Twenty years ago today, March 6, 1998, the Coen Brothers cult classic The Big Lebowski arrived in theaters, man, and it has proven to be one of the most quotable films of all time for the last two decades. But when it came time for the movie to enter the basic cable rotation, networks had one major problem to overcome–one that is best summarized by Sam Elliott’s sarsaparilla drinking stranger: “Do you have to use so many cuss words?”
Because fucking-A man, there’s a lot of swearing in the film. A lot. While cable companies are used to finding creative ways around common vulgarity, one scene posed particularly challenging, because how can you replace Walter repeatedly screaming, “Do you see what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass?” Turns out the answer is with one of the worst, most infamous, most iconic censored lines in cinema history.
In honor of the film’s twentieth anniversary, and Walter’s strange comments about what happens “when you find a stranger in the Alps,” Nerdist Special Reports looks at some of our favorite, horrible, no-good, totally amazing failed attempts at covering up cussing with F.C.C. acceptable language.
The real question is who saw Al Pacino in Scarface and said, “Yeah, this movie belongs on basic cable.” That guy must have been one stupid Mr. Falcon. Whoa, I know, pretty harsh, but it’s not like I called him an Ironbutt or a Casserole. But I think you can see why I’m so funking angry. Hopefully I never run into him in the Alps, because I’ve seen what can happen–I’ll sound really dumb.
What’s your favorite questionably censored line of all time? Don’t be an airhead, man, share it with us in the comments below.
Featured Image: Gramercy Pictures
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