Breaking Swearing Taboos

[boechsner]

So, I recently got the first 3 seasons burned on DVD, from someone, and I have to say I really love this show and wish Sony would release uncut episodes.

As I'm watching the series, I noticed that in the 3rd season episode, Walter's Heart Attack, Maude at the end says, "You son of a bitch." This episode aired September 23, 1974, and I've read that Maude constantly battled censors during its run, starting right off with the abortion issue in 1972.

Does anyone know of any vulgarities, meaning swearing, that you have seen or heard of in sitcoms prior to this episode?

[snl75]

you know bea denies that she said you son of a.. in that ep but but you i and my mother all heard her say it we all have seen the ep. bea says she said son of a wench but if she said that there must have been something wrong with all of our ears i dont know why she denies she said it it was funny in the context of the ep. as far as swearing on sitcoms before that im not sure. i think maude was the first.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by boechsner

So, I recently got the first 3 seasons burned on DVD, from someone, and I have to say I really love this show and wish Sony would release uncut episodes.

As I'm watching the series, I noticed that in the 3rd season episode, Walter's Heart Attack, Maude at the end says, "You son of a bitch." This episode aired September 23, 1974, and I've read that Maude constantly battled censors during its run, starting right off with the abortion issue in 1972.

Does anyone know of any vulgarities, meaning swearing, that you have seen or heard of in sitcoms prior to this episode?

Well if those eps are UNCUT, then you no longer have to worry about Sony releasing the show on DVD. But if they are not, then I see your point.

[jamesanthony]

Originally Posted by boechsner

So, I recently got the first 3 seasons burned on DVD, from someone, and I have to say I really love this show and wish Sony would release uncut episodes.

As I'm watching the series, I noticed that in the 3rd season episode, Walter's Heart Attack, Maude at the end says, "You son of a bitch." This episode aired September 23, 1974, and I've read that Maude constantly battled censors during its run, starting right off with the abortion issue in 1972.

Does anyone know of any vulgarities, meaning swearing, that you have seen or heard of in sitcoms prior to this episode?

As far as I can tell All in the Family broke the most ground in terms of cursing and derogatory terms towards ethnic groups, gays, etc when it started in 1971. A couple of shows may have used jackass or damn or hell in a religious sense before that. AITF used G--damnnit in a year 4 episode, but I don't think bitch was heard on any other tv show in the 70s. It was used in the first episode of Designing Women in 1986. Ass has become so common on tv now that a lot of people don't think it's a curse word anyone. When was the last time the word butt was used instead of ass on any show?

In the first episode of the Cosby Show Cliff says "damn right" to Theo in the bedroom scene, but I honestly don't think any other off color or objectionable language was ever used in any other episodes of that show again.