Censorship - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

LuLu Rogers · 03-08-2008, 10:01 PM

I've been wondering about this for a long time, so I thought I would get your opinions on this.

I was watching an interview with Alan Alda earlier and he was talking about Network Censorship during M*A*S*H. He recalled a scene he had written where Margaret comes into the VIP tent to talk to Sidney. She refuses to talk to him until he covers up the jock strap he has lying in a pile of laundry. The network wouldn't let him show the jock strap or even a pile of clothes that might imply it was there. They also refused to let them refer to it as a jock strap. In the final scene, Margaret tells him that she won't talk to him until he gets rid of "that thing" and points below the camera. Sidney then looks below the camera and says, "What, the athletic supporter?" That's the only way the Censors would allow it, yet, in MANY episodes of M*A*S*H we see women's bras, underwear and stockings hanging from clothes lines. Alan was laughing at how crazy that was.

In today's movie and such, you see a good bit of female nudity. No, I don't mean porn or adult films, I mean regular movies, but how many do you see with male full frontal nudity? Very few.

My view on this is the "All or Nothing" principle. If you can show female, you should be able to show male, if you can't show male then you shouldn't be showing female.

No, I'm not looking for more nudity in movies or tv, so just drop that from your mind right now. I'm simply saying that if you allow one, why not the other?

How do you guys feel about this?

Mikado · 03-09-2008, 12:28 AM

You may think this sounds sexist but, think about it...women dont mind looking at half naked women, but most guys dont want to look at other men....if you put a lot of male nudity, a lot of men will tune out and that will hurt ratings.

LuLu Rogers · 03-09-2008, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikado

You may think this sounds sexist but, think about it...women dont mind looking at half naked women, but most guys dont want to look at other men....if you put a lot of male nudity, a lot of men will tune out and that will hurt ratings.

Yep, that sounds pretty sexist to me. Not all women enjoy seeing other women naked all the time, it can be kind of degrading sometimes. That's a pretty big assumption there.

If you're going to allow one, you should allow the other. Male viewers shouldn't rule the world.

vtunie · 03-09-2008, 12:36 AM

This goes back a very long way, I think. I think there've been many more female breasts and even loins depicted than the male genitals, in Western art of the last 1500 years.

I suppose it's because the erect phallus was and is a sacred symbol in the many of the pagan religions, so a christian society would be very careful to stay away from depicting the male organs even in the unengorged state.

Consider the (pre-christian) wall frescoes in Pompeii. Their depictions of female nudes (even in ritual flagellation) have been in art textbooks for the last 200 years; but the totemic images of Priapus (the MALE demigod of fertility, retribution, and several other things, I can't remember which), always shown with enormous genitals in full view, have been kept behing locked doors.

LuLu Rogers · 03-09-2008, 12:38 AM

vtunie, I'm leavin that one alone!

Wow!

vtunie · 03-09-2008, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuLu Rogers

vtunie, I'm leavin that one alone!

Wow!

Amazing, I deliberately wrote as seriously as I could, but even so we snicker.

LuLu Rogers · 03-09-2008, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vtunie

Amazing, I deliberately wrote as seriously as I could, but even so we s******.

I think that's what made it so funny, how serious you were!

vtunie · 03-09-2008, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuLu Rogers

I think that's what made it so funny, how serious you were!

Oh well, I guess before Janice censors this whole thread...

PlayOn · 03-09-2008, 12:59 AM

Me being a male, I don't want to see others males body parts, but I see what your saying tho, LuLu. If they show a male frontal nudity, I can just turn the channel or turn away while ya'll women have ya'lls fun. lol.

LuLu Rogers · 03-09-2008, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BruceWillisFan

Me being a male, I don't want to see others males body parts, but I see what your saying tho, LuLu. If they show a male frontal nudity, I can just turn the channel or turn away while ya'll women have ya'lls fun. lol.

I appreciate you being objective about it.

Dutabi84 · 03-09-2008, 01:08 AM

I think part of the deal is aesthetics. The curviness of a shapely female is overall probably more pleasing to the eye than those things that we carry around that look like they belong on some frightening mythical beast.

PlayOn · 03-09-2008, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuLu Rogers

I appreciate you being objective about it.

That's me. Fair and balanced.

LuLu Rogers · 03-09-2008, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutabi84

I think part of the deal is aesthetics. The curviness of a shapely female is overall probably more pleasing to the eye than those things that we carry around that look like they belong on some frightening mythical beast.

LuLu Rogers · 03-09-2008, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BruceWillisFan

That's me. Fair and balanced.

Chelsea · 03-09-2008, 01:11 AM

It's simple: Everyone loves boobs. The end.

03-08-2008, 10:01 PM	#1
LuLu Rogers Colonel Brandon Forum Fanatic Join Date: Mar 23, 2004 Location: The Hogwarts Dungeons Posts: 11,013	Censorship I've been wondering about this for a long time, so I thought I would get your opinions on this. I was watching an interview with Alan Alda earlier and he was talking about Network Censorship during MASH. He recalled a scene he had written where Margaret comes into the VIP tent to talk to Sidney. She refuses to talk to him until he covers up the jock strap he has lying in a pile of laundry. The network wouldn't let him show the jock strap or even a pile of clothes that might imply it was there. They also refused to let them refer to it as a jock strap. In the final scene, Margaret tells him that she won't talk to him until he gets rid of "that thing" and points below the camera. Sidney then looks below the camera and says, "What, the athletic supporter?" That's the only way the Censors would allow it, yet, in MANY episodes of MASH we see women's bras, underwear and stockings hanging from clothes lines. Alan was laughing at how crazy that was. In today's movie and such, you see a good bit of female nudity. No, I don't mean porn or adult films, I mean regular movies, but how many do you see with male full frontal nudity? Very few. My view on this is the "All or Nothing" principle. If you can show female, you should be able to show male, if you can't show male then you shouldn't be showing female. No, I'm not looking for more nudity in movies or tv, so just drop that from your mind right now. I'm simply saying that if you allow one, why not the other? How do you guys feel about this?
	__________________ -Lauren- "I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death."-Professor Severus Snape

03-09-2008, 12:59 AM	#9
PlayOn ADHD: what I have not who I am Senior Member Join Date: Jun 17, 2006 Location: I'll never tell. :p Posts: 2,745	Me being a male, I don't want to see others males body parts, but I see what your saying tho, LuLu. If they show a male frontal nudity, I can just turn the channel or turn away while ya'll women have ya'lls fun. lol.
	__________________ Have you heard the ? Jesus saves!!!

03-09-2008, 01:11 AM	#15
Chelsea Semi-retired Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 07, 2001 Location: Washington Posts: 5,727	It's simple: Everyone loves boobs. The end.
	__________________ Chelsea Former Administrator, 2005-2012 Former Member, DVD Review Team, 2004-2010.

03-09-2008, 12:28 AM	#2
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,892	You may think this sounds sexist but, think about it...women dont mind looking at half naked women, but most guys dont want to look at other men....if you put a lot of male nudity, a lot of men will tune out and that will hurt ratings.

03-09-2008, 12:36 AM	#4
vtunie Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 23, 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 592	This goes back a very long way, I think. I think there've been many more female breasts and even loins depicted than the male genitals, in Western art of the last 1500 years. I suppose it's because the erect phallus was and is a sacred symbol in the many of the pagan religions, so a christian society would be very careful to stay away from depicting the male organs even in the unengorged state. Consider the (pre-christian) wall frescoes in Pompeii. Their depictions of female nudes (even in ritual flagellation) have been in art textbooks for the last 200 years; but the totemic images of Priapus (the MALE demigod of fertility, retribution, and several other things, I can't remember which), always shown with enormous genitals in full view, have been kept behing locked doors.

03-09-2008, 12:38 AM	#5
LuLu Rogers Colonel Brandon Forum Fanatic Join Date: Mar 23, 2004 Location: The Hogwarts Dungeons Posts: 11,013	vtunie, I'm leavin that one alone! Wow!

03-09-2008, 01:08 AM	#11
Dutabi84 kittens must die Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 22, 2003 Location: MN/TX Posts: 11,026	I think part of the deal is aesthetics. The curviness of a shapely female is overall probably more pleasing to the eye than those things that we carry around that look like they belong on some frightening mythical beast.