George Carlin on Indecency

[LadyLaw]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/03/16/g...y.ap/index.html


Thirty-two years later the same debate is still raging, now fueled by Janet Jackson's Super Bowl flash, the suspension of Howard Stern's raunchy radio show from six stations and new House legislation that would raise a performer's indecency fine from $11,000 to $500,000.

So what does the 66-year-old Carlin think of the current handwringing over what is indecent, profane, obscene, immoral, lewd or insulting?

"More of the same, more of the same. What are we, surprised?" Carlin told The Associated Press on Friday

He blamed it on religious moralism, media commercialism and election-year politics.

"The whole problem with this idea of obscenity and indecency, and all of these things -- bad language and whatever -- it's all caused by one basic thing, and that is: religious superstition. ... There's an idea that the human body is somehow evil and bad and there are parts of it that are especially evil and bad, and we should be ashamed. Fear, guilt and shame are built into the attitude toward sex and the body. ... It's reflected in these prohibitions and these taboos that we have."

Mix that with TV or radio, and you've got a problem, he said.

"What I always remind people is, radio and television and -- as it happens -- newspapers and magazines too, are advertising media. ... When you have commercialism involved you have the kind of fear that advertisers are very afraid of offending some potential customer. They don't want to lose a sale. So they have this need to inspect and clean up and watch the content in order not to hurt their own sales. It's based on success at the cash register.

"And yet, they're very inconsistent -- on that Super Bowl broadcast of Janet Jackson's there was also a commercial about a 4-hour erection. A lot of people were saying about Janet Jackson, 'How do I explain to my kids? We're a little family, we watched it together ...' And, well, what did you say about the other thing? These are convenient targets."

He also thinks President Bush is trying to placate right-wing voters.

The U.S. Air Force veteran compared the recent tension with memories of his military experience.

"These bursts of interest and decency are just like when you're in the Air Force, Army and Marines, whatever -- the discipline in your unit may get a little lax, people live with it, it's fine for months at a time then some colonel notices it and suddenly they crack down ... enforcing all the minor rules and regulations. Then what happens after these bursts of bothering people, that wears off and we get back to normal, relaxed discipline, but things still get done.

"Society can be counted on to let this fade."

[kath]

I loved this interview... read it on CNN this AM - WTG George. He made some (as usual) very excellent points. Hope he gets some people to *think* - I love the way he puts things.

[Peaches]

Hehehe - I remember the first time I heard the 4 hour erection ad....I'm still trying to figure out why that would be a PROBLEM.

[OldJeff]

Originally posted by Peaches@Mar 16 2004, 12:18 PM
Hehehe - I remember the first time I heard the 4 hour erection ad....I'm still trying to figure out why that would be a PROBLEM.

Well in my case it is simple, the only thing I can do for 4 hours in a row is sleep, and I usually can't do that without have to get up and use the bathroom.

At 18 a four hour erection is normal, at 40, it is a problem

[Peaches]

Originally posted by OldJeff@Mar 16 2004, 02:18 PM
Well in my case it is simple, the only thing I can do for 4 hours in a row is sleep, and I usually can't do that without have to get up and use the bathroom.

At 18 a four hour erection is normal, at 40, it is a problem

LOL!! :P

[Vick]

Originally posted by OldJeff@Mar 16 2004, 01:18 PM
At 18 a four hour erection is normal, at 40, it is a problem

Not if you have sunburn and need to keep the sheets off you at night

[sextoyking]

Susan,

I have loved George Carlins whitty humor for many years

[Almighty Colin]

God, that's perfect.

[Cassie]

im still racking my brain on how they pulled a sexual inuendo out of the quiznos commercial. disgusting, yes...sexual....i doubt even for those into b fetishes found that commercial sexual.

[Mike AI]

George is a wierdo, but he is right on this issue.

[LadyLaw]

I thought of Carlin's Seven Forbidden Words monologue when I read Clear Channel was just assessed $274,000 in fines for broadcasting a Ron Jeremy fan describing how much she loves him on a show last year. The transcript of the punishable part goes like this:

Female Voice: I masturbate with Jeremy’s video every day. Uh, not every day, but every other weekend.

Craig’s Voice: Wow. What is it that you like about him so much?

Female Voice: The way he licks pussy. I want to do a threesome with him. See who’s the best. If I can lick better or he can lick better.
_______________________________________________

The FCC is punishing CC now....for 9 broadcasts containing the "P" word a year ago.

Oy vey....