A Senate committee looking into swearing on television, prompted by objections to chef Gordon Ramsay’s expletive-laden Kitchen Nightmares show, recommended changes to broadcasting standards.
Liberal Party Senator Cory Bernardi said one episode had contained “the F-word” 80 times in its 40 minutes.
“And I’m not referring to fondue,” he said.
The senate’s environment, communications and arts committee recommended parental lock-out systems should be made an industry standard for all digital televisions sold in Australia.
It also recommended the government review its regulatory system and said the industry should clarify what is meant by the terms “occasional, some and frequent” coarse language.
Chairwoman Anne McEwen said submissions to the inquiry showed people were offended not only by Ramsay’s coarse language, but by the way he used it.
“People were offended by the way Ramsay directed his language towards restaurant staff in an abusive and aggressive manner,” McEwen said.
The complaints turn the tables on British advertising authorities who sparked outrage here in 2006 for briefly banning an Australian tourism ad that ended with a bikini-clad model saying, “So where the bloody hell are you?”
Would Ramsey’s TV show still be as popular if he didn’t use the F-word?