Yeah, so as I said, the show has evolved. Look, Howard is 62; so as much as you would enjoy some of that stuff from the past, I can only suggest that you look around for a new source. Because I don't want 62 yr old Howard doing play-by-play of some girl's orgasm.
I interpreted your original post to say not much has changed, except banning some slurs. I do think more has changed in Howard's evolution.
I would disagree on Howard being creepy potentially, but I like awkward humor in addition to titillation. Now you invited me to stop listening. I won't because I still enjoy the show's other elements, but I'm now going to go off into a rant for both your entertainment and to vent...
There's not enough titillation in this world!
That's right, you think I'm nuts, but hear me out. What does "titillation" mean? Answer is "to excite or arouse agreeably." What does the connotation of that mean to me? It means a little chub, maybe a small flinch. It doesn't mean nothing, and it doesn't mean a raging tent pole. Did you ever see "Bubba Ho-Tep?" And I quote a 62-year-old Elvis in a nursing home checking out an attractive visitor to his roommate:
"I felt my pecker flutter once like a pigeon havin' a heart attack...then it laid back down and remained limp and still. 'Course, these days, even a flutter was kind of reassurin'."
That's titillation. So what does it these days?
When I was a formative adolescent, we had Stern's show, nudity in Playboy, "Baywatch," and analog-scrambled softcore on cable. If the lighting was just right, you might see a nipple. There were also many other things like music videos, beer commercials, funny sex comedies in theaters and cable. These days, all those things are gone or obscure.
We have the internet. One might think this serves the purpose, but the internet is overkill. Sure, you can find a gorgeous girl dressed sexy doing something sexy. But a click or two away is depraved content involving degradation, humiliation, and acts so obscene they make the orgy scene in "Caligula" look like "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood." You can go from 0 RPMs to 9,000 RPMs faster than Cole Trickle sabotaging his car.
It's also on the internet. You have to devote time to go there, and you have to be in the right place, like not at work, school, a waiting room.
I want more titillation in society, things around 3,000 RPMs. But today everyone is so PC, that is frowned upon. Society says, "Don't do that. Go home, log on, and watch that strange Japanese porno game show that you find so intriguing. I guess that's what happens when a warrior culture is forbidden to fight wars."
Howard did this sexy stuff long before his television shows, and quite frankly in my opinion if his wife or his daughters don't like it or make Howard feel awkward for doing it, screw them! They can stop living off his money and refuse to take the inheritance when he passes. Naked strippers and porn stars helped finance that Florida mansion, the Mexican vacations, the college educations, and the new wing at NSAL.
If the change is coming from within Howard with no outside interference, fair enough. I thank Howard for his service, both entertaining us and 'Nam. However in this case I am within my rights to say, I miss the titillation on the show.
