Money for Nothing, except to pay fines

and I still listen to the radio every time I'm driving

Can't take the word out of context, and in-context it is not offensive. It's like Archie Bunker saying "You dumb Polack" in prime-time (and a few worse). The context there is that Archie Bunker is a negative hero -- he is the object of derision and not Mike.

The context *here* is a disgruntled blue-collar worker talking about a glam rockstar, and the guy actually performing the song *is* the little faggot.

I remember many years ago a very smart man using "Centerfold" as a focal point in a sermon on how corrupted our society had become, when

Was there hatred intended with that lyric? No. This is unbelievable.

shabbs wrote:Was there hatred intended with that lyric? No. This is unbelievable.

Actually yes, there was hatred. The purpose of the lyric is to make fun of the Rock star, and using this word as an insult, thus hatred was intended.

The term "faggot" has become a taboo word, much like the n word, or calling a Jewish person the k word, or a woman the c word. The term is derogatory, that's the entire point. The issue is not the homophobia of it all, it's that that word is no longer acceptable, nor should it be.

Dash wrote:

Bass Destruction wrote:How is this pathetic??? He uses the term "faggot" as a derision against rockstars. Would it be ok if instead of "faggot" he dropped an 'n' bomb? And if he did, should that be allowed to play on the radio?

The CBSC isn't banning it from shows, or being played in bars, only from being played on the radio. I have zero problem with that, and furthermore, support it.

He's a rock star He's referring to himself and only in the manner in that he sings about - jealous jocks being mad at these nerds that are rich and famous and get all the chicks.

There's a whole lot worse out there being sung that nobodies cries about.

But the issue here isn't every other song, it's this song and this lyric, and really just this word. It's become a word that should not be used. Period.

wprager wrote:Can't take the word out of context, and in-context it is not offensive. It's like Archie Bunker saying "You dumb Polack" in prime-time (and a few worse). The context there is that Archie Bunker is a negative hero -- he is the object of derision and not Mike.

The context *here* is a disgruntled blue-collar worker talking about a glam rockstar, and the guy actually performing the song *is* the little faggot.

I remember many years ago a very smart man using "Centerfold" as a focal point in a sermon on how corrupted our society had become, when

Ok, so if instead of little faggot he said motherfocker it would be ok, because the guy who is performing the song *is* the motherfocker? One should be allowed to swear on the radio if you are just swearing about yourself?

Bass Destruction wrote:

wprager wrote:Can't take the word out of context, and in-context it is not offensive. It's like Archie Bunker saying "You dumb Polack" in prime-time (and a few worse). The context there is that Archie Bunker is a negative hero -- he is the object of derision and not Mike.

The context *here* is a disgruntled blue-collar worker talking about a glam rockstar, and the guy actually performing the song *is* the little faggot.

I remember many years ago a very smart man using "Centerfold" as a focal point in a sermon on how corrupted our society had become, when

Ok, so if instead of little faggot he said motherfocker it would be ok, because the guy who is performing the song *is* the motherfocker? One should be allowed to swear on the radio if you are just swearing about yourself?

Check m-w.com (Merriam-Webster's online dictionary) for "faggot" and your word (spelled properly) and you will see a significant difference in how it is described. One is "disparaging" and the other is "extremely offensive in all its uses and should always be avoided".

Please do not equate the two. The word itself is not offensive but has a derogatory meaning. It's like calling a French national a "frog" -- the word "frog" is not offensive but using it to refer to someone who is French is considered derogatory (although no-one seems to complain when Brits are called "limeys", which has a similar background to "frog", but that's another rant).

Bass Destruction wrote:

shabbs wrote:Was there hatred intended with that lyric? No. This is unbelievable.

Actually yes, there was hatred. The purpose of the lyric is to make fun of the Rock star, and using this word as an insult, thus hatred was intended.

The term "faggot" has become a taboo word, much like the n word, or calling a Jewish person the k word, or a woman the c word. The term is derogatory, that's the entire point. The issue is not the homophobia of it all, it's that that word is no longer acceptable, nor should it be.

You don't think he's making fun of the guy delivering refrigerators? Did you see the video? Doesn't paint the blue-collar worker in a very positive light.

Bass Destruction wrote:

shabbs wrote:Was there hatred intended with that lyric? No. This is unbelievable.

Actually yes, there was hatred. The purpose of the lyric is to make fun of the Rock star, and using this word as an insult, thus hatred was intended.

The term "faggot" has become a taboo word, much like the n word, or calling a Jewish person the k word, or a woman the c word. The term is derogatory, that's the entire point. The issue is not the homophobia of it all, it's that that word is no longer acceptable, nor should it be.

I don't equate "making fun of" with "hatred". I view them as two very different things.

You also have to realize that these words have been used out of context for so long now that they really lose a lot of meaning. How often do you hear the word "happy" being tossed around.

"Oh that is so happy" "That show is happy" "I got a 70 on my test... that's happy"

or the word "challenged" (which has since been changed by the AAMR to the AA of Intellectual Disabilities).... people will use that word to refer to anything as "challenged".

I'm not sugegsting it is right to use it, as with a lot of words that have lost meaning and effect, there are still people that will get offended. Afterall, there are still people from the 50s that disapprove of blacks.

You also look at the use of the word that black people now call each other... you know the one.

And in the song, the so called "faggot" has his own jet airplane and is a millionaire. Afterall, he is earning "money for nothing" and getting "chicks for free". So, how does a "faggot" then, if being used to describe a happy person, get "chicks for free" according to the guy calling him that?

Dash wrote:You also have to realize that these words have been used out of context for so long now that they really lose a lot of meaning. How often do you hear the word "happy" being tossed around.

"Oh that is so happy" "That show is happy" "I got a 70 on my test... that's happy"

or the word "challenged" (which has since been changed by the AAMR to the AA of Intellectual Disabilities).... people will use that word to refer to anything as "challenged".

I'm not sugegsting it is right to use it, as with a lot of words that have lost meaning and effect, there are still people that will get offended. Afterall, there are still people from the 50s that disapprove of blacks.

You also look at the use of the word that black people now call each other... you know the one.

And in the song, the so called "faggot" has his own jet airplane and is a millionaire. Afterall, he is earning "money for nothing" and getting "chicks for free". So, how does a "faggot" then, if being used to describe a happy person, get "chicks for free" according to the guy calling him that?

I agree with you, all these words are offensive, and that's why they get bleeped out on the radio. Whether people choose to use those words or not, it's their own choice, and I'm not defending that or even talking about that.

After all, the Black Eyed Peas song "Let's Get it Started" is actually called "Let's Get challenged", but was changed for the radio. Including the line "bob your head like epilepsy" which was changed to "bob your head like apl.d does".

wprager wrote:

Bass Destruction wrote:

wprager wrote:Can't take the word out of context, and in-context it is not offensive. It's like Archie Bunker saying "You dumb Polack" in prime-time (and a few worse). The context there is that Archie Bunker is a negative hero -- he is the object of derision and not Mike.

The context *here* is a disgruntled blue-collar worker talking about a glam rockstar, and the guy actually performing the song *is* the little faggot.

I remember many years ago a very smart man using "Centerfold" as a focal point in a sermon on how corrupted our society had become, when

Ok, so if instead of little faggot he said motherfocker it would be ok, because the guy who is performing the song *is* the motherfocker? One should be allowed to swear on the radio if you are just swearing about yourself?

Check m-w.com (Merriam-Webster's online dictionary) for "faggot" and your word (spelled properly) and you will see a significant difference in how it is described. One is "disparaging" and the other is "extremely offensive in all its uses and should always be avoided".

Please do not equate the two. The word itself is not offensive but has a derogatory meaning. It's like calling a French national a "frog" -- the word "frog" is not offensive but using it to refer to someone who is French is considered derogatory (although no-one seems to complain when Brits are called "limeys", which has a similar background to "frog", but that's another rant).

Actually the word itself is offensive, extremely so. And it's not like calling a Frenchman a "frog". To homosexual person, the term "faggot" is extremely offensive. It's an extreme derision, and actually somewhat insulting to equate "frog" with "faggot". "Faggot" and "motherfocker" are actually very similar actually, only that "faggot" has only recently started to be considered an extreme insult with homosexuals getting more equal rights, and people being more educated about it.

Both words are meant to be insulting to the person being called that. A word like "faggot" is offensive to the people who are in that group. Like the n word, or k word for Jewish people. You ask a homosexual which they'd rather be called "faggot" or "motherfocker" and you'll see whether or not they find it offensive or not.

Without getting too much into this topic, I +1'd BD's original comment because I reacted emotionally to the word itself, as I do to many of the other words mentioned above (beginning with "N", "C", "K", etc). I just want to say that I think I should have taken a second before reacting. I don't care for the conflation of homosexual-specific terminology with negativity ("That's so happy" etc) anymore than I care for female-specific terminology conflated in a similar way. Blah, blah, blah. The point is, I don't know the song; I don't understand the context, and I shouldn't have commented at all.

Rant complete.

For the record, if my example of "That's so happy" seems odd, understand that the language police politically correct device filter altered the original word that once meant happy but now is generally taken to mean something entirely different.

I'm sorry, but do fat women get upset when they hear "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen?

This has been blown out of proportion, and it's all because of some woman in the Maritimes who has nothing else to do but call into radio stations to complain about a word that probably doesn't even relate to her.

Big Ev wrote:I'm sorry, but do fat women get upset when they hear "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen?

This has been blown out of proportion, and it's all because of some woman in the Maritimes who has nothing else to do but call into radio stations to complain about a word that probably doesn't even relate to her.

If it were Fat Bottomed C Word then yes, they would get upset.

If this song was released today people would be shocked if it wasent censored.

spader wrote:For the record, if my example of "That's so happy" seems odd, understand that the language police politically correct device filter altered the original word that once meant happy but now is generally taken to mean something entirely different.

We had a Scottish kid back in highschool. I remember I think it was math class, he was sitting there smiling to himself and obviously not paying attention to the teacher. The teacher asked him "Are you happy" to which he replied "Oh, yes, I'm very g-a-y."

Well, that was the end of that class.