MTV apologizes for awards show profanity

Question: How many instances of profanity, bleeped or otherwise, have to occur in a single telecast before a cable network is actually forced to issue an apology? Would 100 seem about right?

Apparently so. MTV apologized for its profanity-soaked "MTV Movie Awards" on Sunday night, after an Alexandria, Va.-based group called Culture and Media Institute - which describes its mission as being "to preserve and help restore America's culture, character [and] traditional values" - counted exactly 100 "bleep-worthy words" during the 122-minute telecast. The group noted that 30 of those had not been bleeped.

In a later statement, Tim Winter, president of the Parents Television Council said: "The content seems to be precisely what MTV is intending for its awards show to be, based on the history of the show and how they market and produce the show. Every year it gets more explicit and that is clearly by design."

Without disputing either that or the count, MTV issued an apology through the Hollywood Reporter late Monday, saying the movie awards are "a live televised event known for irreverent comedy and a party atmosphere, where our guests speak more freely than they otherwise might."

It concluded, "We sincerely apologize to those in our audience who were offended by any objectionable words that might have slipped by [the censors] for the live airing."