FCC Reviewing Golden Globes After Indecency Complaints

The FCC is reviewing NBC's telecast of The Golden Globes due to multiple complaints from viewers claiming that portions violated public indecency rules. The biggest moment of contention happened when The Wrestler director Darren Aronofsky "flipped the bird" at Best Actor winner Mickey Rourke. The moment came across to moment as playful jabbing between a director and his star actor. On the West Coast, NBC filled the screen with black to censor the two second shot. I remember in the second pro wrestling boom, Stone Cold Steve Austin would often flip the middle finger at opponents on cable television in prime time. I'm not sure if the rules changed after Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction or if the laws are different for cable broadcasts.

Some of the 18 complaints received also focused on objectionable language caught on mic by some award winners. I still find it amazing that 18 people can dictate what is and what isn't indecent on national television. It's actually pretty ridiculous if you think about it. I doubt that anything serious will come of this. Even the $500,000 fine the agency slapped CBS with after the Janet Jackson 2004 SuperBowl incident was later overturned by the courts. Thanks to /Film reader Ben O for the tip.

source: LA TImes