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The Big [Censored] Theory

pudding.cool

181–190 of 891 posts

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#181
post #110

Side note: the article mentions canned laughter in TBBT rather early. TBBT actually doesn't use canned laughter but uses laughter from the live audience for its laugh track. I pity that I didn't have the chance to visit the studios and be part of that laugh track :(

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Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#182
post #56
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because the people of China didn't choose this: their oppressive and authoritarian government did it for them.

This is right. If people vote for censorship in a democracy, that's a perfectly fine form of governmental heterogeneity. What's happening in China is not that.

I guess it's hard to see this when you are steeped in it, but a lot of the censorship in democracies isn't exactly democratic.

Two American credit card companies have an insane amount of say on the shape of the content on the internet. Beyond that, small special interest groups have time and time again successfully lobbyied for censorship that is far beyond what the majority thinks is reasonable.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#183

> This added up to over one hour of deleted scenes, or nearly three full episodes of purely censored content I would like to watch the edit of only deleted scenes strung together.

Looking at the examples on this well-done site that would actually be pretty boring. The cuts appear to be about stuff that's pretty innocuous to us.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bullshit. Sorry, this "we're the same" retort is exhausting. The United States government does not employ censors to remove portions of shows before allowing them to air (or stream, whatever). The closest thing I can think of is DoD not giving access to a movie unless it paints Navy pilots in a certain light. Okay, fine. Not nearly the same as what this site is showing us. Yes, we have cultural taboos, like any cultu…

> The United States government does not employ censors to remove portions of shows What? Yes it does - the FCC has been doing this for a half-century at least.

Which shows and which portions specifically have been removed/censored/banned by the FCC?

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What "right wing point of view" exactly? That racism isn't a real problem? Are there mainstream right-wing organisations that actually promote that view?

No. The point of view that between being maximally uptight about race is different than acknowledging and working against racism.

This is called Common Sense. To the extent that it's right-wing-coded in (and, I believe, only in) USA is only a reflection of how wacko their pseudo-left has gone.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#186
post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Communist Party is the reason China is in this mess in the first place, and further control and oppression by them isn't going to magically fix it.

That's a fair observation. I'm curious though, do you have any ideas to improve the situation? What would you do if you were responsible for 1.5B people and were facing a situation where the labor force participation drops by half over the next ten years and continues to drop every year since? Will you be able to arrange for the population to be able to be fed, clothed, housed, and given medical care? It's not possib…

The CCP isn't 'responsible' for the people under its boot. It is their lack of responsibility for the people of China that has led to this problem. You act like the socio-demographic situation is not the direct outcome of the policies pursued by the CPP regime.

"Will you be able to arrange for the population to be able to be fed, clothed, housed, and given medical care?"

The government of China does not do any of these things. China, despite their lip-service to historical Communist revolution, has some the worst social programs in the world.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#187

It's really interesting that such a bland, un-subversive show whose only mentions of sensitive topics are in bad throwaway jokes is so heavily censored. I guess a more interesting show would just not get aired at all.

Actually, I wonder if that would be a "good" way of making a comedy that can be shown everywhere. Just film like 40 minutes per episode for a 30 minute slot, but only include throwaway jokes to they can be removed as needed.

Comedy doesn't translate well, even among people of similar demographics. What makes one person fall out of their chair with laughter will make another roll their eyes. You can water jokes down and make them generic, but rarely will you elicit more than a chuckle from people once you've completely diluted a joke. What was the last "dad joke" you heard that made you laugh uncontrollably?

I think it's pointless to try an appease everyone. People should make comedy for their audiences and those who don't find it funny are free to ignore it. Just like, I think people should write sci-fi or thrillers for their audiences, rather than for everyone.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#188

It's worth noting that American censorship in, say, 1960, was at close to the same level. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_censorship_in_the_United_...

Is it just as worth noting then that China is more than 60 years behind the US in terms of social progress?

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> plays off of the stereotype that Chinese people eat dogs and cats So... you support government censorship of jokes that somebody, somewhere might be offended by?

Wouldn't that happen even in the US? A movie full of vile racist and sexist jokes bordering on abuse is not going to get a [G] rating, meaning the government is censoring it for some viewers. Edit: it seems it's actually relatively easy to find jokes that are genuinely offensive and degrading in PG rated films. Why that's considered less potentially harmful to kids than showing sex between consenting adults I honestl…

You are confusing movie ratings, by the movie industry, with government censorship. Movie ratings are just labels anyway, and not censorship.

Re: The Big [Censored] Theory

#190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let me make this simpler. The 100 most popular movies produced in China are completely fine to stream in the US. Not a single scene or phrase is removed by our government before allowing us to watch them. Same with music, TV, books, and art. The reverse is not even close. Can you give me a Western example that is analogous to Tank Man, or to Winnie the Pooh?

I don't think Julian Assange among other whistleblowers who are punished for speaking out about the Western hegemony's actions care too much about the Big Bang Theory's episodes in China...same with most of who are censored by YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc for political reasons. Practice what you preach or what you preach has no credibility. The global south & many westerners are tired of the lectures coming from t…

I agree with you that Julian has been targeted for political reasons. I can type this on a US site with absolutely no fear of repercussions. I practice what I preach. I also think our treatment of Guantanamo Bay prisoners is unconscionable. I openly criticize my own government all the time. And not a single post or comment has ever been removed by that same government.

By the way, here's the (uncensored) leaks from Julian: https://wikileaks.org/afg/

Edward Snowden really exposed the NSA almost 10 years ago. Yet I can still access the PowerPoints and other materials he leaked. They're on Wikipedia! That's like, the opposite of censored. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM)

Can you make a statement about Tank Man, or Xi's resemblance to Winnie the Pooh, or Peng Shuai and her accusations? Do it on WeChat. Let me know how that goes.

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