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I read that it was controversial for TV for it's time, but it doesn't really seem that way. There are other Seinfeld episodes that also deal with sexual situations like The Fuscilli Jerry or The Secretary episodes probably being the most sexually informative, yet for some reason The Contest was considered more controversial. Why is that?
I never thought it was controversial at the time. There was much worse on television in those days. It wasn’t like it aired in the 1950s.
It was probly "controversial" to a certain segment of the population, but most of us took it for the humor with which it was intended. I don't remember any special outrage over that episode but it could be memory loss. It certainly didn't create the stir that music lyrics caused where we had to have special hearings in D.C. and a parade of rockers got to appear before Congress. All of which resulted in those little stickers on CD's. I remember that vividly. We have a lot of hang ups about sex and sexuality in this country. While at the same time being one of the top producers and consumers of porn. Makes me laugh.
And all that happened in the ‘80s, not the ‘90s. And it was Tipper Gore leading the charge!
Oh okay I just never saw Elaine as pioneer character but an average character for her time. I mean if we are talking in terms of her sexuality, as it was said before, it's not like Elaine did anything risque, such as have a threesome with two guys or anything like that.
We are talking network television, not HBO. They still had some prohibitions.
But that's what I mean though. Because network TV had prohibitions in the 90s, I don't think it was possible for Elaine to considered a sexual pioneer character. I don't think anyone could be a sexual pioneer character in the 90s with NBC restrictions, could they?
But that's what I mean though. Because network TV had prohibitions in the 90s, I don't think it was possible for Elaine to considered a sexual pioneer character. I don't think anyone could be a sexual pioneer character in the 90s with NBC restrictions, could they?
I don’t even know why they’re saying she was a sexual pioneer, unless they’re limiting it entirely to sitcoms. Even then it’s a stretch. They’d already done everything on network tv by then. The only controversial thing from the ‘90s that I recall was homosexual kissing. They’d already had plenty of homosexual characters, but no kissing.
There weren’t that many restrictions. They’d already had butt showing in that one cop drama. Maybe NYPD Blues? Hill Street Blues? Can’t recall. But I don’t think they ever really talked about threesomes though.
Last edited by katygirl68; 03-10-2019 at 02:47 PM..
But that's what I mean though. Because network TV had prohibitions in the 90s, I don't think it was possible for Elaine to considered a sexual pioneer character. I don't think anyone could be a sexual pioneer character in the 90s with NBC restrictions, could they?
Masturbation was a taboo subject. To the best of my knowledge, Seinfeld was the first show to tackle it.
Regarding Ellen being groundbreaking, the thing is...she was a main character on her show, and she was not only coming out on the show but also in real life. Ellen has discussed this in recent years, and she said she thought she wouldn't ever again be able to get work in Hollywood.
The Norman Lear shows (All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, etc.) from the 70s dealt with these controversial subjects through guest characters. No, not masturbation...but gay and transgender stuff. Lots of it on All in the Family.
There was also an episode of Different Strokes that was about a child molester.
As for Elaine, I do consider her to be a sexual pioneer character. At the time, she openly discussed sexual topics unlike any other female television characters that I can recall.
Cable shows -- especially Sex in the City -- completely changed the landscape.
The bolded part is not true. There was an episode in the last season involving the Puerto Rican day parade that generated a lot of controversy and I don't think that episode has aired again.
The Puerto Rican Day was initially held out of syndication but has now been aired for many years - since 2002.
There's an exceptional amount of political correctness surrounding national flags. Imagine for a moment the level of hysteria had it been the American flag in the episode.
Well when it comes to the Ellen coming out that she's gay, did the writers intend this from the beginning, or did it come off as forced, like they were just doing it for shock value? Was it natural, and built up?
we learned about an episode that Larry Charles wrote, but it was so dark that the director Tom Cherones and Julia Louis-Dreyfus nixed it. It was called “The Gun,” and the script for that episode also revealed Kramer’s original first name, Conrad.
Quote:
NBC censors pretty much let Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David get away with whatever they wanted on “Seinfeld.” One of the few exceptions was a proposed episode in which George got in trouble for observing, “You know, I have never seen a black person order a salad.”
Uh-uh, said NBC. An entire episode on masturbation? Fine by us. But there will no joking about the dietary habits of African-Americans on this show. The script was nixed.
Well when it comes to the Ellen coming out that she's gay, did the writers intend this from the beginning, or did it come off as forced, like they were just doing it for shock value? Was it natural, and built up?
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