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So I was re-watching MASH.... holy sh**

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  • #1

    So I was re-watching MASH.... holy sh**

    Sorry it has been a while since I last posted. I might not be able to check this thread because life is still so busy, but this has been bothering me for a while.

    I picked up all 11 season of MASH for $80 on Amazon. One of their "one day only" sales that was before Christmas. I got extreamly lucky, one of my favorite shows for less the 1/4 of the retail value.

    It was an early episode, I can not find it on YouTube (though I did not look that hard, even now I am beyond uncomfortable looking that up).

    Show synopsis, A Corporal (not Klinger) keeps running away to Tokyo to get plastic surgery for his rather larger nose. Of course, hilarity ensues and Dr. McIntyre and Pierce trick a lecherous Army plastic surgeon to work on him, promising loose women. (standard fare, so far sums up about 1/4 of the first 3 seasons.)

    Anyway this horny plastic surgeon almost forces himself on Major Houlihan. Fortunately, McIntyre and Pierce stop him. What haunts me the most was the "Chuckle Track" that was playing while Major Houlihan was in shock and nearly in tears. I was in full shook when I saw it, they must have cut that scene during reruns because I had never seen it before.

    It has been a few weeks now, and that scene still haunts me a bit. I just can not comprehend why it was even there, or why they used the dam "Chuckle Track" in the scene trying to imply rape was a joke.

    I love about 90% of MASH, but scenes like that reminded me it was made in the 60s.
    Noble Grand: Do you swear, on your sacred honor, to uphold the principles of Friendship, Love and Truth?
    Me: I do.
    (snippet of the Initiation ceremony of the Fraternal Order of Odd Fellows)
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  • #2
    I refuse to watch MASH with the laugh track on. I have several seasons on DVD, and there's an option to turn the laugh track off (IIRC). Not only do I not want to be told when to laugh (effectively told what I should find funny), but especially for scenes like the one you mention, which were intended to be humorous, but social mores have improved to the point where they would no longer be written as funny.

    MASH was also recently added to Netflix. I'm still trying to find an option to turn off the laugh track there.
    "The future is always born in pain... If we are wise what is born of that pain matures into the promise of a better world." --G'Kar, "Babylon 5"

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Gilhelmi View Post
      I love about 90% of MASH, but scenes like that reminded me it was made in the 60s.
      The run was between 1972 and 1983, although it was based on a 1968 novel.

      Originally posted by Ghel
      I refuse to watch MASH with the laugh track on. I have several seasons on DVD, and there's an option to turn the laugh track off (IIRC).
      Holy crap, every single show needs to have this option. And not just for DVDs but for live TV (something like an SAP function but to mute laugh tracks). Same goes for muting announcers during sporting events.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Gilhelmi View Post
        It has been a few weeks now, and that scene still haunts me a bit. I just can not comprehend why it was even there, or why they used the dam "Chuckle Track" in the scene trying to imply rape was a joke.
        Just think: A mere 40 years ago, and attempted rape was still considered prime time joke material.

        Then again, we still use 'drop the soap' and 'jail boyfriend' comments as if they're any less awful...
        Faith is about what you do. It's about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It's about making sacrifices for the good of others. - Dresden

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Andara Bledin View Post
          Just think: A mere 40 years ago, and attempted rape was still considered prime time joke material.
          Even more recent than that was the Dumb and Dumber scene with "Sea Bass" in the restroom. While the movie itself had a lot of lowbrow and scatological humor in it, I wonder how that scene would have played out today.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Gilhelmi View Post
            I just can not comprehend why it was even there, or why they used the dam "Chuckle Track" in the scene trying to imply rape was a joke.
            I remember being quite disturbed by that episode.

            Sadly that wasn't the last time MASH presented rape as funny.

            There were 2 other early-run episodes. A visiting army colonel came on to Frank Burns, then when caught cried rape (presumably to protect herself against charges of fraternizing with a lower-ranked officer). Frank's entire character was designed to be unlikeable, but I didn't find it funny at all that he got summarily arrested and confined for false rape allegations.

            Another where Hawkeye and Trapper pretended to be insane in order to get some leave time in Tokyo. That one was actually quite funny, but just... stop watching when the guest psychiatrist shows up to evaluate them. Unless you're prepared to take a really long shower.

            The above are the worst examples, but there were plenty of instances of sexual harassment and adultery being treated as funny. For those reasons I won't watch early seasons of MASH.
            Last edited by Talon; 02-23-2015, 09:18 PM.
            Customer: I need an Apache.
            Gravekeeper: The Tribe or the Gunship?

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            • #7
              Originally posted by TheHuckster View Post
              Even more recent than that was the Dumb and Dumber scene with "Sea Bass" in the restroom. While the movie itself had a lot of lowbrow and scatological humor in it, I wonder how that scene would have played out today.
              It's worse than you think. There was a deleted version of that scene where Sea Bass tells him, "I'm gonna rape you, then I'm gonna kill you!" The response to that was something like, "Couldn't you do that the other way around?"
              --- I want the republicans out of my bedroom, the democrats out of my wallet, and both out of my first and second amendment rights. Whether you are part of the anal-retentive overly politically-correct left, or the bible-thumping bellowing right, get out of the thought control business --- Alan Nathan

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              • #8
                One of the other forums I'm on instituted a ban on rape jokes somewhat recently.

                Not only are they not missed, but the people who took off because they weren't allowed to joke about rape (seriously, people left over this >_< ) were some of those who were also the subject of a lot of reports for behavior otherwise. Not to mention that some of the people who came back (mostly women made uncomfortable by the atmosphere in which rape jokes are considered funny) are some of those considered to be good contributors by other members of the community.
                Faith is about what you do. It's about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It's about making sacrifices for the good of others. - Dresden

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                • #9
                  Sounds like the tip of the iceberg for MASH in regards to female characters. Apparently Houlihan's character mainly existed for ass jokes for most of the show until a female writer joined the writing staff. Then she actually got character development. -.-


                  but the people who took off because they weren't allowed to joke about rape (seriously, people left over this >_< )
                  That is sad.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Andara Bledin View Post
                    but the people who took off because they weren't allowed to joke about rape (seriously, people left over this >_< )
                    Fark had a similar blowup over new rules against misogynistic jokes a few months ago.
                    "The hero is the person who can act mindfully, out of conscience, when others are all conforming, or who can take the moral high road when others are standing by silently, allowing evil deeds to go unchallenged." — Philip Zimbardo
                    TUA Games & Fiction // Ponies

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by KabeRinnaul View Post
                      Fark had a similar blowup over new rules against misogynistic jokes a few months ago.
                      It's amazing just how many people, when it's pointed out that they're casually biased in subtle ways will choose to, instead of reflecting on that fact and attempting to stamp out their own biases, double down on their own negative practices, often acting as though being required to not demean another group of people is, somehow, demeaning them instead.
                      Faith is about what you do. It's about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It's about making sacrifices for the good of others. - Dresden

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Gravekeeper View Post
                        Sounds like the tip of the iceberg for MASH in regards to female characters. Apparently Houlihan's character mainly existed for ass jokes for most of the show until a female writer joined the writing staff. Then she actually got character development. -.-




                        That is sad.
                        Ever read any of the post Korea MASH books?

                        And yes, Houlihan was designed to be the butt of sexual jokes even in the original novel. And oddly enough, the film stuck fairly close to the original novel.

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                        • #13
                          One thing I liked about Potter was that he wasn'tflirty. Henry just seemed to be like Hawkeye--which would be fine if he weren't the commanding officer.

                          I'm mid season 2 on Netflix right now. Season 4 can't get here fast enough.

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                          • #14
                            The main thing I remember about M*A*S*H is that it gave me the way I explain to people how to spell my last name. "Three Es, not in a row."
                            "Nam castum esse decet pium poetam
                            ipsum, versiculos nihil necessest"

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Gravekeeper View Post
                              That is sad.
                              them leaving doesn't sound sad to me

                              Originally posted by Talon View Post
                              The above are the worst examples, but there were plenty of instances of sexual harassment and adultery being treated as funny. For those reasons I won't watch early seasons of MASH.
                              the simple fact that they called her hot lips for years.

                              Originally posted by Andara Bledin View Post
                              Just think: A mere 40 years ago, and attempted rape was still considered prime time joke material.

                              Then again, we still use 'drop the soap' and 'jail boyfriend' comments as if they're any less awful...
                              or have characters like dinozo on ncis who sexually harasses everything on two legs.


                              I've seen interviews where they say they didn't want the laugh track at all but the network required it. they negotiated it to no laugh track during surgery scenes and that's why so many jokes and stuff happen during the surgery scenes.

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