Swearing on Home And Away

[Amii]

This is quite silly but I was just thinking about it...

Where does Home and Away draw the line with language censorship?

The other day they let Jack say "pissed", and some characters used to say "friggin" and "crap".

yet they say "witch" instead of the obvious.

It makes it more realistic when they hint at swearing... for instance when Johnny was hassling Rocco in that classroom last year, and then he grabbed the textbook, Rocco said "Johnny, just give me the fu--" and it seemed like he was gonna say "give me the f****** textbook"..

So they can hint at it but can't say it. They can say "pissed" but not "s**t".

Do you think this is realistic or what? Discuss?

[JessToveyFan!!!]

It makes it more relistic, yes!. because people swear in real life, and its portraying that.

[Sam =)]

I am honestly not at all bothered by it and my 6 yr old brother watches it and my parents dont care.

I mean it's alot less swearing then he hears in the shool yard it is just what happens in life I mean everyone has heard the word sh!t.

[pritnep]

You also have to remember it's not really as much to do with 'realism' as it is with timeslot restrictions and guidelines that Home and Away has to abide by to stay at it's 7pm timeslot. Although yes you are right as of late they have pushed the mark at little more but generally only the older audience would pick up on it.

[emmasi]

Martha's been yelling at people to BACK off, and the way she says it, I can just tell that she's not wanting to say "back" if you know what I mean

My mother says that people who rely on swear words are ignorant and lazy, but sometimes I think it's more effective to swear than to say something that makes no sense. Eg, if they're going to use words on H&A like "slag" then I'd rather they just go ahead and call someone a slut - how much more effective does that sound, honestly?

I'm not big on swearing, but in the past month or so, I've really wanted Martha to tell someone to f*ck off, and for Lucas to call Belle a sl*t. Sometimes I think it's called for to show how truly angry someone is. Pulling punches like that can sometimes trivialise the drama.

Of course, having said that, to use words like that over and over again would rob them of their effect. You'd hear it the 5th time and say "So what? They always say that. No big deal." Kind of the way pissed is now - they don't use it as a swear word, they just use it as a word. Due to overuse and loss of impact, words like slag and witch have just become ridiculous and only serve to remind us that we're being cheated out of the truth of what a character actually wants to say.

[Sam =)]

I know I never pick up on the swearing but I think it's more it just dusn't bother me I mean it's just general every day language.

I mean I know I must say sh!t and alot worse words than that on a daily basis.

[Andy]

So they can hint at it but can't say it. They can say "pissed" but not "s**t".

Under the 7pm PG classification, they can say "sh-t" if they want to.

They won't because they know it will have to be removed for screening in earlier timeslots overseas.

[Drew]

They can also say bitch, that falls under G but H&A never use it Neighbours do though!

[Liz]

So they can hint at it but can't say it. They can say "pissed" but not "s**t".

Under the 7pm PG classification, they can say "sh-t" if they want to.

They won't because they know it will have to be removed for screening in earlier timeslots overseas.

Quite. I'd rather there was less realism in characters' reactions, having them not swear, than miss scenes due to Five Censor!Craziness.

[~Rosey~]

I'm not really fussed bythe swearing on the show. i'm 14 and i swear abit (just not infront or parents) on a daily basis.

I like alf and Irenes swearing. It funny in a weird sorta way.