They Couldn't Censor These Live TV Events Fast Enough...
live tv fails, live tv, live fails, fails, censored live tv, uncensored live tv, uncensored tv, censored tv, live tv bloopers, bloopers, censorship, banned, live tv outtakes, live tv fails, live fails, fails, bloopers, uncensored, censored, news bloopers, news outtakes, super bowl janet jackson justin timberlake, nipplegate, chevy chase, bono, u2, dallas cowboys locker room, charlo greene, TV, History, watchmojo, watch mojo, top 10, list, mojo,
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most shocking moments on live television that should have been censored but were seen before the stations could cut away. Did you see any of these live? Let us know in the comments!
TV producers can hardly predict a curse word, let alone a spontaneous on-air quitting. The producers of Alaska’s KTVA got both when anchor and reporter Charlo Greene decided she’d had enough of the news. Greene was reporting on her own cannabis business venture when the viral incident occurred. Deciding that she wanted to focus more on the state’s controlled substance reform laws, Greene dropped a clear f-bomb and announced her resignation on-air before walking off camera. This profane mic drop moment went viral and garnered a lot of attention and news coverage of its own.
A football locker room is not always an easy place for news cameras. Dallas’s WFAA learned this the hard way when they cut to the Dallas Cowboys locker room for some b-roll. A sports host was reporting on the team’s recent struggles on the field before getting ready to hand off the story to another reporter. But things went a bit awry. Enter the now legendary b-roll, which shows a frustrated player with his head in his hands. But that’s… not what everyone focuses on. Nope, this should-have-been-censored moment is all about, well, the elephant in the room. It’s great for a laugh, but we can’t imagine the producers were very happy with this major slip-up.
Speaking of football, things can get pretty heated on the field. Luckily, the players are usually not mic-ed up, so any frequent cursing often goes unnoticed. But not always. During a game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the St. Louis Rams, Rams guard Harvey Dahl was issued a penalty for holding. Well, he was none too happy with that call. Dahl dropped the f-bomb against the referee, which was picked up by the ref’s microphone and broadcast throughout the whole stadium. It could also clearly be heard on the television broadcast, forcing the announcers to apologize. Dahl was also given another penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Here’s an idea - don’t randomly scroll through social media photos while live on the air. You’re welcome. A Denver Fox team was covering a helicopter crash in Seattle when one of the reporters started flicking through viewer-submitted photos. It started well enough, with a dramatic picture of the Space Needle obscured by smoke. But then he kept going, resulting in photos of Edward Scissorhands, some kind of odd-looking baked good, and…well, you know. The brief flash causes the other three reporters to react in shock and even issue a few gasps. The one doing the swiping just ignores it and talks on. Props to his poker face.
Most public news reports go according to plan, with everyone involved, reporters to subjects to bystanders, respecting the boundaries of civility and live TV. But not always. Over the years, a repeated pattern of harassment of female reporters being demeaned with an astonishingly vulgar and sexist phrase has occurred over and over. The phenomenon originally started through staged videos, but these skits eventually inspired and fueled real videobombings with the same phrase. Incidents started popping up all around the world, resulting in many shocked and disbelieving faces - and a wave of backlash.
Before becoming the head of state himself, Joe Biden, of course, served as the country’s 47th Vice President under Barack Obama. As Vice President, it was Biden’s job to introduce Obama at the landmark signing of the Affordable Care Act. But not without a little uncensored enthusiasm. Shortly after introducing the President, Biden goes in for a congratulatory hug and whispers “This is a big [effing] deal” into Obama’s ear. Unfortunately, the whisper was caught by hot mics around the room and broadcast on live TV. The viral incident was later parodied by both Biden and Obama, so at least they have a sense of humor about the incident.
Nicole Richie, daughter of Lionel Richie, rose to fame by starring on “The Simple Life” with Paris Hilton. The two became inseparable and took the stage at the 2003 Billboard Music Awards. It started with Hilton reminding Richie that they were on live TV and to watch her swearing. It’s a somewhat obvious set-up to a rebellious swearing gag, and that’s exactly what we got. Richie performed a little wordplay, referencing “The Simple Life” in regards to getting cow poop out of a Prada purse. She didn’t drop just one, but two naughty words in the process. The incident aired on Fox and resulted in the channel getting slapped with an indecency case that went to court.
Do you remember the song “The Hands That Built America” from “Gangs of New York?” It’s a U2 song, and was even nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar. While the tune failed to procure that coveted award statue, it did indeed garner a Golden Globe, which eventually led to lead singer Bono taking the stage at the award show ceremony. Clearly ecstatic, he said that winning the award was “really really [effing] brilliant.” Now that’s a rock ‘n’ roll attitude.The crowd loved it, smiling and laughing along with his excitement. But the FCC didn’t find much humor in it, calling the utterance “indecent” and warning broadcasters that future cursing would be met with punishment.
By 1980, “Saturday Night Live” was experiencing a lot of turmoil and upheaval , with most of the A-listers having moved on. Charles Rocket was brought in to essentially fill the shoes of Bill Murray and Chevy Chase, and while he performed admirably, his stint on the show did not last long. And that’s thanks to one single word. A sketch ended with Rocket being shot in a parody of the famous who-shot-J.R. cliffhanger from “Dallas.” While still in character, Rocket uttered a clear f-word, saying he’d “like to know who [effin’] did it.” The curse, combined with the tumultuous reception of his season, resulted in Rocket’s termination. However, he certainly wouldn’t be the last celebrity to swear on “SNL.”
There are legendary events in the history of live TV, then there’s the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show. Perhaps the most infamous TV event of the young century, the performance included Justin Timberlake tearing the shirt off Janet Jackson in front of millions of live viewers. The event made headlines around the world and the FCC fined CBS half a million dollars for the infraction. The outcome also had a ripple effect throughout the entertainment industry, resulting in stricter broadcasting regulations and the term “wardrobe malfunction” being introduced to common parlance. Suffice it to say, Nipplegate upstaged the game itself.
#10: Reporter Drops F-Bomb & Quits on Air
TV producers can hardly predict a curse word, let alone a spontaneous on-air quitting. The producers of Alaska’s KTVA got both when anchor and reporter Charlo Greene decided she’d had enough of the news. Greene was reporting on her own cannabis business venture when the viral incident occurred. Deciding that she wanted to focus more on the state’s controlled substance reform laws, Greene dropped a clear f-bomb and announced her resignation on-air before walking off camera. This profane mic drop moment went viral and garnered a lot of attention and news coverage of its own.
#9: Locker Room Full Coverage
A football locker room is not always an easy place for news cameras. Dallas’s WFAA learned this the hard way when they cut to the Dallas Cowboys locker room for some b-roll. A sports host was reporting on the team’s recent struggles on the field before getting ready to hand off the story to another reporter. But things went a bit awry. Enter the now legendary b-roll, which shows a frustrated player with his head in his hands. But that’s… not what everyone focuses on. Nope, this should-have-been-censored moment is all about, well, the elephant in the room. It’s great for a laugh, but we can’t imagine the producers were very happy with this major slip-up.
#8: Football F-Bomb
Speaking of football, things can get pretty heated on the field. Luckily, the players are usually not mic-ed up, so any frequent cursing often goes unnoticed. But not always. During a game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the St. Louis Rams, Rams guard Harvey Dahl was issued a penalty for holding. Well, he was none too happy with that call. Dahl dropped the f-bomb against the referee, which was picked up by the ref’s microphone and broadcast throughout the whole stadium. It could also clearly be heard on the television broadcast, forcing the announcers to apologize. Dahl was also given another penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
#7: An Accidental Flashing
Here’s an idea - don’t randomly scroll through social media photos while live on the air. You’re welcome. A Denver Fox team was covering a helicopter crash in Seattle when one of the reporters started flicking through viewer-submitted photos. It started well enough, with a dramatic picture of the Space Needle obscured by smoke. But then he kept going, resulting in photos of Edward Scissorhands, some kind of odd-looking baked good, and…well, you know. The brief flash causes the other three reporters to react in shock and even issue a few gasps. The one doing the swiping just ignores it and talks on. Props to his poker face.
#6: On-Air Demeaning
Most public news reports go according to plan, with everyone involved, reporters to subjects to bystanders, respecting the boundaries of civility and live TV. But not always. Over the years, a repeated pattern of harassment of female reporters being demeaned with an astonishingly vulgar and sexist phrase has occurred over and over. The phenomenon originally started through staged videos, but these skits eventually inspired and fueled real videobombings with the same phrase. Incidents started popping up all around the world, resulting in many shocked and disbelieving faces - and a wave of backlash.
#5: Obama’s BFD
Before becoming the head of state himself, Joe Biden, of course, served as the country’s 47th Vice President under Barack Obama. As Vice President, it was Biden’s job to introduce Obama at the landmark signing of the Affordable Care Act. But not without a little uncensored enthusiasm. Shortly after introducing the President, Biden goes in for a congratulatory hug and whispers “This is a big [effing] deal” into Obama’s ear. Unfortunately, the whisper was caught by hot mics around the room and broadcast on live TV. The viral incident was later parodied by both Biden and Obama, so at least they have a sense of humor about the incident.
#4: The Simple Swearing Life
Nicole Richie, daughter of Lionel Richie, rose to fame by starring on “The Simple Life” with Paris Hilton. The two became inseparable and took the stage at the 2003 Billboard Music Awards. It started with Hilton reminding Richie that they were on live TV and to watch her swearing. It’s a somewhat obvious set-up to a rebellious swearing gag, and that’s exactly what we got. Richie performed a little wordplay, referencing “The Simple Life” in regards to getting cow poop out of a Prada purse. She didn’t drop just one, but two naughty words in the process. The incident aired on Fox and resulted in the channel getting slapped with an indecency case that went to court.
#3: Bono’s Brilliance
Do you remember the song “The Hands That Built America” from “Gangs of New York?” It’s a U2 song, and was even nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar. While the tune failed to procure that coveted award statue, it did indeed garner a Golden Globe, which eventually led to lead singer Bono taking the stage at the award show ceremony. Clearly ecstatic, he said that winning the award was “really really [effing] brilliant.” Now that’s a rock ‘n’ roll attitude.The crowd loved it, smiling and laughing along with his excitement. But the FCC didn’t find much humor in it, calling the utterance “indecent” and warning broadcasters that future cursing would be met with punishment.
#2: Rocket Blast
By 1980, “Saturday Night Live” was experiencing a lot of turmoil and upheaval , with most of the A-listers having moved on. Charles Rocket was brought in to essentially fill the shoes of Bill Murray and Chevy Chase, and while he performed admirably, his stint on the show did not last long. And that’s thanks to one single word. A sketch ended with Rocket being shot in a parody of the famous who-shot-J.R. cliffhanger from “Dallas.” While still in character, Rocket uttered a clear f-word, saying he’d “like to know who [effin’] did it.” The curse, combined with the tumultuous reception of his season, resulted in Rocket’s termination. However, he certainly wouldn’t be the last celebrity to swear on “SNL.”
#1: Wardrobe Malfunction
There are legendary events in the history of live TV, then there’s the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show. Perhaps the most infamous TV event of the young century, the performance included Justin Timberlake tearing the shirt off Janet Jackson in front of millions of live viewers. The event made headlines around the world and the FCC fined CBS half a million dollars for the infraction. The outcome also had a ripple effect throughout the entertainment industry, resulting in stricter broadcasting regulations and the term “wardrobe malfunction” being introduced to common parlance. Suffice it to say, Nipplegate upstaged the game itself.
Have an idea you want to see made into a WatchMojo video? Check out our suggest page and submit your idea.
Step up your quiz game by answering fun trivia questions! Love games with friends? Challenge friends and family in our leaderboard! Play Now!