On broadcast propriety

I mentioned how much I liked Chuck Lorre’s vanity cards. In line with my recent commentary on the FCC I thought I would repost this card from his site:

CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, #133

There was a scene in this episode which was drastically cut down in order to appease the censors. Their problem with it was the length of time we spent on the nude back of an attractive young woman. My problem is knowing that I work in an industry, or perhaps I should say a culture, that is more comfortable showing a dead naked body than a live one. A glimpse at any of the prime-time police procedural shows reveals that the powers that be, both in Hollywood and Washington, are perfectly at ease with graphically detailed autopsy scenes that show female corpses being carved up in order to reveal the titillating (pun intended) cause of death, or, if it’s during sweeps, examined for traces of semen. Now I don’t for one second believe that this little vanity card vent of mine will accomplish anything. I even strongly doubt that, despite living in a country that espouses “free speech”, it will even be broadcast. I just needed to get it off my very alive, and very sexual chest. (p.s. If I get away with this card, I’ll write one about how television networks love erection-producing drugs and yet fear erections.)