Balderdash & Piffle - that naughty "C" word

[Postdog]

Hi, I currently have a thread over on "I need to know" on IMDb, where I asked about the "W" word being used on American TV (It was used on the E4 episode of ER this Thursday)

Anyway, one of the responses I got concerned the "C" word, and someone said it was featured on Balderdash & piffle. Is this true, and can anyone enlighten me to the origin of this word as I have been asked about it and don't know.

[jenstar]

Assuming the C word you mean is the one that rhymes with "front", then yes, Germaine Greer presented a short film about it on Balderdash & Piffle. I suggest you look it up on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org as there's a lot of info about its etymology and usage on there.

[Emma-J]

Hello Postdog, I am also a fellow IMDB member.

They have been trying to loosen the laws just recently when it comes to swearing, and the "C" word has always been seen as the final taboo.

It was also used in a episode of 'Shameless' a couple of weeks ago, I was shocked myself, at the end of the day providing it's after the 9pm watershed, I see no harm in it.

[Whickerman]

The sitcom 'Married With Children' had a whole episode mentioning some friends called Mr. and Mrs. Wa...r.

I was about 13 when i saw it, nearly wet myself laughing

[gary baldy]

Our American cousins dont use the W word do they?
Ive always wondered what word they do use - jerk i suppose.

[Postdog]

Hello all, thanks for your responses.

Emma, I too watch shameless and I love it. I heard the word, but like you, I wasn't that bothered because it was used totally in the context of the programme. That's not to say I want to hear it on TV too often, but in that respect it added that bit of realism. As an IMDb user, if you want to have a look at the thread (and what a thread it turned out to be) here is the link http://uk.imdb.com/board/bd0000001/nest/35302952

Gary, no, they don't use the W word. The responses I got on IMDb indicate that most americans know it is a bad English word, but being English, they can use it on telly and get away with it because no-one knows any different. It does seem to be for exclusive use by English characters though - apparantly it was used by Charlie in "Lost" once, and many years ago it was used by Phil Collins in "Miami Vice".

They tend to use "jag off" or "jerk off" so I've been told.

[Sequin]

Peggy Bundy was Peggy W*nker in Married With Children before she married Al