Bleep. Bleepbleepableepbleep

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Yeah. Get used to the idea. This column is probably going to contain language and concepts which will offend a number of people. But I have a few things to say first to set the stage for my point. (IOW I'm rambling again.)

Quentin Tarantino as host

Remember Romper Room? I do not remember the show's lady host getting pregnant and how the networks refused to allow that to be seen. I have since learned about it. Back then even the very word pregnancy was not permitted on TV.

Now, you can watch Sesame Street and see women with enormous abdomens walk down the street. Some of them are even with child. A few of 'em are actually pregnant. Ar har har.

Bad jokes aside, pregnancy, breast feeding and so forth are just another thang even on Sesame street these days.

I am told my great-grandmother objected to television. She said it would not be long before you could witness people engaged in what Shakespeare called "making the beast with two backs" on TV. [smirk]

So much for the birds & the bees...

Explicit coverage of such details remains taboo in broadcast TV, but it can certainly be right up to that limit.

I disgress sharply here.

You can see graphic death easily on TV. I ask you - Which would you rather see or, more importantly, let your children see: 1) Someone be killed (literally as in the news or figuratively as in fictional or event re-creation shows) or 2) Two people "make love"?You parents, which have your children seen more of?

Hrm. May be future column lurking in that.

Back on topic. I also remember watching an episode of M*A*S*H in which one of the characters said "son of a bitch." I immediately rushed to tell my mother what was said on TV. She gave me a look. Not LOOK, or Look, but a look. You know what I mean.

Woooo. Watch that tongue dude.

It was not that long ago the word "sucks" was a profanity. Now, my mother uses it everyday conversation.

Today a TV show (I forget the name) uses the BLEEP to much comedic effect. Rather than just bleep censorable words, entire phrases are bleeped, leaving the viewer to either read lips or use imagination to fill in the blanks. No, I do not recall the show's name and I don't watch TV. My report on this comes second hand from On The Media, a public radio show.

SCOTUS (the Supreme Court) is expected to review the Federal Communications Commission authority to regulate what broadcast television may and may not air. Broadcast TV, as opposed to cable TV, is regulated by this federal board. The FCC gets this right from Congress which set up a permitting and license system for the broadcast spectrum. This includes cellular communications, ham radio, broadcast TV, radio and other forms of wireless communications.

The last time SCOTUS ruled on this significantly was on George Carlin's famous 7 dirty words.

FCC example of free speech

I ask you, should broadcast TV be regulated by the federal government? Cable TV is not so regulated. The internet absolutely is not regulated (hence this column is available for your perusal). Print media is not regulated. Speak is not regulated. Internet and satellite radio is not regulated while "terrestrial" radio is. Well, yes, they are regulated a bit. But for profanity, nudity and such it is not federally regulated.

The aforementioned On The Media has gleefully bent the FCC's rule so far I thought the rule would break. On public radio.

Is there a need for FCC regulation? Should the FCC's powers be extended? Retracted? How far would you go? Remember the rules you intend to apply to others may likewise be applied to you, especially in this case. Do you want the government regulating what you can and can't say?

My point, circuitous as ever, is what's in a word?

Not even close...

Yes, I know,trying to make people think (which is a capital offense according to some people in my community including a few elected officials). I also I haven't used language which would offend. Son of a bitch, after all, is the male offspring of a female canine.

Offending words come in Part II. Along with another heaping helping of offense for those who believe a brain is a useless appendage.