Those were the days: A more politically correct world brands a strong warning on an old sitcom

Web posted on: Thursday, October 15, 1998 3:16:29 PM

NEW YORK (CNN) -- When it was first aired 27 years ago, CBS ran a disclaimer before the first few episodes of "All In the Family" that stated, "This series is intended to make us laugh, and show us how absurd some of our beliefs really are." Today, the warning is more specific: TV-PG, D, L.

The Nickelodeon cable network is running a weeklong marathon of the groundbreaking series during its Nick at Night lineup -- 40 episodes in all, handpicked by creator Norman Lear. And at the start of each evening's marathon, Nick at Night is adding a 45-second parental warning, explaining the series is being rated TV-PG for dialogue and language.

"It looks a little nutty," said Lear of the code letters at the top left corner of the screen to start each episode. "It's hard to believe people pay any attention to it."

In addition, a spoken alert explains that "All in the Family" was "always a satire intended for mature viewers and because it contains bigoted remarks, racial epithets and adult subject matter, Nick at Nite has rated the show PG for dialogue and language. Parental guidance is suggested."

Lear also said that the warning -- which he called "unnecessary, maybe even foolish" -- was an example of political correctness run amok in the television industry. Americans could hear the same language "at any schoolyard or parking lot adjacent to a church. It isn't uncommon American language."

Over its 11 seasons on network television, the comedy was marked by its open dealings with bigotry, prejudice and politics.

It became one of the most popular shows in television history, and the show's central character, Archie Bunker (played by Carroll O'Connor), was by 1973 the most widely recognized face in America, according to a study at the time. Even his vocabulary -- punctuated by expressions like "dingbat," "meathead" and "stifle yourself!" -- permeated the American lexicon.

Nickelodeon included the warning because the nightly "All in the Family" episodes are preceded directly by programming for children, spokesman Paul Ward said.

Those children's shows are usually followed by old sitcoms which contain less adult-oriented matter than "All in the Family" does, he said.

Lear, who founded the liberal advocacy group People for the American Way, said he recently screened an episode of "All in the Family" for a class of college students.

Half of them had never seen the show before and "they couldn't believe what they were seeing and wondered why they couldn't see anything like it today."

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.