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post #31 of 42
5/21/07 at 5:53am

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheLongshot
I hate the fact that edgy = dirty. Fact is, you can be edgy without swearing. Usually, the guys who stand the test of time are those who are funny, rather than those who are outrageous. For example, you don't hear people talk about Sam Kinnison anymore, who's think was yelling into a microphone.

Jason


Ha, Sam Kinnison didn't swear? I think somebody needs to relisten to some sam kinnison standup.
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post #32 of 42
5/21/07 at 7:57am

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimi C
Ha, Sam Kinnison didn't swear? I think somebody needs to relisten to some sam kinnison standup.

Never said he didn't, but the only thing he's remembered for is his screaming, not that he was funny.

One more point I'd like to make. Like or hate Howard Stern, you have to respect him from the standpoint that it has been a very long time since he's been involved in an incident like this. (Last time I remember was way back in the 80s.) Howard seems to be a good judge of when he can push the limits, and when he shouldn't.

Uncensored radio gives you enough rope to hang yourself with. It isn't truely uncensored, tho, since there are invisible lines where, if you cross them, you are probably going to get in trouble with someone. The problem is finding where that line is without getting into too much trouble. This is where experience trumps youth.

Jason
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post #33 of 42
5/22/07 at 9:27am

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

Thanks to Sam Kinison, I will never look at Grilled Cheese sandwiches the same way ever again. To claim he wasn't edgy (dirty; raunchy) is preposterous. It's the dirty jokes that get them that label, not what people remember about them.

Some people (younger generations) think of Eddie Murphy as a family friendly movie actor. To me, he will always be remembered for his "Delirious" and "Raw" stand ups.
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post #34 of 42
5/22/07 at 11:30am

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jean D
Some people (younger generations) think of Eddie Murphy as a family friendly movie actor. To me, he will always be remembered for his "Delirious" and "Raw" stand ups.

Which again goes to my point (which seems to have been lost on some people): If you are funny, you will be funny no matter what the restrictions are on you. If you need the unrestricted venue to be funny, then maybe you weren't funny in the first place and were going for shock value.

It directly addresses Ron's point that the reason O&A aren't as good are because they aren't allowed to do the show they want to do. I call BS on that one. Fact is, if they are worth what they are getting paid, they should adjust to whatever limitations that are on them and find another way to be funny that does fit under the rules.

Jason
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post #35 of 42
5/22/07 at 12:45pm

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

Im not a big fan of O&A. I could take em or leave em. When they used to be on 107.3 WAAF in Boston, I listened to them occasionally. In their defense, they have a target audience. Not everyone is happy hearing knock knock jokes or top ten reason lists. some people like fart jokes. Some people like to hear the things they are afraid to say, and others want to be "hip" (Like when I was in Jr. High school, Howard Stern was the "hip" thing to catch.) Crude humor is very sought after when your an adolescent (which is a growing audience. Everyone knows the younger generations are where the cutting edge markets to). But lets face is, not everyone can have a staff of writers and produce hilarious jokes as "The Office" can.
So, I'm basically saying that their paycheck is exactly what they are worth. In actuality, they are probably worth more, but stock holders need to make money too, otherwise your not worth what your being paid for. No boss is going to pay someone to do a job, if they don't see a return from their "investment"
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post #36 of 42
5/22/07 at 1:00pm

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

Jason,

Opie and Anthony are "shock jocks." You can't do shock by
pushing the envelope anymore in the current broadcast environment.

Howard Stern fell into the same dilemma in his final year of
radio. He couldn't push the envelope anymore so he spent his
time railing against Bush and the FCC.

What the "other" morning shows do on FM radio can be
categorized as funny within restrictions -- and you know
what?! They suck!

What made O&A (and Stern) a cut above the others is that
they constantly pushed the envelope. They constantly poked
fun at religious and ethnic groups. They could pretty much
say anything they wanted to say to get a laugh. Now, they are
forced to do "nice" radio.

I think it's total BS that in a case such as this, you make the
argument of "funny is funny." Imagine if George Carlin were
suddenly forced not only to do a clean show, but was unable to
talk about religion and ethnic groups. His show may be somewhat
funny, but overall, his act would suffer.

When Howard Stern left FM radio his show was a complete
"dumbed down" version of what it once was. Howard was unhappy
and so were his fans. At least, at that point in time, he was still
able to poke fun at just about anyone without consequences.
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post #37 of 42
5/22/07 at 1:26pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

I tried to post this yesterday but didn't get to it.

Edgy does not equal dirty. The two are not synonymous in any way. I've heard Lenny Bruce perform a set while almost entirely clean and he still rocked the house.

People remember George Carlin as a great, edgy standup in part because he is uncensored, but largely because of what he says while he's uncensored. The comment made about Kennison was basically: who goes around and talks about Kennison now? Was he really edgy in a way you'd remember now? Not really.

Think about Dave Chappelle. I'd argue that the Chappelle Show was absolutely edgy, moreso then most crap on TV.. he took on big issues with wide eyes and made you LAUGH about it. And there wasn't a lot of "f8(& you!' and so on thrown in there, it was just funny, no matter what the content.

What someone was trying to say was simple: to be edgy you don't have to be blue. I'd agree.

Then again, to me, some of the most memorable comedy of all time is not really all that blue. Hell, Harold Lloyd still makes me laugh and those were silent films! Monty Python was absolutely edgy, taking on all sorts of social issues, but I don't remember Holy Grail breaking down in to long bits of the seven deadlies.

If you're funny, you're funny. But I think comedians work best when they get forced to work clean now and again to home their craft and figure out the "fun" part. Going "blue" should be like sauce on steak.. a nice addition, makes everything better, but it comes after you've got the heart of the meal.
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post #38 of 42
6/20/07 at 4:27pm

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheLongshot
One more point I'd like to make. Like or hate Howard Stern, you have to respect him from the standpoint that it has been a very long time since he's been involved in an incident like this. (Last time I remember was way back in the 80s.) Howard seems to be a good judge of when he can push the limits, and when he shouldn't.

The only time I can recall Howard issuing an on-air apology was after the Selena incident, which I believe was in the spring of 1995.
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post #39 of 42
6/22/07 at 5:35am

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

And even that "apology" was funny because he did it in horrible Spanish...
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post #40 of 42
6/22/07 at 9:38am

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim_Stack
And even that "apology" was funny because he did it in horrible Spanish...

I think the literal translation was "I'm sorry you have a fish in your pants."
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post #41 of 42
6/23/07 at 8:20am

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Gatie
I think the literal translation was "I'm sorry you have a fish in your pants."


Great line!

I think the main reason Stern gets away with what he does is that there is actual comedy and parody involved in what he does. When I use to listen to OnA ( years ago) it just seemed like they were trying very hard to be outrageous and controversial instead of poking fun. Now I dont think they should be censored, however as a business man it all comes down to the dollars.

Stern would not have been fired for what Imus said, but O and A might have been.
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post #42 of 42
6/23/07 at 10:26am
Thread Starter 

Re: Censorship_ON O&A Suspended 30 Days by XM

The cold truth is: if you're ratings are through the roof, you get a hell of a lot more leeway then if they aren't. Your station will stand behind you.

Ask a small-time broadcaster in St. Louis who made a slip of tongue regarding Condi Rice.. while talking about potential future NFL Commissioner, he said "I think she'd be a great choice, I mean a great choice.. She wants the job. She’s just got a patent resume, of somebody that’s got such serious skill, and she's African-American, which would be a big coon.. oh my god.."

The kid mean to say "Big coup" but he screwed up, and 8 hours later he was FIRED.

The kid was trying to praise the woman, and he had a brain fart and he lost his job. But the reason why he lost his job was partly the words, but it was a lot about the fact that his ratings weren't that great to begin with.

Now, that case ended well (the local NAACP and others came to his rescue and said he obviously didn't mean it in any racist way and should not lose his job, and he is working again to my knowledge) but if his ratings were good, his company would have stood behind him and said "look, it was just a slip of the tongue because you don't slander someone in the middle of praising them.."
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