Jane Fonda versus Dexter Morgan

I may be a lot of things, but I am not a prude. Bad language and adult content do not offend me. I saw a piece in the paper the other day asking if we should allow bad language on TV and I watched the broadcast of Dexter on CBS the other night. I am huge fan of both the Showtime series and the books by Jeff Lindsay. I thought it was pretty funny to hear Doakes call Dexter a “mother-lover.” They used a different word when it was on cable. Would it have been terrible to air the original profanity after 10:00 pm? Probably not, especially in these days of V chips people can use to block content that might offend them or which they do not want their children to watch.

Jane Fonda’s use of the “C-Word” is a different story however. Fonda was on the Today show talking about the 10th Anniversary of the Vagina Monologues. Just an aside I saw that years ago off Broadway and I have never seen a shorter line for the men’s room at an intermission. I thought the show was amusing. I laughed a few times, but the women in the audience laughed so hard some had trouble breathing. Anyway, back to Jane Fonda. She said that she was given a monologue called “C*nt” except she forgot the asterisk and the show didn’t bleep her. Ok mistakes happen, but I was surprised when neither Fonda nor Meredith Viera reacted to the mistake immediately. When Diane Keaton used the F-Word on Good Morning America she immediately apologized. Viera apologized after the commercial break.

It was a discussion of the Vagina Monologues, but as I seem to recall they discuss in the play itself, there is probably no word that is more offensive, particularly to women. I think that very few people would have expected such language on a morning new show. That’s the difference between Fonda and Dexter. People might expect that a drama about a serial killer might have adult language, and particularly if there are adult content warnings, they really have no right to be offended if they choose to tune in.

When Janet Jackson had her wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl a few years ago, I initially thought the reaction was overblown. Is a nipple really that big a deal, even if it is pierced? But after some reflection, I changed my mind. The thing is that people, particularly people with children, had no reason to expect nudity in the broadcast. TV networks in a war for ratings are constantly trying to push the envelope to get attention. While I still don’t think a nipple is a big deal, a line needed to be drawn. Because if it hadn’t been for a public outcry and some FCC intervention, next time it would have gone further.

With the HBO’s and Showtime’s of the world there may not be a need for adult content on broadcast TV. But if a station or a network wants to air adult content in the evening with appropriate warnings, I have no problem with it. Just make those shows good and worth watching. But be respectful of the audience and be careful not to offend, at least not without warning.