poontang is my favorite.

It's a parent's responsibility to monitor what their children watch? Well I guess that means kids shouldn't watch television at all except for maybe Saturday mornings and maybe some of the cartoon network. If some people here had their preferences the Saturday morning kids shows would be laced with profanity. Sad but true! Profanity on TV runs pretty much 24/7 with the main exception being Saturday morning. What a world in which to try to raise decent kids.

A adequately educated person with a moderate vocabulary can find much better ways to express themselves without using profanity at least 99% of the time. Sadly, people don't seem to be refined enough anymore to even care. An uneducated drunk that lives on the streets can express themselves well if you're standards are so low that you think profanity is a good way to express yourself. That's a fact! LOL! Watch a few episodes of "Cops" if you don't believe it. All the idiots and slugs can speak profanity in volumes.

Society has steadily coarsened over the years and many of the young don't have a clue about how much more pleasant and civilized it was. These days it seems they even enjoy the incivility. Just look what entertains them on televisions. Reality TV with the mean, rude, and crude behavior full of profanity, yelling, crying, and whining. The voyeuristic masses flock to the screens to watch much like the Romans liked to see the gladiators fight to the death and see the Christians being fed to the lions.

It's a sad commentary on modern society. The people that cannot find fault with this lack of civility don't seem to be able to relate to its cause and effect. When stuff like this that didn't used to be commonplace becomes commonplace, all the rest of societies taboos become less taboo. The downward spiral continues.

Society has steadily coarsened over the years and many of the young don't have a clue about how much more pleasant and civilized it was.

Unless, of course, you were black....or homosexual....or a woman trying to make it in the work place. For the rest of us (white heterosexual males) the world was just great!

I mean, remember how nice it was when jokes about blacks, gays and Irish just made us laugh and laugh, and those pictures of lynchings could be bought as postcards in the stores?

Whatever happened to the civility of the good ole days? Shucks!

those were funny post cards.

The problem isn't so much the language as attitude. Confrontational attitudes and language invite violence. Respect is a learned behavior. The rudeness and crudeness of commentators like Beck, O'Reilly, and Limbaugh on Fox News/Opinion shows, and mirrored to a slightly lesser degree on Countdown, Hardball, and the Ed Show, make civil discourse difficult, if not impossible. It hardens attitudes and sets a terrible example for our children. If adults can't show restraint, how can we expect children to?

Society has steadily coarsened over the years and many of the young don't have a clue about how much more pleasant and civilized it was.

The biggest reason for this is a very bad memory.

I'd be willing to match my memory capabilities with yours any day.

BTW, If you weren't alive 40 years ago how would you "have a clue" Einstein?

Hey schwannomin! Some things have improved considerably over the years. Racism isn't anywhere near the problem it was when I was a teenager in the '60s.

That doesn't mean everything has improved and it doesn't mean life in these United States was the pits back then either.

Since that was the only aspect of my post you jumped up and took issue with I'll have to presume the rest of it was pretty much on target.

Well now, you sir, are missing the point. If I call you a @!$%#ing moron, do you understand what I am talking about? Do I have to tell you that you lack a fundamental understanding of the subject at hand? Honestly, if you are incapable of understanding what someone is saying when they cuss at you, it is not them that need to improve their ability to communicate, it's you. People show anger and frustration through the use of profanity, and ultimately they are just words.

That being said, it is absolutely a parents responsibility to control what their children see on television. If you felt the only thing a child could watch was Saturday morning cartoons, then go ahead and only let them watch Saturday morning cartoons. A child that sits in front of the boob tube all day, with their brain slowly turning to mush, isn't going to be a dysfunctional adult because of profanity, they are going to be one because their parent let them be raised by television. The concept that we should clean up profanity so children can watch television more frequently is of far greater concern to me than the idea of increasing the level of profanity television presents.

Obviously, you just THINK you have some moral superiority over the "idiots and slugs" on cops, and you attempt to show that superiority through a choice in how you express yourself verbally. Heaven forbid your ACTIONS should portray what type of person you are. I can imagine you wearing ladies underwear and whipping someone you kidnapped off the street corner for saying @!$%# more than 1% of the time. That would certainly help improve the morality of our society! Tired of @!$%#ing morons like you diverting from any real issue by arguing artificial ones that allow them to take a moral high ground they ultimately just don't deserve. Have a nice day, bitch.

I couldn't have said it better The Edge.

Oh, George Carlin, where art thou?

.

Yeah, I watched a few minutes of it a couple of times and had to change the channel because it was downright dirty, and I could tell the writing was just done for shock value because it wasn't even funny. The crudeness was just offensive. It's TRASH!

Swearing is like seasoning in food for makeup on women. A little goes a long way.

You are the people who give the words power. Your shock and outrage feeds the small minded who actually do use bad words as replacements for original thoughts.

But don't lump us all together. I am extremely creative with my cursing. A well crafted phrase can target its sting on the recipient while entertaining everyone else who hears. That is, unless there are some uptight prudes like you in the room.

Swearing has always been indicative of having a poor, uneducated vocabulary or having a loss of words when under pressure. Then again a lot of people want to be wannabe street punks, which they think is cool. As for the stupid c&nt who wrote this article, who thinks swearing is now part of mainstream language, she can go f%ck herself.

Paul Post 2.1, what a dumb analogy.

I personally would like to see a little makeup on men. Or maybe a lot of makeup on men. Also, no bared hairy male breasts that hang in public. And unshaved nostrils, and unshaved armpits. No facial hair or facial hair shadow in public. No white socks with sandals or slacks, no shorts that hang past knees and reveal matchstick calves. The list goes on and on.

If women need to paint themselves (just plain old stupid that they willingly do it anyway), then men need to go back to the Louis the XIII times and dress up like peacocks too. And wear heals. And NO, I am not ugly. By all standards, I am attractive. But I refuse to paint myself, until the male gender does it too.

So leave women out of a vulgarity analogy, because men look vulgar plenty.

In the meantime, unless it is a movie on cable, I refuse to watch any comedy or show that uses vulgarity for laughs or entertainment. The best comedians do not use it. Only small unevolved brains need it for entertainment.

funny how the people against using cuss words feel the need to belittle others that do, and call them names, to make themselves feel cool. talk about hypocrites.

We don't use the "S" word in my house, Paul. the "S-T-O-O-P-I-D" word is hurtful too. Maybe we should petition the FCC to get more words added to the list so no one ever has a confrontational feeling thrust upon them by programing that they chose to watch. I'd like to get the phrase "bling-bling" black listed from broadcast media, but maybe that's just me.

Stupidity is every where and it's not dictated by the language people choose to use or avoid. Vulgarity can be funny. That's why people giggle when somebody slips a fart. If you don't like a show because of it's offensive language or content, don't watch it and don't let your kids watch it but don't pretend like you're protecting my virgin ears. I'm a grown up who isn't afraid of a fictional character making jokes with a potty mouth.

If you believe in the Constitution, believe in Free Speech - and all the terrible things that come with it. Lets all be grown ups and realize that we can hear a four letter word and not have it ruin our lives.

I'm tired of hearing news anchors get away with using demeaning terms such as "that group that puts their balls in other peoples mouths" to describe those that dont' vote like they do. Seriously, they should all get FCC fines for doing that in prime time on public TV.

Just say what you feel. I don't get why anyone would limit their word choice on the point that some words are "bad". You know we, as humans, invented words, right? Our language, alongside many others, has been created by us over thousands of years as a means of communicating. Every word has its purpose, and anyone who believes in taboo is just holding back.

your right on the money... I don't use foul language in front of kids but my God.... the every day lingo is just what it is!!!

Let me put it this way: I think that overuse of swear words is bad.

I also think that banning swear words is worse.

Watch what you want to watch, don't watch what you don't want to watch. A blanket ban is never a good thing; as mentioned, a lot of shows (and movies) are more realistic with the real words. That said, if the f-word is used to much the show just becomes stupid... but it doesn't take a dumbass to realize that shows are becoming stupider and stupider even without the f-word.

Honestly, the FCC should have a lot more on its plate than playing Puritan police.

The use of all banned words is little more than shock and awe. I drop f--k from time to time simply for emphasis, and anyone who tries to tell you there is a more intelligent way to get the same effect clearly has never used the word before and seen the way the audience lights up. Of course you can't use it too often. Then it loses all meaning.

At home I like to refer to irritating women on TV as c--ts. I tell you, there are few things more hilarious than referring to the Bachelorette or Sarah Palin as a -un-. That word, for some reason, still has some power with me. And it never ceases to make my wife laugh out loud.

Patrick, something about your post is....well....slightly ironic. :) By your own standard, you've proclaimed yourself as having a "poor and uneducated vocabulary"

bedebe - Perhaps I wasn't clear about what I meant by makeup on women. Maybe I should have just said makeup. I have a lot of younger cousins and I always tried to help push the kids in the right direction. Whenever I'm with the girls and they are watching tv I drop subtle hints about how the more natural looking women are more attractive than the crazy eyeliner and lipstick girls. I always tell them that makeup should enhance, not create. As I said in my original post, less is more.

The same goes for swearing. All the people who are up in arms about this are talking about the idiots who talk like this - "And f'ing, I went to the f'ing store and s%!#, and I got some f'ing beer." Those people are idiots and with the exception of the abomination known as reality tv those idiots aren't smart enough to get on tv. I'm not defending them.

I'm defending the creative people who know how enhance a script with words that ring true. The people who season it to taste, but don't let the seasoning overpower the soup.

tequizabird oh gee whiz, we are lemmings! How awfully clever of you. Why is it that people of low intelligence have this superstition about the way certain letters and syllables sound when put together? Who cares. They are just words. At one time they may have been "bad" words or offensive words, but that is a bygone era. Now they are just words used to flavor conversation. Get over it. Also, tequizabird, don't believe everything you read in an email. The "F" words is NOT an acronym. It does not stand for "Fornicating Under Carnal Knowledge" or "Fornicating Under Consent of the King." It is of Anglo-Saxon origin and the original meaning is uncertain, but possibly is a cognate for various Germanic words meaning anything from "to strike" to "to have rub" to "to have sex." .tequizabird, you try to sound like you are educated, but you really aren't.

If you were to take everyone here claiming they'll have nothing to do with vulgar language and smack their thumb with a Harley hammer, I somehow suspect we wouldn't be getting treated to very many "Ouch!", "Oh Gosh!", "Golly-Gosh!", "Darn it!", "Geeez!" or other warm, fuzzy sayings. Their exclamations would be much more faith based and real.

Having said that though - I also do not believe we or the FCC should be lowering the standards in language being blindly broadcast for the consumption of any and all.

Technically it does count as an acronym if we're talking about Van Halen albums ;)

Van Halen didn't make it up.

SH!T was an acronym too.

"@!$%#" is not an acronym either. It is derived from the Old English word "scite" "scitten" and "scitan" meaning "dung" "diarrhea" and "to deficate." It does not stand for "Stack High In Transport" (referring to manure on sailing ships.) Please do some actual reseach before passing things off as facts. If you read it in an email, it is probably an urban legend. Try Snopes.com if you are uncertain.

Ha! in my post above I typed the actual "S" word but it automatically put @!$%# when I posted it. Puritanism on the Internet.

Vince - go to your account settings, and you can turn off the profanity filter.

Nothing. If you've seen two girls one cup like most anyone in high school or college in the last 5 years, you can no longer be shocked by anything.

Ha, I can still be shocked by two girls one cup, mainly because I couldn't watch more than the first 15 seconds without puking all over myself. Man, that's some disgusting stuff right there.

Alright. An addendum....

you can no longer be shocked by anything....EXCEPT TWO GIRLS ONE CUP!

In fact. Now that I think about it. "Two girls one cup" could be the only word or phrase my wife and I will NEVER, EVEREVERVEEREVEREVEER use around the kids for fear they might just google it, yet it's completely legal here and probably even legal on TV.

40 midgets spanking a woman wearing nothing but thousand island dressing. That would shock me.

Especially on broadcast TV. On the Internet, not so much.

Is there an obvious difference in intelligence between someone who says "shoot" and someone who says "$#!t?"

I am much more offended by someone who says 'shoot' or 'fudge'. If you chose not to swear that's fine but don't use some Flander-esque nonsense half curse.

LOL Northern. That reminds me of a former coworker of mine - instead of uttering something like JC she'd say quickly, "cheese and crackers". If you say it just right, you'd think she was saying the "JC".

Frankly, American television is quite tame compared to the rest of the world. We can be so prissy it's pathetic.

I certainly do not think you can judge one's intelligence based on a slip of the tongue, however, you can make a conclusion about their judgement and self control. What is the need to utilize foul language? By definition, it is not acceptable or it would not be called foul.

What it comes down to is...who decided what words are "good" and what words are "bad"? Why are we assigning human characteristics to a word? It's completely arbitrary to say "freakin'" is acceptable and "f*ckin'" is unacceptable. It's ludicrous that a couple letters make a difference to some people. Why do people think they need to push their puritanical sensiblities on everyone else? Those that think "cursing" shows a lack of intelligence are laughable. They're the ones limiting their vocabulary based on another's arbitrary whims.

Profanity

1. The condition or quality of being profane.

2. a. Abusive, vulgar, or irreverent language.

b. The use of such language.

It's a cultural thing. I'd think someone that was actually literate would be aware of culture and most of its aspects.

Is killing another human being ok because after it's based upon other's arbitrary whims? If a person kills someone they didn't like just because they "needed killin" is it ok because they didn't act upon other's arbitrary whims? C'mon! Get real!

Cultures decide what is acceptable and what is taboo. If acting in a refined and dignified manner is too much for you to handle then just say so. Don't come up with this weak "arbitrary whim" stuff. Man-up or woman-up. Whatever the case may be.

Okay someone actually literate---if you are educated, than you should have a firm understanding in regards to the use of language. It does have meaning or we would have no need to utilize language to communicate. To minimize it as arbitrary is ignorant. Many people do feel freakin is inappropriate, less than the latter, but still inappropriate. The use of profanity is not an extension of one's vocabulary in the form of better clarification. Profanity is typically an emotional response to frustration and even sometimes joy. It is based on emotion, not intelligence. That being said, it seems that many in our society have ceased all emotional control and feel it is okay to use what most would consider offensive to express theirselves. I suppose if everyone was jumping off of the bridge, you would think it to be okay?

Go right ahead. Let everyone make their own choices.

I really don't need profanity to boycott TV. Most of the stuff, particularly on the major networks, is so lame that I'd never watch it anyway. If it weren't for sports, movies, and certain news shows, I'd sell my TV!

So very true. If it weren't for sporting events, the History Channel, and the Discovery Channel I'd have gotten rid of my cable bill a long time ago.

it adds nothing to a conversation except to show others that you're not capable of carrying on a conversation without resorting to that trash and you think it makes you cool.

I think you are a little off base with that one... I cuss a little here and there, but never in public or around kids.

While it's quite easy to carry on a conversation without it, I think in some cases it gives a conversation flair, not always, but sometimes, and cussing can certainly be over done.

Turn the channel, turn off the TV. No one is making you watch it. Take some accountability over what you allow to enter your brain.

imperfexshun, if you don't like to hear cursing, change the channel, but you don't have the right to alter the content based upon your delicate sensibilities. What about my right to hear the cursing that the writers intended? I hate this puritanical nonsense being pushed upon the general public. Get over it.

they dont "resort to bad language" to make up for bad script/actors/whatever - their goal is to make their shows as real as possible in order to connect with their audience. people cuss, and so do you. stop being a two-faced elitist jerk.

BigSighs, just because someone CAN do something, doesn't mean they SHOULD. Think about that awhile.

There is plenty of room on tv for your bland and sterile entertainment and our rich and vibrant entertainment. If you want to escape to a Mayberry world full of artificial humans go right ahead. I prefer my real human characters who sprinkle in words with bite when the situation calls for it.

+1 for Duff. I'm only 41 and I can remember when people could articulate on TV and in real life without using foul language. Unlike what Paul says, there's nothing artificial about not cursing. It's a mark of better education and a more thorough grasp of the language.

"Rich and vibrant" has obviously become a euphemism for "dumbed down." Victor Borge and Abbott & Costello are infinitely funnier than the garbage we see on MTV, BET, or any other cable networks. Why? They can appeal to our humorous nature, not your baser ones. They're more clever, more educated, and more skillful in their comedy and use of English. While we've physically moved away from Cro-Magnon, mentally most of the newer generation has reverted to Neanderthal.

So, Paul N and "BigSighs," the rest of us will enjoy exercising our brains with intelligent humor while you and yours can get tied up in knots over the utter hilarity of someone breaking wind or saying "pee pee."

Check out the movie "The Fantastic Mister Fox". It is chock full of swearing, except that every time they do it, they use the word "Cuss", and it is very obvious what word is being substituted for. It just goes to show that it's not the word being used, its how that word is used.

It is funny getting lectured on clean comedy from someone who chose the name PistOff08.

I am a fan of the Marx Brothers. They didn't curse, but I'm sure they were considered just as crude as breaking wind and "pee pee" in their day. Just off the top of head I can think of three examples from my favorite of their movies, Animal Crackers.

1) When presenting a chest he brought back from Africa, Groucho starts to say "This magnificent chest" but midway through switches to pointing at Margaret Dumont's chest, then switches back to the chest at his feet. "This magnificent - no, THIS magni - no, THIS magnificent chest..."

2) The classic line "We took some photos of the native girls, but they weren't developed. But we are heading back in a couple weeks..." The last line is delivered as only Groucho can to pass only what development he is talking about.

3) My favorite is the most subtle. Groucho gets down on one knee to profess his love to Margaret Dumont. Before he starts he stands up to dust off his knee and roll it up so he doesn't get his pants dirty. While doing so he nonchalantly says "You've been in this position before." "Why no." "Well, you will be."

Not a dirty word said. But the intent is there. Groucho didn't say why she would be on her knees, but even the prudes who pretend to not know what he means know what he means.

What is the difference between what he said and if he had graphically described it? The only difference I see is creativity.

And as I see it this whole thing is boiling down to your side's inability to see cursing as creative. Sure, there are people who replace thought with cursing. There are also people who craft amazingly witty and intelligent ideas that are peppered with curses. If Groucho Marx were starting today he would be just as sharp and he would still push the envelope. He would of course mix in swearing when it helped. Of course it would be more clever than breaking wind, pee pee and new words like pist.

only because throwbacks like you have to be judgmental about something in order to cover up some personal ineptitude. if the shows lose their ratings, it will not be the end of the world. change is good - stagnation is bad.

Then use this exposure to teach your kids what "Adult words" are and when to use them. It's a whole lot better than hiding them from everything and hoping they guess the right "dirty words". Do you really think you are doing them a service by NOT telling them what is unacceptable? That's just crazy.

BigSighs, don't be so quick to accuse someone of being a "throwback." Every generation has its standards and beliefs and one day you too will be a "throwback."

Hey, BigSighs. Why is someone a "throwback" if they can adhere to higher standards than you can? Why are they inept?

Isn't it more accurate to say you're a "throwaway" or a failure for not being able to keep up with the simple bar that they've set?

And why is it that they're covering personal ineptitude when they're "being judgmental," but when you judge, it's not? How many standards do you have?

Or is your judgmental attitude a compensation for an anatomical deficiency?

Here's an easy solution--don't let young kids watch those shows!! What kind of parent lets their kid have free rein with the TV? You reap what you sow, grandma.

Just walk through any school yard and the profanity is worse than T.V. The one that cracks me up is"you suck" seems to be so accepted and nobody thinks about what gets sucked on! lol. You just can't escape cussing ,it's everywhere.

Exactly. We give the words power when we forbid them.

So you're just going to let her wader around ignorant of what she may be saying? That's asking for trouble. Hiding the rules from her and then punishing her for breaking rules she's never heard? That's almost cruel. Why not use the show as a way to teach your kids what they will be exposed to in the outside world and how that kind of language is perceived. How about actually educating your kids in the use and effect of these words rather than perpetuate their ignorance? Hypocrites.

I'm sure some day she will learn what these words mean. And I'm guessing I'll hear them at home once. And I probably need to clarify, no soap would be used the first offense. But it would be clear those words were not acceptable. Just like now in our house, you are not allowed to call anyone stupid. She understands how the word is used, that it’s not nice to say, and she doesn’t say it. Just because we know how to use a word, doesn’t mean we should.

Also, using your rationale, why don’t we “teach your kids what they will be exposed to in the outside world “by letting our kids see porn at home? I mean, they will be exposed to this kind of stuff in the outside world, why not let them know what they are up against??? See, that rational doesn’t fit… I think we expose them to many things way to early.

Yellowricki, I agree with you. Society now has very few standards. The people who advocate using cuss words on tv shows might as well (or probably do) let their kids watch porn. Where do they draw the line?

I'm not advocating sheltering your children from the world or putting them in a bubble, but they need to be exposed to the world age-appropriately and not just be bombarded with it at a young age by tv shows.

Apparently very few people think this way any more. Sad.

That quite a leap from swearing to letting their kids watch porn. That's right up there with linking gay marriage to pedophelia. Both show a profound lack of logic and therefore defeat the argument.

I would say that this sort of generalisation and baseless judgement is far worse than any F-bomb ever was.

Tomrich, when you learn how to spell perhaps then you can comment - until then keep swearing away!!

Theo - I agree, there is much more salacious viewing than talking on TV today. Victoria's Secret fashion show is shown Prime Time and no parental warnings. Friends was so funny, clean language, and everybody was sleeping with everybody else on Prime Time. Housewives: no cursing, but a lot of murder and sex. The FCC is barking up the wrong tree.

Tom-2001447...Ditto, I'm with you.

And +1 for Tom.

For those who feel comfortable with cursing and swearing in daily conversation, try bringing yourself up to the language, not bringing the language down to your level. You'll be better off for it.

(Yeah, I curse, but only when I can't find a normal word suitable for the occasion, which is rare.)

Amen!!

i completely agree with Tom. i am a 34 yr old female who hears profanity everyday at work. i don't want to hear it at home when i'm relaxing at home watching tv. what is so wrong w/ having shows that don't allow profanity? it wasn't necessary 20 yrs ago and tv shows did just fine. so why is it necessary now? b/c people's tolerance levels are up b/c their morals have digressed? it's just not necessary.

Allison-734934 - There is nothing wrong with having shows that don't allow profanity. But I put the question back on you. What is wrong with having shows that DO allow profanity?

I work in an environment where I can't swear. I can't crack an off color joke. I want my after work escape too. Why must your tastes be the only one satisfied?

Tom, good post.

Callie, Shatner didn't come up with the show, he is an actor. The show is based on a website/Twitter account, that is absolutely 100% hysterical.

No one has said that this is a show for kids--in fact, just based on the title, it should be obvious that it is not. When my kids were little, we controlled what they watched and when they watched it. Now that they are in their teens we have widened their options but still have some lines that can't be crossed. TV doesn't raise my kids, I do, and I make the decisions about what they see and hear.