• Registered: 2022-11-16
  • Posts: 516

Topic: What the frack???

Okay, I'm not a Battlestar Galactica fan.
Not because it isn't any good, or I don't like the characters, but simply because I rarely watch the sci-fi channel.
I just don't ever remember to turn to that station.
But the other day I happened to start watching a little bit of BS, and in this particular episode I was amused by the number of times the word frack was said.
This may have been discussed to death already, but does anyone else think that the substitution of the word "frack" for the word "fuck" is absolutely one of the most stupid things you've ever heard on TV?
I think they'd be better off having the characters NOT use that word, than to try to use a substitute word to get by the FCC.
I mean, what the frack is up with that?
Kevin

  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 193

Re: What the frack???

Frak! You don't even know how to frakkin' write frak?!

And frakkin' why is that an excellent idea like this one is pounded so much?!

I was raised with the original BSG and I loved it. Scratchbuilt vipers, draw cylons all the time and grow up talking about that. I'm a fan.

But I must clearly state that the new series is ten times better. And the frakkin' word frak also makes it better.

  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 193

Re: What the frack???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grfI3Yv6T0Q

  • From: Denver, CO
  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 3,578

Re: What the frack???

They aren't the first to do this.

And, yes... I think it's silly.

Of course, I think the whole concept of "bad" words is silly.

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

mj12games's Website

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,286

Re: What the frack???

Also keep in mind the original Galactica was aired in a time when swear words tended to be bleeped out and sexual situations were shown only on daytime soaps and the playboy channel routinely.  Frak pretty much became part of the Galactica mythos at that point, hence the continuance of usage in the remake.

  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 654

Re: What the frack???

go0gleplex wrote:

Also keep in mind the original Galactica was aired in a time when swear words tended to be bleeped out and sexual situations were shown only on daytime soaps and the playboy channel routinely.  Frak pretty much became part of the Galactica mythos at that point, hence the continuance of usage in the remake.

As I recall, the original had several other "colorful" words...was it feldacarb, felgacarb, something like that???? I kinda wish they had made up a bunch of new "swear words" for fun...and they do say frak mare than any self respecting trucker uses the earthling version...and I think it's because they don't have any other invented swears. It certainly makes colonial tourettes sufferers less interesting.
Erik

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: What the frack???

Dan's objection to the prohibition among certain groups concerning 'bad' words reminds me of George Carlin's '7 words you can't say on television'...

'Frack' sounds too much like 'frag' IMHO - and it's a military setting.....

  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 811

Re: What the frack???

same thing in firefly, right?

they curse in chinese of all the ruttin' languages to swear in.

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: What the frack???

jimbeau wrote:

same thing in firefly, right?

they curse in chinese of all the ruttin' languages to swear in.

I knew there was a reason that those two BOTH put me off.

..in addition to things not blowing up real good often enough...

  • Registered: 2005-03-28
  • Posts: 416

Re: What the frack???

Blacklancer99 wrote:

I think it's because they don't have any other invented swears [...] makes colonial tourettes sufferers less interesting

Farscape was better in this regard, tho they did say "frell" a lot too.

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: What the frack???

tnjrp wrote:
Blacklancer99 wrote:

I think it's because they don't have any other invented swears [...] makes colonial tourettes sufferers less interesting

Farscape was better in this regard, tho they did say "frell" a lot too.

FWIW, this is happening in the real world....

In the Navy sub forse, in the 80's, we used to say "Whisky Tango Foxtrot, Oscar?..." when we meant "What the F***" in calmer moments....the abbreviation being WTFO in written correspondence.

  • Registered: 2008-12-22
  • Posts: 654

Re: What the frack???

thedugan wrote:
tnjrp wrote:
Blacklancer99 wrote:

I think it's because they don't have any other invented swears [...] makes colonial tourettes sufferers less interesting

Farscape was better in this regard, tho they did say "frell" a lot too.

FWIW, this is happening in the real world....

In the Navy sub forse, in the 80's, we used to say "Whisky Tango Foxtrot, Oscar?..." when we meant "What the F***" in calmer moments....the abbreviation being WTFO in written correspondence.

I work with an ex-airforce guy that does this stuff all the time (Sierra Hotel). In fact he never says "thank-you", instead substituting "Tango Yankee". When I pointed out to him that it was more syllables and therefore less efficient and therefore a waste of his time to say "Tango Yankee" instead of "thank you", he stopped thanking me for anything. Now if I could figure out how to get him to stop asking for things in the first place...
wink
Erik

  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 9

Re: What the frack???

Frak, feldercarb, centon, yaren - BSG classic (not all swear words, last 2 are time)
Frell, dren, tralk - Farscape

My wife and I still use frell and dren in "polite" conversation. No one has ever asked what we mean.

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: What the frack???

Speaking of 'Technical Terms"...

Since the Navy is a microcosm of the melting pot that is the USA, all sorts of interesting things have crept into my vocabulary: framitz, doohicky, donniger, ford wrench, 'trons, hydraulic lunch, spudly, thingy, megathingy, whoositz, whatitz, and I'm sure a few more that I can't recall right now....