What should be censored ? Would you know it when you see it ? TheFederal Communications Commission(FCC ) would . Among its other responsibility , the U.S. Union agency allot with implement regulation for contentedness that is " indecent , " " abhorrent " or " profane . " For networks , that mean employing censor , whose chore is to exclude " sure topics , social groups or linguistic communication from the content of broadcast computer programming , " fit in to the Museum of Broadcast Communications , and to cleave to administration standards .
Of course , the open thing that ’s censored has exchange over time . In 1952 , Lucille Ball ’s fictitious character on " I Love Lucy , " was pregnant , but heaven ( and censor ) preclude if someone used that word . Instead , Lucy was " have a baby , " " enceinte " or " with tike . " During the sixties , actresses could n’t display their omphalus on shows such as " I Dream of Jeannie , " " Gilligan ’s Island " and " Gidget " – must ’ve been the connection between belly buttons and maternity that censors fear .
At times , censorship has been based less on lesson and more on money . A 1959 episode of " Playhouse 90 " had to delete mention of " gasolene chambers " in the post - World War II drama " Judgment at Nuremberg . " The reason ? The show ’s patron was the American Gas Association .
Every decade , certaintelevisionseries challenge censors , pushing back on edits that are hold too constricting or reactionary . Each becomes a thorn in the censor ’s side – and would n’t have it any other way . ascertain out the following list of some of the thorniest serial ever seen on television .
10: ‘The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour’
The Smothers Brothers : Tom and Dick , two nice , clean - cutting young Man who told jokes , play instruments and foiled censors . From 1967 to 1969 , the brothers fought with CBS over what could be aired on their democratic musical variety show . Politically , the comrade were to the left hand , and their humor let on it . In a 1967 skit , Tommy Smothers and Elaine May played censor , cut parole like " bosom " from a book . Not surprisingly , that segment was ax . During the same year , Pete Seeger was schedule to tattle , " Waist Deep in the Big Muddy . " censor decide it insulted soldier and cast out the melodious turn . Somehow the song lost its inflammatory nature , because Seeger was allowed to do it the next year .
In the concluding time of year , Harry Belafonte was supposed to perform " Do n’t break the Carnival " while wild protests from the Democratic National Convention were shown in the setting . Not only was the bit slashed , but a five - arcminute Republican commercial message for Republican presidential nominee Richard Nixon was added for good measure . At the end of their R-2 , CBS in conclusion scratch the series , claiming the brother had violated their declaration by fill in an episode late . Tommy and Dick later won a cause that vindicated them . In this instance , the brother got the last word .
9: ‘Star Trek’
Though the crowd of the spaceship Enterprise had a mission " to boldly go where no man has run before , " NBC was squeamish about breaking new basis . The 1960s science fiction series about outer space geographic expedition focus almost as much onCaptain Kirk ’s love spirit as it did on extraterrestrial civilisation . However , in 1968 , the episode " Plato ’s Stepchildren " went too far . The police captain ( William Shatner ) and communicating military officer Lieutenant Uhura ( Nichelle Nichols ) were in a plight : Aliens were controlling their actions . When the two were forced to snog , the connection intervened . The problem ? Uhura was blackened , Kirk was white and an interracial kiss had n’t made it to video yet .
The cast did n’t recoil , but executives were nervous . " Star Trek " creator Gene Roddenberry recommended taping the aspect double . They ’d bewitch the disgraceful buss , but they ’d also have a version with a simple hug . Then there ’d be choices ! Shatner chose otherwise . When the hug scene was shot , he made certain the manager could n’t see his nerve , and he mugged it up . The sabotage was n’t discovered until after the actors had already left the set . The manager was forced to use the shocking candy kiss , but the world did n’t stop . It turned out , the rooter did n’t react negatively . Silly censors .
8: ‘All in the Family’
Ah , those were the days . During the 1970s , CBS ’s show , " All in the Family " shared the living of a Queens working - course man , Archie Bunker , and his family . Created by Norman Lear , the show was tremendously successful , earning four consecutiveEmmysfor outstanding comedy during its long run [ source : Bio . ] . But it was also a infliction in the neck for censor . The series pushed against social norms and coverednew goggle box ground , such as sexuality , impotence , abortion , divorce and dogmatism . " All in the Family " challenged the TV industry by using words that had been inappropriate during the 1950s and 60s . " Hell " and " bloody " became almost commonplace .
" All in the Family ’s " premiere set its tone . In accession to salty language , the racial name " kike , " " spade " and " spic " spewed from Archie ’s mouth . CBS executive were nervous about looker ' reactions and placed extra operators at the mesh switchboard to manage the anticipate calls of outrage . But the audience loved to detest Archie . It became the best - rated show on television [ source : Norman Lear ] . Archie ’s wife Edith may have been " stifled , " but the show ’s creative force were n’t .
7: ‘Saturday Night Live’
" Live , from New York , it ’s … " whatever comes out of the stamp ’s mouthpiece ! The longest - lead American sketch comedy show premiered on NBC in 1975 , and immediately sparks fly betweenwritersand censors . The two mathematical group sparred continually for days , die back and off on what would air . However , by the mid-1980s , the censors were done messing around . No more talks – they just articulate , " No . " Each week , four to five suggested skit were cut from the script . Some sketches were vetoed even after they had already aired on live television . The censor want them cleaned up for reruns .
For example , a censor suggest axing a skit about blind man and a mirthful man after it was render , because it was consider loathsome to both gay and disabled people . Another sketch , in game show data format , was titled " What ’s My habituation ? " This meter , the segment had to go because the serious matter had gotten too many jape from the consultation . Producer Lorne Michaels reject both suggestions . Better luck next time , censors .
6: ‘Dynasty’
To be deep and beautiful and populate in Colorado . The characters on " Dynasty " had it all . This nighttime soap opera aired on ABC from 1981 to 1989 . It hunt into a sticky spot with censor , however , when show runner want one of the main characters , Steven Carrington , to begay . Initially , that ’s how he was written . But then his male fan was killed , and Steven suddenly became straight . He married a cleaning woman , disjoint her and then fell in love with another man . That romance also ended in the dying of the lover . After that , Steven was portray as confused and waffle in his sexuality . However , during the 1991 reunion show , Steven appeared as a happy , successful character – with a male partner .
ABC censors probably should n’t have worried about Steven ’s predilection . During much of its run , " Dynasty " was up there in theratings . In its soph time of year , the show ranked No . 5 , and it get to third place the next class . By the conclusion of the ' 84 to ' 85 season , the show was right at the top [ source : Museum of Broadcast Communications – Dynasty ] .
5: ‘TV Nation’
Blink and you would have missed it , butAcademy Award - succeeder Michael Moore ( " Bowling for Columbine " ) had an NBC show during the summer of 1994 . It then moved to Fox for a very brief period . " boob tube Nation " present Moore the chance to explore news report that the media had stray apart . It also gave censor the opportunity to swing the hatchet .
Several segments of " TV Nation " were cut from broadcast , though they later became usable on video . For instance , Moore investigated the less - than - of import but extremely amusing issue ofcondomsize . The prophylactics number in even and extra - heavy sizes , but not in small . Censors believe viewers in the American South would be breach . In another episode , Moore enquire character assassination of abortion Dr. . It was ax because advertizer would void a show covering the topic . Moore also looked into a gamey school student who received extra deferred payment for protesting gayness at funerals ofAIDSvictims . Again , the capable issue was rejected . However , internet in 20 other countries had no problem aerate the segment .
4: ‘Late Show with David Letterman’
Laid - back comedian David Letterman had a nerve-wracking dark on March 31 , 1994 , whenMadonnawas a Edgar Guest on his CBS later - night talk show . Though it became one of Letterman ’s highest - rated episode , it ’s also the most - censored talking show to date . The boniface premise his guest with a crack about her active sexual urge life . Madonna sauntered onto the curing in a long black dress and combat kick and proceeded to the use the " f " word 14 times .
When Madonna was finally offstage , Letterman joshed that Mother Teresa would be up next and banter ( presumably ) that his show had been cancel . Madonna ’s version : Everyone on the show was in on the jest and encouraged her . Also , she was play up theFCC ’s hypocrisy in admit graphic violence but not strong language . And mayhap she was also going for a earth phonograph recording …
3: The 2003 Golden Globes Awards
You know how you get really excited and pop imprecate ? Well , it chance . At least it did toU2lead singer Bono , who was ecstatic at the Golden Globes Awards when the music from " Gangs of New York " gain him a statue . On camera , he enthused that the win was " really , really , verybrilliant . " However , he fill in the degree Fahrenheit - Scripture for " very . " This incident not only pushed limitation ; it set new terminus ad quem for censorship .
The incident led the FCC to shew a rule covering any succeeding broadcast of what the delegacy called " fugitive expletives . " From then on , if internet allow such language on the air , they opened themselves up to 100 of thou of dollar in fines . Yeah , no . A federal tourist court declared this regularisation unconstitutional . TheSupreme Courtalso ruled against the FCC in 2012 , indicating that the proclamation was imprecise . gauge the FCC does n’t have Bono ’s way with Bible .
2: ‘Family Guy’
Just like " All in the Family , " Seth McFarlane ’s show about an American clan is have sex for pushing verbal boundaries . The enliven series on Fox negociate with censor . There is some give and take about what has to go and what can slip by . Ironically , a 2005 episode about censoring had the pa , Peter , trying to start out his own meshing . The installment was censored for language .
However , a 2009 episode on abortion was not even allowed on the air , because the meshwork was come to about scaring off advertisers . Peter ’s married woman Lois is play as asurrogatemom for an infertile brace . No good deed run unpunished , and the match dies in a elevator car chance event . What ’s Lois go to do about thepregnancy ? Though the show was not pass around , it was execute live and untaped for members of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Censors could n’t touch that .
1: ‘South Park’
The longest - running animated serial on Comedy Central has been keeping censors busy since 1997 . Show Lord Matt Stone and Trey Parker are adequate opportunity button - pram , taking barb at all race , ethnicities , organized religion and political affiliations . Sometimes the jokes hit hard . In 2006 , Stone and Parker wanted to comment upon a Dutch contention . Anewspaperprinted editorial cartoons feature the image of the Prophet Muḥammad , which is banned by Islam . The mesh did not want " South Park " to display Muḥammad ’s word-painting . The answer : hide the image behind a black box stamped " censor . "
Another emergence with Islam came up in 2010 , but this time Stone and Parker cut out the wholesaler and send the black box over Muḥammad ’s image themselves . They also replaced the oracle ’s name with a beep . They were seek , but Comedy Central added even more bleeps and refused to put the instalment on " South Park ’s " website . It ’s just never enough …
