Is there a such thing as reprehensible humor?

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In an earlier thread, some on this forum were unwavering in their support for Howard Stern's radio material, which is broadcast in many cities, on the largest stations, in the morning hours. Employing the "censorship is evil" defense, they insinuated that there is no such thing as reprehensible humor.

So here's the question:

Say NAMBLA wants a radio show, and it becomes popular, would you have no problem with it being aired each weekday on popular radio programs? What about the KKK?

How about if the networks want to start airing triple-X in primetime? How about snuff films?

Am I the only one who remembers the "ABC After School Special"?

-- Bill Mahr (koko@comedycentral.com), October 30, 2000

Answers

If networks started showing triple x in primetime, and radio played KKK programming, and someone was advertising enough to pay for these things...I guess I would have to get rid of the radios and TVs in my home and reintroduce my children to books. I would have to watch carefully what was being allowed to be viewed at their friends homes too. In short, I would have to be a responsible parent.

I also would have the option of boycotting the stations that played such garbage, and their sponsors, all of them. I could write letters to the editor of local papers asking others to do the same. If the world evolves the way it has been up to now, it's not too far off.

Unless large numbers of people speak up when something goes way beyond commen decency,...it will only continue forward.

PS..I don't find Stern to be very offensive, (although I would say he's crossed over the line IMHO a few times) but I got tired of him a few years ago, and just don't listen anymore. At least they can never FORCE us to watch or listen, right? :-)

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), October 30, 2000.


kritter writes:

"Unless large numbers of people speak up when something goes way beyond common decency,...it will only continue forward.

PS..I don't find Stern to be very offensive..."

My my, how "common decency" has changed over the years. Not only Howard Stern, but nearly every movie made in the last decade, nearly every fictional bestselling book today goes WAY beyond any notion of "common decency" held in my youth. If triple-x films could be shown and could consistently draw top advertising dollar in prime time, then by definition they would fall within the rubric of "common decency" which is, after all, a purely arbitrary and subjective protocol.

Nonetheless, I doubt we'll ever reach the point where anything goes. Maybe XXX films will cause yawns, but *something* will fill the niche we call "offensive material", simply because people so enjoy being offended. What that might be we can't even guess.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), October 30, 2000.


"My my, how "common decency" has changed over the years."

Yes it has, and will keep changing. Kids raised with Howard Stern and what's on TV today don't think any of it is offensive.

-- Flint Eastwood (m@de.today), October 30, 2000.


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