Read this *bleep*ing post, *bleep* it!

by Julie Gomoll on September 9, 2009

Used to be, you only heard “bleeps” on TV when a network aired a movie that had PG language in the original. Now many series just build them in, as their way of flipping the bird to the censors. And they get away with it.

Admittedly, I don’t understand all the upset these words cause, but that’s another issue.

I get it. You don’t want little Timmy to hear grownups swear, and you don’t want delicate Susie to think that people use the awful, awful words on a regular basis.

But are these intentional bleeps helping? When I hear one, I immediately cycle through the Seven Words You Can Never Say On TV to try to figure out what was said. So instead of hearing some frustrated cop say shit, I end up thinking “Did he say shit? Or dickhead? Or was it *gasp* the dreaded f-word”? (A word so awful we have to give it a nickname.)

Bleeps leave the interpretation open to our imaginations, which are far richer than the measly seven words (which are no doubt way up in the double digits by now).

I don’t know if anyone offended by these words actually reads this blog, but if you’re out there, tell me what you think. Are the bleeps better? If so, why?

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  • Dan

    Yeah – it is pretty amazing. It seems that watching someone kill someone else is just fine – but if the murder victim says “shit” while dying – well that’s just too far.

    I was thinking about this the other day and came to the conclusion that if there were a completely uncensored look into a typical person’s life broadcast on TV it would most likely get an “X” (or “MA” – whatever it is now) rating. Nothing out of the ordinary – just typical person having a typical day.

    As far as my own kids go I have certainly swore in front of them many times – and they have certainly heard it all. That is how grownups talk – sometimes “fudge” just doesn’t cut it. The odd part is that to my knowledge they have never sworn in front of adults – though I have seen many kids of straight laced parents who have sworn in front of adults. Sort of a “forbidden fruit” I would imagine. If you don’t make it seem like a big deal then its just not a big deal to them either.

  • Linda

    Bleep! And, yet, the same people who would never utter a bleeped word will accept what should be bleeped, like hate, prejudice, innuendo, war, gossip, lies, and killing. There are certain talk radio hosts that should be bleeped, many politicians should be bleeped. And a whole host of attitudes we’ve come to accept should be bleeped. They are more harmful than hearing a perfectly serviceable word uttered in frustration because it expresses your feelings.

  • Tim T

    Speaking of, you haven’t seen The Count Censored, you have to. Its a nice illustration of how your brain fills in words during the *bleep*.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Wd-Q3F8KM