A Leela of Her Own -- closed captioning oddity

[on:]

OK, this was brought to my attention on another forum.

When the Sigmoids are talking about the American dream, they say "...and put up clotheslines to hang up clothes everywhere..."

But the closed captioning for that line says:

"And to buy weapons to send to the terrorists back home..."

Looks like someone changed the line at the last second (most likely due to post-9/11 hyper-oversensitivity) and forgot to notify the captioners.

[Reply #1 on:]

I don't normally use the built in emoticons, but  !  That's a huge mistake.  I can't believe it made it in.

[Reply #2 on:]

Quite a screw-up there, they're usually pretty good at these close-caption-thingys.

 

Originally posted by Kryten:
OK, this was brought to my attention on another forum.

You're seeing other Futurama forums behind our back? I'm shocked, shocked! Well, not that shocked.

[Reply #3 on:]

The line in the captions is far funnier, they should have left it in.

[Reply #4 on:]

Oh sure, that would happen. 

I don't think this was due to over-sensitivity on FOX's part--FOX? Sensitive? (giggle)--but rather to concerns that Trent Lott would show up the next day spraying urine and brimstone, or some flag-twirling loony with an arsenal and a vision from God.

[Reply #5 on:]

Should I be giggling like a school-girl at the assumed original line?

[Reply #6 on:]

i recorded that ep on its first go around and that error isn't on my tape. the captioning skips right over that whole line no mention of terrorists OR clothes lines. It jumped right from "whas it something leela said" to "We came to live earthican dream"

[Reply #7 on:]

i cant understand WHY they even bother with censoring any more? What is wrong with just rating it PG or whateva...

[Reply #8 on:]

You can tell with the lip synching when she say's that line its out of whack.

[Reply #9 on:]

 

Originally posted by BrainSluggo:
...or some flag-twirling loony with an arsenal and a vision from God.

What do London soccer fans have to do with it? 

Altering the line was probably the right thing to do; there are lots of oversensitive people, but the last thing Futurama needs right now is bad publicity.

[Reply #10 on:]

 

Originally posted by PCC Fred:
the last thing Futurama needs right now is bad publicity.

You kidding me?  I'd settle for ANY publicity.  Think about it, though, how many shows took off after it raised controversy, and was brought to other people's awareness?  South Park, Married With Children, Family Guy, and I'm sure there are plenty others.  So send your "Amazon Women in the Mood" tapes to Jerry Falwell today!

[Reply #11 on:]

Fair point.

[Reply #12 on:]

 

Originally posted by BrainSluggo:
...or some flag-twirling loony with an arsenal and a vision from God.

Oh, I don't know.  If his vision instructed him to destroy FOX, maybe we shouldn't be so quick to dismiss him as a loony.   

[Reply #13 on:]

I just went back and checked the tape; while other eps, including the prior week's A Pharoah To Remember had closed captions ("Closed captions"--doesn't that sound funny, when you think about it? What are open captions?), A Leela Of Her Own did not.

I live on the US West Coast; perhaps someone caught on to the caption in question during the East Coast broadcast and warned the rest of the affiliates? (I'll have to check out the original airing--once I figure out which tape it's on...)

"You is watchin' FOX. What do this button do?"
--Cletus' First And Last Day At His New Job 

[Reply #14 on:]

Actually, whenever you see a show on, say, PBS that has subtitles on the screen for the hearing-impaired... THAT'S open-captioning.

You don't see it much anymore.