When a coach says a naughty word (GASP!) ...

[rascalface]

We're slowly easing our readers into the minor cuss words. I was able to keep "crap" in a quote the other day ("I'm a big guy and they were giving me crap about not hitting any home runs") [a hard time] or something like that probably would have worked, but it was nice not to have to change it.

I've never had a problem with "crap," obviously used in a quote. I'll generally allow (and of course the SE has the final say) "heck" and "damn" if they contribute something to the story (emotion, frustration, etc.) instead of the garden variety "they played a helluva game."

The problem I would have in this instance of substituting for "crap" is that 99 percent of your readers would automatically think the person said "they were giving me shirt ...." I think that alters the meaning of the original quote, if only to a tiny degree (that only an editor could possibly argue). And if the quoted person is someone that goes out of his way NOT to swear (son of a biscuit!), then you just put words in his mouth.

 

[amraeder]

We're slowly easing our readers into the minor cuss words. I was able to keep "crap" in a quote the other day ("I'm a big guy and they were giving me crap about not hitting any home runs") [a hard time] or something like that probably would have worked, but it was nice not to have to change it.

I've never had a problem with "crap," obviously used in a quote. I'll generally allow (and of course the SE has the final say) "heck" and "damn" if they contribute something to the story (emotion, frustration, etc.) instead of the garden variety "they played a helluva game."

The problem I would have in this instance of substituting for "crap" is that 99 percent of your readers would automatically think the person said "they were giving me shirt ...." I think that alters the meaning of the original quote, if only to a tiny degree (that only an editor could possibly argue). And if the quoted person is someone that goes out of his way NOT to swear (son of a biscuit!), then you just put words in his mouth.

Hmm, interesting take. Never thought of that.

 

[expendable]

My feeling is that if it can be used on network television, I'll go with it in a quote. I'd hate to have someone go out of his way to say a minor dirty word, but imply that he dropped something more forceful.

 

[RichJohnson]

Somewhere in the midst of the '83 - '84 NBA season, the Nuggets came to Portland and stunk up the place.. to the point where the Blazers were a few points away from breaking the team's one-game scoring record.
Doug Moe told his guys to let 'em have it, and the Blazers scored 3-4 uncontested layups in the final minute or so to set the new record.
In the locker room after, it's just me with my radio mic (tape, not live) and the two Denver beat writers. Moe said something to the effect: 'well, they wanted it so much.. I didn't give a fork.'
The writers both slightly recoiled in shock, noticing my microphone. Doug noticed them, leaned into my mic, said forkforkforkforkforkfork.. and laughed that Doug Moe laugh.
Priceless memories.

 

[ServeItUp]

Then you have this gem, from Mike Royko's "A Very Solid Book."

"Why are you showing me that piece of (deleted)? I say (deleted) Hernandez and (deleted) the Mets and (deleted) the whole (deleted) cit of New York. And (deleted) you too."

 

[Nathan Scott Phillips]

I'm in the minority, but I've always felt that if it's an important quote it has to be quoted, not edited and paraphrased in any way. If you can't justify printing "fork" or whatever the person said, then you need a different quote.

 

[RedCanuck]

No, seriously, the paper should be PG. The hells and damns are acceptable, but no self-respecting newspaper should print the word "fork" without a forking good reason.

I'm one who advocates spelling the words out... everyone is thinking of the expletive if you either put f--- or [expletive] anyway, in my opinion. That said, I agree that you shouldn't just be putting those words into stories gratuitiously. A lot of coach-speak and lockerroom speak is full of f-bombs, most of which can just be edited out or paraphrased. It would take a really stunning revelation for me to decide to keep that language in, regardless of how colourful it may appear.

 

[TyWebb]

I got the word "crap" into a story I was writing this week. The players said something was "a bunch of crap" and after arguing with the ME, he let it slide.

GREAT SUCCESS!

 

[sirvaliantbrown]

CP (Canadian Press) now okays the use of expletives. And I agree.

If they said it, they said it.

It's not my job to police what parents' kids read. I report facts. The fact is he said "fork." Deal with it. I didn't say it.

Readers have the CHOICE to BUY our newspapers. It's not like we're forcing them to read us.

They have a problem with what someone said, take it up with the person who said it.

Didn't read the rest of the thread but agree wholeheartedly here.

 

[forever_town]

If someone uses a cussword, I use [expletive]. If someone calls someone else something along the lines of the n-word, I use [racial epithet].

There's no reason to pander to the lowest common denominator with our pages. No matter how badly the standards may have dropped in The Washington Post or in any other major dailies.

 

[JR]

I've seen the word "fork" in the Globe and Mail, Canada's National Newspaper, several times. We can't get away with it at our paper...we're small town conservative. Pointed it out to our editor and he said "It's a different kind of reader who reads the Globe. They wouldn't be shocked by that language."

I think the Globe still gets irate "I was shocked and appalled to read...." letters and phone calls about its use. But I suspect most of the readers don't care.

I think the line in the sand is probably "motherforker" and "cocksucker".

I doubt even The Star could pull that one off.

 

[wickedwritah]

If someone uses a cussword, I use [expletive]. If someone calls someone else something along the lines of the n-word, I use [racial epithet].

There's no reason to pander to the lowest common denominator with our pages. No matter how badly the standards may have dropped in The Washington Post or in any other major dailies.

So The Post's standards dropped because it (factually) reported deck Cheney's comment to a top-ranking Senate Democrat?

There are far worse things out there. A year or two ago, The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pa., put a photo of a dude flipping off the press when he left a district judge's office ON PAGE ONE. The finger itself was below the fold, if that matters in the equation.

As someone else said, gratuitous use of curses is over the top. But if it tells the story more accurately, it should be used.

And while I never use the word, I have no problem with a newspaper printing the six-letter racial slur if it's part of a quote. Lends a lot more weight to the comment than saying "the n-word."