Should NASCAR Fine Competitors for Cursing? Pro and Con
By: Andy Kondratick and Judd
Pro
Judd - supports fines.
I am very proud to have NASCAR as my favorite sport. It is with great passion that I watch the races every weekend. With each race comes more topics to debate. From who is going to win the title to the new Bodine sensory neck collar. Today the story is cursing, and its place in racing. I support NASCAR and its position of handing down fines when drivers or crew members step out of line and curse for the entire television viewing audience to hear.
Cursing has been around forever. Racing has been around since the second car was built. I have been cursing and watching racing since the early to mid eighties. And let's not forget that television in the United States has been censored when it is free. The guidelines get erased as the dollar-per-view increases. Sponsors like to hire drivers that will portray a golden image. My parents raised a boy that knows when he is in mixed company he should watch his mouth. (The Ivory Tongue was popular with my mother.)
There is a line in the sand when it comes to cursing. You know you have crossed that line when you say one of the seven words. Just as you come to expect me to keep this article clean, people on live television have a responsibility to keep the airwaves clear of profanity. It is a moral responsibility. Cursing helps lead sponsors to drop drivers, and keeps new sponsors from getting involved with the sport. It pushes parents to a position that they don’t want their children to experience the joy of stock car racing because the hero on TV says ‘I can’t believe we won the f---ing race!’
Well you and I both know that sponsor’s money makes the Winston Cup go ‘round. Sponsors are not going to put up $15 million for an uncouth country bumpkin - no matter how good he drives. If Ward Burton should happen to admit during a film session for “Inside NASCAR” that he is extremely racist and that he likes to shoot farm animals while his children watch he will be out of a job before the cameraman wakes up (add some curse words in that fictional scenario for effect). The media barrage would be relentless and unforgiving. He could have won the last 15 races in a row - won’t help him. You just can’t say anything you want.
NASCAR doesn’t want to let that happen. They are very smart to intervene. By handing out a fine they are showing all the sponsors and fans that they have their best interests at heart. And they are telling everyone that, although vulgarity may exist, it is not the way NASCAR will be presenting itself. So don’t get your panties in a wad the next time some friggin’ idiot forgets that his ass might be on the friggin’ television right now so he should watch the crud that comes out of his mouth.
Integrity and family values are a hot commodity in the sporting world these days. NASCAR is very good at providing this in an “Apple pie, Chevrolet” kind of way. If they were to turn their heads on cursing now, they will be looking back forever. Now if only we had the problem of female drivers constantly exposing themselves for the camera, then I might ask Andy to let me have the “Con” angle.
**Food for thought - what was Winston Cup racing like back in the early days as far as live TV and the occasional curse word. Did it ever happen? Fines made public? Is there anybody out there who really believes that racecar drivers are a straight and narrow bunch? Have you ever had the “Ivory Tongue” like me?
Con
NASCAR’s Foul Mouth Police - Are They Really Necessary?
Rogue - “No way in Hell should they fine a driver for cursing!”
I was prepared to write my “Con” angle to this topic with fists of rage. I figured that NASCAR would have fined Ward Burton by now for his *S* bomb that he dropped after his crash at the “Rock” last week. I also figured that they would let Tony Stewart go with his little slip of the “S” word because someone finally got the hint over there at NBC/TNT and pre-recorded Tony’s interview after the race so they could bleep any of his infraction’s out. So far no fines handed down for the dreaded cursing from NASCAR yet but that could change and the week isn’t over.
It might take them a few days because of all the hype surrounding the spring violation and the removal of driver points for Mark Martin. As a matter of fact Ward just might luck out and catch the “NASCAR Foul Mouth Police” stuffing their faces with coffee and donuts over in Martin’s garage area and leave him alone completely. I seem to remember Rusty getting away with it a Bristol and Dale Jr. during a rain delay somewhere this year.
Let’s face it. No one wants to hear some foul-mouthed piece of crap running around in the pits screaming obscenities for the entire world to hear. It would make NASCAR look bad and would make sponsorship a thing of the past. No one wants to sponsor a potty mouth with the exception of some toothpaste and mouthwash companies. It is hard enough to get sponsors with the sport being as popular as it is. If you add a big fatheaded driver (no offence Spencer) that causes trouble all the time and then calls his Mamma and his crew-chief a f---ing b---- on National Television, I say go ahead and fine the guy. That is a realistic reason to fine someone.
I don’t agree that it is the driver’s responsibility to watch his mouth after a race or an accident because this is one of the most emotional sports out there. Every week for 36 weeks these guys are out on the track running the circuit trying to win a race. Only one team per week can do that. You have sponsors, team owners, crew chiefs, fans, media, and don’t forget your family in there. They all want answers and you are on the track and beatin' and bangin' at 180 m.p.h and now some idiot turns you and slams you into the wall. Your gonna be pissed. No doubt about it. I don’t care who you are. “What did Father O’Malley just say?”
Common sense will tell you that the driver walking toward your camera is probably going to say something not so nice and maybe we better just record this, edit it in the truck and shoot it back to Benny Parsons and the rest of the bumbling NBC/TNT idiots after commercial. After all, if it wasn’t for the drivers racing in this sport we just might not be covering anything at all. Let’s give them a little protection too. I also happen to think of the pits and garage area as the driver’s home away from home and the media should respect that.
I don’t think that it hurts the integrity of NASCAR or any of its sponsors if a driver curses. In fact, I think it makes NASCAR look like a bunch of old broken down people who still are trying to hang on to something that we lost a long time ago. Our world and society has changed and we have become more tolerable with certain issues. One of them is cursing. Accidents will happen and emotions are a part of life. If we can’t feel free to express our emotions we end up a society of people who are in desperate need of a psychologist and who have no real freedom. Don’t fine the driver for being real; fine the broadcast company who allowed it to get on the air in the first place. They are the ones who should be held responsible but I doubt that NASCAR will do anything. After all they do pay NASCAR large sums of money for the TV rights. Where is the F.C.C in all of this? Haven’t heard from them have we? Wonder why?
The Last Word - I think NASCAR should do just like the F.C.C. does when cursing makes its way over the broadcast waves of the world. Fine the broadcasters who let it reach the people’s homes. Don’t blame the driver! He is only human.
*Something to Chew On* - Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Cursing is a form of emotion. Take responsibilities for your own actions and stop blaming everyone else dammit!!
Never had the “Ivory Tongue” but I did receive the “black pepper pallet.”
November 7, 2002