Channel 4 forced to omit `gay` word from Simpsons episode

London: The word “gay” has been edited out of an episode of The Simpsons in an “overly cautious move,” it has been revealed. The term was removed from a lunchtime episode after Channel 4’s compliance department deemed that it was not suitable for a daytime audience, the Telegraph reported. The line was cut from a 1994 episode called ‘Homer Loves Flanders’ which aired just before 1pm last Sunday. In the episode Homer Simpson goes to an American football match with his God-fearing neighbour Ned Flanders but is initially embarrassed to be seen with him. The pair bond and Homer yells: “I want everyone to know that this is Ned Flanders ... my friend!” His workmates Lenny and Carl overhear him and Lenny says: “What d’he say?” Originally Carl replies: “I dunno. Somethin’ about being gay.” But on Sunday his line was cut and the episode switched to advertisements after Lenny speaks. The network told The Independent that the mistake was caused by an overly cautious compliance checker. “We always carefully consider the context in which language is used in our programming,” a spokesperson said. “However in this instance the episode was edited in error as neither the word nor the context was unsuitable. “Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator says there is no evidence to conclude that the word ‘gay’ is ‘necessarily and automatically intended to be, or is, offensive’,” he added. ANI