Jane Fonda Uses the C-Word on the Today Show

Jane Fonda uses the c-word on the Today Show: News spreads fast, bad news spreads even faster, and apparently bad news on the internet spreads the fastest. At least that seems to be the case after Jane Fonda's appearance on the Today Show this morning.

Fonda appeared on the show this morning and while talking about the Vagina Monologues, let a less than pleasant four letter word that starts with the letter "C" and rhymes with runt slip.

Host of the show, Meredith Vieira apologized to her televised audience about the slip, but did she need to? Given the context was the "c" word appropriate?

Not really, at least as far as I'm concerned.

I can readily admit that I am far from the least conservative person you could meet, and I'm all for free speech and expression. To me 99% of the time being politically correct isn't correct at all.

Referring to the female genitalia with the use a four letter expletive is just as appropriate as referring to sexual intercourse with a similar word on national television. Although the program is generally aired for adults, and the topics of conversation are usually adult oriented, national television is not the place for words like the "c" word.

I applaud Vieira for her apology to her audience, as a broadcaster she does have a certain reputation for a level content and guest behaviors to live up to.

Although the word was inappropriate, I can also relate. Sometimes the wrong word does slip out. Sometimes more is said than we mean to.

I personally had a similar experience recently in which a friend said more than he should have, and I felt the need to apologize.

I went on a trip with recently. Four guys, in a small town, ice fishing and drinking beer for the weekend. Normally this friend, he's a gentleman. But, once you get a few drinks in him, and it becomes apparent that his mouth and his mind operate independently from one another.

With fishing being terribly slow that weekend (in fact we didn't get one single bite all weekend) we decided to head to the local Perkins, lest we die of malnutrition. A young girl was the hostess for the night and had the unfortunate experience of seating our group.

As we waited for our table my friend made a remark to her about going to prom with her. She laughed it off and continued working. As the wait continued he wouldn't relent, teasing her about prom and how he, "couldn't go with her so she should stop asking." The girl tried her best to shrug it off and seated us. I breathed a sigh of relief as I thought that she would now be safe from anymore of his "comedy."

This was not to be the case. She was also in charge of bussing the tables all around us. Needless to say, throughout the entire meal he continued to harass her and I could feel myself sinking lower and lower into my seat with each remark.

After what seemed like the forever meal, we paid our check and headed for the door. On his way out my friend made one parting remark to the effect of being sorry he couldn't make his date. Hanging back in the eaves I stopped by the girl's station and offered an ashamed "I'm sorry for my friend," and then I slunk out to the truck.

Sometimes the things people we know say or do may not be embarrassing to them, but much like in Vieira's case, the only thing you can do is be the bigger person and apologize.