The Emmys censored Sally Field!
Producers of Sunday's Emmy telecast bleeped drama actress winner Sally Field in the midst of a controversial acceptance speech attacking U.S. involvement in Iraq.
"If mothers ruled the world, there wouldn't be any god -" she said when the sound went dead and the camera suddenly turned away from the stage so viewers would be distracted. Chopped off were the words "goddamn wars in the first place." (The phrase was not censored in the Canadian telecast.)
"This belongs to all the mothers of the world -- may they be seen and valued," she added when she won for outstanding actress in a drama series for her work as matriarch Nora Walker on "Brothers & Sisters." While the two-time Oscar winner already has two Emmys, this was her first nomination for series work, and she bested a field that included favorite Edie Falco of "The Sopranos."
Backstage, in the press room later, Field told reporters, "I would have liked to have said more four-letter words up there!
"Oh, well. I've been there before!" Field added when asked what she thought of the gagging. "Good. I don't care. I have no comment other than, 'Oh, well.' I said what I wanted to say. I wanted to pay homage to the mothers of the world. And I very, very seriously think that if mothers ruled the world we wouldn't be sending our children off to be slaughtered."
When she was pressed for further comment, she added, "Too bad. That's a shame. And I think I probably shouldn't have said the 'god' in front of the 'damn.'
"If they bleep it, oh, well. I'll just say it somewhere else."
Technically, Field's censored words are not profane. A 2004 FCC ruling specifically stated no objection to the use of "goddamn" on TV when making a judgment on the uproar over Bono swearing at the Golden Globes in 2003 where he used more colorful language. See the ruling — CLICK HERE
Field has a history of making controversial acceptance speeches.
Upon winning the Academy Award as best actress of 1984 for "Places in the Heart" five years after winning for "Norma Rae, " she delivered one of the most memorable thank-yous in Oscar history: "This means so much more to me this time. I don't know why. I think the first time I hardly felt it because it was all too new. But I want to say thank you to you. I haven't had an orthodox career. And I've wanted more than anything to have your respect. The first time I didn't feel it. But this time I feel it. And I can't deny the fact that you like me . . . right now . . . you like me. Thank you."
At Sunday's Emmycast, Fox also bleeped "Grey's Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl when its camera zoomed in on the surprised winner who gasped an expletive upon hearing her name called.
CLICK HERE to Read MORE About Emmy Censorship!
UNEDITED VERSION OF SALLY FIELD'S SPEECH:
WHAT VIEWERS AT HOME SAW:
Ray Romano was muzzled early in the Emmy ceremony when he noted, "Frasier is screwing my wife" on Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton's new series "Back to You." Fox bleeped the word "screwing." Last week at the Creative Arts Emmys, Kathy Griffin shocked the audience when her "My Life on the D-List" show won best reality program after losing the previous year.
'"I was robbed and you all know it! Everybody can s**k it!'' she said. "A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus." Then she added: "Hell has frozen over. S**k it, Jesus, this award is my god now!"
TV academy chiefs issued a statement saying that her "offensive" remarks would be edited out of the taped E! telecast of the awards program that aired on Saturday night.
At the same Creative Arts show, Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg won an Emmy for their "Saturday Night Live" song "D*ck in a Box," which Emmycast producers wanted them to perform on Sunday night's show in a bleeped version, but the crooners declined, refusing to be censored.
Fox network did not bleep the "d*ck" word in its own list of official nominations when it was issued in mid-July.
Curiously, the network had no problem airing a racy comedy skit on the Sunday telecast about sex in men's room bathroom stalls. Neither did it bleep Brad Garrett when he looked down at the cleavage of his "Till Death" costar Joely Fisher and said, "That reminds me, I need to get milk," then suggested they star in a movie titled "Bury My Head Between Your Knees."
Fox network issued the following statement: "Some language during the live broadcast may have been considered inappropriate by some viewers. As a result, Fox's broadcast standards executives determined it appropriate to drop sound during those portions of the show."
She should stick to what she knows ACTING.
Posted by: jb | September 18, 2007 at 07:49 AM
Sorry, I am making no appologies about what I am about to say. SALLY FIELD YOU ARE DISPICABLE, YOU REEK OF SEFL LOATHING, ANTI-AMERICAN, LIBERAL STEROYTPE. YOU HAVE OUTRAGED ME!!!!!!!! WHY DO YOU SAY IRREPSONIBLE THINGS LIKE THIS. I DON'T HEAR ANYONE SAYING ALA DAMN, BUDDA DAMN, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO CHIRSITANITY AND JESUS AND GOD. YOU LIBERALS CAN SAY WHAT EVER YOU WANT. WHAT IF SOME CHRISTIAN STARTING USING OTHER gOD'S NAME IN VAIN.
YOU ALL WOULD BE PISSED, AND BE CALLING THE ACLU.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE RULES, MORALS, VALUES, OR PRINCIPLES, AND WOULD RATHER STAND ON FEELING, AND FALSE UTOPIAN VALUES. GO AHEAD. I AM NOT USUALLY THIS HARSH, BUT I AM SICK OF IT.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT GO LIVE IN NORTH KOREA, CHINA, CUBA, GO LIVE IN THE COMMUNIST COUNTRY YOU SO WANT US TO BE.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG ABOUT BEING AGAINST THE WAR, THAT IS FINE. BUT USE YOUR WORDS WIESLY, DON'T SOUND LIKE A 14 YEAR OLD WHO DISCOVERED THAT IT'S FUNNY WHEN YOU CURSE.
THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT SHE KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO SAY THIS, SHE PLANNED THIS. I PRAY THAT YOU IGNORANT FOOLS WAKE UP AND REALIZE GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOUR HOLLYWOOD MANSIONS, AND YOUR AWARDS. THE DAY YOU MEET YOUR MAKER, SEE IF HE CARES ABOUT YOUR GOLD STATUES AND GOLD IDOLS. I BET HE WONT BAT AN EYE.
AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.
BE RESPONSIBLE WITH YOUR POWER, OR BE OVERWHELMED WITH THE CONSEQUENCES FOR WHICH YOU ARE BRINGING ON YOURSELF.
Posted by: Brett | September 18, 2007 at 06:27 AM
Here's the "outsider's" version: Here in Spain the awards were broadcast live, although - go figure - on AXN network and on Sony Entertainment Television (SET en Veo), and NO BLEEPS OVER HERE!!! It took my leaving the states to get freedom of speech over the airwaves. Nobody here thought anything wrong with what was said, nor can they figure out why she would be cut for saying what she said in the first place. Spain is 99% Roman Catholic and they don't bleep god related swears on television. Of course if they did, they wouldn't have enough TV to fill half a week of broadcasting. Go!!!!!! Freedom in a Parlimentary Monarchy!
Posted by: Michelle | September 18, 2007 at 03:08 AM
"Fox network issued the following statement: "Some language during the live broadcast may have been considered inappropriate by some viewers. As a result, Fox's broadcast standards executives determined it appropriate to drop sound during those portions of the show."
Hmmm, by that standard, there should be no audio on all of Fox News, ever.
Posted by: Jeff Maass | September 18, 2007 at 03:05 AM
Sally Field for president! Now I can get behind a candidate.
Posted by: granaimee | September 18, 2007 at 12:21 AM
Fox just made fascism popular for all dictators across the world. Viva la fux!
Posted by: ThereisnodemocracyinGOP | September 17, 2007 at 11:01 PM
Duh, people: Fox has put so much into building the case for the Iraq war, and sustaining support for it, they weren't going to let some actress criticize Bush's pet war willy nilly. Even if it's Sally Fields.
Posted by: donkeykonger | September 17, 2007 at 10:40 PM
This is a question of taste and decorum, especially on a broadcast of the stature of the Emmys. Sally Field would not have been censored without her tasteless use of the word "goddamn." For those of you who insist on railing Fox for what was, I believe, the appropriate action, consider that this newspaper chose not to print "goddamn," and that Robert Altman's use of "goddamn" was bleeped on tonight's Letterman show while telling a joke about Dick Cheney. You see, many people - if not most - have higher standards and expectations of our media outlets than the "anything goes" philosophy espoused by some on this board. There was absolutely nothing offensive in Ms. Field's statement about the nurturing qualities of mothers - it's too bad the Emmy TV audience didn't hear it due to her "goddamn" gaffe.
Posted by: Jim Richards | September 17, 2007 at 10:32 PM
Elaine Grow The Hell Up, And get some education you dim wit. It is clear as it has always been made clear that taking the lords name in vaine would be to curse the lord himself. As in sallys statement she said "GodDamn War" Now let me just explain this Slow enough to where even you can understand it, G.................O.................D.........D...............A...............M.............N - W........................A...................R = Equals A Ref, To GOD DAMNING WAR. Now Let Me Just Ask This, Doesn't GOD Damn All Wars?
Posted by: Trouble | September 17, 2007 at 10:10 PM
Linda and Tor and anyone else making false statements saying that one isn't allowed to say God in front of damn due to FCC rules and that's why you think it was censored, If you actually read the article it states explicitly that the FCC has specifically stated no objection to the word goddamn on TV!!!!! Get it right instead of spewing falsehoods and ranting against Anti-Bushers. Let's stop being ignorant in this country and the only way we can do that is if we're given all the information and don't let networks, spinsters decide what we should hear.
This is America, isn't it? Why is it that Australians and Canadians can hear Sally Field's words but not Americans? That is extremely scary to me and I don't know what I am more, pissed or saddened to see this is what our state has come to after 9/11. We should be able to hear Sally Field's opinion, all of it. SHAME, SHAME, on whoever decided to censor this from the public. We are smart enough to hear it and form our own opinion. This is the the god damn United States of America, god damn it!
Posted by: Kathleen | September 17, 2007 at 09:03 PM
Those of you who think this war is so glorious are more than welcome to sign up at any time. Too old? Sign up your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, whomever. You'll notice that chickenhawks lied us into this mess but their children are not fighting in it!
Posted by: Missy | September 17, 2007 at 08:35 PM
If we don't censor anyone then we might as well throw the F.C.C. out and just make up our own rules.
And do you know who caused all of this censorship? His name starts with an "A" .
Yes, Al Sharpton. The Reverend Al Sharpton. His attack of Don Imus for the Nappy Headed Hoes words heard around the World. The man is a sham. He is creating this sensitivity to every word spoken on the airways. And if he does not stop attacking everything and everybody the freedoms we once had are going to become extinct. And he (Al Sharpton) is beginning to create a new race war.
As Imus use to say " Just Shut Up".
Posted by: BruceOne | September 17, 2007 at 08:24 PM
God damn what a sorry post.
Posted by: mishu | September 17, 2007 at 08:19 PM
Oh, come on! Saying "goddamned war" is NOT disrespecting anyone's deity - it's a person's opinion that an action that destroys what God has created is condemned by God, and rightly so.
Let's grow up, people. This is not kindergarten, and we're not in recess.
Posted by: Daryl | September 17, 2007 at 06:31 PM
She was censored for her opinion on war, not because of the words she chose.
Give peace a chance people
Posted by: Bob Rice | September 17, 2007 at 05:52 PM
"Second: Fox allows unbridled violence in its programming (House, 24, for starters) "
-Posted by: Skippy | September 17, 2007 at 02:54 PM
Skippy- what "unbridled violence" on House are you referring to?!? Surgery? Dr. House poking someone with his cane? Have you actually seen the show or are you confusing it with something else?
Posted by: redhead | September 17, 2007 at 05:39 PM
I just love the fact that Fox, who's been responsible for putting on some of the most crassly vulgar shows ever on TV (Married with Children or The War at Home anyone?) was so offended by Sally Field's use of a common expletive. If I had a nickle for every time I heard the word "bitch" on Fox I'd be able to retire to Italy.
Posted by: North Coaster | September 17, 2007 at 05:31 PM
"I could care less what Sally Field's policial opinions are.....but she said she was representing "Mothers of the World"....well to take the Lord's name in vain on national tv ...let me tell you, this mom ...lost a lot of respect for her. It's a shame, I've always admired Sally as an actress & mom but now she is at the bottom of my list when it comes to representing "moms"! And I believe her son was sitting right there next to her.....wonder if he was proud of the way she cussed on tv??? I know I felt embarrassed for him.
Posted by: Elaine Smith"
Well, Mrs. Smith, I'm sure your invisible friend appreciates you standing up for it against the threat Ms. Field poses to its dignity. Being the egomaniac and frustrated control freak that most invisible friends of its ilk are, I'm sure it was miffed by her mention of the war, since he doesn't seem to have noticed, or been able to do anything about, it. Or maybe the fundies are right, and He likes that kind of thing.
Posted by: Phidippides | September 17, 2007 at 04:40 PM
Hmmm.. apparently, scholar and political analyst Joseph David Chase II (Mr. "ALL CAPS") has turned this discussion board over to his like-minded cohorts - but you know, it must be a demanding task, hunting down aliens and UFOs while battling the other myriad conspiracies and cover-ups perpetuated by our right-wing neocon government ;)
Anyway, I'll give it one more try: If I want to know what the wrinkly-assed old Flying Nun's opinion is about national security, get her on Meet the Press and let me choose whether or not to tune in. Beyond that, I don't want to hear anyone say goddamn, F*you, C*sucker, N*gger, or wrinkly-assed, on TV or radio. I just don't. That's my opinion.
Posted by: Jim Richards | September 17, 2007 at 04:39 PM
With all of this discussion (or is it just noise?), I wonder if anyone, especially the fire-breathing critics who dared to criticized Field for speaking her mind, have ever seen "Brothers & Sisters?"
Then, you would know that Nora Walker, the character Sally Field plays on the show, is the mother of 5 adult children. At the end of season one, her youngest son was heading overseas for his 2nd tour of the U.S. Army. I guess context doesn't count in this world. What a shame.
Posted by: gmj | September 17, 2007 at 04:21 PM
On the West Coast, their words weren't just bleeped, but they disappeared from the screen for like 5 or 10 seconds. And not until after we could figure out what word was going to be used. The fact that the sentence after that was also blocked is pure political censorship. But I guess that is what we can expect from FOX. Their news folks must have been making the decisions.
Posted by: Frank | September 17, 2007 at 03:32 PM
First: Those of you who feel you know Sally Field well enough to comment on what kind of mother she is can go on all you want. The rest of you have no information from which you speak.
Second: Fox allows unbridled violence in its programming (House, 24, for starters) but they crap themselves when the morally uptight Puritans are offended by something that challenges this obscene war or the Churchy Set.
Can you "Mommys shouldn't work or go to school or have a career" bunch get back on the Mayflower and go the f*ck back to England?
Oh yeah. They don't like you either.
Posted by: Skippy | September 17, 2007 at 02:54 PM
Must we live in a country where censorship of thought is fast becoming the rule. Why are so many afraid of thinking, of diverging ideas, of sensitivity,and of what may actually be the truth.
Posted by: Barry De Jasu | September 17, 2007 at 02:22 PM
"We dont want you to hear political views from a person who makes their living reciting and reliving fictional stories!!!"
Yeah, that's why Republicans hate Ronald Reagan and Fred Thompson.
Posted by: scarshapedstar | September 17, 2007 at 02:21 PM
All you people who state that "actors have no business making political comments," should think about where we live. This is AMERICA, a nation founded on the idea that the government is "by and for the people." As such, ANY citizen of the United States has the right to speak about government manners, and in fact should be encouraged to do so. The moment you start defining the individuals and venues where it is, and is not appropriate, to criticize our government, you are essentially limiting that freedom.
Posted by: Rod Brock | September 17, 2007 at 01:50 PM