Posted: July 31, 2007
Speedway Media Online

There are seven words that can’t be said on television. If you are a fan of George Carlin, you know what words are being discussed. On Sunday, Tony Stewart said “bulls**t” in his post-victory interview on ESPN2.

The first thing out of everybody’s mouths was: “He should be fined!”

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was fined in 2004 for saying the “s” word on NBC when referring to his win compared to his fathers. He lost 25 championship points and was fined $10,000 for his language slip. The “slip” caused a lot of backlash, asking the new-age question: “What happened to the five second delay?”

The simple distinction between what happened with Stewart and Earnhardt is as simple as two separate programming networks: cable television and network television.

Earnhardt said the “s” word on NBC, a station that anybody with a television could possible view by either having the old school antenna. The FCC condemns such language on television, especially during the “safe harbor” hours of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The safe harbor hours are hours usually considered hours that children could be viewing television.

Stewart said “bulls**t” on cable television. The difference is that cable television is a service that has to be paid for. The Communication Acts of 1934 and the Telecommunications Act of 1996 doesn’t hold the FCC reliable to regulate the content on subscription based services. ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic and the other sister stations are cable networks. They are not available to people who do not pay for the services.

While many will say that excuse alone is “bulls**t”, the context of the language is also in question. Both Earnhardt and Stewart used the foul language both in a celebratory, light-hearted contextual manner. U2 frontman Bono used the “f” word in 2003 at the Golden Globe Awards. The FCC said that it was not “intended to describe or depict sexual or excretory activities and organs” and did not fine NBC (the same network that Earnhardt was on) because the network did not receive advance notice of what could happen if they had broadcast that profanity.

ESPN officials said in a release, “It was an unfortunate incident that we did not anticipate.”

Isn’t that the same thing that happened with both Earnhardt and Bono?

In 2004 when Earnhardt was penalized, NASCAR was fairly consistent in their penalizing for “indecent” language: Johnny Sauter and Ron Hornaday, Jr. were fined before Earnhardt’s slip ever happened. Unlike Earnhardt and Stewart, Sauter and Hornaday’s “slips” were on broadcast radio which takes the FCC rules seriously and are very strict about what is broadcasted over the air.

It seems as if the FCC and the television industry aren’t so “strict.”

Daily on any given regular television network (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX), foul language is used – whether it is on Days of Our Lives, The Simpson’s, Family Guy, Friends, Young & The Restless, etc.). The “b” word is often slammed back and forth on soap operas which are shown in broad daylight. The Simpson’s, a cartoon of all things, uses foul language.

On the SPEED show “Windtunnel” last night, a man called in saying that children were watching this race. Whenever something like this happens, people always bring children up. Yes, children should not hear this language, but as stated before – when they’re not watching NASCAR, can people honestly say that they (the children) don’t hear this language at home from their parents, family members or at school from other children?

If the word “bulls**t” concerns parents when it comes to children, they should open their eyes. In a world where people kill people for stupid reasons, where a war is going on for weapons of mass destruction that were never found, and where celebrities are more known for their police records than their hit movies, television shows or albums – parents need be concerned about more than a two syllable word that comes out of Stewart’s mouth.

ESPN (the same cable channel that broadcasted yesterday’s race) criticized Stewart after his Chicago win for not being a good role model because he wanted to spend his week off drinking his favorite beer, Schlitz. They asked him what he was going to do on his vacation and he gave an honest answer.

That’s Tony Stewart – he’s not water-colored and he has never tried to be a cookie cutter racer.

If parents and the media want to worry about who is being a good role model, they need to leave Earnhardt (who has a beer sponsor) and Stewart (who is a man in his mid 30’s) alone. They need to look at the stars of Disney movies, such as Lindsay Lohan, who has been arrested for DUI twice in so many months and caught with cocaine. It is not Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kevin Harvick, Elliott Sadler, or Jeff Gordon’s place to be a role model for your children – it’s the parent’s place – your place. Tell them that they should not repeat that language. Be a parent – not a babysitter.

While I believe that NASCAR will fine Stewart and take away 25 championship points as they did with Earnhardt, I think they should consider the broadcast channel that was showing the race – a cable channel – a channel that 90% of people had to pay for to view the race.

Stewart said what he said for the fans – his fans – because of the grief that they put up with week in and week out and while most of it is caused by things that he does – the fans stand beside him regardless.

I stand beside him regardless.