11.16.09 NEW YORK TIMES: MORE ‘DOUCHE’ ON TV THAN EVER BEFORE

The New York Times looked into the changing nature of what’s deemed acceptable language on TV, and I’m pleased to report that “douche” is at an all-time high this year. While I recommend reading the whole story, here are some of the highlights:

In total, the word has surfaced at least 76 times already this year on 26 prime-time network series… That is up from 30 uses on 15 shows in all of 2007 and just six instances on four programs in 2005…

Users of the recently popular word “douche” defend its use, noting that it was invoked, usually with the suffix “bag,” in the 1990s by the character Andy Sipowicz on “NYPD Blue,” an ABC series that frequently pushed the boundaries of network acceptability.

That Sipowicz! Always pushing the boundaries on TV!  Saying “douchebag” before it was cool, showing his bare ass, wearing a tie with a short-sleeve shirt — the man did it all.

Timothy Jay, a psychology professor at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and the author of “Cursing in America,” said the word has evolved to the point where it has lost much of its offensiveness. “Vulgar slang has a way of waxing and waning, where we become desensitized to a word’s earlier meanings,” he said.

I disagree. Given “douchebag’s” present meaning, it’s more offensive than ever.