Alan Alda discusses censorship on MASH - EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG

Full interview at emmytvlegends.o...

[@daringregory9967]

I was in 4th grade when the final episode aired the next day my brother and went to school in our bath rodes and cowboy hats.

[@tjackman]

I could legitimately listen to him talk all day. His voice is so friendly sounding

[@benheller4459]

I kinda wanted to see him win the election on the West Wing just because of this.

[@jenniferkonstant5920]

It's so weird. He sounds just like my dad! Same age as, too.

[@MikefromTexas1]

He voiced a few characters in the audiobook of World War Z.

[@ms-vv2gg]

so is Howard Stern

[@OneEyedKeys]

Alan Alda is under-rated. As an actor, as a writer, as a producer, as a director, and as a pusher of creativity. He was THE MAN behind the biggest television show in history before 1990.

[@joelewis6405]

The jockstrap incident Alda refers to here was the Hot Lips character angry with Dr. Friedman the psychiatrist for allowing it to be displayed in The Swamp tent while she was there. They did allow Alan Arbus, who played Friedman, to say "athletic supporter", but not "jockstrap".

[@KatJustice97]

Alan Alda is without a doubt my favorite actor of all time, and normally I couldn't give less of a rat's ass about celebrities. I'd love to get to talk to him some day.

[@mellotronage7073]

Suddenly, I feel like an order of Adam's Ribs.... 😎

[@DanimalHype]

Alan Alda is on my very short list of actors/directors I would love to actually chat with and get an autograph from. Such an amazing career and every interview I have seen he has very insightful commentary.

[@snakelover7703]

+hippybullshit He's a real asshole. Very rude.

[@DanimalHype]

Snake lover7 Well...hopes crushed.

[@snakelover7703]

+hippybullshit You know I saw him and approached him for an autograph and I was polite but he was extremely rude. He gave this weird smile, shook his head and said "I don't think so." In retrospect I really don't see why I bothered. Some people like him but he was never and never will be the caliber of a Nicholson, Hopkins, or Pacino. Seemed very arrogant and self-absorbed.

[@krazyhorse448]

+Snake lover7 He was sick of MASH before MASH ended, they all were. If you say you saw him with Lawrence Krauss he will open up fast and ready. Chat him up a bit on science and he will be more willing to give and autograph. After hearing I love Hawkeye for almost 50 years anyone would be tired of it. But say, what will it take to get the youth interested in science and he will talk your ears off.

[@bruceleibowitz6678]

+Snake lover7 I met him sometime around 2010 or 2011 and he wasn't rude, but actually quite charming. Snake, check out your data before spreading untruths

[@wheelinthesky300]

About the jock strap scene: It was funnier that the item was never shown. Margaret's reaction was priceless. If it had been done today, the camera would have lingered on the athletic supporter, and all the humor would be drained out of the moment.

[@letsgobrandon7567]

M*A*S*H was my all time favorite show. Its a shame there arent any shows like that anymore.

[@martok2112]

Completely agree! It is still my all time favorite show to this day!

[@stevekautz1100]

My favorite show of all time. Still holds up today.

[@bjbell52]

The first time I heard a "swear" word on TV was MASH when Potter said "I'm getting too old for this crap".

[@robertdiotalevi285]

I recall the episode when Hawkeye dropped an SOB when a South Korean soldier was taking away an injured North Korean female prisoner who wanted to kill everyone at the MASH unit.

[@SuccessResourcesAustralia]

"Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative place where no one else has ever been." - Alan Alda

[@commentfreely5443]

@BLAIR M Schirmer people died on mash. soldiers were injured with horrible wounds. nearly every episode had them operating on people.

[@edwardsmith3700]

Back in the early 70's as a 13 year old. Mash was one of the adult shows I would have to watch. I didn't care for the movie to much but the tv show was fantastic. A show needs great writers, production crew and of course the right actors to make the characters come alive. This show had it all. I'm so glad to have the dvd's to all of these episodes. Alan is one of the top actors in Hollywood.

[@harpodjangorose9696]

I was a latchkey kid, so Alan Alda is one of my surrogate fathers.

[@commentfreely5443]

had to google that

[@Michael_in_Vt]

Hawkeye Pierce is one of my heroes.

[@coopdr]

M.A.S.H. is my favorite of all shows ever made and Mr. Alan Alda and the entire cast are awesome! I'm proud to say I own every single episode of M.A.S.H. and I never stop enjoying watching them. I hope I can meet him someday. It's totally awesome what he has created. A super talented individual!

[@janetcaton3503]

Steve Ross Omg we can only hope they are forgotten! I can’t agree more with you both these are the best shows ever I’ve seen all the shows multiple times and never tire of them... even though living Army life!! Lol 😂

[@philliesphorever1964]

"Frank Burns" made Hawkeye a better actor. Thanks to Frank Burns, we had a funny Hawkeye!! 💙

[@veltonmeade1057]

Larry Linville was genius. To take a script and do what he did with it like Linville did shows that he was an incredible actor. One of my fav characters on the show.

[@alleggs5098]

@@veltonmeade1057 larry was even funnier than hawkeye, he was a comic genius in his role as Burns..RIP

[@cowpuddles4851]

“Frank Burns eats worms!” Still makes me smile...

[@5pointpm]

@@veltonmeade1057 Have to agree with you on Larry Linville, total genius. He was nothing like that in real life yet he played the part so well you wondered if he was goof! Of course he wasn't, just his talent in pulling off the character.

[@veltonmeade1057]

@@5pointpm I am watching MASH right now, the early phase, before Winchester and BJ. Linville is killing it again. And I have heard that many actors that act on screen are nothing like their characters in real life. Great point.

[@tonym6920]

Very intelligent guy, great actor!

[@Tupelo927]

Thank you, thank you TVLEGENDS for your fabulous uploads! It feels as if I found a treasure chest full of my childhood memories & heroes. Kudos!

[@dale8809]

I own all of these on DVD and just started watching them again. Alan Alda is so talented. Loved him in ER also!!!!

[@cowpuddles4851]

Such a talented and humble man. Thank you for years of laughter (even in reruns) and inspiring me to be a combat medic (not quite a Doctor, though!).

[@CombatDoc54]

Alan Alda's dad actually appeared in 2 episodess of M.A.S.H. as Dr. Anthony Borelli

[@scottstacey7447]

The second time Robert Alda appeared on the show, Alan's brother Antony was also in the episode ("Lend A Hand").

[@Ranstone]

I remember that... They both break an arm and have to do two man, one armed surgery. XD

[@sherryb5369]

I love the episode where Mr. Alda's Dad and Brother showed up. It was hilarious and a nice surprise too!!

[@WalterLiddy]

Eloquent and intelligent.

[@richb313]

Alan Alda is a very good actor and extremely intelligent. I find it still pretty funny how such a talented intelligent actor can be so myopic to believe that it was politicians or government who was the driving force behind Standards and Practices. It was the Advertisers who demanded it and would still be demanding it except that the public acceptance of more mature material has changed.

[@stevejones2075]

As strong as Col Potter's character was, I think the show lost a lot when Mclean Stevenson left. I loved Blake's spineless indecisions as a CO! Truly a draftee doctor!

[@maryvalentine9090]

I liked Harry Morgan's Col Potter too, but yeah, Mclean Stevenson had such great comic timing. Wayne Rogers was a huge loss, too. Mike Farrell was such a let down after him- his endless, poorly delivered puns were mind numbingly boring, as was his character overall- completely whiny and unfunny.

[@su-rv2uq]

I loathed Stevenson's character. I do not think that ignorance is funny, and he was just too stupid, let alone portraying a superior officer. I didn't like Trapper either. I loved Potter. BJ was such a "nice" person, and a good sidekick for Hawkeye, but there wasn't alot to him. I really really liked Charles, to which there were many layers, unlike Frank, who was one note.

[@1PaulG1]

Still one of my favorite shows of all ......Ive never come across a TV series that come close to the caliber of MASH.. So so much respect for Alan Alda.. I own every episode and the show still makes me laugh, cry and think

[@StephanieHughesDesign]

My all time favorite TV show of all time. Alan Alda and ALL the actors played roles that were flawless. Who would have thought that a TV show following the smash movie hit would be even better. The movie was outstanding, the TV series was the best EVER!

[@richardkurtz2699]

my top favorite actor of all time..and his human thoughts about humans....he is so real...

[@excaliber808]

I wonder how much I would have to pay to be able to sit down and have a MASH marathon with the cast.. In the mess tent!!!! How awesome would it be to watch the series with Klinger & Hawk beside me! Hahah my favourite series ever. Such good hearted clean comedy, just love everything about the show! Hopefully Colonel Potter will order Klinger to pick me up in the jeep! ;)

[@Dekrapitator666]

I went to grade school in the 70s. I heard WAY fouler language from my classmates than I ever heard on MASH. Heavens to Betsy, I actually USED worse language than I ever heard on MASH. People sure wasted a lot of time on fretting about bad language on TV back then. Sorry guys. Even 3rd graders were using rougher language than anything on TV. Is that good? Is that bad? It's neither. It's just how the world works. Maybe someday people will figure that out.

[@curtisglowacki5520]

"Maybe someday people will figure that out" Yeah, good luck.

[@Morgow1]

I actually kinda like the censoring, although I think censoring the word Virgin is a bit far. Although it is just words, ugly language is insulting and uncomfortable.

[@buddinski522]

MASH is and will always be closest to my heart --- it was a very wonderful series -- l enjoyed that show very much, till to this day and in the future.

[@elisabethmoser8455]

Such a fascinating and intelligent man.

[@tankmkx5061]

I just finished watching my mash DVD set love it as much as I did growing up watching it with my grandma

[@jamesthedude134]

Alan is not wrong about the politicians

[@martok2112]

@Steve Ross ...and an echo-chamber into which he/she can hear his/her own voice. :)

[@operationmindfuck7145]

One of those shows where you feel like nostalgia at its memory.

[@jewell92]

It was wonderful to see Alan and Robert Alda acting together.

[@TheHeavenbound0]

Alan is handsome and very mature, I adore him

[@LiaRistiana95]

I still love his smile.

[@surferpam1]

This country's prudity is beyond the pale.

[@takeonparis]

GOD I love this guy! It's really up in the air whether him or Bill Murray are the most beloved actors of all time. (Bill's got my vote... But I'm EXTREMELY biased...)

[@gordonbrowning4885]

I have always admired Alan Alda. It is so funny how he mentions how on the show they were not allowed to show men's underwear but Margret always had her personals hanging up all over the place and so did the other women on the shows. The reason I say this is because the public School systems are exactly the same way and I know because when my boys were in Grammar School and High School the same rules applied. The girls could wear see through tops or net tops with a colored bra underneath and skirts that exposed the north pole but the boys were not allowed to wear tank tops or pants that were baggy and exposed their underwear and im not saying their butt hanging out im saying even the upper band of the men's underwear could not show or they could be expelled. That is sexist. Either that or someone likes exposing little girls to older men. If men can't show their under clothes in public, than women shouldn't be able to expose their underclothes in public.

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

@ 6:14 and yet today it is far different. I remember a M*S*S*H episode where he bet Trapper $50 that he (Hawkeye) could walk into the mess tent naked and no one would notice. He almost made it before someone dropped their tray. That wasn't censored. kzbin.info/www/bejne/amWZqaWibMmSd6s

[@nuancolar7304]

Speaking just for myself, I miss the days when the networks would not allow certain things to be said or seen on TV. Today's 'gloves off' approach has ruined it for so many. They started trying to replace wit with vulgarity.

[@julienielsen3746]

I only watch channels with classic TV programs from the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

[@tyeishaleisure]

Nuancolar I agree. I now only watch classic TV. I can’t tolerate the vulgar language and the fact that usually all the jokes have to do with sex.

[@Lava1964]

Yes. People tend to confuse vulgarity with humor. It is absolutely not the same! Give me well-written dialogue instead, please! MASH had some of the very best.

[@nolarocks]

"Decency" and "Standards" have just been renamed - everyone acts like being "politically correct" is something new!! :)

[@paul1242]

I watched M.A.S.H. in during it's original run and love watching the reruns now. However, with all due respect to Mr. Alda, I think censorship contributed to making this show the classic that it is.

[@TheJer1963]

Anyone remember the episode where Hawkeye called that Captain (I think) a son of a bitch? He was going to take the female prisoner away to execute her. Then there was the episode where he is operating and says "don't let the bastard win" meaning death.

[@martok2112]

Alan Alda, sir, you, like your castmates, are a true talent! I enjoyed you as Hawkeye, and I thank you for the contributions you made to help make M*A*S*H* not only a great show, but my all time favorite television series....to this day! I also enjoyed you in The West Wing. The live-debate scene that you and Jimmy Smits carried out in a latter episode of that show....tremendous! It was a genuine debate. It didn't seem to be some scripted scene. Clearly, you and Jimmy Smits had to create your own talking points about a few different political subjects, and then defend them to each other as the characters you each portrayed. What a skillfully crafted scene! I remembered watching an episode of M*A*S*H* several years ago when I was traveling with a rock cover band, and there was a scene in one of the latter seasons (these were reruns being done in martahon on FX, I believe) when Hawkeye was undergoing some mental trauma therapy with Dr. Sydney Freedman (played with great compassion by Allan Arbus), and at one point, Hawkeye remembers what he actually did on a bus full of Korean refugees when they were being hunted by enemy forces, and Hawkeye says something afterward like: "You son of a b**ch! Why did you make me remember that?!" I did not realize that certain PG level profanities were allowed on tv that far back. Then when I watched my Martinis and Medicines M*A*S*H* DVD collection, I did not realize that even other PG level profanties were allowed...although as far as I know, back in the original airing of those episodes, they may have been censored, and only in the last couple of decades, perhaps restored to some "unedited" status.

[@veronicaferguson8548]

I adore that man! I would give almost anything to meet him

[@MichaelSHartman]

The fact that they gained freedom after increased ratings and profits, said volumes. Those that have money, power, influence, and status have freedom, and those that don't are bullied and bruised.

[@camwilliams2827]

Voice hasn't changed a bit

[@Beery1962]

On self-censorship, I think it's interesting that he says they were encouraged to self-censor, but then he says that there was less censorship when they became successful. I wonder if his view that there was less censorship had to do with the fact that they had been self-censoring for so long that their consent had been manufactured, so that they did it automatically and just didn't notice?

[@5argetech56]

The first time I heard the word "shit" on television was on "THE SHIELD" on FOX. Who else remembers that?

[@theVelvetAlley]

Just as a matter of reference I'm trying to find the episodes he's referring to. The one where Radar says he's a virgin, is not Radar saying it, but Bobbie Mitchell's character asking Radar is he was a virgin. His answer is "I really don't know." You tell me what that means. Can't find the episodes, but the scene is clear in my mind. Season 2 Ep 7, "Sort of married is like sort of a virgin." The reference to the Virgin Islands isn't until Season 4 Ep 13, "Soldier of the Month" "I yield the floor to Miss. Virgin Islands" The Athletic Supporter episodes is Season 5 Ep 8 "Dear Sigmund" He didn't say any of the lines, but he did write this episode which is probably why he recalls it as his character being involved. Hope this is useful!

[@thehowlinggamer5784]

truth be told he didn't say that he was the 10th at the time but just that Margaret walked into his tent which is correct because she was going to see Sydney who was in Hawkeyes tent at the car

[@dorothycoker8830]

People didn't cuss as much when they did this show. Now every show, well

[@maryrust5797]

What an amazing human being

[@9yearsagooner611]

Some of the saltier comments have been edited out of this interview

[@starcrafter13terran]

I found out years after the movie excalibur came out that the reason they could show a brief sex scene and it be rated R, was that they had a rule in place about how many buttock thrusts were R and how many were X. Really? Someone sat and counted them?

[@veltonmeade1057]

Wow, the movie Excalibur? Whew,,,,now there is a blast from the past. I remember when HBO was showing that movie back in '82. One of my all time favorite movies with the future Captain Jean-Luc Picard!

[@ruthgallagher1168]

Completely agree with him about language.

[@CADWALLATER]

MASH is still one of my very favorite shows, in the top five, and Alan will always be Hawkeye.

[@ShawnaGraham50]

I easily listened to him! Interesting subject

[@riblets1968]

Unfortunately for us, the cultural elite are very well aware of words' power over minds. Words convey meaning and meaning engenders thought and they don't like it when the masses think unapproved thoughts. Censorship is vital to keeping the masses in their place.

[@joelewis6405]

Alan Alda fails to mention, the absurdity of the "family hour" being, it was 8 pm to 9 pm in the Eastern Time Zone. The networks broadcast the same shows at the same time in the Central Time Zone, so there it was 7 pm to 8 pm. If anything, the East is probably more tolerant of sexual innuendo and salty language that the Midwest, likely owing to more larger cities in the East, but the Central had the earlier time for the "family hour".

[@scattygirl1]

It's not remotely surprising that a show gets less censorship as it becomes more successful. The entire point of censorship is based on the network being worried that the public dislikes "bad behaviour" which will lead to fewer viewers, and then less advertising revenue. A successful show is clearly not driving away viewers, so whatever it's doing must ergo be ok. Network chiefs aren't inherently moral- they do what they do from fear of losing viewers.

[@rcbeamer]

They couldn't say "pregnant" on I Love Lucy, but later on another sitcom had characters called "Beaver" and "Whitey". Also a TV star named Dick Van Dyke.

[@maryvalentine9090]

Very good points on censorship. Much of the filtering and restriction was completely absurd. "If you censor our jokes, then what will keep you from censoring our political jokes... after that, what will keep you from censoring our political thoughts." That said, it occurs to me that If we allow absolutely everything, then absolutely everything is permissible, and it's a very short step from absolute freedom of expression to absolute depravity. It really is true that it's what comes out of human has the power to either defile or edify. I firmly believe that with each door opened in the name of freedom comes great responsibility, but the problem is, humans are pretty consistent at spiraling downward when all restrictions are removed.

[@SteveTheFazeman]

Mary Valentine, Looking back on MASH, there was nothing edifying about Alda's character in the form of being a mature man.

[@maryvalentine9090]

Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce was an arrogant, know-it-all ass who treated women like objects. I still loved the show, though.

[@Dukenville]

Worth watching the entire thing.

[@ViciousLatina]

I have watched the entire MASH series many times and I noticed that Margaret is ALWAYS wearing pantyhose. When she is shown in shorts or a towel she is always wearing pantyhose. Wondering if anyone knows why that is???

[@swampfox5329]

Censorship, kinda like in a strip club, the women must wear pantyhose. Kinda like you can look but not touch. I might be wrong but its my opinion.

[@MsCharlyD]

ViciousLatina That was very common during that time period. Women always had to be dressed very proper and "put together". In fact, most of those women that are still in the workforce still dress with stockings. They were raised that if you didn't wear them then you would be considered a " woman of ill repute". That was the cultural norm.

[@stevenbryant4718]

As head nurse and a popular woman she didn't have to pay for the nylon stockings. It could be to hide something she didn't want seen.

[@fleshTH]

Here's the thing. censorship sucks... Sure.. *BUT* I feel that the limitations put on creators makes them more creative. It doesn't allow them to be lazy. Sure, they can be lazy and fit inside the box day in and day out, but if they take their passion and let it push the boundaries, honestly, some of the best stuff has come from being limited.

[@frannyzooey11]

censorship sucks

[@bobweber2127]

Very talented man!

[@eatpigsnot]

they did get the word "virgin" in an episode. remember the end of episode 8 season 11 "The Moon Is Not Blue"

[@eatpigsnot]

and Charles says "virgin" in season 11 episode 10

[@chaiselatterly7003]

Now I'm grateful for Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers for censoring themselves out of courtesy. There will always be gutter language I suppose, but I don't want my little kids having to deal with what needs wisdom beyond their years. Those first years of MASH with all the sexist jokes didn't get much of any repercussion, but it should have since children were learning from the show.

[@BobbNaef]

He was the first actor to call someone a Son of a Bitch

[@maryvalentine9090]

I thought that was John Wayne. ;o)

[@michaelmohrle1773]

Alan you did call the Korean Lieutenant who had the female prisoner a son of a bitch in one episode!

[@Flightstar]

What year was this interview????????

[@melissah8415]

Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory was a known virgin for years on the most popular comedy on TV.

[@lukescott5938]

7:12 eyebrows!!!

[@keithclark7266]

Captain/Dr Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce

[@ThrupleQuashimodo]

I think he would prefer Dr./Captain. Always a Doctor first.

[@julienielsen3746]

So, maybe they didn't censor ladies underwear because ladies didn't mind seeing it on television, but ladies would be more disturbed by seeing mens underwear, back then?

[@helgaratbone1691]

6 min mark....it’s happening now Alan.

[@ValladaoMateus]

Uncle pete is actually a nice guy.

[@JoshMarshain]

Haha right! He's not a total dumbass douche in real life, just a great actor and intelligent guy

[@thomasmckenna5372]

I should have said the show was never censored sorry

[@thomasmckenna5372]

I should have said the show was never censored .Sorry

[@boataxe4605]

I wonder if back then a religious show could say Virgin Mary?

[@GlorifiedTruth]

During the first two seasons, the censors removed over 20 rape jokes. Rape jokes in the script were pretty much standard during the early seasons. Then Alda started sympathizing with feminism, and the writers dialed back on the rape jokes, so censorship was no longer an issue in that regard.

[@TheGwydion777]

It wasn't his tent. The jockstrap was in Sidney Freedman's tent. You're getting old, Alan. Good to see you're still with us. :)

[@catsmith3892]

Nope. Sidney was in the Swamp. He had lost a patient to suicide and was hoping the people at the 4077th could cheer him up. "But major, it's not mine!" "I DON'T CARE!" Try watching again.

[@glennmccready37]

exactly...because Maj. Houlihan then says "It probably belongs to one of those..." whatever

[@brucemurphy9887]

I liked it at first until it became the Alan Alfa show even when they showcased a another cast member he was always front and center he was evoked every week

[@rogersheddy.8497]

They should have had other guys there when the guy said he was from the Virgin Islands, the next guy could have said he was from Virginia, then a guy would say Virginia City. Another fellow would then say" Virginia City, me too!" And the other one would say "Colorado!" and he would say "no, Montana."

[@farnhornlend1995]

No one is a bigger fan of MASH or Alan Alda than me. No one! However, Mr Alda has NO IDEA how THAT CENSORSHIP made that show. I'd give ANYTHING to have that same censorship today which focused heavily on characters, the story-line, the humor, the known and the unknown. Without that censorship, it would have cheapened the humor and distracted from an otherwise GREAT show. I find virtually NOTHING funny today because of the lack of censorship, be it the censors or writers, and only wish we could have the same quality as MASH today.

[@blackmore4]

+Ron W Well, obviously Alda disagrees with you. And I agree with him.

[@jdssurf]

i also believe it was perfect how it was. it kept it intelectual, and not cheap like most things now. it made it as solid as it was, and held all these years, thats a fact.

[@windstorm1000]

I'll have to mostly agree with you --sometimes less is more...I guess I am the next biggest fan!

[@Carpedog2206]

That's ridiculous. It was the quality of the writing that made MASH. It had the finest writers in the business and their talent wasn't improved because of the censors.

[@xmillion1704]

Farn Hornlend- Sure, I'll lend credence to your views over that of the highly talented writer, director, producer and lead actor of the show. Who wouldn't? Lol

[@kilopo3030]

Uncle Pete!

[@MrDouglaswei]

funny I cannot call him Alan. to me is pierce.

[@meggrotte4760]

Yeah TV so politically correct now I mean you can't even really have a decent show

[@melaniefowler8841]

Moreso due to unimaginative scripts

[@srulison]

Propaganda works best when it rides on the back of entertainment (Joseph Goebbels).

[@DerKatalane1899]

what Propaganda? that war is bad?!

[@srulison]

Well I don't know of any war that's good but the way that show portrayed anybody who was pro American was totally absurd. Frank Burns, Margaret Houlihan, a menagerie of bumbling stumbling generals, psychotic colonels, Sargents, etc. all represented the common American Army command structure. The army shown in that series wouldn't have been able to fight their way out of a paper sack. I realize that it was a comedy, at least it started that way, but they really laid on thick. On the other side of the coin, they tried to make the North Koreans look sympathetic. There was on episode where some North Korean doctors had some wounded American soldiers that they couldn't take care of so they offered to turn them over to the Americans AS AN ACT OF KINDNESS (yeah right). Dumb fuck, pro American Frank Burns shows up with a pathetic looking pistol hidden in his pocket which almost blew the deal. In another episode they a cute lovable North Korean soldier that had a big smile on his face and just wanted to be taken prisoner of war. If you look at how North Korea is ran today, they are nothing at all like the characters portrayed in that show. They are ruthless, people are executed at the drop of a hat, large portions of their population are starving. South Korea, on the other hand, is actually doing pretty well all things considered. There are all kinds of manufacturing jobs which means the people can find work, feed their families, put a roof over their heads and basically have a decent life. Keep in mind that this show went on the air right towards the end of the Vietnam war. Soldiers were being spat on when they walked down the street. Feelings about the American military were extremely negative and Hollywood was a major driving force in presenting the military as an evil force in the world.

[@bone0101]

Steve Rulison: You are absolutely right. MASH had an extreme anti-war and anti-military message. You forgot Col. Flag, btw, who represented the show's extreme distaste for the CIA. MASH was the entertainment industry "spitting on returning soldiers". No question. And now that I've agreed with everything you said, here's the turn... So what? And, as a subtopic, no, that doesn't constitute propaganda. Propaganda is an inherently authoritarian approach to art. To wit, it is art portraying the message and agenda of operators in power in a society. And as such, MASH was not propaganda. It was art with a specific point of view. Maybe not one you agree with, but it was not produced at the dictates of those in power. The anti-war movement did not have offices in the MASH production. Nor were scripts approved by any anti-war groups. It did not attempt to satisfy the agenda of a political party, or lobbying group, or protest group, or corporation. The same production team were in place during the run of episodes you complained about. These collected artists answered to their own consciences, not to any external wishes. So, while you might disagree with the ARTIST, you cannot call the artists on this show "propagandists". And as to the "So what?" This is my main point, but also the one that requires the fewest words... Art is supposed to challenge the status quo. It's supposed to evoke an emotional response. It's supposed to make you examine a point of view that you might not be comfortable with. It's supposed to be a society's path to introspection. It's supposed to create argument and turmoil. Whether by directly addressing the issues, or by using metaphor, or by using allegory, or by using applicability, art is the tool by which we challenge ourselves to grow and change and attain new points of view. Oh, yeah, it's also gets bonus points if it's also entertaining. The art that is remembered is the art that forces us to look in a mirror (even a funhouse mirror) and see our beauty and our blemishes, and sometimes one in greater proportion to the other.

[@srulison]

Here is Wikipedia's definition of propaganda: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Propaganda is information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view. Propaganda is often associated with the psychological mechanisms of influencing and altering the attitude of a population toward a specific cause, position or political agenda in an effort to form a consensus to a standard set of belief patterns. Propaganda is information that is not impartial and is used primarily to influence an audience and further an agenda, often by presenting facts selectively (perhaps lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or using loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than a rational response to the information presented. Today the term propaganda is associated with a manipulative and jingoistic approach, but propaganda historically was a neutral descriptive term. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Granted Wikipedia may not be the best the best source for getting a definition but I didn't see anything stating that it had to "portray the message and agenda of operators in power in a society" although the the entertainment industry in Hollywood may consider themselves to be just that. It appears to me that Wikipedia's definition of propaganda fits in nicely with my assessment of that show. I also believe that their mission was to change the harts and minds of as many people as they possible could in one direction. The American military is evil, America is evil, America causes vast majority of problems in the world, You can give me all of the flowery language you want about the mission of art and it won't change my mind about what the producers, directors and writers in Hollywood are really trying to do. And I might add, they have been largely successful.

[@swampfox5329]

You are correct on some of your points and the point that Hollywood showed this program after the Vietnam war. But as you also stated this is a comedy. As a 100% disabled veteran with 16 years of service I loved this show. I grew up watching it and the re-runs. I own the complete series and re-watch it about once a year or two. Its comedy and you have to have a sense of humor. If you can not laugh at yourself then you may need some help.

[@charityreed6324]

All love

[@agrouserslife6110]

Alda is right on when it comes to cenship, be it TV shows, what one can say in the work environment. The Politically Correct movement only serves to hide the actual realization of the the condition/situation/the frank truth . Censorship in not a part of our constitution or freedom of speech and for a government to do so is violating our civil liberties. A TV corporation may not want certain language, but that is only to not offend a certain population so their ratings don't suffer. But a person cannot offend another person. A person cannot create emotions in another. It is the other person who cognitively processes the words and creates his own emotions in regards to this. It is the other person's perception that he creates in his own mind that creates the feeling of offensiveness. That is his problem in cognitive thinking, and not the problem of the person who practiced his freedom of speech. M. Bailey , MD

[@donaldpaluga]

The M*A*S*H was once blue?

[@cabercabe677]

Alan Alda is lying. The word "virgin" is used by Klinger after the episode he's talking about in the first season. There was no censorship of this word.

[@tiemedown]

Caber Cabe But it wasn't a descriptor of a man, like Radar's was (and he's right, you'd think people would like a characterization like that) - he mentions the gender framing in censorship, which was also what that was. His point is that censorship it is bizarre, arbitrary and often contradictory, like censoring a word one time and letting it pass another.

[@modeo92]

Caber Cabe That hardly proves he is lying. Klinger used it as a joke in referring to being able to wear a white wedding dress. The reality of Radar being an actual virgin is quite different and words over the years have been allowed in some contexts and not others.

[@frantrictantric]

Caber Cabe Maybe Klingers sex was still a bit dubious lol

[@qdllc]

All concerns about censorship aside, let's see what's come of this....pretty much no standards with networks and studios competing in a race to the bottom. Indeed, now "family friendly" concepts are considered persona non grata in entertainment. So, censorship against traditional values. Nothing has changed...just what is being targeted.

[@candlefm]

There is another word for self censorship: "politeness", that's what standards & practices was really about, trying to be polite to your audience. These days if you ask anyone in the entertainment business to be respectful of other peoples standards and beliefs all you'll hear is "Censorship! Censorship!"

[@RatatRatR]

Good art that has something to say is rarely a pretty picture. It's challenging. Slowing down to worry about offending strangers' sensibilities will only water down that art and make it less interesting.