Very Bad Words
Summary: As long as there’s been language, there have been forbidden words. What gives these words their power? Why are they considered “bad”? Producer and Host, Matt Fidler, reaches out to experts, linguists, and historians to explore these words and their cultural significance. From diving into specific bad words to exploring what language has the “worst curses”, Matt weaves personal stories and interviews to help shed light on the power of very bad words.
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Podcasts:
We learn about swearing in German, Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese, Farci, and Tamil. Linguistic Anthropologist Evelyn Dean-Olmstead helps us make the connection between taboo and the culture that created it.
Matt talks to Tara Clancy about being sworn at in Italian by her Grandmother.
On this very special episode of Very Bad Words, Matt is joined by co-host Katrin Redfern to explore one of the most controversial and misunderstood words in the English language. The C-Word! They reach out to women like Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot, Dr. Camilla Power, Dr. Evelyn-Dean Olmsted and others to discuss the history of this powerful word and how it is being re-appropriated by feminists.
Matt's cousin talks about comedian Bill Burr and the C-Word.
What are the rules about swearing on television and radio? What can you actually say on the air, and how are these decisions made? Do these rules change as times change? On this episode of Very Bad Words, we learn how George Carlin’s bit about the 7 words you can never say on television, unintentionally set FCC policy regarding profanity on the air. With guests: Matthew Lasar - author of “Pacifica Radio: The Rise of an Alternative Network” Sarah Montague - producer of Selected Shorts
Next week on Very Bad Words, we hear about how a famous comedian unintentionally changed the FCC's language policies forever.
For years comedians in comedy clubs have been pushing the lines of what could be said in the public arena. Lenny Bruce was arrested multiple times for doing just that, and George Carlin was imortalized for same thing just a decade later. But swearing just isn't that controversial anymore - especially in a comedy club. But never-the-less, there are still plenty of comedians actively crossing the lines in comedy today. On this episode of Very Bad Words, we talk to several of them. Guests: Dante Nero PJ Landers Adam Glyn Joe Larson Von Decarlo Jen Matascio Christian Duran Tamer Cattan
Very Bad Words is the podcast about swearing and taboo language. On this episode we explore the origins of one of the oldest swear words in the English language, shit. We talk with linguist Geoff Nunberg and “the psychologist of swearing" Timothy Jay to find out why it is still one of the most popular and versatile words - even after centuries of use.
Promo for the podcast Very Bad Words, coming out June 14th.
