Nipplegate! ME-TV Slaps Big Black Box Over Big Black Box Tasteful Cartoon Tee

We're OK when television networks choose to curb the amount of gratuitous "adult" content in prime-time programming, but we've always figured that such stuff, within reason, was fair game on cable networks. After all, Comedy Central has a sketch comedy show starring a naked trucker, FX's Nip/Tuck once had one of its stars engaging in gross raunchy sex with a mother-daughter duo, and Fox News regularly gets away with putting Bill O'Reilly on the air. Recently, though, a far less scintillating scandal has hit local airwaves, and we're a little confused as to what the fuss is all about.
One of our favorite shows on ME-Television, the excellent Austin-based network that promotes some of the best music that Central Texas has to offer, is Red River Rocks. Hosted by the adorable duo of Emmy Robbin and J.J. Castillo, the show airs daily at midnight, and prides itself on its edgy, sometimes shocking coverage of local buzz bands. We should point out that this is a program that's regularly broadcasted videos by bands named Gorch Fock and Goblin Cock, and songs with titles like "Death of a French Whore." In other words, this probably isn't a show for the kids.
Last night's episode featured British transplants and Austinist favorites IV Thieves (formerly Nic Armstrong and the Thieves), who brought their signature swagger and love for libations to the set of Red River Rocks. Bassist Shane Lawlor enjoyed a beer on camera, while guitarist Glynn Wedgewood joked about the okay-ness of offering a toddler whiskey. All of this was fair play for the studio execs.
Lawlor's appropriately rockstar ensemble included a white t-shirt, on whose front was a wild-haired naked lady—not unlike the Sharpied efforts of a budding young Basquiat to replicate Botticelli's Birth of Venus. Unfortunately, said image included one or more visible, if cartoonish, nipples.
Shit and fan met, exchanged pleasantries, and after what we can only assume was a drawn out exchange between studio honchos and the folks producing the show, a decision was handed down to paste a gargantuan black box over Lawlor's entire chest. The net effect suggests that what lies beneath is something truly sinister, like perhaps kittens being vivisected by cloven-hoofed demons. Or this guy.
Because we still have no idea how to work our TiVo, we're not able to include any video footage from last night's broadcast. Luckily, an anonymous confidant inside ME-TV was able to provide us with video stills comparing the edited and undoctored shots of said tittilating tee. You can check it the naughty version after the jump.
What do you think, Austin? Cheesy censorship or unnecessary paranoia?



Comments [rss]
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Jeff Anonymous
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Nic Armstrong
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musiclover
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Patrick C.
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ol'pappy
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UnReal
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shari
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shari
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Special K
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JJ Castillo
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ol'pappy
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JJ Castillo
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JJ Castillo
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JJ Castillo
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apv
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ol'pappy
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ol'pappy
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TheMilkman
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Bre
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ol'pappy
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ol'pappy
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Stew
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anon
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laughingatyou
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Shane Lawlor
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ol'pappy
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shane's hot
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toad in the hole
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ol'pappy


