Britain worlds most secular nation - most prudish in Europe

[Plekhanov]

From the BBC

Britain axes nipple from EU film

A film advert encouraging people to vote in the European elections has been censored in Britain to eliminate a glimpse of a bare nipple.
The European Parliament film depicts various choices being made by a jury, school pupils and a breastfed baby.

Brief shots of the mother's nipple were cut from the version to be shown in 2,200 British cinemas, on the orders of the Cinema Advertising Association.

The advert will be shown unedited in up to 24 EU countries.

Labour MP Julia Drown said the move highlighted "a real inconsistency" in attitudes towards breastfeeding in the UK.

"There is a minority of people in the country who are somehow offended by breastfeeding in public, who somehow think it's a bit scary, rude or unacceptable," she said.

Julia Drown MP
"But it just forgets the fact that millions of bosoms are thrust into people's faces every single day in the tabloids."

Two versions of the promotional film have been made by the European Parliament's audio-visual department, lasting 45 seconds and 30 seconds.

Both feature the breast-feeding scene, and Britain was the only country which required the nipple to be cut from both versions.

The advert ends with the voice-over message: "You've been voting since you were born: don't stop now - European Parliament elections, 10 June."

Apart from the language of the final message, the advert was intended to be exactly the same for all European audiences.

However, in addition to cuts demanded in Britain, French censors were uncomfortable about a brief shot of a stern-looking female judge receiving a jury's verdict. Ireland has reportedly decided not to screen the advert at all.

The edited advert will be shown in British cinemas from 28 May.

Sometimes I think despite our lack of fundies there may be something to this “special relationship” between the UK and US after all, we seem to have a shared fear of nipples anyway.

[Col. Crackpot]

Sometimes I think despite our lack of fundies there may be something to this “special relationship” between the UK and US after all, we seem to have a shared fear of nipples anyway.

that fear is justified. just ask aerius.

[A Big Flying Fish]

I blame the BBFC et al. This is from the same group of people that once had Enter the Dragon editted because it contained nun-chucks, as they are an immitable weapon for Pete's Sake. And at the same time hitting someone with a stick isn't?
Censors as far as I can tell have about as much connection with the public as Jack Chick has with any form of intelligence. Most, if not all of the people I know wouldn't give two shits about a nipple on screen, especially when its involved in breast feeding.

[sketerpot]

Britain axes nipple from EU film

Did anyone else find that phrasing creepy? I immediately got a truly horrifying mental image. Thanks a lot, BBC.

[Sharp-kun]

Look at it this way though, we get Battle Royale on DVD, The US doesn't

We're still better

[Jon]

Wow. That's bollocks

Fuck the BBFC, if I knew anyone in person who was bothered by a nipple, I'd execute them. Luckily, I don't.

Battle Royale... ah, yes.

I remember when they did that anal prostate examination on morning TV, as well as ball feeling testicular cancer searching demonstration and a whole breast cancer, tits all over the place show, no one batted an eye lid... even if it was for similar medical purposes, could the US cope with that?

[kojikun]

I remember when they did that anal prostate examination on morning TV, as well as ball feeling testicular cancer searching demonstration and a whole breast cancer, tits all over the place show, no one batted an eye lid... even if it was for similar medical purposes, could the US cope with that?

There would be lawsuits out the wazoo. The US would have a shitstorm if such perversities we're mentioned or shown on air on a basic cable channel. Discovery, Travel, and TLC can get away with it tho. They've shown full nudity in documentaries before. I don't know about recently tho.

[Tsyroc]

The closest the US comes to intentionally showing tits on broadcast tv is when the breasts are shown in x-ray or some other somewhat disguising medical scan.

Now, I did see some people actually having sex on the Discovery Health channel (cable) but that was in infrared. Although it was a cable channel airing it I was a little surprised because Discovery is supposed to be a learning channel and therefore it's often percieved as "safe" by prudish types.

[Darth Wong]

CityTV here in Toronto broadcasts softcore porn over the airwaves after midnight on Saturday nights

[Peregrin Toker]

Britain axes nipple from EU film

Did anyone else find that phrasing creepy? I immediately got a truly horrifying mental image. Thanks a lot, BBC.

[Teal'c] Indeed. [/Teal'c]

[Jon]

CityTV here in Toronto broadcasts softcore porn over the airwaves after midnight on Saturday nights

Here, Channel 5 (terrrestrial) starts at airing it's soft core porn at 9PM Every night...

The US would have a shitstorm if such perversities we're mentioned or shown on air on a basic cable channel.

Hmm, the anal and scrotum examination, as well as the breast feeling, we're aired at about 10am on ITV, the biggest Terrestrial station in the country- and they weren't modest... Now, if we're talking about sattelite/cable... wow, we get some heavy stuff

[Eframepilot]

However, in addition to cuts demanded in Britain, French censors were uncomfortable about a brief shot of a stern-looking female judge receiving a jury's verdict.

Huh? Was she showing a nipple too? Or is there something inherently disturbing to the French about stern-looking female judges?