Thursday, January 19, 2012

The Other F-Word

When I come across something that is obviously retarded, I feel compelled to add my two cents in, regardless of whether or not people want to know my opinion or not.  Just a few moments ago, I read some entertainment news announcing that the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) has been asked to not air an upcoming episode of the popular series Modern Family, in which a toddler appears to utter the word "f*ck".  According to ABC officials, what the infant says in reality, is the word "fudge".  My question is: When did the tasty treat, become an offensive curse word?

Granted, people have been substituting "fudge" for "f*ck" for many years.  It is one of my favourite lines from the classic Bob Clark film, "A Christmas Story", in which little Ralphy, in an attempt to assist his father in the changing of a flat tire, accidently dumps the hubcap filled with the lug nuts, into the snow.  Ralphy, follows the incident with "Ooooh fuuuudge!"  The narrator quickly caps the statement with "Only I didn't say 'fudge'."  Classic line.  However, the word still means a chocolaty treat, not the act of fornication.  I don't ever recall hearing any self respecting male, talk dirty to his girl by whispering intently in her ear, "Get ready, baby, cuz I'm gonna fudge the shit outta you."  It's just not sexy-talk.  Not that "f*cking the shit outta someone" is such a turn on either....

It's an innocent form of terminology.  A simple split-second comment that will spark a moment or two of laughter, before moving on to, what will likely be a life lesson.  People just have to f*cking relax.  If someone's child is going to be scarred so terribly by a child whispering "fudge", then people, you're kid is already in a heap of trouble.  Furthermore, chances are, if kids are watching this program, they're not going to understand a lot of the jokes anyway.  I used to watch the program, but never found the show that funny anyway.  I only watched it because I thought Julie Bowen was hot.  Sofia Vergara, was okay, but that accent drives me nuts.

Just relax, folks.  If you protest the airing of the episode, guess what?  There's two hundred other channels you can flick over to.  I'm sure there's a Hannah Montana airing somewhere.  There always is.  You have a choice, is what I'm suggesting.  It's not like when I was a kid, growing up on the farm with only three channels to choose from, and one of those being french.  Who the f*ck speaks french?  Is that even a language anymore?

The use of the F-word, reminds me of a conversation I had with my friend once.  I asked him, what if A___ (his son) said the F-word.  What would he (my friend) do?  He told me, that he'd sit down with his boy and explain to him that certain words aren't meant to be used by little boys.  I followed up with my question with another, "What if he used the F-word in the proper context?"  My friend paused for a moment, then gave me the same answer as before.

Agreed.  Kids shouldn't be using the F-word.  I use it all the time.  Perhaps more than most, but it's such a useful word, with so many uses.  Joy, anger, protest..., you name it.  It illustrates pretty much every mood a human being can experience.  Although I wouldn't want to hear my little nephew look up at me with those innocent eyes and say, "Get the f*ck downstairs and play cars with me, Uncle!"  Although I'd have to commend him (in secret) for using the word in proper context.

No comments:

Post a Comment