Las Vegas newspaper wins ‘Wheel of Profanity’ and lets expletive fly uncensored

I pointed out in January that the Las Vegas newspaper had evolved in its policies concerning the use of profanities in the “family” newspaper, because it used  “BOEHNER TELLS REID TO F— OFF” on the front page to refer to an inside story about what the House speaker said to the Senate majority leader.

When I was editor I overruled the AP Stylebook on this. The Stylebook suggests: “If a full quote that contains an obscenity, profanity or vulgarity cannot be dropped but there is no compelling reason for the offensive language, replace the letters of the offensive word with hyphens, using only an initial letter.”

Front page refer in January

I reasoned every freaking member of the damn “family” already knew precisely what letters were excised. “This is no game show,” I would exclaim, “and Vanna White ain’t the editor.” If the word were necessary to the context of the story and the ability to convey the news value, then use the word, not some flimsy hyphens. That’s like wrapping a nude in Saran Wrap and calling it decent.

But I never did use the word. Instead, I told editors to substitute in parens the word “expletive.” Everyone still knew what was said, but perhaps we’d be spared the wrath of the prudes and a couple of cancellations.

I guess the paper has so few subscribers left now that it makes no difference. Today in a story under the headline “Henderson, Milam reportedly reach tentative settlement,” the Review-Journal lets rip a quote from an email from a former BLM director who was catching heat about the land deal.

PROFANITY WARNING! The paper, in print and online, quoted: “‘At the end of the day, I am hopeful the good citizens of Henderson will realize they have fucking idiots working for them and that they will show up at the polls to elect officials who are worthy of representing that community’s interests,’ (Bob) Abbey wrote. ‘I do not believe this to be the case today.'”

The evolution is complete.

For a dose of double irony, see the morning emailed newsletter from self-styled TV pundit, former Review-Journal columnist and defrocked Sun columnist Jon Ralston — who has been known to let out an all-too-frequent and all-too-voluble profanity, especially the aforementioned one, across the newsroom — in which he wrote:

You don’t often see what the “newspaper” published in an updated post early Monday evening, with an astounding quote from ex-national BLM Director Bob Abbey about that lawsuit expected to be settled as early as this morning. I will alter it because this is a family newsletter, but he said: “At the end of the day, I am hopeful the good citizens of Henderson will realize they have f—ing idiots working for them and that they will show up at the polls to elect officials who are worthy of representing that community’s interests,” Yes, the word is not edited, a decision by the RJ that is surprising if not, perhaps, understandable to get the full force of what he was saying. Here’s the full story.