“For broadcasters seeking more guidance on what is indecent, federal regulators have some warning: Don’t use [fuck].
“The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday overruled its staff and declared that an expletive uttered by rock star Bono on NBC last year was both indecent and profane. The agency made it clear that virtually any use of [fuck] was inappropriate for over-the-air radio and television.
“[Fuck] is one of the most vulgar, graphic and explicit descriptions of sexual activity in the English language,” the commission said Thursday. “The fact that the use of this word may have been unintentional is irrelevant; it still has the same effect of exposing children to indecent language.”
The FCC’s declaration came as the commission on Thursday also announced three indecency fines for radio broadcasts — two against Infinity Broadcasting, including one for a Howard Stern show, and one against a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications.
But the commissioners did not propose a fine for Bono’s expletive during the 2003 Golden Globe Awards because, they said, they had never before said that virtually any use of [fuck] violated its rules.
Related: “Howard Stern throws a tantrum, accuses the Bush Administration of leaking evidence his show hasn’t been funny since ’87.”
Actually Stern is a comic genius and First Amendment warrior who has supported various Republican candidacies (Pataki, Whitman, D’Amato, Giuliani) and been very hawkish on terror but who is vehemently opposed to what he perceives as Bush’s strong ties with the religious right—he’s a staunch supporter of reproductive rights, stem cell research, free speech (the FCC is on his ass) and the right of gays to marry. He understands that this country is in no danger whatsover of becoming an Islamic theocracy but sees flickerings of potential for the other kind. He could definitely be a factor in the election because his listenership, made up mostly of white males, is extremely loyal.
Stern may be a very influential First Amendment “warrior” who has a measurable impact on the November elections (though I hope he realizes that a vote for against Bush is a vote for Kerry—and that “tolerant” liberals like Kerry are anathema to the First Amendment, as anyone who spends any time in academia—or who watched Trent Lott twist in the wind, for that matter—can attest). But none of this means he’s funny anymore. Or that he’s not throwing a tantrum.
Because he’s not. And he is.
Stern a “comic genius”? Shoot, you’re easily amused.
Among comedians and his fans, not all of whom tune in for his scatological stuff, which frankly gets boring, Stern’s genius is unquestioned. As are his paranoia and egocentrism. If he feels someone is persecuting him he will strike back, and that’s how he feels about the whole Clear Channel/FCC business. He will happily make an example of Bush precisely to send a message to Kerry, which is: Don’t fuck with me. He’s no partisan; he’ll attack his enemies wherever he sees them. Kerry could easily be next.
Kerry could easily be next.
Yeah, next President, if we’re not careful. And Stern wants to risk that nightmare because his ego’s been bruised…? Or is it that he’s only a “First Amendment warrior” as it pertains to his ability to have a pair of porn queens play connect the box with an extra long deer sausage. Listen: he makes his money off of wrasslin’ with authority. He should write this whole kerfuffle off as what it is—a PR bonanza to him—and move on.
And I’m seldom accused of lacking a sense of humor. For what it’s worth.
First, let me get this off my chest:
Fuck fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck.
Second, Howard Stern is no genius of any kind except, perhaps, in self-promotion. His was and has always been a world of grade-school humor brought to the masses–even when it was funny, it wasn’t genius.
Now, back to the important bits:
Fuck fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck.
(It’s funny if you say it in just the right way.)
I have quit YouTube and will be committing ritual suicide online.
The Rock Star life is just too much for me.
Here is my farewell video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mpkAdaG9yU
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