Fox, NASCAR blasted
for S-bomb during race

March 29, 2006

Family advocates are revving up against Fox Television and NASCAR after a driver’s crew chief uttered the S-word during a nationally broadcast race Sunday.

The obscene word was aired during a car-to-crew conversation between driver Martin Truex, Jr. and his crew chief, Kevin Manion, at the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn.

A frustrated Manion told his driver, “We missed the set-up today. It (the car) was a piece of s—.” (To hear the audio, click here)

Fox announcer Mike Joy offered an immediate on-air apology, stating, “We apologize for the language on the part of Martin Truex’s crew chief, but the frustration is evident this late in the race when things happen.”

A March 15 ruling by the FCC declared: “The ‘S-word’ is a vulgar excretory term so grossly offensive to members of the public that it amounts to a nuisance and is presumptively profane. Like the ‘F-word,’ it is one of the most offensive words in the English language, the broadcast of which is likely to shock the viewer and disturb the peace and quiet of the home.”

Fox Sports spokesman Dan Bell told Cup Scene Daily, “We are very sorry that comment escaped our screening process. We take audio very seriously and make painstaking efforts to offer only the best. We will continue to evaluate our policy but as of now there is no delay in place during our live coverage.”

Joe Glover, president of the Family Policy Network, has filed an official complaint with the Federal Communications Commisison, saying NASCAR has a problem with foul language.

“It seems that every now and then, a participant in a nationally televised race will violate the FCC’s clear rules against uttering vulgar terms on daytime television and ‘let one slip’ on the air,” he said. “On one hand, leaders of the sport want families to think they’re against it. On the other hand, they don’t seem to want it to stop. … At some point, you have to wonder if NASCAR is really serious about establishing a family-friendly environment for their radio and television audiences.”

In addition to Glover’s group, the American Family Association is urging people to file a complaint with the FCC against the Fox network.

“Fox had been warned about allowing the S-word on the air,” president Donald Wildmon says on the AFA’s website. “The network could have used a delay and bleeped the profanity. But they chose not to. The network chose to air the segment live. Millions of viewers, including children, were offended by the crude profanity.”

But there are some who think these family advocates are going overboard with their desire to protect citizens from broadcast obscenity. Among them is radio talk-show host Neal Boortz.

Neal Boortz

“What a joke. The American Family Association says that millions of viewers including children were offended by the crude profanity. That’s horse squeeze,” Boortz said.

“These people were watching a freaking NASCAR race, not ‘Barney & Friends.’ Any adult that was offended by [Truex’s crew chief’s] rather explicit description as to how his car was handling should just crawl under a bed somewhere and wait until Judgment Day. As for whatever children may have been watching, you can bet that this is a word they’ve heard a hundred times before, probably from their own parents in the context of … ‘Don’t give me any more of your C-word, you little B-word, or I’ll kick your little A-word so hard, you’ll have to unbutton your shirt to take an S-word.'”

As WND previously reported last September, NASCAR fined stock-car racer Robby Gordon a total of $35,000 for bad driver behavior and using the S-word during a live television broadcast.

Robby Gordon tosses helment at Michael Waltrip during Sylvania 300 in Louden, N.H. on Sept. 18, 2005 (courtesy Nascar.com)

Gordon shocked some viewers by verbally exploding against fellow driver Michael Waltrip, calling him a “piece of s—” and heaving his helmet at him. The uncensored incidents were broadcast nationally by the TNT network.

“Everyone thinks Michael is a good guy. He is not the good guy like he acts like he is. Caution was out, and he wrecked me,” Gordon said after an on-track altercation during the Sylvania 300 in Louden, N.H. “He’s a piece of s—!”

Special offer:

Join the freedom revolution! Get Farah’s ‘Taking America Back’ – new, updated

NOTE: When shopping in WND’s online store you have the option of paying with either a credit card or a check.

If you wish to order by phone, call our toll-free order line at 1-800-4WND-COM (1-800-496-3266).

Previous stories:

$35,000 fine after NASCAR S-bomb

NASCAR racer drops S-bomb on national show

F-bomb dropped on Fox’s Shepard Smith

Fowl-mouthed slogans too hot for Burger King

Well-endowed breast ad a big bust?

Paris Hilton sizzles, burger drive fizzles

‘Fat slob’ mocks Paris Hilton ad