Perversion for Breakfast

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Last week, ABC decided to advertise its primetime soap opera Betrayal during its Good Morning America program, and publicist Rebecca Seitz was shocked that her 8-year-old son was exposed to steamy sex scenes at 8 a.m.:

What HELL just ascended into my living room and burned itself into my precious boy’s brain? . . .
Really? This is what we’ve come to? Show titles like, Deception, Scandal, Pretty Little Liars, Betrayal, and Revenge? Simulated sex scenes at 8am?

She followed up to report that she had filed charges with the FCC: “How do we justify seeing evil and walking away?” Her story got picked up by The Blaze, and thanks to Moneyrunner for calling it to my attention, This should be a no-brainer for the networks: Whatever the standards are at 10 p.m. — and, frankly, those standards seem to be very low — you can’t be broadcasting that stuff at 8 a.m.

By all rights, Rebeca Seitz should win this fight. And then maybe she can do something about all those Viagra and Cialis ads, and after that? Joe Theisman’s prostate problems. I really don’t want to hear about anyone’s prostate, or their colon, for that matter.

 

 

35 comments

  1. I agree that it’s pretty inappropriate for daytime television, but you know if the FCC starts to clamp down on broadcasting based on some vague morality notions, it won’t be long before they find conservative/libertarian or republican advertisements or shows to be inappropriate.
    That’s why mom was there, she is the ultimate censor. Not the government.

  2. It’s all part of ABC’s keen understanding as parents themselves. What kids could possibly be home at 8AM in August?

  5. Over 10 years ago my wife and I ditched TV in all its forms (except for the tube itself; its sole purpose is DVDs). Our daughters, 5 and 3, will never know of it until well old enough to process what will unavoidably be seen. We do this because we both recall seeing things on ’70s TV when we were that age, which we wish we’d never seen. Things are only worse now. If you think you can’t live without TV, you’re wrong and only underestimate your own strength.

  7. Criminy christmas! When I was young, during summer, I was outside by dawn (fishing usually) and had to be coerced into coming into the house after the street lights came on. I didn’t set foot in the house all summer if I didn’t have to! Okay, it was hot (no A/C) and BORING. Fill a canteen with kool-aid, make a couple sandwiches and off I went on my bike, just as the sun began peeking over the horizon. Oh for those simple, carefree days of youth!

  9. Ah yes!! Koolaid, sammiches, a bike, and youth.
    I had to brought inside in chains. Perp walk every evening.

  10. I love how all those shows you mentioned are on (in announcer’s smarmy, confidence-assuring voice) ABC “Family.” In my market, when the 700 club (a religious broadcast that I don’t watch – I’m Christian, but Pat Robertson’s cheese has slid off his cracker) is about to come on, they issue a disclaimer that “this show does not reflect the values of ABC Family.” Of course it doesn’t; it’s not nearly trashy or sex-filled enough to qualify.

  11. “And then maybe she can do something about all those Viagra and Cialis ads, and after that? Joe Theisman’s prostate problems. I really don’t want to hear about anyone’s prostate, or their colon, for that matter.”

    We can also do without Vagisil, Monostat, etc.

    Gross.

    Best fall season network TV slogan: “Adverts for Perverts”. Kinda has a catchy ring to it.

  12. Ditto. Around noonish, every mother would start calling the kids for lunch–baloney sandwich, chips and a banana–then back out until dinner. Then back out until dark. We had baseball games that lasted all day. Thirty innings was a short game. Of course, adults with their desire to “organize” things screwed up our lives with little league.

  13. Richard Pryor used to do this bit where he was pointing out how bad commercials were getting. It went something like,
    “Pretty soon, you’ll be sitting down to dinner with the family, and on the TV will be a commercial with two guys on toilets, showing how much more sh*t brand A wipes off your ass than brand B.”

    This was back in 1975 or 6. He was trying to be absurd. Sadly, we’re pretty much there.

  14. And frankly, the deputies were getting tired of it…*g*

    We had the Bell. When we heard that ringing out the back door, we BETTER get our butts home.

  15. Bell? What bell?
    hard to hear when you sneak off to a friends house 6 blocks away. My dastardly mother, however, knew how her oldest boy thought and came and retrieved me.
    My memory seems to go blank about the aftermath.

  21. Have you seen the animated bears in the Charmin commercials? Every time one comes on, I have to think to myself: “Somebody thought of this. Somebody made this. And Somebody put it on the air. Seriously?”

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