Parental discretion

February 21, 2005 6:03 AM

Painquale's question from yesterday reminded me of the disclaimer broadcast before the Simpson's last night, and I was wondering if it was just a local thing (Georgia) or national?

This episode contains discussion about same-sex marriage. Parental discretion is advised.
WTF?

posted by x_3mta3 to society & culture (22 comments total)

We had it here in NC too, along with ridiculous local news teasers - "Your neighbors react to the Simpsons - did they go too far?" Idiots.
posted by SashaPT at 6:18 AM on February 21, 2005

We had the disclaimer in DC.
posted by Axaxaxas Mlö at 6:20 AM on February 21, 2005

We had it in Toronto (and I believe Canada-wide on Global).
posted by loquax at 6:36 AM on February 21, 2005

Actually, my mistake, we had a "parental discretion" disclaimer, but it didn't specify that it was due to same-sex marriage discussions. The Simpsons doesn't usually arrive with any disclaimer at all here.
posted by loquax at 6:38 AM on February 21, 2005

We had the disclaimer with the same sex marriage mentioned in St. Louis.

It's amazing how much self policing will take place after people complain.
posted by zymurgy at 6:57 AM on February 21, 2005

We saw it here in Western NC, too. We figured it was just FOX having to deal with one of their best shows (yes, it still is) being written by a bunch of liberals.

Please stay on the line, your half-baked ideas are all we have. Awesome.
posted by Who_Am_I at 7:15 AM on February 21, 2005

We got the "parental discretion advised" thing in Houston.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 7:44 AM on February 21, 2005

It was here in Wyoming too, but I can't say that I'm surprised.
posted by dual_action at 8:29 AM on February 21, 2005

A parental discretion advisory with a same-sex marriage disclaimer aired in Austin, Texas before the episode. The advisory caught my attention as it was unusual.
posted by quam at 8:42 AM on February 21, 2005

We saw it in Massachusetts (though on a Connecticut station) with the "same sex marriage" line. There's usually no disclaimer here.
posted by ThePants at 9:28 AM on February 21, 2005

Just checked the TiFaux and we had the "same sex marriage" disclaimer here in Pittsburgh as well. I'm flummoxed by this.
posted by Dreama at 9:39 AM on February 21, 2005

'Simpsons' Animates Gay Nuptials, and a Debate

"In the ongoing culture wars over whether gays should have the right to marry, an animated question reared its head on Sunday prime-time television: as goes "The Simpsons," does the nation go, too? ... But when a show as mainstream and popular as this takes on one of the most divisive issues in American society, it is certain to attract attention." [New York Times | February 21, 2005]
posted by ericb at 10:06 AM on February 21, 2005

Springfield Is For Gay Lovers of Marriage
posted by ericb at 10:07 AM on February 21, 2005

Well, I can't quite understand a warning for "discussion" of same-sex marriage, but I can sort-of, kind-of understand a "viewer discretion" warning based only on the sexual content (of any kind). Granted that it's only in the context of the draconian rules that exist to begin with, but as far as I recall, I can't remember the Simpsons doing an episode with so much innuendo and sex in itm, and there are probably a lot of little kids watching. Well, there was the one where they were exhibitionists. But this one had Homer making out with Homer, which was pretty disturbing, to be honest. Regardless, it was a pretty crappy episode IMO.
posted by loquax at 10:10 AM on February 21, 2005

Heard it in Minneapolis. It think it was aired by Fox, not the network stations.
posted by BradNelson at 10:51 AM on February 21, 2005

from ericb's link:
Registrant:
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (DOM-1345584)
10201 W. Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles CA 90035
US

Domain Name: springfieldisforgayloversofmarriage.com

Registrar Name: Markmonitor.com
Registrar Whois: whois.markmonitor.com
Registrar Homepage: http://www.markmonitor.com

Administrative Contact:
Fox Webmaster (NIC-14208203) Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Intellectual Property Department P.O. Box 900
Beverly Hills CA 90213
US

Didn't see the episode... was this web site referenced?
posted by emelenjr at 11:16 AM on February 21, 2005

Didn't see the episode... was this web site referenced?

Yep.
posted by mudpuppie at 11:56 AM on February 21, 2005

Oops. Trigger post finger....

The disclaimer, by the way, wasn't advising parental discretion regarding same sex marriage.

It was advising parental discretion about the discussion of same sex marriage.

This is where we're at. Even the discussion strikes fear.

And it aired in Sacramento.
posted by mudpuppie at 11:58 AM on February 21, 2005

Didn't see the episode... was this web site referenced?

Yes - as mudpuppie points out. The URL was flashed on a cartoon television set during a commercial in which Mayor Quimby promotes Springfield as a destination for same-sex marriages.
posted by ericb at 12:06 PM on February 21, 2005

the bbc reports the warning in a general way, implying it was everywhere.
posted by andrew cooke at 3:44 PM on February 21, 2005

Saw it in Honolulu. I was pretty sure it was nationwide, as pretty much anything else our local affiliate tries to cobble together on its own turns out awkward or wrong.
posted by pzarquon at 4:11 PM on February 21, 2005

Chiming in late to say that the disclaimer aired in the NYC metro area, for crying out loud. In fact it made me scream at the TV. Goddamn Fox.
posted by scratch at 11:14 AM on February 23, 2005