The 119 Words You Can’t Say On Chicago Radio

This is sort of like a combination of Sarah Palin meets George Carlin meets Jon Stewart, except not funny. Except maybe in the truly absurd sense. Tribune Company CEO Randy Michaels has reportedly issued a memo to the staff of the company’s flagship station WGN-AM (720) in Chicago banning 119 words from being used on air. 119. And not one of them is excoriate! Some examples (a couple of which appear to be inspired by a former president) :

“Flee” meaning “run away”

“Good” or “bad” news

“Laud” meaning “praise”

“Seek” meaning “look for”

“Some” meaning “about”

Completely destroyed, completely abolished, completely finished or any other completely redundant use

Dubbaya when you mean double you

Eye Rack or Eye Ran

All of which might be kind of funny (we could all be less sound-bitey) in an Onion sort of way, except the memo apparently also directed staff to “to report any on-air infractions by their co-workers, making sure to note the precise time and date on “bingo cards” he provided that contain a random assortment of Michaels’ forbidden words.” Not a joke. Though it would make for an epic George Carlin routine (his original ‘7 Words’ NSFW, routine is below).

[h/t Gawker]

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