WP: FCC Wary of Greeks Baring Gifts at Games (Olympics indecency???)

[DeepModem Mom]

FCC Wary of Greeks Baring Gifts at Games

By Lisa de Moraes
Saturday, December 11, 2004; Page C01


In response to one or more indecency complaints, the Federal Communications Commission has asked NBC to send it tapes of its coverage of the Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies in Athens, the network confirmed late yesterday....

***

An FCC rep declined to comment on the specific request. But one source familiar with the FCC's investigative procedures explained that a request for a tape is generally the first step to help the commission determine whether a complaint has enough merit to warrant further inquiry.

It's unclear what aspect of NBC's coverage of the ceremonies has knotted the knickers of someone who has corresponded with the FCC, word of which was first reported by trade paper Mediaweek on its Web site late yesterday.

But on the day of the Opening Ceremonies back in August -- about six months after Janet Jackson bared her breast during CBS's broadcast of the Super Bowl -- NBC took some questions from sports reporters who were on the scene. These were guys who apparently don't go to museums much and had watched the dress rehearsal and seen performers representing classical Greek statues and mythological gods and goddesses in the various states of undress that were so fashionable in days gone by. They demanded to know whether NBC intended to subject the flower of American youth, watching back at home, to such a wanton display of Greekness....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56539-2004Dec10.html

[Hekate]

1. The influence of John ("Blue Drape") Ashcroft lingers on

I have it on good authority (a man, just under 60 yrs., who went through public school in New York City) that in the not too distant past boys' swim classes were held in the nude. :eyes:

Hekate

[oneighty]

12. That is true..nude swimming-schools YMCA and so on.

In military barracks guys run around nude frequently and often. And you know what? Nobody pays attention.

180

[TahitiNut]

13. Yup. YMCA. Early 50's. Swimming was nude. Normal.

It's funny to see this mentioned. I never thought much about it until I recently visited the YMCA I went to when I was a kid to (unsuccessfully) learn to swim. The fellow behind the desk told me that he and his coworkers had an argument about this. I told him I didn't understand why there'd be any argument - of course we swam in the nude. It was "men only." I thought it was common knowledge. Hell, it was the same in high schools. They'd close off the swimming pools for boys' and girls' P/E - swimming was in the nude. Why not? :shrug:

[LiberalFighter]

22. Our swim classes were in the nude in the early 70's

[TankLV]

24. All our swim classes were in the nude.

I think they still are.

Only if you were practicing diving were you allowed to wear a suit of any kind.

It was based on health concerns - which were very valid. I remember many a year end when some would remove the "towels" from their locker that they had been using all year and you could just take them off the hook and stand them upright on the floor!

[rainbow4321]

29. Speaking of the blue drapes....

[MinneapolisMatt]

2. This is so stupid.

I watched the Opening Ceremonies live on RAI Sport (Italian TV) online. Yeah, you saw some people dressed up as "nude" statues. So I thought, "Hmmm, I wonder if NBC will show that part."

I turned on the broadcast that evening on NBC, and they had edited all that out, or shot the "statue-people" above the waist to avoid the penises of the Male "statue-people" or from an obscure angle to avoid the "breasts" of the Female "statue-people". You might have accidentally caught a glimpse. *GASP!*

It was lame. These "offended" people REALLY, REALLY need to get a life.

In all honesty, the only thing offensive about the NBC coverage of the Opening Ceremonies was Katie Couric's inane comments.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Thanks for the info, MM -- the complaint must be about...

exactly what you describe. And what IS with Katie Couric? She started as a newswoman, and, as she gets older, seems to be dumbing herself down, and tarting herself up.

[TankLV]

25. I believe she started out as a bimbo "weather girl" and moved on to

morning "smiley chat" co-host.

Both were more than adequate to show the complete extent of her "knowledge" and training as a "journalist".

And that was her high point on the intelligence scale.

[OneBlueSky]

4. I have never understood this obsession people have with nudity . . .

and I'm particularly appalled at people who actually think that seeing a human being naked will somehow scar a child for life . . . the obscenity is not in the nudity, but in their own minds . . . which must be pretty warped . . . personally, I think people should be exposed to a lot MORE nudity, just so it wouldn't be such a big deal . . .

[TyeDye75]

5. In America topless is very liberal, in Europe naked is just liberal. (nt)

[eowyn_of_rohan]

9. I do too--let's start by equalizing the field

...MORE male nudity to balance all the female nudity. And equality in sexual objectification, or lack of such, too.

[HuffleClaw]

6. the'parents tv council' or some such crap

they issue a complaint about every single episode of any show featuring a gay character, about news shows that feature a segment about harry potter... there isn't much they LIKE.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Link to discussion re. Parents TV Council's filing almost all...

complaints to the FCC:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1046200

And welcome to DU, HC!

[xchrom]

8. grrrrr--ARGHGHGHGHGG!

i'm sick of this shit!
why don't these people move to antactica?!?! leave the civilised world alone.
my new phrase -- ''love civilization or leave it''

[Renew Deal]

10. This is too funny

That was one of the most beautiful and artistic opening ceremonies ever. I bet there were some statue type penises and breasts shown. That's the worlds history. Why is the rest of the world OK with this? Fucking nuts

[DeepModem Mom]

11. See post #2, B7 --

for a possibility of what this is about.

[Javaman]

14. So let me get this straight...

NBC will be possibly fined for something that the Greek Gov't did?

So concidering the FCC's, ass for name's son, logic, they fined Janet Jackson for her boob being flashed, I think they should now sanction the Greek Gov't. Total embargo is in order. Oy what a bunch of fucktards.

Can you imagine the closet porn watching repukes looking for even the slightest exposure of a nipple from that video tape? These people have no life, no fun and no good sex.

You know, the more I read and understand about this appointed prez does and what he allows his minions to do, I am confident that their pure and utter stupidity will be their undoing. I'm not worried. People will get sick of this useless shit.

[MaineDem]

15. This is unbelievable!

I saw the NBC coverage and I thought it was very classic. (The "statues" not the NBC broadcast.) It was Greece, for goodness' sake!

I have just about had it with the holier than thou people running this country. This is the most inane thing I have ever heard - lately.

They aren't governing in my name, that's for shit sure!!!

[AngryWhiteLiberal]

16. Time for FOIA requests to REVEAL complainer identities & addresses

Making the identity of these STUPID FUNDY XTIANS reporting to the FCC public will stop this BULLSHIT real quick...

NO MORE ANONYMOUS FCC COMPLAINTS! Let's see how true these shithead fundies are to their convictions when they are subjected to public scrutiny!

JB

[Stinky The Clown]

17. ****NEWS FLASH****

Human Bodies Have Genitalia!

Religious extremists mortified.

(Reality World News - European Bureau) Researchers at a number of European institutes of higher learning reported in the anthropological journal "Human" that it is now an accepted fact that humans have what has long been suspected - genitalia. This confirmation comes on the heels of sporadic reports of penises (the male genital organ) being seen while at a YMCA men's swim in the American city of Des Moines, in Iowa. Labia were reportedly exposed on a woman who routinely adheres to a higher state of hygiene while participating in a group bathing ritual in a small town on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

United States (web, articles) religious radicals, at a hastily convened press conference, denounced the claims made in "Human" as unfounded. Several in the audience could be seen using hands to cover the eyes and ears of small children.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

18. the real crime was bob costas running his mouth

through the whole ceremony.

[kittykitty]

19. You mean "baring" gifts like this one???

[DeepModem Mom]

20. I'm told that Dick Ebersol would be the NBC exec responsible...

for this issue regarding the Olympics, which is his passion at the network. Great timing, huh?

[Gyre]

21. Michael Powell can BLOW ME!

On second thought, he might take me up on that. Never mind. :)

Gyre

[LiberalFighter]

23. He should be hog-tied and given an enema of quick setting concrete

[PartyPooper]

26. What were those Grecians thinking, anyway?

:D

[genieroze]

27. Wow, this is earth shattering news.

Who cares. The world is going to hell in a hand basket and this is all these morons care about.

[VegasWolf]

28. Because Georgie feels awkward about a healthy, normal male penis. n/t