It's not the words--it's the content.

I remember watching a benign program with my kid. I thought it was safe.

Then a commercial came on for some sitcom: A neighbor or somebody intruded: "Do you mind? We're having sex!"

Ha ha ha. effen hilarious.

Elwood, show-biz types have "microphones", and their words are broadcast out to thousands or millions of people & households. They can say anything they want when they are not on the public airwaves... those belong to the public; they are not the private property of the individuals.

The old saying that you have the right to swing your arms but your right ends at my nose. And figuratively speaking, they are punching the public in the face with their obscenities.

You're not offended? Good for you. But your lack of offense should not be the deciding factor.

And your complete dismissal of children being a factor speaks for itself.

I have nothing against the word f*** except that when allowed, it seems to "crowd out" so many other wonderful words. There are over 170,000 words in our glorious language and more of them fall into disuse every day. If the guests on Morning Joe (now on seven second delay) or Terry Gross are allowed to use f bombs, two of my favorite shows will be a f***ing shadow of their former selves.

kids[and adults] use gratuitous profanity, because of the culture deficit,in conjuntion; with the sillyness, of the taboo around the use these words. it's a bit like the allure, that, the equally [insane], illgality of drugs has for them.

Response to Michael B's "Certain show-biz types believe they have the right to say anything anywhere, without regard to the idea that some children might be viewing."

People of all types, Show-biz or otherwise, do have a right to say anything, anywhere without regard to the idea that some children might be viewing. It's not a question of belief. It IS their right. Should they exercise it all the time? Probably not. But if it offends people, good.

Jon Stewart may be very clever, knowledgeable, and full of truth in news. But couldn't he do that job without all the unpleasant words he seems to feel compelled to use. It is easier to turn it off (or not turn it on) rather than be offended by his poor manners. Am I the prude in not finding any humor in the use of offending words?

Disingenuous to say that there are no "dirty" words. Of course there are dirty words and thank goodness. But they should be used when "dirty" words are appropriate -- when they server a purpose -- else what reserve have we got to express ourselves when we get our hand slammed in a door, or when someone cuts us off when we are driving??

But these words are coming out of people's mouths every other word. It's sh*t this and sh*t that, and f*ckin this and f*ckin that... there are kids that cannot complete a single sentence without an obscenity ... so where will cursing come from when we need to curse??

When crassness is desired or required, there's always the phrase "douche bag" which, for some reason, is a-okay with the standards folks.

It would disturb me to hear profanities if I had young children in the house. But it disturbs me deeply to see all the violence and guns on television. And this has been a problem throughout my life. We condone violence as the norm. It shouldn't be this way, and needs to be curtailed.

Maybe the govt didn't make that much of this issue in past years, because most adults understood without govt intervention what was appropriated language and behavior.

Apparently, times has changed! Certain show-biz types believe they have the right to say anything anywhere, without regard to the idea that some children might be viewing.

would love to see this rule go the F$#@ away...people/stations/brands can decide what their taste level should be and not be censored into a archaic/prudish rules

I certainly respect decorum but I never understood why Americans allow their government to dictate what words they can hear or body parts they can see on so-called public airwaves.

Plus, the irony of Fox - the network of the so-called "cultural warriors", O'Rielly and Hannity, is on the other side of the lawsuit is not lost on me.

i wish george carlin were here,to tell the FCC to go f... itself !!