[Trollheart]

Shades of Ned Flanders .... "That one's definitely going in the naughty pile!"

[Trollheart]

I'd actually agree with the general abhorrence of the use of the word rape. I think that for a large section of our society, sadly, it stirs up some really horrible memories, and for the rest of us it's just not a word we use in general parlance. We don't for instance look at a match and say "OOh! My team raped the opposition!" We're rightly sensitive to what that word represents, and in fairness the only time I've ever seen it used, other than in classical literature, is when a crime of that most horrible type has been committed.

So it's not a word to use lightly. There was no need for the OP to use it: hundreds of other words would have sufficed (I would suggest "ruined" or maybe "destroyed"?), and I would think that as a simple act of human compassion the mods here should amend it to something less offensive.

That said, I know it wasn't put up there to court contraversy, but it has had that effect and should be deleted now.

[LostFool]

Originally Posted by Orion

magine if someone said they worked in a primary school. 'Sometimes I could kill the little tykes when they misbehave!' - that you wouldn't take too seriously. But if you substitute the word 'kill'... Do I need to spell it out?

An excellent point which demonstrates the difference.

I can't think of any context where "rape" could be used in a joking or offhand way.

[SamMcK]

Its even worse for Scrubs where they just censor what they're saying! Friends isnt that great either, its very annoying.

[Gulftastic]

Originally Posted by SamMcK

Its even worse for Scrubs where they just censor what they're saying! Friends isnt that great either, its very annoying.

Tonight's 'Friends' had the unbelievable 'Didn't you read 'Lord Of The Rings' in High School' punchline cut.

[grimtales1]

If they cut "You son of a bitch" from the Barts Dog Gets an F episode it ruins the joke!

[SamMcK]

Originally Posted by Gulftastic

Tonight's 'Friends' had the unbelievable 'Didn't you read 'Lord Of The Rings' in High School' punchline cut.

It just kills the whole joke!

[Chelseafan101]

And I though the BBC bleeping out some of Family Guy was bad...

[sonicshadow]

Originally Posted by hankmoody

...Are you entirely serious?

Channel 4 air it at 6 in the evening. Prime time, which, as much as I am an advocate of frees peech, wouldn't want my kids to pick up bad vocal habits from a TV show, or to get curious about lighters, especially after all the channels collectively put so much hard work into educating our children as to why you should never play with matches, and that importantly, they hurt.

If you'd bothered to research it a little, you'd know that channel 4 also air the simpsons late night.

Then you should do some actual parenting and monitor what your kids are watching .

[zoton2]

Originally Posted by Chelseafan101

And I though the BBC bleeping out some of Family Guy was bad...

I thought the creators did that in a way? Or FOX. From the American airings of the show I've seen, it's also beeped there. But I've seen extra scenes in some of our airings too, which apparently are the versions shown on [adult swim] in America.

[rich_edwards79]

Re. the casual use of the word 'raped', I find it very unpleasant - too much detail for one thing, and a concept that most people don't really want to be confronted with unnecessarily. But then I'm 30 and already feel like a grumpy old man in this country. Just because the skinny-jeaned yoof thinks something's OK doesn't make it so. They also misuse 'gay' as a replacement for 'bad' - a team that loses or a song they don't like or a person who 'disses' them is automatically gay, or as some insist upon misspelling it, 'ghey'. Even the usually insanely PC Beeb has tried to justify this when used by Radio 1 presenters and Jeremy Clarkson. It doesn't take a rocket scientist, or someone like me who's not gay, to appreciate why associating a word commonly used to denote a historically oppressed social group with negativity might just be considered offensive.

My first thought about the Gilmore Girls was that it's quite unusual in having not one but several fat characters in it, ordinary, everywoman fat characters who unlike the self-loathing stars of 'Biggest Loser' and 'Fat Teens Can't Hunt' don't spend their entire lives blubbing about being fat and being shown sweating and miserable in humiliatingly undersized clothing. However given that Doctors groups are now calling for a ban on positive representations of fat people in the media since they apparently set a bad example and undermine the war on obesity (all those thousands of impressionable aforementioned McKenzie-wearing identikit teens who see Beth Ditto or James Corden and decide there and then to hit the Pizza Hut buffet in order to be just like them), the idea of it being cut to ribbons for content if not language really isn't so far-fetched.

[Simon Jackson]

Not only the Simpsons but Big Brother as well. Channel 4 should be banged up behind bars.

[The Oracle]

Perhaps:

Channel 4 has defiled The Simpsons

is better suited?

[grimtales1]

"Banning positive representations of fat people in the media"?! LMAO, we can't have anything that will improve people's confidence can we?! It is possible to be dangerously overweight as well as dangerously thin, but seriously the idea that it ENCOYRAGES obesity?! What?

[Paddy C]

Originally Posted by Chelseafan101

And I though the BBC bleeping out some of Family Guy was bad...

The beeps are intentional and are inserted by the shows animators before broadcast. The only way to hear the episodes unbleeped is to get them on DVD.

[AcerBen]

Originally Posted by Mark X

Channel Four are hugely inconsistent with their Simpsons tampering. A few weeks ago, in the episode where Lisa started an independent newsletter, Willie's utterance of the phrase "I've been reviewing the new tractors - they're all shite!"* was left in (at least on Channel 4+1) on the evening broadcast. Meanwhile, as noted, lots of relatively harmless parts were cut out.

Does anyone know the rationale behind C4's scheduling of The Simpsons late on Friday nights? The episodes chosen aren't especially controversial - I'd understand if "Weekend At Burnsie's" was put out that late, but I don't think that's appeared in the slot yet.

(*Related points: The 'shite' line has, as far as I know, only ever been included once in a Sky One screening, which went out at 8.30pm. Reportedly, said Bad Word has even been removed from repeat showings in the US.)

I don't know what the ratings for the late night showings are like but they're probably at least as good as average for the slot, so why not I guess. It's a good show to watch when you get in from the pub isn't it?

[jenilou88]

Desperate Housewives is the next victim - apparently it's okay to show Carlos clearly looking at Zach's penis when using a urinal but far too rude to have him saying "if you'd have had sex with him you would have remembered" whilst gesturing at salami.

It's so stupid because all they ever show during the day are shows inappropriate for kids - why bother if they can't do it right?

[redandwhiterob]

Originally Posted by garcia

One of my favourite scenes from the Simpsons is from the episode "Trash of the Titans", where Homer runs for Sanitation Commissioner. Anyway so Homer goes down to the municipal building and:

Homer Simpson: [Pushes in front of a queue] I wanna register to run for sanitation commissioner. And tell the fat cats upstairs things are gonna change in this town.
Clerk: Okay, but this is where you register as a sex offender.
Moe: [Arriving at the back of the queue] Oh, jeez, there's always a line.

Channel 4 always edit out the line about the sex offender!! Which makes Moe coming in and saying "There's always a line" completely moronic and meaningless.

Nice one channel 4 for ruining the greatest series ever!!

They also edited out the bit where the sanitation commissioner says to Homer "You told people I lured children into my ginger bread house"

[DVDfever]

Originally Posted by hankmoody

...Are you entirely serious?

Channel 4 air it at 6 in the evening. Prime time, which, as much as I am an advocate of frees peech, wouldn't want my kids to pick up bad vocal habits from a TV show

Yes, it's good to know that they won't hear the word "bloody" from a TV show at 6pm because it's far stronger than anything they'll hear in the school playground isn't it(?)

If you'd bothered to research it a little, you'd know that channel 4 also air the simpsons late night.

Purely as filler, not because of controversial episodes.

[DVDfever]

Originally Posted by Paddy C

The beeps are intentional and are inserted by the shows animators before broadcast. The only way to hear the episodes unbleeped is to get them on DVD.

While I know it's the broadcast versions that get bleeped, given that the DVDs aren't, how is it "intentional"?

Answer is - it's not. Fox are notorious for bleeping out such language. That's why Ramsay's shows are bleeped in the US but unbleeped over here (BBC3 just can't be bothered to obtain an unbleeped version, but then let's face it they can't be bothered to run a proper TV station either)

[satman5000]

Originally Posted by JAS84

I suspect whenever that happens, Ofcom get some complaints about it. Swearing before the watershed isn't allowed. For the opposite extreme, look at Japan, which has no watershed, and allows blood, death, swearing, all at breakfast time. Bet the Japanese Simpsons dub never gets any scenes cut at all. Shame that can't be said for the original English version.

I am sorry to say but you are wrong, swearing in theory is allowed before the watershed providing it is justified in context it is only the strongest two words of swearing that are not used before the watershed.

Many shows on TV contain swearing before 9pm and a large majority are on Ch4, Bremner Bird & Fortune for example has numerous examples of what many people would class as strong language going out at 7pm

It does baffle me as to why any edits would need to be in, as I doubt any complaints would be upheld by OFCOM anyway

[big dan]

Originally Posted by jenilou88

Desperate Housewives is the next victim - apparently it's okay to show Carlos clearly looking at Zach's penis when using a urinal but far too rude to have him saying "if you'd have had sex with him you would have remembered" whilst gesturing at salami.

It's so stupid because all they ever show during the day are shows inappropriate for kids - why bother if they can't do it right?

The worst ever editing I've seen was DH the other week with the hostage situation at the supermarket ep.. never mind a punchline being edited, the whole climax to the story was completely cut out! What the hell is happening at all!

[The Oracle]

Originally Posted by DVDfever

While I know it's the broadcast versions that get bleeped, given that the DVDs aren't, how is it "intentional"?

It is intentional: FG's jokes are meant to work either way, with or without the bleeps.

The same goes for Gordon Ramsay's US series: the broadcast version is bleeped, and works as it is, and the DVD version (which are the ones Channel 4 buy) is unbleeped.

[parthy]

Originally Posted by Tassium

This country is going all US.

This reminds of when I had cousins from the US visit a few years ago.

They were utterly shocked that the F-word was uttered at half 10 at night. I mean, COMPLETELY shocked. They said you wouldn't hear that language til the wee small hours in the States.

[Orion]

I think 6pm is too early to broadcast swear words, and that includes 'bloody'. I don't care whether such language might be heard in school playgrounds, I hold Ch4 to a higher standard than school children.