Update on 'Blame Canada' and the Oscars

ahassel writes, "The IMDB has a an update on the controversy regarding the profanity in the song from South Park. It seems that Trey Parker, et al will not censor their own song; they will leave that task to ABC. They also comment on the irony that they are asked to censor a song from a movie about censorship. There are now three words on the chopping block, including "fart," of all things. The original article from today's Washington Post"

Comments

ABC is protecting American Families

[Anonymous Coward]

ABC has a long history of trying to "do right" by American families, so it is not surprising that they are going to edit out some of the material in that filthy song. Similarly, Slashdot readers have a long history of not caring about American families at all, so it is not surprising that these actions are being held up to ridicule by them. No offense intended, but most Slashdot readers are either teenagers or college students, and these people wouldn't have the first clue of what it's like to raise a family in today's world.

When ABC and the Academy move to block words like "fart", anti-family groups (such as the majority of the Slashdot readership) are quick to lash out. What they don't realize that words like "fart", while they seem harmless, are in fact "gateway" words, or "stepping stone" words that eventually lead children to experiment with harder profanity, such as the other two words described in this article (the word that rhymes with "witch" and the word that rhymes with "luck.")

Pretty soon you end up with kids that have a real swearing problem, and they end up being labeled as cussards and reprobates. And eventually, those labels end up circling back to us, the parents, and it tells people that we're not doing a good job. Not only that, but kids with swearing problems often end up in a downward spiral that involves them with crime (theft, etc.) and other forms of social radicalism (homosexuality, pregnancy/abortion, liberalism, etc.)

What ABC is doing is attempting to protect children. And that's what it's all about. We must stop dirty language from reaching our children's ears. The students and "young'uns" here on Slashdot might ridicule this notion, but ask yourself, honestly: what good is profanity? What possible purpose does it serve? What good does it do when TV/movie characters unleash a torrent of obscenity in front of children? Ask yourself that before you moderate me down. Thanks.

There's a subtle difference here...

[Masem]

While I am all against censorship, (and I admit not having a chance to see SP:BLU yet, but I certainly plan to!), I think that ABC does have a right here. And it has to do with the push nature of television.

With SP the show or the movie, you are well informed of the upcoming profanity in the show. If you are a parent, you should be changing the channel at that point if you don't want your kids to watch it. You don't have to take them to the movie, and everything else. Again, there are plenty of disclaimers and they make sense here.

Take the Oscars broadcast; the average person does not know anything beyond the top 5 or 6 awards (movie, actors, supporting actors, etc), so they will NOT know that a song with profanity will be in the works. In addition, the Oscar broadcast has generally been PG, at work; making the entire 2+ hr broadcast a TV-M first means that it can't be aired until after 10pm, and second, they will lose viewers. They (ABC) have no choice to do *something* about Blame Canada.

That said, I would think that a better way for ABC to handle it is to drop the musical numbers for all songs, such that they don't have to worry about playing it, but not play any of the others, as to be fair. Rewriting the song to avoid censoring is IMO a bad choice, as that can ruin the effect of the song in the first place.

The Spirit of Conservatveness

[shroom]

So let me get this straight. If someones hears the word "fart", bleeped out, it's going to turn them into a homosexual, get them pregnant, make them a liberal? Oh my gosh...

All: In the beginning, God created the Earth...

Stan: Wait a minute, aren't you a Democrat, Kyle?

Kyle: Yeah, I think so

Stan: You're supposed to be liberal and support civil liberties!

Kyle: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press

Stan: (interrupting) That amendment sucks!

Cartman: Yeah, freedom of speech sucks!

Kyle: Don't you censor me, fat boy!

Cartman: Don't call me fat, buttfucker!

Kyle: Then don't belittle my freedom, you fucking fatass!

Cartman: God dammit, don't call me fat, you buttfucking sonofabitch!

[Pat Robertson decends from the sky]

Stan: Holy shit, it's Pat Robertson!

Cartman: What are you doing in South Park, Pat?

Pat Robertson: I come spreading conservative Christian values.

Kyle: Oh, fuck! I'm sorry, Pat!

PR: Fear not, a hurricane will kill you and all the homosexuals later. I am looking for a place called The Oscars.

Stan: We can take you to the Oscars, in fact, we're nominated!

[They start walking]

Cartman: Dude, this is gay.

Stan: Dude, don't say gay in front of Pat Robertson.

Cartman: Aw, fuck you.

[They all travel to LA, where Trey Parker is picketing at the Shrine Auditorium]

Stan: This is it, who are you looking for?

PR: Him! [points to Trey Parker]

Trey: So, we meet again, Pat Robertson.

PR: You are turning this country into a cestpool of homosexuals, liberals, and anti-Christian bigots!

Trey: And you have attacked the freedom on which this country is based!

PR: You have taken the Lord's name in vain for the last time.

Trey: My movies bring happiness to people around the world.

PR: I'm here to put an end to your blasphemy

Trey: This time we finish it. [stands] There can be only one.

Stan: Dude, this is pretty fucked up right here.
[Pat and Trey fight]
Kids: Go Trey! [Pat looks at them] Uh, go Pat!

[Pat and Trey fight more, Mortal Kombat style.]
Kyle: Oh my god! They killed Kenny!

Pat: Boys, help me put an end to him once and for all.

Trey: No, boys, help me, so that I can put an end to him.

Pat: God is watching you, boys. You know who to help.

Stan: I don't know what to do, dude. Who should we help?

Cartman: I say we help Trey Parker.

Kyle: Eh, you're just saying that because he made you famous.

Cartman: Hey! I don't need to take that kinda shit from a liberal.

Kyle: You're such a fat fuck, Cartman, that when you walk down the street people go God DAMMIT that kid's a BIG FAT FUCK.

Cartman: Oh yeah? Well listen up...

Stan: Wait, wait, just a second. Now we've got to think here. Now let's see. What would Brian Boitano do?

Cartman: Yeah. What would Brian Boitano do?
[Brian Boitano appears.]

Brian: Did someone say my name?

Cartman: Brian Boitano!

Kyle: What incredible irony!

Cartman: Yeah, it's Brian Boitano!

Brian: What's going on, kids?

Stan: Okay, Brian? Who would you help in a fight, Pat Robertson or Trey Parker?

Brian: Kids...you shouldn't think of things like that. The Oscars are the one time of year when we all try to get along, no matter what we believe in. This is the season just to be good to each other. Bi-eee!
[Brian skates away.]

Pat: You fuckin' liberal!

Trey: C'mere! Come on!

Stan: Hey, Pat! You have to understand that Trey is keeping the spirit of your religion alive by bringing humor and attention to the evils of Satan and Hell.

Kyle: Yeah. And Trey, you need to remember that if it weren't for Pat, You wouldn't have a Religious Right to make fun of!

Trey: You're right kids. I'm sorry, Pat.

Pat: No, no. It's me who should be sorry. I've been a right bastard. I'm sorry Parker.

Trey: Thank you boys.

Pat: Yeah, thank you boys. Come on, Parker, I'll buy you an Orange Smoothie.

Trey: oooo!

Stan: *whew* That sucked.

Kyle: Yeah, but just think. Today we actually met--we actually spoke--to _the_ Brian Boitano.

Stan: Yeah. And you know? I think I learned something today, it doesn't matter if you're Republican or Democratic or Liberal or Conservative. The Oscars still is about one very important thing:

Cartman: Yeah, ham.

Stan: No not ham, you fat fuck!

Cartman: Fuck you!

Stan: The Oscars are about something much more important.

Kyle: What?

Stan: Money.

Kyle: Ah.

Stan: Don't you see, Kyle? Money.

Kids: "Blame Canada, blame Canada, with all their beady little eyes..."

Jeff Sand
shroom@NOSPAMbradley.edu

Reagan Sucks

[cje]

NOTE: I have censored myself to protect Slashdot's younger viewers from potentially reading bad words like 'ass'.

This reminds me of a stunt the Miami Herald pulled several years ago. One Sunday, they refused to run Berke Breathed's "Bloom County" comic strip because it contained the phrase "Reagan Sucks." To explain to readers why the comic was missing, a brief letter was put in is place explaining that the paper was not running the comic because it contained the phrase "Reagan Sucks" (that's right, they printed the phrase verbatim.)

Some time later, after several puzzled letters to the editor had been received, the Herald ran an editorial which again explained that the comic had been pulled because it contained the phrase "Reagan Sucks." Apparently, it simply did not dawn on them that they had used .. multiple times .. the very phrase that they intended to censor from the "Bloom County" strip.

Anyway, the last line of your post made me think of that. Let's see if a conservative moderator moderates this down simply because it has a subject line reading "Reagan Sucks." :-)