PLAIN FOLK

An Entertainer Remembers When Bar Talk Broke the Polite Language Barrier!
by Billy Jones

My no-nonsense grandmother stood almost six feet tall and farmed alone, during the dirty thirties, just north of Toronto where the DeHavilland Airport now exists. She wouldn’t think twice about washing our mouths out with soap if she caught us using any off-colored word. We would cringe at the thought because it was no idle threat. Woe to you if parents or neighbors overheard.

Nothing disgusted a woman more than bad language coming from family or friends. Men, in particular, curbed their tongue when in the presence of the opposite sex or children. Consequently, a foul mouth did not have a place in our everyday lives. Family discipline was usually maintained by Dad. But in my family, it was mom…if we were lucky.

Things changed after the war and families began to succumb to peer pressure. Parental control relaxed and the threat of discipline became no more than just a threat. People expected their children to instinctively do the right thing. The kids began to learn from each other and take chances. We all know where that leads.

We inherited a hippy generation and kids began having kids they couldn’t support. Our Prime Minister decided that, if they were old enough to go to war at the age of 18, then they were old enough to be considered adults. This knocked 2 years off their years of preparation and they went wild. To our dismay, my partner and I experienced this change in a lounge where we played at the time.

The well-dressed, well-mannered, clientele never returned. Club owners and managers, who thought the young crowd would bring in more money, were fooled because the small amount of alcohol that was consumed was enhanced by drugs, foul language, and filth.

Well-monitored movies, radio, records, television, and journalism are apparently no longer a concern to the CRTC. The very things that people wanted to protect their children from are coming back to haunt them. City streets are not safe after dark. We see the results on the news every day.

Our entertainment industry would be an excellent place to start a clean-up. Potty mouth is not funny. Just look back to the great comedians, singers, musicians and actors who have lived on after death. You’ll notice that they were careful not to elaborate on any off-color issue.

Radio stations have finally come under attack because they have allowed themselves to be dominated by an industry that decides what you should hear.

Our local Folk Music Club has brought a variety of music and entertainment, without vulgarity, to this city that you would be pleased to recommend to anyone. The proof lies with the increasing number of people who are attending their concert season every year.

Potty mouth is not acceptable. If you have to choose your words when you converse with some people, there must be something wrong with them.