Talk about making a splash. When new SNL cast member Jenny Slate debuted this weekend, she certainly raised eyebrows—but not for her comedy. During a skit called "Biker Chick Chat" with fellow cast-mate Kristin Wiig, she accidently dropped the F-bomb. The clip instantly made the rounds on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube—Gawker posted it 19 minutes after it aired, and Mediaite features no fewer than 12 video links. What's surprising is the lack of an outraged backlash. Usually in these instances, some professional outfit claiming to represent ordinary decency pipes up to condemn the offending network. (Nobody gave Janet Jackson a pass!) And while the skit did run long after the kiddies were in bed (at 12:40 a.m.), even the family values conservatives were basically sympathetic toward Slate. Blogging about the incident, Freedom Eden says
I'm surprised NBC hasn't pulled this clip. Usually, new SNL clips don't last on YouTube. I think Lorne Michaels must be enjoying the Internet chatter about it.
When I hear Ms. Slate may face punishment by the heads of the national censoring organization, the FCC, I'm saddened. But I'm also grateful that she'll be in a position to respond. So often, the speech police win.
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