Decker

TV
People v. O.J. Simpson shocks viewers with a very bad swear word

Is this the first time we've heard THAT word on basic cable?

by James Hibberd • @JamesHibberd
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

Posted February 17 2016 — 1:07 PM EST

FX series The People v. O.J. Simpson is guilty – guilty! – of using a rather bad swear word during Tuesday night’s episode, one that had viewers wondering if this was the first time the curse had ever been said on basic cable.

At the end of the third episode of the acclaimed American Crime Story miniseries, which airs at 10 p.m., prosecutor Marcia Clark (Sarah Paulson) realizes famed attorney Johnnie Cochran (Courtney Vance) had joined Simpson’s (Cuba Gooding Jr.) defense team. “Cochran … motherf—er,” she says with exasperation.

By uttering that 12-letter word, it seemed to some viewers that a non-premium network finally said the last of late comic Geoge Carlin’s famous list of Seven Dirty Words You Can Never Say on TV. Twitter, naturally, lit up.

Unlike the Big 5 broadcast networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, The CW) – which are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission and are required to follow certain decency guidelines – basic cable networks can essentially air whatever they want. In other words, networks like MTV, TNT, AMC, FX, and Discovery Channel are not actually prohibited from airing HBO-levels of sex, language, and violence, but chose to generally aim for PG to PG-13-level content. Basic cable nets have a set of internal guidelines in an effort to stay on brand, attract a broad audience and to create an advertiser-friendly environment. FX in general (and American Crime Story executive producer Ryan Murphy in particular) have pushed the basic cable envelope for years, though both declined to comment on this one.

So was this really the first time “motherf—er” has ever been said uncensored on basic cable?

No. Comedy Central has aired the word in its uncensored comedy specials – but only after 1 a.m. (muting the word when its specials run earlier). This might be, however, the first time the word has ever been used in primetime, especially in a scripted drama. FX has used the word “f–k” a few times before, but not “motherf–ker.”

Still, there’s arguably an even worse hot-button word being repeatedly uttered on People v. O.J. Simpson. And it’s a word that had Twitter users far more upset last night: “Kardashian.”

The People v. O.J. Simpson airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on FX.

dave94

I was wondering about that when I saw his name in the opening credits but then realized they wanted Evan Handler in the interview footage with King.

DJariya

Looking forward to tonight's episode. Looking forward to seeing the actor playing Fred Goldman.

writer106

Tonight's episode was decent. Travolta did ok here. Courtney B.Vance is doing quite well. This episode again shows that Connie Britton was the wrong pick for Faye Resnick. Another F bomb tonight.

TheStoicPaisano

Apparently Larry's wig cost $7500. Hate to think about the costs of recreating the CNN set.

Soundtrack continues to be the best part of this show.

DJariya

Very entertaining episode.

Forgot that Faye Resnick's book was such a big deal back then. Loved seeing the power struggle between Cochran and Shapiro.

at the end.....O.J.: When did they get a black guy?

Gunde

As long as words on TV is an issue, America is in trouble.

Jadzia

I have no idea who that African-American actress is playing the female lawyer on OJs defense team, but wow, if they ever make the Condoleezza Rice story she would be a shoo-in to play her.

DRG

His portrayal here seems to be better when he's angry or animated as he drops the weird Dr. Evil impression and at acts like a normal human being.

Double_Oh_7

Was OJ really that delusional during the whole thing? Cuba's playing it like OJ doesn't understand why he's in trouble.

mphtrilogy

best week for travolta so far, I was buying his performance this week...

really interesting decisions here by marcia clark to let that jury stand..

vance and paulson continue to be stellar

didnt love the connie as faye, but I do like connie overall so I was ok with it...

Josh-da-man

I recall that, during the trial, some people thought OJ was on some kind of drugs or sedatives because it seemed like he was zoned out most of the time.

Jackskeleton

yeah, I remember him always looking like a deer in head lights during the trail.

JeffTheAlpaca

C+C music Factory "Everybody Dance Now" a song probably a hit in 1990 was played out in 1994 so it was a strange decision to use that on the show.

When Johnie Cochran was talking to OJ in jail I was having flashbacks of Michael Irvin yelling on NFL Gameday.

DRG

I wondered about that, too, but figured since it was a flashback that it was supposed to be OJ thinking of a fun moment from the past? But I think it would have made more sense to go with a 70s or 80s scene to make that more clear, and considering that was probably his real heyday if were to reminisce.

Red Dog

"If these people convict me, maybe I did do it."

Decker

Amazing episode. Best so far. The Cochran - OJ jail scene and the Fred Goldman monologue to Clark were both stellar. Loved the focus group stuff and the jury selection. Paulson and Vance looking to seriously throw a wrench into the Fargo S2 Emmy sweep that I predicted previously. This show is firing on all cylinders.

Defiant1

Yeah, the club scene was a flashback. I am really enjoying the 90s soundtrack though. I loved hearing Engima's "Sadeness, Pt. I" back in the pilot episode.

Really loving this show. I'm already looking forward to Season 2: Hurricane Katrina.

mhg83

How is Katrina going to work? Was there a Trial in the aftermath?

They should do Season 3 on Casey Anthony.

Decker

I'd heard about their Katrina plans and also wondered how it would work. Seems more like American Incompetency Story than American Crime Story. After Spike Lee's excellent HBO Documentary and Treme, I can't imagine much interest in a new re-visit of that story. I'll tune in, but it doesn't sound that exciting a topic (I assume they'll bring Courtney B. Vance back in some role).
I think the most interesting one would have been Watergate. Sure we've seen the crime as an investigative procedural, but I think it could make a very interesting judicial procedural. So would Iran-Contra as well. Of course neither of those cases have the opportunity for much diversity in the cast.

edit : Found this article online.
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‘American Crime Story’ Season 2 Will Be About Hurricane Katrina



American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson won’t premiere on FX for another few weeks, but Ryan Murphy is already making plans for season two. The executive producer has revealed that the next installment of the true-crime anthology series will focus on Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans in late summer 2005. More details on American Crime Story season 2 after the jump.

Strictly speaking, Katrina isn’t a crime story, or at least not in the way the O.J. Simpson trial was one. But the show’s aim extends beyond criminal investigations and court cases, to big moments in American culture. “Ones where there are before and after moments, and they change the way we look at the subject at hand,” executive producer Nina Jacobson explained to THR. “There is plenty of true crime stuff available on TV, but [this is about] the degree to which certain pieces come to stand for much more.”

Besides, Murphy pointed out, the Hurricane Katrina tragedy was a crime in a broader sense. “I want this show to be a socially conscious, socially aware examination of different types of crime around the world,” he said. “And in my opinion, Katrina was a f—ing crime — a crime against a lot of people who didn’t have a strong voice and we’re going to treat it as a crime. That’s what this show is all about.”

The broader focus is probably a smart move. True crime is incredibly popular right now, as evidenced by the success of Serial, The Jinx, Making a Murderer, etc., and American Crime Story could stand out from the crowd by offering a slightly different variation on the genre. The show will follow six to eight characters across multiple aspects of the disaster, “from the Superdome to the hospital to those who were put on buses and dropped off with babies who were forced to wear trash bags for multiple days.”

The story isn’t the only thing that’ll change between the first and second seasons of American Crime Story, however. Scott Alexander and Larry Karasewski, who wrote the first season, will not return for the second. Instead, they’ll be busy adapting Jeffrey Toobin’s book about Patty Hearst into a movie. The producers are already speaking with other writers for American Crime Story season 2.

While American Crime Story hasn’t officially been renewed for season 2, the producers are clearly (and quite reasonably) optimistic. The current plan is to shoot season 2 in New Orleans this fall, for a February 2017 premiere date. The first season of American Crime Story, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J. Simpson and John Travolta as Robert Shapiro, kicks off February 2. “O.J. is a hard act to follow,” admitted executive producer Brad Simpson.

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Really upset to read that Alexander and Karasewki won't be back. The show might be very different in feel without them involved.

Jadzia

I wish they would do the Manson family. I recently saw a documentary about that trial and it sounds as crazy as the OJ trial. (I was born the month it concluded so I didn't know all the details.)

There actually are quite a few parallels between that case and this one as far as the impact on media and popular culture.

Josh-da-man

I could see the Menendez Brothers being a potential story.

Maybe a serial killer story... Zodiac, Green River, or BTK?

They already did H. H. Holmes on AHS: Hotel.

MLBFan24

While I find the Zodiac mystery extremely fascinating, Fincher's Zodiac is near perfection, in my opinion.

Maybe a season about the Unabomber?

Deftones

So are we going to start hearing fuck on other cable shows now?

ultimaton

DVR cut-off as Shaprio was packing for his Hawaiian vacation and arguing with his wife, can somebody give me a rundown of the last few minutes?