Nitpicks or fair gripes?

[Father Heathen]

Some of the ratings/ban choices have been ridiculous here.

Here in the U.S. nobody bats an eye at graphic violence, but you better blur those bare breasts!

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Australia has done silly changes to media as well, particularly video games. A lot have been heavily censored or banned outright. I would've expected that sort of pearl clutching from American religious conservatives, not you guys.

I'm sitting in a warm room eating sushi now, so I'll have a second crack at answering this, as I was freezing my butt of earlier (cold in Melbourne today!)

In relation to censorship to 'Protect the childrens, won't somebody think of the childrens!!!' it's been pretty random and at times indefensible here. I still remember signing a petition when younger to introduce an R rating for games, because our idiot censors were sure games were for kids, so MA15+ was the highest required rating.

All of which would be fine if they didn't just use that as a reason to ban all sorts of things which were allowed (and more) in movies. So in that sense I not only agree with you, I'm chanting in the protest.

I guess the thing which seems more unique to the US is altering things for cultural purposes. Changing words the audience 'might not know' or changing endings to tidy them up.

A large element of that is pure commercials, of course. But to us it sometimes feels like there is some strangely condescending allowance made for US audiences.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Here in the U.S. nobody bats an eye at graphic violence, but you better blur those bare breasts!

That might just be why we have so many problems here.

 

[Father Heathen]

I'm sitting in a warm room eating sushi now, so I'll have a second crack at answering this, as I was freezing my butt of earlier (cold in Melbourne today!)

In relation to censorship to 'Protect the childrens, won't somebody think of the childrens!!!' it's been pretty random and at times indefensible here. I still remember signing a petition when younger to introduce an R rating for games, because our idiot censors were sure games were for kids, so MA15+ was the highest required rating.

All of which would be fine if they didn't just use that as a reason to ban all sorts of things which were allowed (and more) in movies. So in that sense I not only agree with you, I'm chanting in the protest.

I guess the thing which seems more unique to the US is altering things for cultural purposes. Changing words the audience 'might not know' or changing endings to tidy them up.

A large element of that is pure commercials, of course. But to us it sometimes feels like there is some strangely condescending allowance made for US audiences.

Dumbing things down because people are ignorant only keeps them ignorant.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I've always assumed the name is Waldo because it's extremely unusual at least, possibly made up.

Ralph Waldo Emerson? I assumed it had something to do with him…

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Ralph Waldo Emerson? I assumed it had something to do with him…

I didn't know of him first time I heard of Waldo.