Leave Jesus Alone!

September 17, 2007 12:05 AM

Leave Jesus Alone!
posted by homunculus (72 comments total)

Field then continued, “If mothers ruled the world, there would be no –” But the Fox Emmycast cut off her sound and pointed the camera away from the stage, silencing the rest of her sentence: “god-damned wars in the first place.” Watch it:

Was her time up, or no?

Hillary Clinton was a mother, and supported the war 100% until like 2005 or 6. Even today she says it was the right decision at the time.
posted by delmoi at 12:10 AM on September 17, 2007

Is this something I would need a TV to know about?

BOOM! Got that one in there, guys!
posted by mr_roboto at 12:22 AM on September 17, 2007 [2 favorites]

Until corporations are recognized as the quasi-government entities they are, its not really censorship.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:29 AM on September 17, 2007 [8 favorites]

Until corporations are recognized as the quasi-government entities they are, its not really censorship.

Of course, you're right. Decidedly not censorship. It was a program honoring the programs and script-puppets shown on television networks that choose their own programming. In other words, they choose the shows, they choose the content of the shows, they choose who's on those shows—really the only thing the networks don't choose is who's watching. If a network doesn't want to air cursing peaceniks on their television networks, that's their prerogative. Unhappy with that? Kill your television.
posted by carsonb at 12:38 AM on September 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

I'm a bit curious about the motivation behind the censoring. Are the supporters of the war and of Jesus so delicate that they can't even listen to a contrary point of view?
posted by maxwelton at 12:47 AM on September 17, 2007 [4 favorites]

I'm not really sure, but I think that 'censoring Sally Fields' is somewhere on my list of events that constitute my personal Kristallnacht....

Time to go.
posted by eclectist at 12:55 AM on September 17, 2007

Why is asking the Lord to bless something that is good not considered to be taking the Lord's name in vain, but asking the Lord to damn something that is bad is? Does that make any sense? Isn't it really the same thing?
posted by flarbuse at 1:13 AM on September 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

Oh, heaven forbid that we not be sheltered from unorthodox opinions, unpopular views, and bad words. Whatever would happen to our carefully controlled world?
posted by tehloki at 1:15 AM on September 17, 2007

When do you think Fox would cut from this speech?
posted by fullerine at 1:20 AM on September 17, 2007

We train young men to drop fire on people. But their commanders won't allow them to write "fuck" on their airplanes because it's obscene!
posted by 2sheets at 1:40 AM on September 17, 2007 [4 favorites]

Considering Sally used to be a bride of Christ*, you'd think Fox would have cut her a bit of slack.
*or would a novice be considered JC's girlfriend?
posted by rob511 at 2:00 AM on September 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

"Live" television is usually shown on a short delay, like 2-3 seconds. I don't know when it was first done that way, but after the Justin/Janet debacle at the 2005 Superbowl it became common practice.

I can't believe I'm leaping to Fox's defence here, but I'm pretty sure they didn't cut her off for her anti-war stance, but for her use of the word "Goddamn". They'd likely have seen everything two seconds before the TV audience and therefore had the time to make a snap decision to omit the foul language from their broadcast.

If she had kept her cool and not said "Goddamn", it could've been a great anti-war moment. As it is, it seems like it's become infamous for being something it isn't - pro-war censorship.
posted by kar at 2:03 AM on September 17, 2007

It's not a political forum, it's just crap entertainment on a crap network in an almost 100 percent crap medium. You ought to be embarrassed if you watched it and more embarrassed if you expected it to mean something.

The Fox Corporation wants to keep it all smiles because smiles sell, so the plain pro-mother stuff (which sucks up to everyone, regardless of politics) stayed in. But pissing off half the audience does not sell, so they cut the "goddamned" because cursing would have offended millions of oversensitive Christian and Jewish twits, and then it was easy to keep the sound off for the anti-war (and so, anti-Republican) message, which would have offended the millions of extremely dim folk who back the current president and his war. It's simple math for an entertainment corporation.

By the way, if Fields thought it was such an important time and place to make that statement, she didn't show it: she ran the clock out jabbering about her stupid television show and then jabbering and sputtering about not remembering her lines.
posted by pracowity at 2:09 AM on September 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

Leave internet memes alone!
posted by Citizen Premier at 2:36 AM on September 17, 2007

Mama always said, "Life is like a box of goddamn chocolates."
posted by ColdChef at 2:39 AM on September 17, 2007

I'd like to take this opportunity to step up and voice my full-throated support for Kathy Griffin.

... alas, I cannot... because she's a painfully unfunny comedienne whose entire repertoire consists of slagging easy-target celebrities. Btw, I think Robin Williams did the awards show Jesus bit about 25 years ago, and I'm pretty sure he was far from the first.
posted by psmealey at 2:42 AM on September 17, 2007

GodDamn.
JesusDamn.
HolySpiritDamn.
posted by three blind mice at 3:05 AM on September 17, 2007

who is kathy griffin?
posted by quonsar at 3:58 AM on September 17, 2007

Who is God?
posted by phylum sinter at 4:13 AM on September 17, 2007

LOL XTiANS AMIRITE!!!???

HUH? HUH?
posted by oddman at 4:20 AM on September 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

This Sally Field thing happened last night? Goddamn this administration.
posted by phaedon at 4:54 AM on September 17, 2007

Of course it's still censorship when a company does it. It just isn't banned by the First Amendment. Still immoral, though.
posted by DU at 5:05 AM on September 17, 2007

This would have been better had Sean Penn joined Sally Field on stage while a stage hand carted a large, shallow pool of water in front of them, the world watching as the two just stared at their reflections, shouting about what's wrong with the world until their veins throbbed and their eyes bulged, collapsing red-face first into the pool, satisfied and supremely in love, the backs of their necks slowly turning blue as the orchestral pit played the theme from The Natural and their lifeless bodies twitched in time to the applause of the audience, and the world.
posted by billysumday at 5:41 AM on September 17, 2007 [2 favorites]

I don't care if they play it.
I'm entitled to my opinion re the ones who would say it.


(I used to like both Griffin and Field. I am disappointed in them both. )


Aside from the casual blasphemy, it's a shame that people don't think about manners and simple decorum at a formal or special event. Not really too classy.

But censoring them is a bit hypocritical too, honestly.
posted by konolia at 5:45 AM on September 17, 2007

It's just really odd to think that 'goddamn' is considered a swear word. Really, really fucking odd.
posted by h00py at 6:00 AM on September 17, 2007

By the way, if Fields thought it was such an important time and place to make that statement, she didn't show it: she ran the clock out jabbering about her stupid television show and then jabbering and sputtering about not remembering her lines.

Totally fair, pracowity.

What is it with Field and her habit* of royally screwing up either the tone or the timing of these industry speeches?

(*not a Flying Nun pun).
posted by Jody Tresidder at 6:05 AM on September 17, 2007

It's been bleeped for as long as I can remember, h00py. It's only with the relaxing of standards in the last 10 years (where you can now say "dick" and "asshole" in prime time) that I have heard more instances of it.

As for Ms. Griffin, oddman more or less captures her standard routine above. Though, you could possibly add PARIS HILTON IS A SLUT AMIRITE AND BRITNEY SPEARS IS CRAZY AMIRITE, and that would complete it.

What is it with Field and her habit* of royally screwing up either the tone or the timing of these industry speeches?

Verbal incontinence?
posted by psmealey at 6:06 AM on September 17, 2007

Aside from the casual blasphemy, it's a shame that people don't think about manners and simple decorum at a formal or special event. Not really too classy.

I know, right? There was this one guy I knew who had to make this big presentation to his company about a really important event, and instead of dressing up correctly and reading a short speech, he- get this- dressed up in a flight suit and babbled some stuff on the deck of an aircraft carrier about how the company had completed all its goals for the year in record time under his leadership. Thankfully the board voted him out the next year because Jesus, you'd have to be a motherfucking idiot to let that guy stay in charge.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 6:07 AM on September 17, 2007 [20 favorites]

hrobbed and their eyes bulged, collapsing red-face first into the pool, satisfied and supremely in love, the backs of their necks slowly turning blue as the orchestral pit played the theme from The Natural.

Yes, people who have opinions about politics, and express them, are utter narcissists. It's fairly obvious that politicians are narcissists, but what's worse is anyone who talks about politics when it's not their profession.

It's disgusting. I bet those political onanists out there probably build websites where they just sit and talk about their opinions on things all day.

Disgusting
posted by delmoi at 6:16 AM on September 17, 2007 [4 favorites]

I don't get this new "Leave X alone" meme. Can someone explain the source of it to me?
posted by fuse theorem at 6:30 AM on September 17, 2007

Are the supporters of the war and of Jesus so delicate that they can't even listen to a contrary point of view?

Yes.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 6:31 AM on September 17, 2007

Can someone explain the source of it to me?

Here you go
posted by psmealey at 6:35 AM on September 17, 2007

Jesus, really psmealey? To me, it seems like such a mild thing. The gulf in perceptions can really be mindblowing sometimes, particularly when it comes to something so terribly mundane as choice of adjective. Personally, I like it when celebrities use their enormous public focus to say something that the media deems unpopular but which I'm sure lots of regular people agree with. Inevitably, however, it always ends up being twisted as celebrities are just in it for the publicity and their own personal gain (I'm not defending celebrities here, please, but people who use available resources to say out loud what others only get to think).

She's going to be absolutely pilloried, I have no doubt. But good on her for saying something out loud.
posted by h00py at 6:36 AM on September 17, 2007

Field then continued, “If mothers ruled the world, there would be no –” But the Fox Emmycast cut off her sound and pointed the camera away from the stage, silencing the rest of her sentence: “god-damned wars in the first place.” Watch it:

Was her time up, or no?

Hillary Clinton was a mother, and supported the war 100% until like 2005 or 6. Even today she says it was the right decision at the time.
posted by delmoi at 3:10 AM on September 17 [+] [!]

Clearly you misunderstood. Field said, "If Mathers ruled the world there would be no- Saturday baths in the first place." Referencing fellow Nick-at-nighter Jerry Mathers of Leave It to Beaver fame who's character Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver was notorious for his distate of bathing.
posted by Pollomacho at 6:39 AM on September 17, 2007

yeah, I'd always thought it odd, too, considering that for years during prime time you could say "God" or "damn" with relative impunity, but never the twain should meet, I guess.
posted by psmealey at 6:40 AM on September 17, 2007

When Gidget is against you, you have lost America.
posted by DU at 8:00 AM on September 17, 2007

One of my favorite Onion Point-Counterpoints of all time. I just reread it yesterday in the Dispatches from the Tenth Circle collection. And it still made me laugh again.
posted by FeldBum at 8:09 AM on September 17, 2007

It's sort of censorship, but I think if we're looking for any truth to be spoken in awards show acceptance speeches, we're already lost.

konolia is right about Kathy Griffin's remarks being rude, but, um....that's what comedy is a lot the time: rude is funny. And I thought her comment was funny. Because it really does irk me when athletes and entertainers and whoever else thank god or Jesus for their good fortune, as if god would care who wins a fucking football game or Emmy award--it's just disgustingly self-important. That is offensive.

And Sally Field just came of as kind of a simpleton--if the world were run by mothers there would be no wars? Seriously?? What an embarrassingly facile thing to have said up on that stage.
posted by LooseFilter at 8:24 AM on September 17, 2007

You mess with Gidget you mess with me! LEAVE GIDGET ALONE. Goddamn it.
posted by miss lynnster at 8:27 AM on September 17, 2007

Can someone explain the source of it to me?

Here you go

Actually -- the source is Chris Crocker's Leave Britney Alone video (not the Petraeus version) which has swept the Web and television of late.
posted by ericb at 8:40 AM on September 17, 2007

I think they cut it on the "goddamn" using their 'live' delay; they probably didn't really even know she was going to say anything anti-war when they cut away. Somebody was probably afraid she was going to launch into a tirade that would bring the FCC on them.

Fox probably has to be particularly careful, since they cater almost directly to the bunch of ninnies who wouldn't hesitate to call the FCC over an utterance of the word "goddamn."

Not that I feel the least bit sorry for Fox or anything, of course. I just don't see the conspiracy angle. It's a pity that she forgot one of the prime rules of live TV and radio: don't swear.
posted by Kadin2048 at 8:51 AM on September 17, 2007

A television network that broadcasts an event like this has an implicit contract with its audience not to mess with the important content of the event, e.g., speeches made from the microphone.

Fox may not care about that contract, and for the most part its audience probably doesn't, either. But I've now heard about this censorship from at least three separate sources, so it's apparently becoming a meme with some currency. Which means that some portion of its viewers will be thinking about this censorship as they watch the show.

That's not good business for Fox. Maybe this will actually have an effect on them.
posted by gurple at 8:52 AM on September 17, 2007

Off topic, but I have to say this...

It freaks me out that Gidget has aged so beautifully, while That Girl looks like a lumpy, wonky mess. Right there is proof of why people should cut plastic surgery to a minimum. Marlo Thomas doesn't even look recognizeable to me anymore. Compare this to the "Girl" link and it looks like she's been the victim of a horrific collagen attack. Ewwww.

Go Gidget go.
posted by miss lynnster at 8:53 AM on September 17, 2007

So leave Virginia Jesus alone
Leave Jesus alone
He's not like you
and me
He's not like you
and meeeeeee

He's a loser
He's a forgiver
He still finds good
When no one could
You want him
More than money
Cadillac can rust
Diamond and dust~

sorry, rod stewart
posted by Verdandi at 8:53 AM on September 17, 2007

Are the supporters of the war and of Jesus so delicate that they can't even listen to a contrary point of view?

Yes
posted by Mr_Zero at 9:13 AM on September 17, 2007

Letterman wasn't bleeped when he said "goddamned" in his first show back after 9/11 ("And if you live to be a thousand years old, will that make any sense to you? Will that make any goddamned sense?"). I'm pretty sure it's been bleeped on the show since.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 9:31 AM on September 17, 2007

Go Gidget go.

Couldn't agree more with the off/topic observation, miss lynnster.

But if you want to use an awards show to make a political statement, do it in the time allotted for the usual gush.

Don't do the gush first, then flap your arms like a ninny, while surreally begging the thin air to remind you what you've forgotten to say, thus practically asking Fox to put you out of your own misery - as Miss Field did.

Even her stylist must have been cringing.
posted by Jody Tresidder at 9:55 AM on September 17, 2007

I don't buy the "goddamned" censoring. Bono wasn't bleeped - and the network wasn't even fined - when he said "fucking" at the Golden Globes. And this is now Fox we're talking about.

Of course, maybe Raymond made them tense up for the rest of the show.
posted by dgbellak at 9:58 AM on September 17, 2007

20 Gidgets cannot possibly counter-balance one Not Without My Daughter.
posted by psmealey at 10:06 AM on September 17, 2007

Honestly, people need to lighten the fuck up.

And for what it's worth, I like Katherine Heigl a million times more for coming across as a human being whenever she's interviewed instead of being overly aware that she's on camera and just spouting pr junk.
posted by miss lynnster at 10:06 AM on September 17, 2007

I really like Angelina Jolie for that reason (well, admittedly, not just for that reason. She comes across as really natural and mostly pretty thoughtful.

As much as I (mostly) support the causes that Sean Penn promotes, he does come across as a slight dim slogan-generating machine. I am pretty sure he is, in fact, a smart guy, but for whenever that camera light goes on, all he can seem to do is string one cliche after another. The last time I saw him on Bill Maher, I wanted to crawl under a rock, I was so embarrassed for him. Sally Field is maybe a little bit better, she's gotten carried away by the moment on a few high-profile occasions now, she's almost as well known as being the butt of a very long-running joke as she is for her career.
posted by psmealey at 10:19 AM on September 17, 2007

konolia: "Aside from the casual blasphemy, it's a shame that people don't think about manners and simple decorum at a formal or special event. Not really too classy.

But censoring them is a bit hypocritical too, honestly."

Because thousands of bloodied corpses in Iraq is so proper, classy and deserve the same amount of decorum, right?

Sorry. As if goddamn is so much more offensive than the point she was trying to make. If Americans would get their heads out their asses and actually realize that fucking War and Murder are WAY more blasphemous than a little "no-no" word, maybe we'd be a lot better off.
posted by symbioid at 11:14 AM on September 17, 2007 [2 favorites]

Sorry, but Sandra Dee and Sandra Dee alone is Gidget.
posted by rottytooth at 11:47 AM on September 17, 2007

This could have all been avoid had the emmy gone to Edie Falco.
posted by digiFramph at 12:14 PM on September 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

The Real Jesus Of The Bible: An 'Everything You Know About God Is Wrong' Excerpt
posted by homunculus at 12:28 PM on September 17, 2007

Maybe, but there's only one Flying Nun. Dammit.

And don't forget Sybil...
posted by miss lynnster at 12:31 PM on September 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

Sorry. As if goddamn is so much more offensive than the point she was trying to make. If Americans would get their heads out their asses and actually realize that fucking War and Murder are WAY more blasphemous than a little "no-no" word, maybe we'd be a lot better off.

A valid point--but efficacy is an issue. If you want people to hear what you say, it's a good idea to say it in a way that they will listen to--or not censor (presuming that Ms. Field was in fact censored for her word choice rather than the content of her comment).

And miss lynnster, I'm sorry to hate on Gidget, but I stand by my earlier observation: that was a dumb thing to say. If you want to protest the war, fine, more power to you--I would be first in line to support an eloquent, moving statement given from a stage like an awards show. But to say that if mothers were in charge there wouldn't be any more war makes her look facile and kind of dumb. (Because: a) it doesn't address why one would object to the Iraq war, and b) is wrong: mothers can be the most ruthless creatures on the planet.)
posted by LooseFilter at 12:46 PM on September 17, 2007

The Real Jesus Of The Bible: An 'Everything You Know About God Is Wrong' Excerpt

Disinformation indeed.
posted by vorpal bunny at 1:19 PM on September 17, 2007

Wow... I really hate to defend FOX, but the presentation was on their network, bought and paid for by them and their sponsors. It wasn't just Kathy's and Sally's speech - it was theirs as well. Kathy Griffin and Sally Field got to say what they wanted, and FOX got to air what it wanted. There's no censorship here, and certainly no violation of free speech. I've had several posts deleted by the admins here, and never did I think it was censorship of any kind. They were just ensuring that they had the best website that they could.

That said, I wish that FOX had aired what they said. It wouldn't have pissed off too many people, really, and it could have led to more interest and discussion in the country over the contraversies they raised, which plays right into FOX's hands as a "news" network.

Also, dgbellak, when Bono said "fuck" at the Golden Globes nobody was fined, but that was a BIG contributing event to the now-mandated live delay.
posted by Navelgazer at 1:39 PM on September 17, 2007

What is it with Sally Field and acceptance speeches? I mean, what really, really what is it?
posted by WolfDaddy at 2:46 PM on September 17, 2007

Canadian television did not censor Sally Fields. Watch it here.
posted by ericb at 3:33 PM on September 17, 2007

What is it with Sally Field and acceptance speeches? I mean, what really, really what is it?

One too many glasses of wine before the show?
posted by ericb at 3:35 PM on September 17, 2007

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe "God-damned" is banned by the FCC. I think the (political) thought was censored by Fox more than the word. Just my two cents, YMMV.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 3:44 PM on September 17, 2007

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe "God-damned" is banned by the FCC.

You are correct.

"Technically, Field's censored words are not profane. A 2004 FCC ruling specifically stated no objection to the use of 'goddamn' on TV when making a judgment on the uproar over Bono swearing at the Golden Globes in 2003 where he used more colorful language. See the ruling here."^*
posted by ericb at 3:59 PM on September 17, 2007

"Ironically, Justin Timberlake and Adam Samberg won an Emmy Sunday for their Saturday Night Live song 'Dick in a Box.' But they declined to perform it on the show in a censored version."^*
posted by ericb at 4:01 PM on September 17, 2007

But they declined to perform it on the show in a censored version.

Good for them. Wasn't there a similar flap about the South Park movie's "Blame Canada" on the Oscars a few years ago?

I also think Fox was censoring Field's political speech, which is why she should have led with the protest statement--if they're going to censor you, ensure that they have to be obvious about it.
posted by LooseFilter at 4:23 PM on September 17, 2007

ericb writes "'Ironically, Justin Timberlake and Adam Samberg won an Emmy Sunday for their Saturday Night Live song "Dick in a Box." But they declined to perform it on the show in a censored version.'^*"

That's sort of odd. On the original broadcast of that show, it was also censored. It was only distributed without censorship on YouTube. Was there an expectation that the Emmys would be more lenient than SNL?
posted by krinklyfig at 7:15 PM on September 17, 2007

As if goddamn is so much more offensive than the point she was trying to make. If Americans would get their heads out their asses and actually realize that fucking War and Murder are WAY more blasphemous than a little "no-no" word, maybe we'd be a lot better off.

Excuse me, I realize that you might be upset that over 1 million Iraqis have died in this war, but that's no excuse for using bad words like 'asses' and 'fucking'. Please try not to be so offensive, it makes baby Jesus cry.
posted by homunculus at 9:01 PM on September 17, 2007

Well, there's what the FCC will allow, and then there are the "Standards and Practices" of the individual networks, no? So a network could be stricter than the FCC, given the time of the broadcast or other factors? (A genuine question, as IANANE [Network Executive]).

What I've read about the Emmy incident, it sounds just like an itchy-fingered production person.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 4:53 PM on September 18, 2007

Sally Field Channels Molly Bloom
posted by homunculus at 5:17 PM on September 18, 2007

This Should Take the Heat Off Kathy Griffin
posted by homunculus at 1:27 PM on September 27, 2007

This Should Take the Heat Off Kathy Griffin

Miller Pulls Logo from Folsom Ad Over "Last Supper" Parody

"...the event's primary sponsor, Miller Brewing, has asked Fair organizers to remove its logo from all promotional materials."

Dan Savage has been collecting other parodies of the Last Supper. Where's the outrage?
posted by ericb at 2:41 PM on September 27, 2007