5 Favorite Sitcoms That Got Pounded By FCC Complaints
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Even profanity- and nudity-free television comedies that air on traditional broadcast networks can commit heinous sins against common decency. Or at least according to some easily rattled viewers, who run to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to demand cowboy justice for those jokers who offend them.
Here are some of the ding-dong complaints against the most popular sitcoms of the past 20 years. I’m leaving in the fist-shakers’ original punctuation and spelling for added angry effect…
30 Rock
Muckrock compiled a list of viewer tirades against Tina Fey’s Emmy-wining comedy, including:
- “Tina Fey called someone a Son of a Bitch. I was shocked as this is susposed to be the family hour. The show comes on at 8:00 pm in my area.”
- “In the episode ‘Idiots Are People Three!’ which we saw on my comcast dvr but was also on NBC 7pm central on nbc affiliate kare 11 on 1/26/12 they have scenes relating to auto erotic exphixiation and I think that was very disturbing and very inappropriate. How in the world do the sensors allow this crap on the air? Are there any rules anymore? or is it a free for all like family guy? Please make NBC and FOX accountable for what they do. Sincerely, GR”
And then there was this doozy about Tracy Jordan: “Actor went to barrow a cup of sugar and said it was to put it on the end of his penis to see if a humming bird will eat it.”
Big Bang Theory
Observer put together this list of genitalia-related gripes allegedly spewed over the airwaves by Sheldon and company.
- “During the broadcast of The Big Bang Theory one of the main characters said to another ‘What a puss.’ This is clearly just a shortened form of the word pussy.”
- “The following Monday on Big Bang Theory (I think) ‘genitalia’ was used and tonight (10/5/2015) ‘male genitalia’ was also used on Big Bang Theory. It is words such as these that my mind ‘latches’ onto and registers in my memory.”
- “Watching Big Bang Theory on CBS at 9:00 PM and the word ‘dick’ was used. This word is highly offensive and should not be used especially on a PG rated program.”
The Office
Naughty business in the workplace? Viewers found plenty in The Office:
- “Image of the character Dwight completely nude with genital parts fuzzed out. I did not expect to see this type of indecent programming prior to 10pm.”
- “The very end of the show had extremely graphic description: suggestive language and imagery involving male genitalia and sexual penetration. … I felt verbally assaulted by a normally innocent show with its typically rather gentle and sweet humor. I felt it crossed a line — yet another slip down the slope of extreme broadcast media crassness, leading to a bottom of total societal numbness. Boo. Please do your job — the line needs to be drawn SOMEWHERE.”
- “Homosexual behavior and kissing. Language of a sexual nature that was profane and indecent and directed towards children. Also a scene about ‘coconut p**** juice.’”
How I Met Your Mother
HIMYM found plenty of ways to get viewers hot and bothered, even the ones who claim, “I’m no prude”:
- “It was 7:10pm and I turned the channel on to watch something nice. i saw and heard two women and your ‘star’ in a conversation. The phrase or comment included the term or close ‘Well, you just like him cause you want to ‘bang’ him.’ Eight and ten year olds watch at this time. So the Eight or Ten year old is suppose to ask their parents ‘Mommie, what does ‘Bang’ mean?’ How nice is that? It is disgusting. I am no prude, but I was shocked. You people are horrible to put this on tv at primetime. I will be reporting this to the FCC and will never watch this program.”
- “The entire episode was laced with sexual profanity. One particular statement made by the character Lilly implied that her ‘vagina’ made a remark. Come on, who is regulating the airwaves? It’s no wonder the world has changed, kids can now see and hear anything!”
- “The obscene dialogs follow: Barney (says to girl friend who is a stripper): ‘It is time for you (the stripper) to make some dough by SITTING ON SOME NUTS’ (Caps added) Forty seconds later, Marshall says ‘Lily had a sex dream last night.’ The scene shifts to a flashback. Lily is laying on a couch with her eyes closed and moaning to simulate a sex dream. Lilly says, ‘OH, YA OH, YA. HURRY UP BEFORE MARSHALL (her husband) GETS HOME’ (Caps added). A few seconds later Marshall says, ‘All pregnant ladies have crazy sex dreams. Hormones going berserk.’ Then Ted says, ‘MY FAVORITE WAS WHEN SHE BANGED GEORGE WASHINGTON.’ Barney says, ‘I LIKE THE THREE-WAY (sex) WITH BILL COSBY AND PAPA SMURF.’ Ted says, ‘He smurfed the smurf out of her.’”
Modern Family
Finally, Modern Family also received its share of complaints for its role in corrupting the minds of our nation’s innocent youth:
- “I was watching the TV show Modern Family and one of the characters said the word ‘son of a bitch’… This is unacceptable for a family tv show… This needs to be addressed more because its the young children that re affected.”
- “Fox 23 channel 5 at 6:30 PM was view modern family. They showed a mother and father chest was nude and part of the legs.”