrewyyoae)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/9 "2005-01-16T07:58:51Z")
Crank Yankers is east, and funny is west. IMHO at least. But yeah, CC airs uncensored stuff late saturday nights. There was also an episode of South park with unbleeped profanity. One in particular, I mean; I’m sure there have been several. FCC has no jurisdiction over cable because it’s not publicly available over the airwaves. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/10 "2005-01-16T08:28:05Z")
> [@Kyyrewyyoae](#): > > Crank Yankers is east, and funny is west. IMHO at least. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/11 "2005-01-16T08:29:23Z")
Right, anything on cable goes. If they show restraint, its marketing. In addition, anything goes on regular broadcast media after 10pm. Again, if they show restraint, its marketing. Around here, college radio stations that don’t rely on sponsorship have disclaimers saying that programming after 10pm may be ‘inappropriate for younger or more sensitive viewers’. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/12 "2005-01-16T14:06:13Z")
The South Park movie is usually shown at 1am so it’s generally unlikely children would be up watching. According to the South Park website, the shows are sent to CC pre-bleeped. The DVDs are censored as well!. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/13 "2005-01-16T14:28:57Z")
They frequently advertise their late-night timeslot where they show uncut material, I can’t think of what they call it. But they have a promotional name for it. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/14 "2005-01-16T14:59:16Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Right, anything on cable goes. If they show restraint, its marketing. Actually, I read an interview with Matt and Trey and they said that they wanted South Park to be bleeped because the profanity was funnier that way. South Park also had the “shit” episode when they counted up the number of times the characters said shit unedited in the bottom right of the screen. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/15 "2005-01-16T15:26:13Z")
I think it came to 161. I watched it with my mother, who laughed her ass off. It was her first episode of South Park. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/16 "2005-01-16T15:39:51Z")
1. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/17 "2005-01-16T17:44:12Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > The South Park movie is usually shown at 1am so it’s generally unlikely children would be up watching. I’m pretty sure it was closer to 10 PM here on the west coast. I guess I didn’t realize the cable channels self-censored. I really thought if they could say fuck, we’d be hearing it all the time. I agree the regular South Park show is funnier with the bleeping. They do it so skillfully it’s like they’re getting over on the censors. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/18 "2005-01-16T19:22:40Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I’m pretty sure it was closer to 10 PM here on the west coast. I guess I didn’t realize the cable channels self-censored. I really thought if they could say fuck, we’d be hearing it all the time. > > I agree the regular South Park show is funnier with the bleeping. They do it so skillfully it’s like they’re getting over on the censors. Sorry, forgot about the East Coast/West Coast thing. I don’t think Comedy Central has a West Coast feed. As for the self-censoring, yeah, it’s a lot funnier that way. Especially in “Cartman Gets an Anal Probe” where Stan is cussing out the aliens. You might hear one or two “nice” words in his rant. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/19 "2005-01-16T22:27:01Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I guess I didn’t realize the cable channels self-censored. I really thought if they could say fuck, we’d be hearing it all the time. > . Well… I doubt they do the self-censorship from any moral reasons, but instead they don’t want to offend their advertising customers. That’s why channels that have no commercial advertisements such as HBO, etc… can show nudity, profanity, etc… in their shows. They don’t have any advertisers to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995/20 "2005-01-16T23:16:08Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > They frequently advertise their late-night timeslot where they show uncut material, I can’t think of what they call it. But they have a promotional name for it. “The Secret Stash.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waitaminute-you-can-say-fuck-on-comedy-central/284995.md?page=2)