I dislike the over use of swear words primarily because it devalues the currency. The breaking of taboos is fertile ground for comedy, but only so long as the taboo retains its potency. Which is what I find so depressing about the endless feeble knob gags of someone such as Jonathon Ross, or even the much more talented Frankie Boyle's over-reliance on shock.

The masturbation storyline and the "f**k" gag worked so well in NGO precisely because it is an essentially cosy show. And because these references were not casual throwaways. The masturbation storyline depended on this being a taboo, while the "f**k" gag was carefully set up, and again relied on the fact that the use of "f**k" is a taboo.

Seen both episodes of Series 3 now and it is the only thing that has made me laugh out loud this Year.

Even the wife cracked a smile and chortles (albeit at the unfunny bits) but this is progress

Well done Lee Mack

Really looking forward to the next few episodes and am now considering buying the previous series' on DVD

lol@thewordf**k.

Quote: Andrew Collins @ February 10 2009, 10:34 AM GMT

You simply cannot make a comedy to please everybody. If you took everything out that *might* offend somebody you'd end up with nothing. If I hear a character say, "What the shitting hell is going on?" I for one would know that it was a substitute for a stronger word and it would distract me. It was a very brief sequence about Tourette's.

One of my favourite TV programmes is The Wire; they swear all the way through it, which is an accurate reflection of the modern urban milieu in which it's set. I don't actually like the amount of f**ks in Gordon Ramsay's programmes, but I like the programmes and put up with them. If somebody said they couldn't watch his programmes because of the swearing, I'd understand. But one swear word? One single swear word used for comic effect? That's a level of sensitivity to language I can't really get my head around. Sorry.

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I can't argue with the notion that "comedy to please everybody" doesn't exist, and as an aside NGO pleases me a great deal even if others don't like it. I like the odd use of the F word for comic effect as well, it's great. The surprise element makes it work. I'm just interested in the thinking in this case, where "f**k" wasn't the laugh-line, but the set-up. If no-one is laughing at the swearing, does it have to be one of the strongest words, or could something else do the feed role just as well? That was the basis of my query. I guess you have answered that the characters have to say what they say naturally to make it work. I'm not sure I agree in this case, but fair enough, and thanks for explaining.

Sorry to everyone for making a relatively trivial point about a funny episode, but it could have been worse - someone could have started a debate about the relative merits of the 1982 World Cup players.

So, f**k that - what about the BAFTAs?

No one was to know that the F-word was only to be used once in that episode. If it was allowed once, it would be allowed twice - or even on a regular basis. I think it would have been funnier if it was bleeped. She could have said it as many times as she liked then and the bleeping would have made it funnier. For what it's worth, I think that scene could have been handled better, and there could have easily have been a compromise with no one being offended at all.

One of the great things about Tim Vine's stand up act is that he never swears. He's cleverer than that - he doesn't need to go the Jimmy Carr route.

And none of the classic sitcoms ever used it - Only Fools and Horses went through it's whole run without it and is largely thought to be the best sitcom of them all.

There was an awful lot of profanity in A Fish Called Wanda, now every time they said the f-word in that, it suddenly made the tone very serious, and it was almost like I was watching a really gritty gangster film. The follow-up, "Fierce Creatures" didn't have any swearing, and I think it was a better film for it - although, of course, it was a better film anyway. There's a comfort in knowing that when you sit down to watch something, you're not going to be offended. That's why shows like The Generation Game were so popular.

It's not really a case of patronising the audience. Frasier was a very adult (i.e. sophisticated) show, which wouldn't appeal to kids (although I started watching it when I was 9). There were never any F-words in it, but it was still an adult show with sophisticated jokes. Ironically, I think a programme like South Park which uses profanity on a regular basis goes the other way completely and appears childish.

I'm not a prude, but I was offended by the utterance in Not Going Out, and it's consequently tainted my view of the programme.

If its use once has tainted your view of a show Dave, then I find that bizzarre, to say the least. It was used as a set-up in a post watershed show. I don't really see what all the debate is about.

Quote: Dave @ February 11 2009, 3:10 AM GMT

There was an awful lot of profanity in A Fish Called Wanda. "Fierce Creatures" didn't have any swearing, and I think it was a better film for it - although, of course, it was a better film anyway.

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You as crazy as a coconut!

Firstly, episode 2 was very funny and well-plotted. Nice one Andrew.
The use of the word "f**k" was completely appropriate and justified. Like others don't understand what the fuss is about. It served a particular and funny comedic purpose.
I can understand why some may have found its use unusual for a show in NGO's style and, yes, perhaps (a la Linehan) it might have been funnier to have the word bleeped.
In the context of the episode as a whole it just seems churlish. It was a very funny episode, leave it at that.
Swearing density in sitcom is no guide to indicate the funniness or imagination of a writer in a sitcom. Style influences content. There's nothing lazy or cheap about 'Peep Show' which is swearword heavy (in general).

Surprised this gets mixed reviews, for any sort of entertainment it's funny, even if one line isn't another one crops up immediately that is.

How much are tickets to watch the recording of a sitcom?

Freeee.

Quote: johnny smith @ February 11 2009, 2:31 PM GMT

How much are tickets to watch the recording of a sitcom?

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Tickets to watch sitcoms being filmed are always free. You've missed Not Going Out, as all the episodes for this series were filmed last year. See our tickets page for the shows currently recording that you can watch for free:

https://www.comedy.co.uk/schedule/coming_up/tickets/

Dear 'Points of View'

Why, oh why, oh why, do broacasters insist on putting swear words in their programmes?

I was enjoying a nice sitcom about two men pretending to be blind and disabled in order to swindle insurance money but then a woman - a woman! - said the F word. I was so shocked, I stabbed both my sleeping children to death so they wouldn't have to live in a world full of sweary badness.

It is a well known fact that whenever someone says the F word on television, teenagers become pregnant, house prices fall sharply and a pixie dies - luckily, in my village, we burn Tourettes victims at the stake because they are full of devils.

In future, whenever a Tourettes 'demon' is featured on a television show, they should only use nice swear words like 'poo', 'bum' and occassionaly 'wee wees'. Scratch that, do not put disabled people on television ever as it puts me off my dinner.

Yes, I enjoy racey, post watershed comedy - except when it is shown after the watershed and is racey.

All the best,

Colonel Theopolis J Thunderbird XV - Martian Defense Force (Ret)

P.s. The radiator people are back and I'm scared.