On Monday, Mississippi Public Broadcasting announced it had dropped Terry Gross and Fresh Air because of "recurring inappropriate content." (Full disclosure: I used to work for NPR.)
The blog that first reported the news, Serenity Home, wondered whether that inappropriate content might be some of Fresh Air's recent gay-oriented interviews. I wondered whether it might be a Dave Weigel interview about the new right politics.
No, on both counts -- it's not the gays and it's not the Tea Parties. Here's the deal.
Mississippi Public Broadcasting shares a campus with offices for the state's colleges and universities, and we have learned that some of those offices play public radio for callers who are on hold. Recently, a caller got put on hold during Fresh Air and heard Terry Gross ask comedian Louis C.K. if he always has sex with his shirt on.
The caller complained, the station's zero-tolerance policy for inappropriate conduct content* kicked in, and away went Terry Gross and Fresh Air for Mississippi.
UPDATE: Fresh Air responds, says no one explained the cancellation.
UPDATE, II: Mississippi Public Broadcasting responds.
*Sorry for the typo earlier.
Full transcript of the exchange after the jump.
From the show's July 7 episode:
Louis CK: But if I'm with a woman and she wants to be with me, she must like me. I definitely have sex with my T-shirt on, always. I haven't had sex without a shirt on, God, since I was about 23."
Terry Gross: Is that true?
Louis CK: Yeah, I just don't think that's fair. I mean, you know, let her think she's with somebody decent, you know? ... I do have sex sometimes on the show, and there's a rule that I have to be on my back.
Terry Gross: Why, because your stomach flattens?
Louis C.K.: Well, no, God, no. I'm not laying back in that bed thinking, "I look awesome right now." It's because I think I should always be the victim of the sex. I don't think anyone wants to see me looming over her. I think that's an upsetting image. And then also, the mother-dog stomach that I get when I'm ... you get the point.
Terry Gross got the point, and then she got the boot from Mississippi.
Leave a Comment:
oof.
Everyone has totally missed the point that putting someone "on hold" is ALWAYS is a bad thing!!!
Letting someone go because someone else was upset by the commentary has strangely NEVER happened to Rush or Beck!!! THAT is totally unacceptable!!!
Some people really do not have a sense of humor...What is the world coming to when a comedien can not make jokes about sex?!! Louis C.K. and Terry Gross have got to be two of the most harmless human beings on the planet...really idiotic.
Wait... that's inappropriate, but Ann Coulter's hate speech and lies are OK?
exactly , right on great comment
And Mississippi gets yet more stupider.
"More stupider"? Seriously? Jesus Christ, you're not even smart enough to understand basic grammar, but you're attacking an entire state, millions of people, for being "more stupider"?
Ha!, You really are stupider.
Ummm. Mississippi Man? I think andrewbacon was making a lil' joke . . .
Although "more stupid" is preferred, "stupider" is in fact a word.
the girls go to Mars, to get more candy bars
and the boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider
(thanks 2nd grade!)
Yes, it is a word, but it shouldn't be used with the word "more," should it? I think that's a double whatchamacallit.
Andrew Bacon,
What a wonderful insight you've made about my home state with your in depth comment. It's nice that you had your nifty conclusion about Mississippi already drawn before you read the article, and were able to distill it out so quickly.
Take a long walk off a short pier.
it's interesting that the no shirt during sex comment is what got them into trouble - esp since he used the word f*ggot like 20 times, which was what i found very annoying and offensive.
I never heard of him before. Typical though of these times we live in that saying faggot was ok, but discussing sex with shirt on wasn't ok. Sounds like he was awful so I for one am glad he is gone.
if you've seen his show "louie", there's actually a very interesting point counterpoint on the usage of the word. i understand that it's an offensive term but thinking of him as an ignoramus isn't entirely accurate. try this article on for size: http://theloop21.com/society/why-louis-ck-matters
Christa, I think you totally missed the point. Louie has actually addressed the offensiveness of that kind of word in a way no other social commentator has. YouTube the video of his discussion of the word with his gay friend.
And reckless renee, how does it make you feel to opine on something you didn't hear? You didn't hear it, but you for one are glad he is gone? Please explain how you reached this state of enlightenment?
Here's the scene--Terry played it too, and be aware that she had to bleep out a few words.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na6Cx3HBGoI
He's straight, isn't he? "Faggot" isn't his to reclaim. I don't care how many gay friends he has.
I listened to the entire mix, and quite frankly, I too am not comfortable nor approving of the inclusion as it happened. I understand his intent is to initiate and bring about more discussion in an area that 90% of the population has no connection to, however, it's analogous to a bunch of white comedians doing the exact same thing but substitute the 'F' word with the 'N' word...see where that gets to in this day and age...same should apply to the 'F' word is my point....as a person in the 10% of the population, I would hope those of you in the 90% can appreciate the issues that this posses for persons that have undergone unimaginable persecution and discrimination.
Just listen to his own group diatribe talking to the burning of witches, where gays were not even worth the trouble to single out as special to persecute and instead thrown on the pile as kinder, ergo the term "flaming F..."...and "diesel dikes"... How this warrants a discussion regarding such banter being appropriate to include in the funny column is mind blowing to me - this is an example of discussion that does not need furtherance intellectually...especially by a bunch of straight guys.
r. renee stated, "I for one am glad he is gone" -- unfortunately it's Terry Gross who is gone, not Louis CK.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=faggot
Thanks Gustogus - I'm hoping/going with that's a good source you used - I couldn't put to rest in my head this issue after first having to hear it and then Terry raising this question to Loius (he didn't know, and I must have been leading a sheltered gay life all these eons as I hadn't heard of it till now).
It doesn't matter where it came from. It's a slur against gay men. Straight men have no right to reclaim it.
MechTrek - nobody is disagreeing with you - at all in fact. Also, if you read my post above, the issue also includes equally slurrious diatribe toward gay women (origin of the term 'diesel dyke'also discussed by Louis and group)...ergo ending my statement around such discussion was inappropriate and offensive especially a discussion conducted by straight men. I was thanking Gustogus for helping bring clarity to if the story discussed adnosum (sp) by Loius and group was even true or not (what Terry asked him in the radio spot, and didn't get an answer to).
My apologies, WBEng. I had read Gustogus' comment as implying that faggot was less of a slur as a result of the urban legend about its origin. My bad.
No problem my friend.
I guess you didn't actually listen to the conversation, you only heard the word. That's kind of ironic, I guess.
Wow! Does the person who complained not watch any primetime tv? I've heard worse, that's for sure!
Sex is filthy and you should save it for someone you love.
Huh? Sex is filthy? Not in my world.
Well...uh, I think...uh...uhmmm...the little blue clock sure is cute...
So if a single caller whines that they heard something inappropriate and offensive, Mississippi will can the show?
So if I call and complain that (insert Teabag/GOP campaign ad here) is inappropriate and offensive, I can get it banned as well, right?
It's worth a try.
I am definitely going to call Mississippi and tell them what I think is offensive on the radio...and TV. Cool! All the morans will be gone, right?
Are you anti-Irish?
Oh my gosh...what a hoot! Well that person sure got an earful..Then again maybe it's just an excuse to get rid of the woman who is only to happy to ask the difficult questions on a variety of subjects...?
She didn't deserve the boot. Her comments were minimal compared to Louis C.K. Discrimination lawsuit next?
When you're stupid, there is nothing that can be done....
You just reminded me of one of my favorite sayings that I happened to learn in a training class I took...best practices in Design Build Construction projects...Instructors first rule: "You can't fix stupid". Instructor ended the class with that same rule.
It's not inappropriate on his show, but I would complain if that interview was being played WHILE I WAS ON HOLD. I'm not a prude. What if your teenager called in and got that? It's not the words, it's the venue. Maybe the station should have played music while on hold. They are partly responsible.
Exactly. The caller couldn't change the radio station. So, the logical step would be to change what is playing when people are on hold. Instead they're going to stop airing it? Sheesh.
Check out the MPB Facebook page. There are some pissed off Mississippians complaining about this. They want it back!
I "third" this comment. Although I would listen to the show myself, it would be odd to hear it while on hold, and it would certainly be offensive to many, so yeah, don't play controversial shows to people on hold! But dumping the show is just ludicrous! It's that whole "baby with the bath water" thing.
Have you heard what teenagers talk about?!? Do you even listen to the average prime time TV show? Have you never heard the rampant hate and incitement to violence that is at the heart of right-wing radio/TV? Dr Laura/Rush/Beck et al manage to spread more vile thoughts in one minute than the entire body of Fresh Air. Yet you prattle on about 'what if a teenager heard this?' That would be the cleanest thing they would hear all day.
But hey, cut Terry Gross b/c there might have been *something* that some narrow-minded prude didn't like. Those who believe in open discourse have no rights. Those who believe that censorship is the answer - besides having heads full of sand - are the book-burners of today.
I'm pretty sure the station doesn't force the school to use them as hold music, so I don't see how they're responsible for this.
Show me a flying pig, I'll show you a funny Mississippian.
You've obviously never been inside the Mississippi legislature.
You have no clue what you're talking about. Aside from this completely unintelligent comment, you probably also think Mississippians actually want Fresh Air gone. We don't. A good place to get informed is Mississippi Public Broadcasting's Facebook page. Consider overcoming your ignorance.
Good for you Andrea - People should paint others with such a broad brush
AtLthough as a student you can get smashed at any sports event, have sex in the dorms, lie on tests/exams, cheat, etc. But don't talk about sex!!!!! Interesting! So much for "higher education".......
Show me a flying pig, I'll show you a funny Mississippian.
Wow, Gerry, you thought that line was so clever, you posted it twice. I guess your reasoning is, if you keep re-posting it every three minutes, sooner or later, somebody will surely think it's funny. Probably some dumb Mississippian who doesn't know any better and loves a well-worn cliche...
Damned Mississippi bible babblers.
What a crock of sh*t. There is nothing offensive anywhere in what was said there, unless you find comedy about sex offensive, and nowadays, who thinks that? No one worth talking to, I'll tell ya that.
The caller who complained is an idiot. Prolly one of them bass ackward bible humpin punks .
Dude, you might not know this, but just because people reside in the Bible Belt doesn't mean they're closed-minded, incoherent, or, for that matter, homogeneous. As many people have noted, it may behoove you to actually look at what listeners of MPB are saying on the facebook page...http://www.facebook.com/MPBOnline
Ole Miss Rebel 17, the point isn't that there aren't enlightened people in Miss., but that the idiots are in control. If you want people to notice that there are enlightened people in Miss., you have to get control of the place, or at least come closer to getting control.
I'll second your statement.
keep Mississippi pure!
viclarino;
Keep Mississippi Pure! then half the population should relocate! Duh!
MechTrek MUST be right!
Jeez! You can't fix stupid!
Thanks for your support, guys. :/
I listened to this show too. While I found the conversation a little "TMI" I did not find it terribly offensive. Honestly, it seemed to me like it was an innocent conversation that went where I maybe should not have. However, I do not think that the program should have been taken off the air with such haste. I for one will continue listening to Terry, Fresh Air, and NPR.
Zero Tolerance. Hmmm. Can we do that with Congress for budget deficits?
Can we do that with the Right for intelligence deficits?
Is there nothing we can do about the people down there?
Coincidence? I think not!
http://calorielab.com/news/2010/06/28/fattest-states-2010/
Yeah that's a load of BS and fat hate, and you can can it.
I dunno...I remember listening to that episode and being glad my kids didn't happen to be in the room. Obviously, I could have turned it off if they were. But it seems a bit irresponsible to air such adult subject matter during the day. On the other hand, to take the program off the air altogether also seems irresponsible, or at least an overreaction. I know you can't make everything kid-friendly (or prudish-adult-friendly), but maybe save the candid stuff for the website?