Yes I am an old prude.

We went to see Rob Brydon on stage a few years ago. He entertained us for a whole evening, with no foul language, some innuendo, but no downright crudity. A very clever and funny man, most of the laughs came from very shrewd observation of his fellow man.

With you on this one, Anniebach. It is sad that the poster you mention didn't understand how offensive she was being. I think it says a lot more about them than it does about you.

It's difficult really, what is offensive to some is acceptable to others. I dislike swearing, I asked a poster on this forum to never again tell me to piss off - hate it , she replied that she always uses it

I suppose that that must mean that there is no watershed for radio programs then, something to be aware of when children are around.
Regarding comedians, we went to see Dara O' Briain live, I don't remember him using a single profanity, and my stomach ached with laughing so much, I really don't understand the need to pepper language with the "F word" as so many do nowadays, and it's not really about being prudish, for me it's about keeping up standards, and education.

Sadly there is very little good taste or discernment shown by those who choose what to broadcast or 'put out there' in any medium. There is no difference in young people or old in that they will all push the boundaries to get away with as much as they can. It is a form of bullying to impose it on people and see what they can get away with and when people are too apathetic to complain the standards fall ever lower and lower. Language comes first and then comes violence and then it is aped in real life.
It is a sure sign of whether the comedian or scriptwriter is first class and funny or just lazy and mediocre and the latter is now the majority. Occasionally you are gifted with the delight of being able to laugh with the whole family without being subjected to embarrassment.

There is a certain responsibility when you have the power to decide what is aired or printed but sadly there are ever fewer people who are capable of exercising it.

Always loved Flanders and Swann. Quite often when I want to swear I say Po, pee, belly, bum, drawers. I shall try to stick with that as our grandson gets older as it is fairly innocuous. I hate to hear people talking and using the 'f' word repeatedly whilst being seemingly unaware they are doing so. It seems to be the only descriptive term some of them can come up with!

I totally agree with Nankate,I couldnt believe it was chosen as a morning story ......horrible .If you want to read it fine but I will be switching off at 10.45 until next monday.
p.s and Im an ex Chorus Girl !!

Quite agree. It's not clever and it's not funny.

I laugh as much as the next person watching Mrs Brown's boys but the other day at a friend's house Brendan O'Carroll was on the TV with a stand up comedy show. It was full of swear words and not at all funny. My friend's husband soon switched it off saying what a load of rubbish. They are great fans of Mrs Brown's boys but that was just not comical.

A dear family friend (who has died) was a comedian and a script writer for other comedians.
I never ever heard him swear or use sexually explicit language.
But he was very, very funny.

I read the book in the 70's when I was an avid reader of any feminist literature. I listened to half this morning programme on the car radio but turned it off because I found it boring and dreadfully dated.

I share the general feeling about the amount of casual swearing that goes on, especially amongst many younger people. But hey ho - I'm old!

I agree with NanKate - I was busying sewing this morning with only half an ear on Woman's Hour, so missed the "warning" and I was very shocked by the language - because of the time of broadcasting. A time when young children are around at home. It would be better going out as Book at Bedtime

I do remember when French Connection started their logo fcuk I was a bit baffled. I thought they would soon change it when they realised what it looked like at first glance. Oh silly me. Dear little iPad has underlined fcuk to suggest I might like to change it and I've just looked to see what it suggests fluke or focus. Ha it's as prudish as I am.

I agree with you NanaKate, you certainly aren't an old prude - well if you are so am I

I suppose that when the book was written it was topical (1970s).
But to hear it read aloud at that time of the day - why on earth?
I gave up listening to Women's Hour ages ago, Jenny Murray must be there under protest.
Perhaps they're worried that they're losing listeners.

What a relief to find these posts!

NanKate - I heard part of it, thought 'what on earth have they put on this week?'. At the end I discovered it was one of those books I never got around to reading decades ago. Shan't bother!
Nonnie et al - so agree about the comedians too, some would be just as good without the obscenities. I also dislike the frequent casual use of the same words in panel shows, interviews etc. So unnecessary.

I don't mind if I'm watching a drama and the language is appropriate to the character and the action.

When I hear comedians and other effing and cc-ing and thinking they are so clever and edgy I am reminded of the FLanders and Swan song, pee, po, belly, bum. They were getting at just these people who think it clever to behave like silly school kids.

Ma's out, Pa's out-let's talk rude:
Pee - Po - Belly - Bum - Drawers!
Dance in the garden in the nude:
Pee - Po - Belly - Bum - Drawers!
Let's write rude words all down our street,
Stick out our tongues at the people we meet,
Let's have an intellectual treat:
Pee - Po - Belly - Bum - Drawers!

What kind of talk is the Dons' delight?
Pee - Po - Belly - Bum - Drawers.
What's on every newstand in sight?
Playboy - Belly - Bum - Drawers.
What TV comedy's loved the best?
What did Illingworth say at the Final Test?
What is Prince Philip's favourite jest?
Pee - Po - Belly - Bum - Drawers.

Danny La Rue's in a double bill:
Pee - Po - Belly - Bum - Drawers.
Christopher Robin meets Fanny Hill:
Pooh Bear - Belly - Bum - Drawers!
Kenneth Tynan has given his all
And in Oh Calcutta they have a ball ...
'Cause the higher the brow the harder they fall:
Pee - Po - Belly - Bum - Drawers.

Ken Russell's filming in Regent's Park
Pee - Po - Belly - Bum - Drawers,
Full Frontal Composers, Bach to Bach
Pee - Po - Belly - Bum - Drawers,
From the folk-song scene to the world of Pop
They get their words from the Porno Shop-
Things seem to start where they used to stop
With Pee - Po - Belly - Bum - Drawers!

He may not be everyone`s cup of tea, but back in the mid 70s we went to a Northern club to see Tom O`Connor. He kept the whole club in stitches for over an hour and a half, with not one swear word. In complete contrast we went a couple of weeks later to see Bernard Manning, and it was disgusting. In fairness, we did know what Manning was like, but it was an outing with hubby`s brass band mates, and Bernard sent them cut price tickets, so we tagged along, wish we hadn`t.

Like when you spot a tattoo on an old lady! Oh, dear, might offend someone!

Swearing loses its shock value when it is done too often. Comedians and others may think they are being really edgy when they constantly use the f and c words. They're not! It's not prudish to dislike these people they are just so boring On the other hand a respectable looking older lady who slips an f word in without hesitating or emphasising it completely confuses people. I love the look on people's faces as they try to work out "Did she really say that?"

The way comedians swear and at the same time make one laugh, I feel it is making swearing SEEM more acceptable. Yet, if we, or children swear we make a bad impression. Quite confusing for young people, I imagine.

In fairness to Radio 4, Jenny Murray did give a lengthy warning before the broadcast of Fear of Flying. i didnt find it particularity shocking, but it was very boring and rather out dated i thought.

When Gordon Ramsay first appeared on TV I couldn't understand why the BBC seemed to have given him a license to swear uncontrollably all the time but I've noticed he has moderated his language in recent years. Could this be because he doesn't want his children to copy him?

I'm not really bothered by swearing but I do think some of the TV comedies - and films as well - which seem to appeal to the younger generation are very explicit and I find them embarrassing - and not very funny either.

I don't think you are NanKate. If you were trying to impose your views on others I suppose that might be the case but you are not. Radio comes into your living room and therein lies the difference between that (and TV) and a book.