NBC censoring the word "God"?

[danderson]

I've been watching the old soap opera The Doctors, and a few times, the characters say the world God, but it isn't censored,  so why did NBC censor that word on game shows, but not on soaps?  How could Eleanor Conrad (Lois Smith) and her daughter, Wendy (Fanny Spiess) get away with that, but not game show contestants?

[BrandonFG]

Perhaps the same reason soap operas talk(ed) about sex and violence, while game shows didn't? Different audience. Granted, I know in 1979, housewives made up a bulk of both fanbases, but soaps were/are obviously a lot more mature with the content.

I imagine game shows tried to be fun for all ages, even if children wouldn't know what it meant for Eleanor Conrad to have an affair with Dr. Smith.

[trainman]

I have no idea which two actual examples dribbled out of the OP's brain and wound up here... but I suspect the difference is whether or not it could be interpreted as "taking the Lord's name in vain." Thus, allowing scripted, measured uses of "God" on a soap opera, but editing out a game show contestant's spontaneous exclamation.

[PPatters]

I have no idea which two actual examples dribbled out of the OP's brain and wound up here... but I suspect the difference is whether or not it could be interpreted as "taking the Lord's name in vain." Thus, allowing scripted, measured uses of "God" on a soap opera, but editing out a game show contestant's spontaneous exclamation.

I believe I did see the word God spelled as “G-d” in some game shows, though. (Specifically thinking maybe Password Plus, but I could be wrong.)

[Blanquepage]

Yes, just last night on BUZZR's Card Sharks '78 repeat, there were 3 mutes when the contestant used "God" in his exclamation.
I recall the same a number of times as well on Password Plus and Blockbusters.

[Kevin Prather]

The only words that are universally censored are determined by the FCC. If you've ever heard George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can't Say On TV" bit, that list was probably pretty close at the time. Beyond those words, it was up to the network, and probably the sponsors as well.

[Mr. Matté]

In a similar vain (boo hiss!), on the episode of Battlestars that's floating around with Jennilee Harrison, she remarks "Jeez Louise" to one of her questions but over the air it was "__________ Louise..."

[Kevin Prather]

A few years ago, there was an outtake on the UK version of "The Chase". A contestant kept saying "Ah, jeez," and apparently that could be severe enough to offend teatime viewers, so Bradley asked him to say "Ah, cheese" as an alternative. Anne Hegerty, in a departure from her very erudite manner, proposed that the contestant say "f**k" instead.

[Joe Mello]

Anne Hegerty, in a departure from her very erudite manner

Beat The Chasers paints a very different picture.

[calliaume]

The only words that are universally censored are determined by the FCC. If you've ever heard George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can't Say On TV" bit, that list was probably pretty close at the time. Beyond those words, it was up to the network, and probably the sponsors as well.

This sounds about right. I recall the word "God" was broadcast on The Moneymaze (one contestant apparently couldn't help herself), so ABC presumably had a different standard.

[rebelwrest]

The only words that are universally censored are determined by the FCC. If you've ever heard George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can't Say On TV" bit, that list was probably pretty close at the time. Beyond those words, it was up to the network, and probably the sponsors as well.

This sounds about right. I recall the word "God" was broadcast on The Moneymaze (one contestant apparently couldn't help herself), so ABC presumably had a different standard.

When I first read this thread, it reminded me of that one round on The $20,000 Pyramid where David Letterman's partner got frustrated and kept saying "Oh God!", and Dick had to explain afterwards how the saying of "God" on television has evolved.  Can't find it on YouTube but that was a hilarious round.

[Bob Zager]

When GSN was rerunning the Maury Povich hosted revival of "Twenty One," (that's right, it wasn't hyphenated!), I recall a question came up quoting the line from Peter Finch in the movie "Network," where he said "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" 

As Povich verbally read the question, the word, "hell," was bleeped, and as the question scrolled onto the screen, the word "hell," was pixelated (or blocked). 

I recall once hearing that a contestant was once on some show and said that one of the first things he/she would do with money earned was get a new dog for their kids, since the one they had before had died.  The host uttered, "Good Lord!" and "Lord," was censored out, leading viewers to think the host said, "Good!"

[BrandonFG]

When GSN was rerunning the Maury Povich hosted revival of "Twenty One," (that's right, it wasn't hyphenated!), I recall a question came up quoting the line from Peter Finch in the movie "Network," where he said "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" 

As Povich verbally read the question, the word, "hell," was bleeped, and as the question scrolled onto the screen, the word "hell," was pixelated (or blocked). 

I recall once hearing that a contestant was once on some show and said that one of the first things he/she would do with money earned was get a new dog for their kids, since the one they had before had died.  The host uttered, "Good Lord!" and "Lord," was censored out, leading viewers to think the host said, "Good!"

You sure that wasn’t PAX, now Ion? That was a very religious network that usually muted any profanity - even damn or hell - and I remember them censoring things like you described.

[TLEberle]

They also ran-and reran-Twenty One. It also wouldn't surprise me at all that they muted everything that wasn't anodyne or inoffensive.

[BrandonFG]

They also ran-and reran-Twenty One. It also wouldn't surprise me at all that they muted everything that wasn't anodyne or inoffensive.

Which is what I remember them doing when they aired the show. I distinctly remember the “Network” question being censored.