Editor’s note: This column contains explicit language
Brian
My brother Matt: A caring and sensitive censor or East German Commie? You decide.
I have a penchant for using the word fuck far more than I should. It’s hard for me to stop because I feel it’s truly the most flexible word in the English language. It can hit you like a sledgehammer: “FUCK YOU!!” It can be used in a whisper: “Fuuuuuuck.” It can be used to describe something great: “That’s FUCKING awesome!” It can even be used to eulogize someone: “That guy was fucking great.”
Now, you should know my brother is the editor-in-chief of The Movie Brothers as well as the main content provider. I give him all the credit in the world because generally all I do is write but he not only does that, he also finds all those awesome youtube links for trailers and vids, makes those nice layouts, created a facebook and Twitter page, and finds links to other blog rolls to increase viewership. He really is the main brain behind all of this. I’ll also throw in that he’s a hell of a writer and my best friend. There, that love fest is over. Now, let’s get down to business.
I use, and might overuse according to Matt, curse words throughout my reviews as well as colorful sexual phrases. For example, when telling all of you not to see “Prince of Persia,” I referred to Jake Gyllenhall as the guy who got “buttfucked in Brokeback Mountain.” Now, I am by no means homophobic. I work in the entertainment business. But, I do think the word buttfucker is funny in the most sophomoric way. Matt deemed it too offensive for all of your sensitive eyes and used the word “catcher in Brokeback Mountain.” You’d laugh your ass off if you could hear the phone conversation between us while I described the merits of using the word buttfucker. There are many such instances where Matt dulls down my colorful verbage and vocabulary and I’ve always wondered what the readers thought.
Now, I of course respect all your opinions. Would you choose to read my uncensored reviews and write-ups or would you rather have it edited to sensitize the material?
Ha! I’ll vote for your liberty to swear on principle, but it’s a difficult question without seeing more of your uncensored writing. Swearing doesn’t offend me but unless it’s used artfully, it isn’t terribly interesting as a stylistic choice. Even Lewis Black, who refers to the word fuck as “a comma” and Lenny Bruce, who pioneered the art, really pick and choose when to let loose and when not to.
Couldn’t agree with you more.
However, I’m of the opinion that there are more clever ways to express yourself and still be funny.
I think “the guy who got butt fucked” is homophobic and really adds nothing for humor. I mainly take out the “F” word.
Agreed that “the guy who got buttfucked” isn’t terribly clever (sorry Brian); humor comes from the unexpected and that’s not very unexpected. But the best humor is visceral, not clever. So in your brother’s defense, not being able to go all the way — say use the word fuck or even buttfucker when needed — does hinder comic expression.
I should add, by the way, that I translate Aristophanes for a living, and that while I was still professoring I studied the philosophy of humor. So this is a subject dear to my heart. And, if I were still teaching, I’d assign Brian to read and watch the comedians I mentioned above before letting him swear
PS Women can buttfuck too. Dildos have been around for a very long time.
Excellent point. When I censure, I do try to keep his comedic voice, but just make it a little more palitable. I want to reach a wider audience. I think this limits us, and if someone was reading our blog for the first time, they’d be put off. At least I would.
And yes, women also have fun with the love canal.
Great comments! I’m adding you to our blog roll.
I see your point and it makes sense to poll your current readers on it. But as Mel Brooks said, there’s no point going up to the doorbell if you’re not going to ring it. How about this: do what the network censors do and allow him x number of high-octane swears per week? South Park and Family Guy have both talked about negotiating this way.
I’ll return the blogroll favor. I enjoy your reviews.
This is a discussion I’ve had with my better half many times. We both love to swear, and early on my blogs were littered with many colourful (and utterly hilarious) uses of the profane. However, she did point out that if you want to get anywhere with your blog in terms of exposure, you have to appeal to the conservative as well as the liberal. You have to remember that there are people out there with different sensibilities. There are thousands of the fuckers, in fact.
As a writer, I believe words have the power we give them. Every word is a man-made construct with no life of its own and no power to offend or outrage beyond that which we allow it. To ban the use of a word because it may offend says more about who we are than the use of the word says about the user. But this is the way of things and if you want to be heard, you have to restrict yourself to the socially acceptable thesaurus.
Hey Richard,
I absolutely believe that words have the power we give them.
Great example, my review of “Fagbug.” http://themoviebros.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/fagbug/
Check out the review and clips. This woman is gay and had “fag” spray-painted on her car. She drove it like that in the gay parade as a move of empowerment, then ended up taking it across country on an interesting story. She blended activism and journalism for a cool documentary.
It really is a great example of the power of words.
i love gossiping especially about celebrities of Hollywood movies.
thank u.
Lol. I feel you Brian. There’s something exciting about using forbidden words. They do add that roguish flavor!!
But Matt is right. This blog is here for posterity. You don’t want to be held responsible for corrupting the language of a generation of kids and future readers do you?.
Maybe you compromise I rogue word per post or better still the ‘British’ understatement.
“He/The director/movie had delusions of adequacy.” Walter Kerr compared to calling the director/movie/star a pile of dog poo?? lol
Thanks for all of the replies. I promise never to overuse it but I also feel Matt and I have differing styles in writing our reviews. That’s part of what makes our blog unique. I have no interest in offending anyone but I do love to make people laugh and if profanity hammers home the joke, well, fuck it, I’ll do it.
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