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FCC Clears 'Buffy,' 'Grace' on Charges of Indecency

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Will & Grace" passed the indecency test at the FCC on Monday as the agency rejected complaints against the popular TV shows filed by two conservative-leaning interest groups.

The Parent Television Council, one of the more active groups on the indecency front run by L. Brent Bozell, complained to the commission about an episode of "Buffy" that aired April 22, 2003, on WDCA, a UPN affiliate in Washington. In the episode, the characters Spike and Buffy fight before having sex, according to the order.

Americans for Decency, a Phoenix-based group run by T.C. Bundy that claims as its mission statement that it wants to "reduce sexual violence and victimization" by "educating about the danger and harm of pornography," contends that a single episode of "Will & Grace" that aired March 31, 2003, on Fox Affiliate KSAZ in Phoenix was indecent. In the episode, a "woman photographer passionately kissed (a) woman author and then humped her (what she called a 'dry hump')," according to the order.

While the commission did not say that a "dry hump" is always within the bounds of the commission's rules on broadcast propriety, the panel did note that "both characters are fully clothed, and there is no evidence that the activity depicted was dwelled upon, or was used to pander, titillate or shock the audience."

This ruling appears to clear the way for “Everybody Loves Raymond” to proceed with its final season Ray Romano/Doris Roberts incest story arc.