Shock! And Outrage! And Shocked Outrage!

For an entertaining read, check out this list of quotes pulled from a selection of complaints made to the FCC about TV shows like Family Guy, South Park, and The Simpsons.  If had to choose a favorite Morally Outraged Citizen of America, I think it would be this one:

I was watching South Park a few nights ago and I noticed they bleeped out curse words which is great because I don't want language on tv. But what bothers me is that the FCC over looks the Lords name in Vain. Why are you allowing something that is no different then murder in the eyes of many?

I hope the FCC responds to his complaint and makes some serious changes. I see no problem with subjecting TV to the moral guidelines of someone who equates saying "G*ddammit" with murdering another human being.

I spent a little time browsing the extended PDFs these quotes were pulled from, and one of the things that struck me as hilarious (other than the requisite AWFUL SPELLING AND GRAMMAR) was how many people take care to explain how or why they just happened to be watching such an awful show to begin with.  Most of them say something along the lines of the following:

• "After just surfing through my cable channels, I briefly stopped on a rerun of 'The Daily Show.' I heard the use of vulgar language that should have been censored."
• "While flipping channels this evening, I stopped to watch "The Family Guy" on WXIN, a Fox affilate in Indianapolis.  Within 15 seCOnds, I heard the word "Bastard" and "Whore" said by a cartoon Ragged Ann doll.
• "We were watching a DVD with our TV on channel 3, as we need to when watched recorded material. The DVD ended and we turned off the DVD player, and the TV automatically went to channel 3's "South Park" show - before I could switch the channel, a character said; "damn" 4 times and "hell" 3 times."

See how everyone takes great pains to show that they came across these shows accidentally?!

Some people get even more technical and provide way overly-complicated explanations to really drive the point home that it was NOT THEIR FAULT they watched the show in question.  Here's one:

"On, Sunday, March 12, 2006, my family went to a new family restaurant, Quaker Steak & Lube. We were seated in an area that had at least 8 televisions on, plus a blaring stereo system. The television that was facing me was turned on to Fox and had the close-captioning turned on. While I was eating, I was "treated" to the show "Family Guy", an animated cartoon show. For a 30 minute show, it was chock full of raunch and offensive tv. The story line revolved around a mother's attempt to wean the infant from breastfeeding."

I'm sure the FCC reviewer still thinks you are a good person now since you didn't watch Family Guy by choice.  Also--Quaker Steak & Lube?!?!  Sounds delish, but I usually just have mine with A1.  See also:

"My family and I, including young children, were flipping through channels last night and landed on the cartoon The Family Guy.  We had just come home and turned on the TV. After coming back from a commercial before we could change the channel, "The Family Guy" came on. I heard two people fighting and one of the people said "Give me that you bitch'" I think this is ridiculous especially considering that my three young children had just sat down on the couch.
This kind of talk does not belon on at 9:28 in the evening."

The truth is that you just know so many of these people are purposely watching these shows specifically so they can get riled up about something.  Take this complainant, for example:

"I don't watch TV programs very much because there is hardly anything decent anymore. The only programs I watch are news and religious programs, and Bill Cosby's Show.

I just want to bring to your attention one program that needs to be monitored closely - Simpson! I don't watch this program but sometimes I stumble on it.  A few months ago, I happened to hear a very disturbing comments by Homer in the program."

Yeah, be a little more vague about how you happen to "stumble on" The Simpsons. Was it aired directly after the Daily Mass for Shut-Ins on the religious access channel?  Or perhaps Nick at Nite decided to run an episode of it in place of the regularly-scheduled Cosby Show episode one night?  Here's another:

"I had the misfortune again tonight, Thursday March 22 to tune into WBRC-TV, Fox 6 in Birmingham and experience the most VILE, VULGAR AND USELESS programming that I have ever seen.; ; Something called "The Family Guy" is an animated piece of crap filled with PROFANITY, VULGARITY and violence, vile humorless innuendo and bad parodies.; ; The show mocks family values, morality and decency and I found NO REDEEMING VALUE IN IT."

And yet another:

"I had not viewed this program before but on the night in question, I was at a friend's house and one of her children was watching this show. The show used phrases such as "F*cking Bitch", "Banging the Old Lady", and numerous racial slurs and other sexual jargon. I had the child turn to another station. I watched the show again last night (11/28/2005) to see if it was a regular occurrence. Again, the program was full of sexual jargon, racial slurs, and obscene language."

I love the logic of watching the program again the next day just to make sure it was still offensive.  That seems really necessary.

About Desperate Housewives:

"What is worse is that I usually watch the show because it follows the wonderful, family friendly "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" show which I love more than any show on television today. It upsets me very much that you can program two shows that are so extremely different back to back. First of all I would like Desperate Housewives to be taken off the air. If that cannot be done I would appreciate it to be moved to a different dayltime slot."

This complainant gets bonus points for suggesting that the offending show be moved to daytime TV as a resolution. 

This almost makes me want to get a job as an FCC reviewer so I could read these lovely complaints all day, every day, but something tells me my faith in humanity would sustain a huge blow in the process. 

Comments

[NG]

What I find most interesting is that every one of these people seem to have forgotten where the OFF button is.

[Jess]

I think the Desperate housewives viewer was suggesting it be moved to another day OR time slot (hence the slash). Still ridiculous though. Wouldn't it be easier to just CHANGE THE CHANNEL?!

[the mayor]

There's something about all these "accidental" viewings of Family Guy that strikes me as overly defensive... kind of like how overly homophobic people are actually homosexual. Also: my kids watch Family Guy all the time. A few weeks ago we did an assignment where students had to identify a family tradition, and about half of my students said that they watched Family Guy every day with a family member.

[Jess again]

To Mayor-

How old are the kids? Not to sound like these loons but I don't think FG is appropriate for young kids. Maybe like 13 and up.

That's true of a lot of shows though. Hell, half the shows I love aren't for kids and I'd like to keep it that way :-P

[Jerome]

Haha, this is pretty funny.

[the mayor]

Jess - I teach first graders. And I agree with you.