Did HBO and Julia Louis-Dreyfus' New Show Veep Use The R-Word?

We only saw the last few minutes of the show, but I am hearing that they did use the R-Word in the new show "Veep" on HBO. If this is the case, then we need to write to both HBO and the writers on the show. Can anyone confirm?

10 Words Moms Shouldn't Say - Check Out #3!

My sister forwarded me an article from Circle of Moms.  The article is called 10 Words to Avoid in Front of Your Kids.  She followed up with a phone call and was so excited to find out whether or not I had read the article.  Thanks for sharing this, Lu!  I think this article is wonderful and I'm committed to helping spread the word.  Check out number 3!!!



Here is what Joey thought of this wonderful article (with one of his favorite men- Richard K.):

Huge kudos to Circle of Moms for this wonderful reminder and especially for including the R-word in this list.  What is so interesting to me is the number of words on this list that we were forbidden from using when we were kids.  I'm grateful my parents taught us that words have power.  What words were you not supposed to use when you were a kid?

10 Words to Avoid in Front of Your Kids

Out of the mouths of babes . . . As parents, we know that anything that's uttered within earshot of our kids is fair game for repetition. And while eliminating all of those four-letter favorites is a no-brainer, there are plenty of others that can be just as damaging. Here, the 10 words we suggest that you ban from your vocabulary in front of your kids.

1. Hate: You might be talking about rush hour traffic, a line at the grocery store, or a bad commercial on TV. But when it's used to talk about a classmate, teacher, or birthday gift, "hate" can be terribly hurtful.

2. Stupid: There's not much that's less appreciated than being called "stupid," and this is one that lil ones tend to enjoy repeating . . . again and again and again.

3. Retard: A word that's so offensive, there's an entire website devoted to banishing it. If you haven't already done so, you should get on board and eliminate the R-word from your adult vocabulary as well.

4. Gay: Unless your child is old enough to have a conversation about homosexuality, chances are, the word "gay" is going to be misused in a potentially hurtful (not to mention, incorrect) manner.

5. Loser: With bullying at the forefront of most parents' minds, putting down someone's self-esteem is something that you, and your kids, should never be a part of.

6. Dumb: See above.

7. No: We know you're not actually going to eliminate the word "no" from your repertoire. But try to limit its frequency. It seems to roll off the tips of toddlers' tongues way too easily.

8. Shut up: Make this a forbidden phrase now to avoid its overuse later. Tweens tend to enjoy overusing it at times when it doesn't even really make sense (think: "He asked her out?! Shut up!").

9. God (as in "Oh my God!"): If religion is present in your home, the word "God" will be, too. However, try not to use it as an exclamation of excitement or surprise. Even if "Oh my God!" doesn't bother you personally, you never know when it will come off offensive to someone else.

10. Bad: Like "no," it's one that's inevitably going to come up, but shouldn't be used excessively. Being told that you're "bad" repeatedly can be totally demoralizing for a child (or anyone, for that matter).

No R-Word In "Anchorman 2"!!! And Boston Pitcher John Lackey Apologizes

This is the latest from Spread the Word to End the Word!

According to Spread the Word to End the Word, a parent of a child who has special needs had the following Twitter conversation with writer, director and filmmaker Adam McKay in which he asked McKay not to use the word "retarded" in the upcoming Anchorman 2 starring Will Ferrell:





McKay's response was that the word is "over" and that he agrees.  Wow.  I mean, wow!

As Spread the Word to End the Word said in one of the many, many facebook comments about this news, "One of the most well known comedic writers/directors/filmmakers just agreed that he can make a sequel to one of the funniest movies of the last decade (okay, that's a matter of taste, we know) WITHOUT the R-word.  This will show all other comedic writers that it can (and should) be done.  This is a big public win."

Yes it is.  This is a huge public win.  If we want to see change and be the change, we must promote the wins just as much, if not more (probably more in my opinion) than the losses.  

Huge kudos and cheers to McKay for moving forward.  I am thrilled to pieces that so many of us, if we choose, can go out and see Anchorman 2 and not have to worry during the entire movie whether or not someone will use the R-word.

Boston Red Sox Pitcher, John Lackey Apologizes

Kevin Kaduk of Yahoo sports wrote about Lackey's comments--

John Lackey: Boston’s fried chicken-and-beer controversy is ‘retarded’

By Kevin Kaduk | Big League Stew – Tue, Mar 27, 2012 9:39 AM EDT

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(Getty)Boston Red Sox pitcher John Lackey is set to spend the 2012 season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. As such, the 33-year-old right-hander is planning to keep a low profile in the clubhouse as he goes about his work.

But what kind of Red Sox season would it be if Lackey didn't stick his foot in his mouth and come away looking like a lout at least once? In talking with Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy about last year's collapse — and the "fried chicken and beer" media firestorm that followed — Lackey drops a word that most of us left behind on the grade school playground.

From the Boston Globe:

"Guys having a beer after their start has been going on for the last 100 years,'' Lackey said. "This is retarded. It's not like we were sitting up there doing it every night. It's not even close to what people think.''

Hey, what's that old saying? Better to remain silent and be thought a troglodyte than to speak up and remove all doubt? Clubhouse talk will never be the definition of polite, but you'd think someone who was just decrying what he thinks is an undeserved reputation for being boorish would choose his words a little more carefully.

According to ESPN.com:

Boston Red Sox pitcher John Lackey issued a statement Tuesday apologizing for a remark he made that was part of a column in Tuesday's Boston Globe.

"I apologize for my thoughtless choice of words that appeared in print earlier today. I meant no harm, and I am sorry to all I offended," the statement read.

Lackey used the word "retarded" in response to being questioned about the behavior of pitchers in the Red Sox clubhouse during the 2011 season. Reports came out after the season of pitchers drinking beer in the clubhouse during games. Boston went 7-20 in September and missed the playoffs by one game.

"Guys having a beer after their start has been going on for the last 100 years. This is retarded," Lackey was quoted as saying.

Lackey will miss the 2012 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery this offseason. He is entering the third season of a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Red Sox.

To me this is another huge victory.  The only way to eradicate the use of the R-word is to hold people accountable.  I'm thinking that I should mail John Lackey one of Joey's Boston Red Sox inspired Buddy Walk T-shirts.....