Worst TV Show of the Week Brought to you by the Parents Television Council WARNING: Graphic Content!!! Do NOT push play if you don't want to see the explicit video!!!

America United: In Support of Our Troops on ABC

On Sunday, September 7^th, at 9:00 p.m. ET, ABC aired a network special saluting the brave men and women serving in our military.  With performances by Janet Jackson, Carlos Mencia, Toby Keith, Jessica Simpson, ZZ Top, D.L. Hughley, Snoop Dogg, Kathy Griffin, Clint Black and others, the special seemed like the perfect opportunity for Americans to honor our troops.  Unfortunately, not every American could watch it. With the program rated TV-14 DL for suggestive dialogue and foul language, many parents would not feel comfortable letting their children view some of the content.

To be sure, stacked up against other Worst of the Week programs, this special was tame by comparison.  In fact, the majority of the two hours paid a fine tribute to our service members.  One segment, in particular, honored Heroes at Home, an organization that remodels disabled veterans’ homes to accommodate their injuries.  Celebrities spoke glowingly and genuinely about the gratitude they feel for the troops that protect the freedoms we all enjoy.

It’s a shame that not everyone could enjoy the show.  Clearly, judging by the children in the audience at the Camp Pendleton performance, the event was intended to be a family affair.  However, Pamela Anderson’s low-cut shirt was unfit for broadcast.  Why else would ABC superimpose an empty chyron in the lower third of the screen to cover up her cleavage whenever they cut to a medium shot of her?  The Children of Heroes Choir sang onstage with Snoop Dogg, but some were too young to watch themselves on television because of foul language like “damn,” “ass,” and “bitch” uttered by some of the performers.  It was apparent that the comics cleaned up their routines, self-censoring the more offensive content.  Unfortunately, a joke containing a sexual innuendo by Kathy Griffin about “performing for a man in uniform” tipped the scales away from family-friendly fare.

The next time the networks want to salute the troops in prime time at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday evening, hopefully they will produce a show that is appropriate for everyone – including children -- to watch.

For foul language, suggestive dialogue, and targeting families without delivering family-friendly content, America United: In Support of Our Troops is our Worst TV Show of the Week.