In a self-admittedly "overly cautious" move, British network "Channel 4" removed the word "gay" from a 1994 "Simpsons" re-run that aired around 1pm last Sunday.
The word "gay," said in an episode titled "Homer Loves Flanders," was "deemed not suitable for a daytime audience," reports The Telegraph.
In the episode, Homer Simpson goes to a football game with his God-fearing neighbor Ned Flanders but is initially embarrassed to be seen with him. After the pair bond over food, Homer yells: "I want everyone to know that this is Ned Flanders ... my friend!"
Homer's workmates Lenny and Carl overhear him and Lenny says: "What d'he say?"
Originally, Carl replies: "I dunno. Somethin' about being gay."
But on Sunday, Carl's response was left off and the episode quickly cut to commercial break after Lenny speaks.
Channel 4 said that all "Simpsons" episodes airing before 6pm are checked by its compliance department for any unsuitable content and in this instance, the compliance checker had been overly-cautious.
Channel 4 released a statement, explaining the "error in editing" (via The Independent):
"We always carefully consider the context in which language is used in our programming. However in this instance the episode was edited in error as neither the word nor the context was unsuitable. Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator says there is no evidence to conclude that the word "gay" is necessarily and automatically intended to be, or is, offensive."
But the network further explained that the term is viewed as offensive when used in a context that "results in a negative portrayal of homosexual men and women"—such as when Radio 1 host Chris Moyles was accused of being homophobic after he disliked a phone ringtone, saying “I don’t want that one, it’s gay.”
The BBC defended Moyles, arguing that the word "gay" is acknowledged as a second usage in the Oxford English Dictionary to mean “socially inappropriate, or disapproved of and lame."
Broadcasters, such as Channel 4, are told to restrict the usage of “gay” in this kind of negative context when children are likely to be watching, as it could contribute to bullying—hence "The Simpsons" weekend lunch-hour omission.
Watch the entire half-hour episode in question below, sped up to be five-minutes-long:
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