As I was watching the Golden Globes this last weekend, I was surprised by something that happened repeatedly throughout the broadcast. When the word Christ was used, it was censored as if it were a swear word. This most notably happened during Robert De Niro's acceptance speech. It also happened right from the start of the show with the opening monologue from Ricky Gervais (who was quite brutal if I might add - funny, but brutal.)
The first time I saw it I thought, oh, this must be just an audio glitch. Every time "Christ" was uttered, it was censored. Now, one might make the argument that it was done out of respect..... please. Hollywood does not respect Christ. Plus, if this were out of respect, then the final joke of the evening would have to have been censored as well. "Thank you God for making me an atheist."
Am I surprised by this? Not really, yet at the same time I am, because I never thought that the organization and the people who constantly champion freedom of expression and battle against censorship seem to have no problem with censoring anything that might condemn their capitalizing on immorality. The Golden Globes are awards from the Hollywood Foreign Press - a media outlet censoring? Does that not seem crazy? I know that isn't NBC doing it either because they say that all the time on other NBC shows.
Not sure how many people even noticed it, but a few did anyway.
You're reading too much into this. The way they were using Christ's name was profane, and they probably didn't want to pay fines to the FCC so they censored it themselves. The way you posted this it's almost as if you would have preferred that they not censor Christ's name, despite the Godless liberal Holly-wierdos profaning his name. -GWH-
ReplyDeleteI struggled with it as well. But I don''t think there are fines for using the word. Other shows use it all the time and it seems that there is no recourse. Additionally, it was not Jesus that was censored, it was Christ.
ReplyDeleteI could be reading too much into it. Regardless, it was the first time I had seen this happen on TV, period.
GWH:
ReplyDeleteI thought your reaction was a reasonable argument, so I did some checking. While my research was not definitive and was VERY quick, it was nonetheless informative.
In a memorandum opinion from the FCC, released in February 2005, the Commission concluded tat "uses of the words 'Jesus,' 'Jesus hrist,' 'God,' 'God damn' and its variations, and “damn” and its variations, are not actionable under section 1464 for the reasons set forth in Raycom America, Inc., Memorandum Opinion and Order, 18 FCC Rcd 4186 (2003)." (In re Complaints Against Various Television Licensees Regarding Their Broadcast on November 11, 2004, of the ABC Television Network's Presentation of the Film “Saving Private Ryan”). The basis for this, I believe, is a Supreme Court decision holding that "government shall not ''suppress real or imagined
attacks upon a particular religious doctrine''."
The FCC also does not seem to consider "Christ" one of the "seven" deadly words. Believe me, I learned a few things reviewing what the FCC considers 'indecent' but not 'obscene.' Wow.
So, I am not sure why they would have bleeped out the word. It is kind of surprising. Perhaps someone in the booth thought it WAS one of the seven words.
And James, for the record, it happens on KBYU all the time. But that goes without saying.