Terry Gross’ Fresh Air has been banned in Mississippi, and it’s widely speculated that an interview with New York comedian Louis C.K. led to her being dropped from the local station. “Too often Fresh Air’s interviews include gratuitous discussions on issues of an explicit sexual nature,” said the executive director of Missisppi Public Broadcasting, as if that explained it.
Today, Fresh Air released a statement saying they haven’t been told exactly why the show has been banned. At any rate, it’s clear the Louis C.K. thing didn’t help.
The July 7 episode of the show featured a discussion with C.K., who was promoting his sitcom where he plays a newly divorced single father — a role he’s settling into in real life. Rachel Maddow offers a portion of the transcript that may have been deemed too hot for radio.
Louis C.K.: But if I’m with a woman and she wants to be with me, she must like me. I definitely have sex with my T-shirt on, always. I haven’t had sex without a shirt on, God, since I was about 23.”
Terry Gross: Is that true?
Louis C.K.: Yeah, I just don’t think that’s fair. I mean, you know, let her think she’s with somebody decent, you know? … I do have sex sometimes on the show, and there’s a rule that I have to be on my back.
Terry Gross: Why, because your stomach flattens?
Louis C.K.: Well, no, God, no. I’m not laying back in that bed thinking, “I look awesome right now.” It’s because I think I should always be the victim of the sex. I don’t think anyone wants to see me looming over her. I think that’s an upsetting image. And then also, the mother-dog stomach that I get when I’m … you get the point.
“Often” is a relative term but even something as mildly sexual as the content above is a rarity for Gross. Her interview with Russell Brand was infuriatingly intellectual and she once made Tracy Morgan cry.
