Swearing chef upsets Aussies
2008-06-19 11:23
Sydney - It's enough to rip an oath of surprise from the most genteel of throats - tough-talking Australia is complaining about the foul language of a British celebrity chef.
A Senate committee looking into swearing on television, prompted by objections to chef Gordon Ramsay's expletive-laden Kitchen Nightmares show, recommended changes on Thursday to broadcasting standards.
Liberal Party Senator Cory Bernardi said one episode had contained "the F-word" 80 times in its 40 minutes.
"And I'm not referring to fondue," he said.
The senate's environment, communications and arts committee recommended parental lock-out systems should be made an industry standard for all digital televisions sold in Australia.
Coarse language
It also recommended the government review its regulatory system and said the industry should clarify what is meant by the terms "occasional, some and frequent" coarse language.
Chairperson Anne McEwen said submissions to the inquiry showed people were offended not only by Ramsay's coarse language, but by the way he used it.
"People were offended by the way Ramsay directed his language towards restaurant staff in an abusive and aggressive manner," McEwen said.
The complaints turn the tables on British advertising authorities who sparked outrage here in 2006 for briefly banning an Australian tourism ad that ended with a bikini-clad model saying, "So where the bloody hell are you?"
- AFP