Friday, August 3, 2012

Sex and Mainstream Media

Kate: The TV was on this morning and tuned to the CBS early early morning news program, and out of my morning grogginess, I heard the word "sex" used in a commercial on a network (not cable).  The cobwebs cleared immediately and I asked Spence--"Did I just hear the word "sex" used in a TV ad?"
He confirmed that I had INDEED just heard the word "sex."

It was a Vagisil personal hygiene ad and, until now, they've always said "intimacy."
It's startling the first time you hear a taboo word used on a network. Now the line has been crossed and it will no doubt become the norm.  I'm sure it's already accepted in other countries.

While I didn't see the ad since my eyes were closed, I'm SURE the woman had a wedding ring on.(Just like the condom ads.)

I'm a follower of trends so I'm not personally or morally shocked, it's just an observation of a "first."

Spence:  I prefer the word "congress."

5 comments:

Fred Mangels said...

I'm somewhat bothered by TV commercials about his and hers K-Y gels?

I watched that show Two and a Half Men in its entirety for the first time the other night. Mostly cause the wife was watching it. I'd only seen the last couple minutes before while waiting for whatever was next on TV.

I was stunned by the open sexual references. One recurring statement was an overt reference to masturbation. The show started out with one guy saying he was going to stay home and wack off (not the term used) to porn.

I am certainly no prude- GO Playboy Channel and Pay- Per- View Porn! Quite the opposite. For some reason I'm uncomfortable with overt sex and references to it on prime time TV.

I'm not suggesting we go back to that day. I suppose I'd just prefer prime time TV shows use the same discretion most of us use in our personal lives.

Fred Mangels said...

Didn't mean to put the question mark at the end of the first sentence above.

Fred Mangels said...

Also, disregard first sentence in last paragraph.

The Editors said...

Fred, it all went bad when Mike and Carol Brady were sleeping in the same bed.

Kate said...

It's 8:45 a.m. on a Saturday morning and it was on. Yesterday I heard the same ad before 7 a.m. and it said "intimacy." This is that moment in time with our culture is making a slight shift.