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... "(Gunther, 1991) As a part of the program the station decided to air a 12 minute monologue called "Filthy Words" by comedian George Carlin. The introduction of Carlins "routine" consisted of, according to Carlin, "words you couldnt say on the public air waves."(Carlin, 1977) The introduction to Carlins monologue listed those words and repeated them in a variety of colloquialisms:
I was thinking about the curse words and the swear words, the cuss words and the words that you cant say, that youre not supposed to say all the time. I was thinking one night about the words you couldnt say on the public, ah, airwaves, um, the ones you definitely wouldnt say, ever. ... The original seven words were shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits. ... This broadcast of Carlins "Filthy Words" monologue caused one of the greatest and most controversial cases in the history of broadcasting. ... "(Simones, 1995) The law in essence meant that certain words depicting a sexual nature were limited to certain times of the day when children would not likely be exposed. ...
Carlins monologue was speech according to the first amendment. ... (Gunther, 1991) Therefore the question is "whether a broadcast of patently offensive words dealing with sex and excretion may be regulated because of its content. ... "(Gunther, 1991) The Supreme Court deemed that these words offend for the same reasons that obscenity offends. They also state that "these words, even though they had no literary meaning or value, were still protected by the first amendment. ... Must adults now go out and purchase George Carlins album for entertainment? This decision might not seem a fair one to most who agree with Carlins message, but according to the Supreme Court it "does not violate anyones first amendment rights. ... "(Gunther, 1991) Carlins monologue was speech, there is no doubt about that, and it does present a point of view. Carlin tried to show that "the words it uses are "harmless" and that our attitudes toward them are essentially silly. ...
Many people in the United States do not deem these words as offensive. In fact many people use these words daily and as a part of conversation. ... "(Gunther, 1991) Therefore, the Supreme Court looked upon Carlins monologue as indecent but not obscene. ... "(Stern, 1994) Before this broadcasters only had to worry about the "seven dirty words". ... If the "seven dirty words" were allowed to be said on the airwaves at any time of the day then others might find reason for openness in many other regulated activities such as pornography, or nudity and open language policies on television. ... However, I also think that the "seven dirty words" are just in fact what they are, words. "Carlin is not mouthing obscenities, he is merely using words to satirize as harmless and essentially silly our attitudes towards those words."(Gunther, 1991) I do understand that words that are common in one setting might be offensive in another.
Approximate Word count = 2371
Approximate Pages = 9.5
(250 words per page double spaced)
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