Slog Comments
Speaking of Fuck
5
Bleeps are ineffectual and pointless and worse than actually hearing the offending word. Substitutes, while sometimes funny, are pretty lame, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Wd-Q3F8…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Wd-Q3F8…
6
I would pay all of the money that has ever existed in the world to hear you say "sweater puppies" on TV. But only if you were debating with Bill Donohue or Maggie Gallagher.
7
I suggest hand motions that correspond when you say words you know they will bleep. When you say "tits" cup your hands under your chest. For "fuck" point one finger through the other hands thumb and forefinger. For the word dick, flash a photo of Santorum or a photo of the statue David...etc.
12
I watched the first episode, and I thought that the show was terrible. It had nothing to do with Dan and everything to do with editing. The pacing was frenetic. It would have been better titled, "Sex Advice for the ADHD Generation." It was almost unwatchable. If it had been all Q&A without any annoying cut-aways, or if it had been Dan working through the problems of a few people, it would have been fine, but as it was, bleh.
13
I watched the episode that took place at Ohio, and I was pretty disappointed. I think that @12 "nanoboy" has a point with the editing, but I felt like the show is super-duper sanitized compared to the column and podcast. There wasn't a single gay person included, Dan's lady sidekick made no sense to me, and I just didn't care about the boring problems of the boring people shown. It reminded me a little of the neutered gay man here to help the straights with their problems trope that Dan himself has been good at calling out in the past.
14
As a side note, we read the famous FCC case regarding Carlin's dirty words monologue in my Constitutional Law class this week. My professor, in a halo of delicious irony, issued a warning that the following material would be offensive to some, and then played the monologue.
16
It amazes me that after 20 years of Savage Love, 4 books, columns in the NYT, appearances on This American Life, frequent appearances on numerous TV newscasts, the It Gets Better project, and the infamous worldwide redefinition of Santorum... that there are still people out there who never heard of Dan Savage. My 75 year old mother has heard of Dan Savage. Are these people living under rocks?
Still, I suppose if this show brings more young people into the light, that can only be a good thing... despite the annoying bleeps. So good luck with Savage U.
Still, I suppose if this show brings more young people into the light, that can only be a good thing... despite the annoying bleeps. So good luck with Savage U.
17
Ever considered taking the show on the road, out among regular people, away from those stupid, stupid college douches?
18
@17 Those stupid college douches are exactly the people who need sane sex advice. Clearly the show is striking a chord with a new audience, and that's a good thing for the next generation of sex-positive young adults. Bravo, Dan.
20
@16 I've spent most of my life in a tiny town in a 130 Degree F desert with a heady mix of evangelicals, methodists, lutherans, baptists & etc. Didn't hear of Dan Savage until I picked up a free copy of 'CityLife' at a Vegas bus stop. God I miss that.
21
I think it would be fun to just overlay the bleeps with the driest most clinical possible substitution, possibly in the voice of one of those telemarketing robot voices.
As in:
"If you need to play with your [breasts] to get off when he is [having intercourse with] you, then do it! Look Ma No Hands doesn't work."
But it would need to be not your voice. And it would have the added bonus of people knowing what you were trying to say.
As in:
"If you need to play with your [breasts] to get off when he is [having intercourse with] you, then do it! Look Ma No Hands doesn't work."
But it would need to be not your voice. And it would have the added bonus of people knowing what you were trying to say.
22
@18
And the reason I would want to watch that shit is... ?
(Forget about the class implications of ignoring the two thirds of young people who don't go to college and so apparently don't need sex advice. Because, well, who thinks about people with low future purchasing power, am I right? And there's no ageism involved either. Thinking about the over-25 set having sex is just gross, that's all.)
And the reason I would want to watch that shit is... ?
(Forget about the class implications of ignoring the two thirds of young people who don't go to college and so apparently don't need sex advice. Because, well, who thinks about people with low future purchasing power, am I right? And there's no ageism involved either. Thinking about the over-25 set having sex is just gross, that's all.)
23
@ 22, MTV approached Dan, IIRC. As such, they want to target a particular demographic. That's life - write to them about how people over 25 exist, too.
The two thirds of young people who don't go to college are NOW much likely to get Dan's advice, via watching this program. They may have low future purchasing power, but that doesn't mean they don't have cable.
Maybe you don't like it. But that doesn't make it a bad thing.
The two thirds of young people who don't go to college are NOW much likely to get Dan's advice, via watching this program. They may have low future purchasing power, but that doesn't mean they don't have cable.
Maybe you don't like it. But that doesn't make it a bad thing.
24
@17 and 22, from what I've gathered here and there on Slog, after Dan stepped down as Editor to pursue television, his first pilot, a talk show, didn't get bought by HBO. So he began buidling a touring career speaking at colleges, which are able to pay really, really good speaker fees. This latest TV effort is a natural offshoot of the way he's been making what I assume is the lion's share of his living for a couple years now. If this show takes off it's possible his agency will be able to book him for as much at non-college events too - it will be interesting to see.
26
@22, I think what @18 is saying is that, hopefully, by 25, you already have a good basis of sex knowledge to work with, and don't need Dan to hold your hand while you learn the ugly truth about the birds and bees.
27
Well, fuck. Perhaps, at some point, a person can just get too fucking old for Savage. I can't stay up until 11.30. That's way past my bedtime. This is a fucking depressing realization. I need a drink. And, a cupcake.
28
@22
Those stupid collage douches aren't the only people who need sane sex advice. But they do need it. And just because many of them are over privileged, doesn't mean they don't deserve it.
But yeah, I don't really have much of a desire to watch a dumbed-down, short-form version of Dan's shtick, either. I know what a cock-ring is and that most women need clitoral stimulation to orgasm. I'm much more interested in a long-form discussion of monogamish.
but I don't watch MTV anymore, either. Many of those who do could benefit from the show.
Those stupid collage douches aren't the only people who need sane sex advice. But they do need it. And just because many of them are over privileged, doesn't mean they don't deserve it.
But yeah, I don't really have much of a desire to watch a dumbed-down, short-form version of Dan's shtick, either. I know what a cock-ring is and that most women need clitoral stimulation to orgasm. I'm much more interested in a long-form discussion of monogamish.
but I don't watch MTV anymore, either. Many of those who do could benefit from the show.
29
I'm just trying to imagine the meeting between the MTV "standards and practices" talking heads and Dan. "Here is a list of acceptable words you can use instead of fuck, tits, dicks, come, ..." Then all we hear is Dan laughing his ass off. I would love to see that list. Dan should publish it here on Slog.
30
Gus @24, if I remember right, I think Dan actually started doing the college speaker gig years before the HBO attempt. I think that goes back at least 10 years or more. It has become more popular in recent years as his reputation grew, and he does a lot more of it now, but it isn't a new gig at all.
This probably made it super cheap for MTV to produce. They merely added the girl sidekick and a crew to follow him around on gigs he was already doing anyway.
This probably made it super cheap for MTV to produce. They merely added the girl sidekick and a crew to follow him around on gigs he was already doing anyway.
31
Why don't you try that cutesy but informative type of censoring where the mouth is censored with an analogous image? Like "Cock" would be covered by a rooster, Dick would be covered by an image of Cheney. Pussy would be a cat. Or something like that.
Because if you just said, "Well, if your [beep] is too big for his [beep] to [bleep] without pain, then you're just [bleep]." That doesn't make much [bleep] sense without helpful texts.
Also, I'd LOVE for you to say Sweater Puppies.
Because if you just said, "Well, if your [beep] is too big for his [beep] to [bleep] without pain, then you're just [bleep]." That doesn't make much [bleep] sense without helpful texts.
Also, I'd LOVE for you to say Sweater Puppies.
32
how many emails do you get wishing you an expedited departure from the stranger due to your newfound fame amongst the 16 and pregnant audience?
cause i sent you one. please quit and move asap.
cause i sent you one. please quit and move asap.
33
RP @30, thank you! I'm sure you must be right about how long he's been "on the circuit". Last year Joe My God reported MTV's commitment was to just ten episodes. I hope there'll be news of a renewal soon.
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2011/04/mtv…
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2011/04/mtv…
34
"Sweater puppies"? Wow. Who came up with this?
Rub your sweater puppies into higher self confidence! Or something.
Rub your sweater puppies into higher self confidence! Or something.
35
I'm pretty sure the FCC has no jurisdiction over the content of non-broadcast networks like MTV. MTV may self-regulate in order to maintain some level of mainstream acceptability, but the government isn't making them do it.
36
What about "breasts"? Can you say "breasts"? A little old-fashioned maybe, but gets the point across in one syllable and zero horrible metaphors.
37
@36, That is the stupidest part of the whole bleeping controversy. You can say breasts, but not tits. And apparently, since orgasm hasn't been bleeped, but come has, you can orgasm on tv but you can't come on tv. Fucking idiots.
38
Um, yeah, surely you could get around this easily by (stay with me here) using the proper words instead? OK, I'm sure it's fun to say tits and fuck on TV, but if that's not an option, just use your grownup words.
40
I think you should adopt an entire lingo of ridiculous slang terms and use them every time: not just "sweater puppies" but "trouser snake" (or "old one eye", "custard cannon", etc.), "bald man in a boat", "beef curtains" (or "buddha's earlobes"), "making the beast with two backs", "having a word with the doorman", "brass eye", "ringpiece", and so on.
41
Feliks Banel at Crosscut points out Dan's on local teevee tonight before the MTV thingy too! Seattle moderator legend and gay-of-good-cheer C.R. Douglas kicks off his KCTS public affairs quarterly tonight with an audience-free panel discussion on gay marriage taped last month. Dan, Joe Fuiten and a few others talk things over for an hour. Oh, and best of all, unlike the MTV show this one's available online right now:
http://kcts9.org/public-matters-cr-dougl…
Crosscut: http://crosscut.com/2012/04/17/broadcast…
http://kcts9.org/public-matters-cr-dougl…
Crosscut: http://crosscut.com/2012/04/17/broadcast…
44
I've wondered for a while now what the downside to destigmazing the "offensive" element of any & all language would be. And who would be opposed to such efforts? (The religious right, I'm assuming, though from a logical perspective I've never really understood why.) I mean, as a straight, white guy, I've just got this ridiculous and completely undeserved power to offend people ("cunt, nigger, faggot", etc) that really seems to serve little purpose other than to empower me in this sad, unimaginative & cowardly fashion. I guess it owes to the historical element & context of the words themselves, but it just all seems really stupid if you ask me.
45
Fnarf: "Beef curtains?!" Did you make that up or was it already a thing? Because it's freakin' great.
46
@45, oh no, I didn't make that up. I didn't make any of those up. I particularly like "have a word with the doorman", which I stole from insanely juvenile British humor mag Viz -- it means to perform cunnilingus, upon the clitoris, in order to gain access to the main entrance below.
Yes, I know I'm going to hell; I'm already packed.
Yes, I know I'm going to hell; I'm already packed.
47
Too frenetic for me to watch, too. Is that Lucy with Dan?
I think it's great, though, and hope it lasts. Not only do young adults in the audience get educated, but I hope this will fall into the hands of teenagers. It would be good slumber party edutainment.
May coming generations be more sex positive than their predecessors.
I think it's great, though, and hope it lasts. Not only do young adults in the audience get educated, but I hope this will fall into the hands of teenagers. It would be good slumber party edutainment.
May coming generations be more sex positive than their predecessors.
48
Now I'm curious as to whether the bleeping extends down into the captions? I don't get broadcast or cable, so I'm unlikely to watch this directly, myself, but some of you might be able to noodle around with your captions and see what it does...
50
I'm with historygirl's suggestion @21. I'd like the voice to be one of those whispery here-we-are-watching-the-subject types.
51
BEG @48, I don't get cable either but look! MTV lets you click on captions in the online version! Pretty good ones too. Sample quote: "HE'S APPRECIATIVE OF THE [bleep]?"
http://www.mtv.com/videos/savage-u-episo…
http://www.mtv.com/videos/savage-u-episo…
52
I agree with @12, 13. The editing is quite awful and Dan comes across as a watered down version of himself. I couldn't watch the entire episode. At the same time, I love Dan and wouldn't begrudge him any success he has with this new project. The show's clearly targeted at clueless college-age (and younger) kids. If it leads any of these kids to Dan's column, all the better.
53
Yes, by all means, let's complain at Dan for being censored just for being himself. Let's not make our displeasure known to the FCC and/or MTV. Oh no. Couldn't do that.
54
And by terrible editing, I'm not even referring to the censorship of "dirty words", but to the frenetic pacing that nanoboy mentioned.
Comments (54) RSS