Comic 14 – “Rated PG”
Errol: Allo! I’m going to actually comment on something serious here, and that is Debs and Errol‘s PG stance. For the most part, we are and will be sticking to this for our songs and for our videos. You will never get me in a topless shoot, sorry.
This is NOT, however, a statement against other acts! A lot of acts we are coupled with are more R-rated and that’s perfectly fine. I am not dissing them nor am I saying they should tone it down.[9]
But some may wonder why we ‘restrict’ ourselves since the venues we go to allow for that freedom of expression.
Fortunately, I have reasons in point form!
- My children – My children love my comics, my songs, and my videos. They watch them all the time. I don’t even force them to. They are fascinated by the whole creative process and are quite intrigued that I love doing creative things. I want to be an example of creativity to them and wish to show them everything I have made.[10]
- Our Demographic – The geek crowd can be vulgar.[11] I am not worried about offending them. They did invent 4chan, after all. But our material is so niche that I want to appeal to every geek out there, whether they be a young preteen, or an old grandfather. As geek culture becomes more and more entrenched within the younger generation, I want to make sure they can see our stuff!
- Debs and Errol rapport – Debs is a wonderful friend of mine. She is creative, she is funny, she is smart, she is talented, she is crazy, and she and I mesh on the same wavelength which makes it very easy to perform on stage. Our act is natural, ad-libbed, and just how we interact in real life. But there is nothing in there that is overtly graphic, sexual, or R-rated. Doing so would feel forced, uncomfortable, and terribly weird. π
Debs: Thanks, Errol, I think you’re really awesome too! I’m jumping in to say that I feel just as strongly about this as Errol does. We’ve never had to talk about it overtly – it’s just been assumed because, yes, doing anything differently would be inappropriate and weird.
Errol: This does not mean that we will never venture into anything risquΓ© [12] but for the most part, we try to keep things clean. π
Irregularly shaped already! Irregularly shaped! Oh good lord I will never live it down.
No, no you won’t, Charlie. π I tell that story to EVERYONE! *laugh*
(BTW, I think it was “An Unexpected Shape”)
It was “unexpected shape.” π
Voose Jaw?
I was debating putting in “Vestevan”, since that’s where I’m from. π
Hmm … what about the songs people will be asking you to cover? π
Anything that goes on our youtube channel will be PG. Debs made a promise to me that I would never be sexualized in a video… π
Well, I’m gonna have to come up with a new list, then. π
What? In that whole LIST there wasn’t ONE PG rated song?? π
Love the website and the comics. This post made me recall a lyric I wrote back in 2004 that had music similar to that used for the song “Choreography” in the movie “White Christmas.”
I’m not really all that swearing averse but this is what I wrote:
Fans… up in the stands
are chanting taunts that fill the air
with gratuitous vulgarity
Stars… with fancy cars
are bleeped and bleeped and bleeped again
for gratuitous vulgarity
Shirts… with dirty words
now seem to have a very trendy quality
Forget innuendo
it doesn’t offend so
instead its gratuitous vulgarity
Jokes… by cable folks
can’t seem to get played on the air
without gratuitous vulgarity
Flicks… to sell more tix
and get that PG-13 seal
add gratuitous vulgarity
Crass… decals on glass
portray a urinating child for all to see
Forget innuendo
it doesn’t offend so
instead its gratuitous vulgarity
Forget innuendo
it doesn’t offend so
instead its gratuitous vulgarity
You can hear “Choreography” at http://grooveshark.com/s/Choreography/2FYDfX?src=5
Cool! I had to listen to it on grooveshark (haven’t been there in a while, things have changed again!) π
Love it! Im so glad you guys are sticking to your guns about this one. It means my kids will be able to follow you guys too! I mean you are awesome and stuff so I want them to watch people they know do awesome things! :o) Cheers guys!