Getty ImagesThis may be the land of the free, but even America has certain restrictions on what can be seen, said and shown in Hollywood.
While it may seem like modern film, television and music is saturated with racy sexual content, nudity, profanity and other touchy material, there are still certain limitations on the various forms of media we consume every day, though such restrictions continue to evolve as the years churn.
For example, we know that "indecent" and "profane" content—like racy language or depictions of sexual activity—are prohibited on non-cable television and radio between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. to prevent children from seeing it, according to the Federal Communications Commission.
Though the First Amendment has long aimed to protect citizens' rights to freedom of speech in its various forms, the FCC has set some regulatory ground rules to prevent children from stumbling on something they simply shouldn't be seeing or hearing.
However, such a philosophy has played an intricate role in how Hollywood functions, whether it be accidentally broadcasting Nicole Richie's unexpected f-bomb during the Billboard Music Awards or bleeping out Kendrick Lamar's latest track at the Grammy's to avoid a hefty fine.
Similarly, the Motion Picture Association film rating system has developed since the mid-1930s to help viewers determine which films are suitable for which audiences based on its particular content. However, much like any initial procedure, the rating system has been continuously called into question and challenged to accommodate the newest material.
Here's a look at a handful of moments in Hollywood that inspired changes in American censorship.
1. Frankly, My Dear, the Censors Did Give a Damn: One of the most iconic lines in American film was almost a total bust thanks in part to United States censorship. In the classic Gone With the Wind, Rhett Buttler tells his estranged wife Scarlett O'Hara, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" after she tearfully asks him what she is going to do after he leaves her for good.
However, before the FCC was in existence, Hollywood had obliged by the Motion Picture Association's Production Code, which prohibited the use of "damn" and "hell." Thanks to a special amendment to the code made for the film, the line was ultimately allowed and a legendary moment was born.
2. The Classics Are Twisted by the Rules: While that same initial production code was only in effect from 1934 to 1968, it was a stringent policer of some of Hollywood's most classic films, including Casablanca, and required all films to be submitted for approval before they could be released. It is reported that the iconic ending with Rick urging Ilsa to get on the plane with her husband is largely due to the code, which was strict about protecting the institution of marriage.
However, other film directors were strategic about how they maneuvered around the code. Alfred Hitchcock allegedly had his actors in Notorious engage in three second spurts of kissing for over two minutes, thereby adhering to the three second kissing rule.
Despite directors' clever strategies, a majority of Hollywood felt the code censored their work far too greatly and it was soon superseded by the MPAA's rating guide.
3. A Blue Fight for Valentine: When Ryan Gosling and his co-star Michelle Williams geared up for the release of their romantic drama, Blue Valentine, the film hit a barrier when the MPAA handed down an NC-17 rating over the film's sexual content.
"They don't give [NC-17's] for violence, they give them for sexuality," Gosling told E! News at the film's premiere. "[There are] so many theaters we can't play in and so many people that can't see the film." Fortunately, the Weinstein Company appealed and ultimately received an R-rating.
4. The FCC Is Prompted to Fine Thanks to Cher and Nicole Richie: When the case FCC v. Fox Television Stations, Inc. reached the Supreme Court in 2009 to argue the ability to ban "fleeting" or accidental expletives during television broadcasts, the case cited two celebrity examples—Cher and Richie dropping the f-bomb, as they had both done during the Billboard Music Awards in 2002 and 2003. Ultimately, the Supreme Court determined the FCC had not made an arbitrary request in implementing such a ban.
As of 2012, the Supreme Court determined that the FCC could rule against profanity and nudity on live broadcast television, but could not impose fines or sanctions.
5. Fans Were Not "Alright" With This Censorship: Similarly with award shows and daytime television, "f--k" is a profanity that the FCC expects to be censored in live music. The effects of such a rule exist as recently as Kendrick Lamar's highly discussed performance of "Alright" and "Blacker the Berry" at the 2016 Grammy Awards. While Lamar changed some of the lyrics for television, when his audio cut out unexpectedly, viewers were suddenly confused and assumed it was an attempt at further censorship of his "we hate popo" line, though it was later revealed he changed the line for that performance.
Instead, a CBS rep reportedly clarified in an email that the sound was cut to remove a profanity. Which one? You guessed it—"f--k."
This is not the first time a broadcast's censoring has impacted an overall musical performance in recent history. When Kanye West took the stage for a performance of "All Day" and "Black Skinhead" at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards, viewers at home struggled to hear the performance as a lot of it had been bleeped out.
"Non-profane lyrics such as 'with my leather black jeans on' were muted for over 30 second intervals. As a result, his voice and performance were seriously misrepresented," the rapper's rep told E! News in a statement. "It is ridiculous that in 2015, unwarranted censorship is something that artists still have to fight against. Although West was clearly set up to face elements beyond his control during the live broadcast, he would like to apologize to the television audience who were unable to enjoy the performance the way he envisioned."
6. A Superbowl Halftime Show for the History Books: The 2004 halftime show performed by Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake is emblazoned in football history because of one questionable and allegedly accidental move. During a rendition of Timberlake's "Rock Your Body," the Grammy winner ripped Jackson's top, exposing her breast. While the broadcast immediately cut to an aerial shot of the stadium, it was not quick enough to shield millions of families at home from seeing the faux pas.
Following the blunder, the FCC received thousands of complaints and hit CBS with a $550,000 government fine in addition to a $3.5 million payout for overall complaints. However, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later dismissed the $550,000 fine twice as the FCC had allowed "fleeting indecency" during broadcasts at the time of the incident. Still, the event set a new precedent for future live wardrobe malfunctions—they would not be allowed.
Furthermore, the moment is believed to have had an impact on the nature of daytime soap operas, which had begun broadcasting more nudity around that time. Michael J. Copps, the FCC commissioner in 2004, expressed interest in the the agency reviewing the afternoon programs. "It was pretty steamy stuff for the middle of the afternoon," he reportedly said at the time.