I've noticed the word "dick" appearing on TV, lately. No, not as in someone's name, as in describing a penis. Last I heard, this was one of the 7 words you can't say on television... what gives?

(not that I'm complaining. Censorship is suck unless it is just a blatant abuse of something, aka porn, racist remarks, gratuitious violence, etc...)

What TV shows? I'm wondering what TV shows this is happening on?

SNL
the new show with kim delany (isn't that her name, from nypd blue?)

Boston Public's premier. I think I heard it on Ally McBeal, as well.. not sure

"Dick" was not on George Carlin's "7 dirty words" list, although "piss" was and folks have been "pissed off" on TV for at least a couple of years now.

It's only a matter of time before they'll be using the "F" word. When that happens the only word you can't say on TV will be the "N" word.

You can now say "ass-wipe" on TV.

Rapid degradation of television censorship kicks ass!

The great Crow of Mystery Science Theater 3000 was fond of the alternate term "dickweed", one assumes because they were at the time not allowed to say "dick".

Wizdar, much to your delight they've been sying the "N" word on television for years.

Yes, but it's pronounced "ahz-wee-pay" .

Bjaarker jr

I remember that skit

Don't know what I did to deserve the attitude.

And while you're correct about past practices, you're not about the current situation. I neither "delight" (as you obviously infer) nor lament. I was merely pointing out the irony. It’s not a word that I would use.

Sorry, i thought the rolling eyes meant you thought the N word is something that should be allowed on TV.

What precisely is the irony of not being able to say the "N" word but being able to say "dick"?

ben called someone a dick on felicity over a year ago i remember.

Yeah that right, forgot about that.

Also this past weekend, on some comedy show late night on NBC, after Conan, some woman comic used the phrase "hand job" on several occasions. But this was late late at night so the standards may be different.

OK. I give. Since I didn't say that, this must be a new question?

I read or heard somewhere that you can say dick and pus$y on tv if you're using to describe somebody or calling somebody a name. but not if you're talking about that part of the body.

ex:
can say: "Dude, you are a dick."
can't say: "Hey everybody, look at my dick"

I believe the samething goes for piss and ****. you can be "pissed off, or "shitty" about something. but you can't "take a ****" or "take a piss".

I forget where i heard that at.
anybody know if this is true?

Serious answer: If memory serves me, I believe it first came into use on NYPD Blue.

As far as Boston Public goes, they showed a disclaimer before the show started. It said something to the effect of "This episode contains coarse language"..........

that's all pretty much true if I remember the FCC rules I had to learn to DJ in college. Those 7 words you can't say aren't just a George Carlin thing as someone pointed out above....they are FCC regulations and while "dick" isn't specifically one of them....the rule is any of these 7 or their derivations......
I don't quite remember but I think "c***sucker" is the one listed for that kind of word.
but yes, if I remember correctly....
calling someone a word like "dick" is considered different than using that word to refer to anatomy like was used on "Philly"..... the guy who plays Kim Delany's ex-husband used it a way to say "my dick" referring to his anatomy......
that was explicitly forbidden moreso than saying "he's a dick"....
same with "he's as ass" vs. "lick my ass" or something like that.

there are also certain times of day that are "safe" times...but I don't remember when they are.....perhaps as early as 10pm, thus Philly is safe for 10pm EST.....
or maybe the FCC is just more lax about things these days....
who knows?

Loosening on network's standard and practices. Not long ago, you couldn't say bitch, let alone dick.

But they still generally bleep the "God" out of "God Damn!"

As I flipped through the channels last night, I watched a bit of NYPD Blue - Mark Paul's character had put a bad guy in their police car, and the bad guy said the word Dick ... first time I heard it.

"Wow, we can say sh*t in school now!?!"
"This is rediculous, just because they say it on TV we can say it in school"
"Yes, but only in the figurative noun form and the adjective form."
"Huh?"
"You can only use it in the non-literal sense. For instance, 'That's a sh*tty picture of me' is now fine, however, the literal noun form of 'This is a picture of sh*t' is still naughty."
"I don't get it."
"Me neither."
"The adjective form is now also acceptable. For example, 'The weather outside is sh*tty'. However, the literal adjective is not appropriate. For example, 'My bad diarrhea made the inside of the toilet bowl sh*tty, and I had to clean it with a rag which then also became sh*tty.' That's right out."
"Sh-sh-sh*t."
"Very good, Timmy!"
-South Park, and I still can't believe that episode aired.