Here's a You-Can't-Make-This-Stuff-Up Blog entry: The Federal Communications Commission has hit ABC with a $1.43 million fine over a scene that aired in "NYPD Blue" over five years ago.
This is big story (seriously) because this amounts to one of the biggest fines in FCC history. ABC sent out a statement a short while ago saying that it will appeal.
"Blue" - one of the greatest dramas in TV history - ended its brilliant run in March of 2005.
The scene in question?
Let the FCC statement do the talking: "[In the scene in] question, a woman wearing a robe is shown entering a bathroom, closing the door, and then briefly looking at herself in a mirror hanging above a sink. The camera then shows her crossing the room, turning on the shower, and returning to the mirror. With her back to the camera, she removes her robe, thereby revealing the side of one of her breasts and a full view of her back. The camera shot includes a full view of her buttocks and her upper legs as she leans across the sink to hang up her robe. The camera then tracks her, in profile, as she walks from the mirror back toward the shower. Only a small portion of the side of one of her breasts is visible. Her pubic area is not visible, but her buttocks are visible from the side."
(Sorry - Newsday will not be providing a picture at this juncture.)
Here's the ABC statement (and a call to Bochco productions yielded a "no comment.")
"NYPD Blue, which aired on ABC from 1993 to 2005, was an Emmy Award-winning drama, broadcast with appropriate parental warnings as well as V-chip enabled program ratings from the time such ratings were implemented. When the brief scene in question was telecast almost five years ago, this critically acclaimed drama had been on the air for a decade and the realistic nature of its storylines was well known to the viewing public. ABC feels strongly that the FCC's finding is inconsistent with prior precedent from the Commission, the indecency statute, and the First Amendment, and we intend to oppose the proposed fine."
Comments (24)
Give me a break.
This is hysterical....this was an incredibly hot scene, and had a message when Sipowitz's young boy walked into the room moments later.. Followed by a joke, when Connie asked Andy if he dropped the kid off at school, he replied, "No he wanted to go to Hooter's"
It was a part of Connie becoming Theo's step-mom....the FC needs to do this 5 years later `cause they can't screw with Howard anymore
OH NO!! A partial breast and buttocks!! Sure, it's OK with the FCC to show people getting stabbed or shot in cold blood, but a peek at the human body is not acceptable. I guess according to the FCC, partial nudity is more offensive and more of a public danger than gun violence. THIS IS AN AGENCY OF OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!! They must be REALLY bored without Howard Stern to single out. Give us a $1,000 tax rebate instead of $300 and dismantle the FCC. Then it FINALLY would be doing the people of our country a service.
Don't they have anything better to do? I find the presidential debates more offensive.
The FCC is an embarrassment. As an adult I feel I am entitled to watch more than Where's Elmo, which the FCC and the religious nuts of this country would have us doing. Disgraceful!!
WOW, It's so true, Since Howard Stern went to satlelite radio
the FCC really has nobody to try and pry money from to pay there unimportant salaries. losers
"thereby revealing the side of one of her breasts" are you kidding me? I can't believe the FCC is making a big deal out of this. My feeling is that since they can't sue Howard Stern anymore, the FCC's money is running low and they can't meet salaries. FCC, you are a bunch of losers!
What do you expect from the Bush administration? He destroyed my country and the only thing left to do before he leaves office is to destroy American television.
Let me get this right...they fine NYPD Blue for showing a bare butt, but allow "South Park" on TV a zillion times a day? The American religous right-wing is way out of control and needs to be stopped.
So typical of the Puritanical leadership in our culture. Remember John Ashcroft covering the bare breasts of a statue with a curtain? People who are so focused on controlling the thoughts of others usually have alot of thoughts of their own that they can't control!
Big Brother = You can't trust him.
Didn't the idiot producers know the rules ? What are tey getting paid for ? And . . . you cannot tell me that this scene was vital to the story line; gimmie a break !
George
No George, they didn't know the rules. The "rules" with the FCC are nebulous and unclear. The FCC has a broad mandate to interpret "indecency" pretty much as they wish. There is very little guidance and inconsistent rulings from the Commission.
baba booey baba booey.....merger soon, near 20 million strong.
Um, you are idiots. According to you mindless sheep, everything FCC is because of Hoo Hoo Howie. When will you realize that he has minimal to zero impact on anything these days? The only way I hear his name even mentioned anymore is from mindless zombies like yourself and on O&A when they're making fun of him (which they barely do anymore because there's no point into making fun of a has-been).
Oh, and 20 million strong? Got the proof to back up those numbers? I think you're just doing Howie-math. Hoo hoo ROBIN. Get me to the Hamptons in the Howie-Copter! Hoo Hoo!
I actually find TV advertisements for feminine products, 'jock itch, and male "enhancement" more offensive than that TV scene. Every woman knows what she needs to do for that time-of-month and every man know he needs to speak to a doctor if he cannot perform anymore.
And -- Kudos to Roy for bringing up South Park. I was shocked when I first heard some (cartoon) kid call the teacher a b*tch.
I am sooo glad I don't live wherever this is happening! It's unbelievable! On the other hand, I shouldn't be surprised if Michellangelo's David has to be dressed because it's offensive...
Anyways, what's wrong with a naked body? It's not like we were born dressed. And no other species on this planet is wearing clothes either...
the scandal is not the fine. i am sure the show producers knew what they were doing and figured the fine would more than pay for itself in free publicity and street credibility. the scandal is that the whole prosecution of this and the salaries of the dimwits at the fcc are paid for with taxpayer money.
the other scandal is that is is officially sanctioned government policy that there is something so evil about "breasts" and "buttocks" that they can not be shown on television. the market would more than take care of this if we let it. abc actually has a separate, all family friendly network, i'm pretty sure.
The FCC goes after ABC for a bare buttocks from four years ago? When is the Justice Department and Defense Contract Audit Agency going to go after Halliburton and KBR for embezzling millions from the taxpayers.
The real scandal is that a large percentage of the complaints to the FCC come from one organization - Parents Television Council - and folks who are urged by them to complain. A small group is trying to protect us from ourselves. Good thing I have satellite and DVDs so I can watch what I want.
Isn't the FCC chaired by a Bush Neo-Nazi appointee? Still sucking up to the evangelical conservatives in the hopes of a GOP win this November.........dream on Facists!
FCC SongPosted Nov 11, 2005Peter Griffin reminds us that everybody poops as he takes on the FCC in this musical number. ¿
It sounds like something I'd expect to hear in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan. I thought this was "the land of the free."
it was proven that because of the super bowl ruling that the FCC no longer stands for the federal communication commision.
FCC is now standing for the FEDERAL CHRISTIAN CLEARANCE BOARD.
This is just one more step that goes way over the line.
it's amazing that if you rape a 12 year old child, the statute of limitations in most states is 7 years to 10 years.
but the FCC can find it within their power to levy such a heavy fine on something so innocent that happened 5 years ago should be criminal. and the director of the FCC should be held accountable for running that dept. like hitler or stalin.
i thought this was the united states of america?
this is not only a disgusting misuse of power , but it scares me that this has happened less then 2 weeks after one of the presidential "hopefuls" said that the constitution needs to have an amendment to "to meet GODS morality".
WAKE UP AMERICA
THIS IS WOULD BE FUNNY IF IT WASN'T SO SCARY