MovieChat Forums > Empty Nest (1988) Discussion > censored word in first episode

censored word in first episode

posted 13 years ago by mail-851
21 replies | jump to latest

I'm talking the first ep with the regular cast (not the Moreno/Dooley thing).

I was watching it on Hallmark the other day, and late in the ep, Carol mentions the woman that her ex ran off with: "a (blank) named Rita" (where "blank" was silenced out). And then Harry repeats a variation on the phrase (with the same censoring). In neither case can I really read the actor's lips. Anyone know what the censored word was?

I can see NBC censoring "sl*t" or "b*tch" in a 1988 sitcom. And, for that matter, I can see Hallmark censoring either word in 2011, especially for something they're airing in the middle of the afternoon.

For that matter, Harry's comment seemed like an inside joke about the name "Rita" -- like maybe a producer of the show or an NBC exec was named Rita. So if you know that too, back stories are always fun. ;-)

Just curious ....

[–] gfayman 13 years ago

Hallmark does the same thing with "Golden Girls." It's pretty irritating, but then again, they are a "family friendly" channel.

[–] bmacias 13 years ago

i remember the Golden Girls using the word "slut" quite often, so it was probably that. just funny what is so "un-PC" nowadays. i just watched an Empty Nest repeat where Harry was going to take out the chick from Blossom to the prom cause she couldn't get a date. as innocent as it was, that would probably be blasted now!

[–] gfayman 13 years ago

The uncut pilot episode is online. You'll probably find out what that word was. :)

[–] mcfly-31 13 years ago

And to Cheers as well. And that airs at 3 in the morning!! Hallmark strikes me as Lifetime Lite, with very few children watching these adult programs and being scarred for hearing bitch, slut, ass, etc.

[–] gfayman 13 years ago

My guess is that Hallmark Channel has more conservative viewers because they're branded as a "family channel." They probably make these edits to be safe.

[–] gfayman 13 years ago

To answer your question, the censored word was slut.

[–] bsump_98 13 years ago

That is what I thought when I heard that they censored a word, but to me, slut is harmless when talking about a woman when you know there are worse words out there like Witch with a B etc.

[–] cschulte-3 13 years ago

And yet, they had no problem leaving in the word "orgasm", which they said two or three times (in the episode "The First Time, Again"). I can see it now, "Mommy, what does orgasm mean?" It's 2011. "Slut" should be said out loud.

[–] Aztec_Camera 13 years ago

Hallmark does consider itself a "family oriented" channel so whether it's 1 in the afternoon or 3 in the morning, they are going to censor things they think viewers might find offensive.

I dunno if Hallmark still does it, but I can remember a time in the late 90's and early 00's when Lifetime would censor words like "slut" and "god damn" on episodes of The Golden Girls. I can remember one episode in particular where Blanche is talking about getting a "Lost My Ass In Vegas" mug while on vacation and they totally bleeped out the "ass" part. I always thought this "retroactive censoring" stuff was pretty ridiculous especially considering the level of language used these days in prime-time.

[–] Sandman-68 13 years ago

Maybe it's just me, but I find the occasional "bad" word less offensive than the attitude of both shows about casual, promiscuous sex. Charlie Dietz is not a role model by any stretch, but both daughters carry on with multiple sex partners. Then there is Blanche Devereaux, who shags every man in a 120-mile radius.

Keep On Truckin'

Sandman

[–] fair_maria 13 years ago

Sandman, I get what you're saying, but consider all the sitcoms featuring male characters with very active dating lives, some with a new girlfriend seemingly each episode. No one ever questions this.
I think it was brave of the shows to feature women with active sex lives, and to portray the "promiscuity" as funny and not shameful. I'm not sure that could be done today.

[–] Sandman-68 13 years ago

Fair Maria,

Thanks for the response. I see your thinking, but stand by my original statement.

OK, I'll give you that women do have active sex lives. And it is still being done today, but the current trend is to portray every third character as homosexual.
Promiscuous sex, straight or homosexual, is OK, I suppose, for those who enjoy it, and none of my business.

In some ways, the shows are giving us a slice of reality; people do those things, and we need some vision on TV of real life as it is lived.

It's probably a generational thing on my part. I grew up in a world in which promiscuity was shameful for both women and men.

Keep On Truckin'

Sandman

[–] nrangerseven 9 years ago

Apparently you grew up in a time of racism, blind hate and ignorance and still stand by it. Wouldn't it be nice if you felt some shame about that? Interesting how you update your rant to include homosexuals and not just slutty women. Who do you think the promiscuous men are having sex with in the first place?

The people you idolize wouldn't like you.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Sandman-68 9 years ago

Wouldn't it be nice if you felt some shame about that?

I feel no shame about having grown up. The world was what it was; and I didn’t create it, though I am resting on the seventh day.

a time of racism, blind hate and ignorance

Hate is far too strong a word. There are only two people that I hate. But they are in prison for life, thus safe from my hatred.

a time of racism,

That’s your word, not mine, for prevailing social attitudes in a world you never lived in. You live in a world in which being “white” is a crime, because only Black lives matter.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/18/politics/martin-omalley-all-lives-matter/

The people you idolize wouldn't like you.

I don’t give a damn who dislikes me. I defer to your omniscience in knowing whom I idolize, and how they feel.

Sandman
**
Kittens may be born in the oven; that doesn't make them biscuits.

[–] JosephASpadaro 8 years ago

To Sandman-68: Excellent post! Thanks!

I agree with you and am glad to see you standing your ground and not backing down.

That's pretty refreshing, nowadays.

[–] jamjohnx3 8 years ago

I knew something was off with this dude when he started complaining about the "promiscuous" women on this show that have dared to have sex with more than one partner in their entire fictional lives, or the sudden outburst against the acknowledgement of gays in modern TV, but taking black lives matter as an "only" clause, like that would work in a nation literally founded on the mass murder and exploitation of non-white people is hilarious. I'm not sure if this is hate or stupidity; probably a mix of both.

[–] mattiasflgrtll6 8 years ago

They used "goddamn" on The Golden Girls???

[–] slackersmom 8 years ago

I see this post is from 5 years ago. Hallmark has been showing Golden Girls continuously since then, and while I certainly don't watch every episode they air, over the past couple of years I'm quite sure I've seen them all. I have never heard them censor or bleep out a word. There's one scene in which Rose calls Blanche a 'back-stabbing slut,' and there is no censoring involved.

In any case, I'm surprised that Hallmark censored out slut in Empty Next.

For real censorship, watch something on Insp channel, which blocks out whenever Ben Matlock calls someone a "jackass." Or the Up channel, which censored Sister, Sister (yes, Sister, Sister!) when one of the girls referred to "butt kissing." 

[–] JosephASpadaro 8 years ago

I guess each station has their own rules and standards. Or so it seems.

[–] pezoids 10 years ago

My guess is she said: *beep* *beep* I could be wrong, however.