War is gosh-darned heck.
Famed documentary maker Ken Burns takes on a project at least as big as the Civil War with his seven-part, 14 1/2-hour epic on World War II, airing next September.
The problem isn’t carnage; it’s language. In addition to dying in combat, soldiers sometimes use bad words, and some of those words are repeated in “The War,” and no one wants to become a test case with the Federal Communications Commission, which has threatened to crack down on indecency.
Burns wants stations to carry the shows at 8 p.m. so young people can learn about the conflict and its aftermath.
James Morgese, president and general manager of Rocky Mountain PBS, which runs KRMA-Channel 6 and other outlets, says it’s a little early to decide what time it will run. “My initial answer is, we’ll take the PBS feed. It’s a huge deal. There would certainly be a warning about content.”
Earlier this year, there was a lot of hand-wringing over the PBS docudrama “Marie Antoinette,” which dealt, in part, with King Louis XI’s sexual problems. The feedback? Nothing from the FCC and “not a ripple” from viewers, said Morgese. “We will proceed with caution.”
Weekend highlights
Today
No need to go out in the wild when we can watch it from our couches. Bear Grylls hosts a new adventure series, “Man vs. Wild,” premiering tonight with a visit to Moab, Utah, 7 p.m., Discovery Channel.
Saturday
Turn on your recorders. TBS runs the classics “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (1966) and “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) back to back, 5:30 and 6 p.m.
Sunday
“Desperate Housewives,” revived from a dismal season, is back to its old fun-loving ways. Tonight: Bree has trouble with Orson’s mom (Dixie Carter), 8 p.m., KMGH-Channel 7.
Around the dial
Vaudeville not dead yet: It’s Impressionist Week, leading off Monday with Rich Little, on “The Late Show With David Letterman” (10:35 p.m. weeknights, KCNC-Channel 4). … If the election coverage looked familiar, no matter where you turned, consider that KUSA-Channel 9 was on My20 (KTVD), Channel 4 was on Channel 12 (KBDI), and Channel 7 was on digital Channel 247. … Winners Ed Perl- mutter and Mark Udall discuss the election on “Colorado State of Mind” (7:30 tonight, Channel 6). … Marshall Chess, whose family founded the renowned Chess record label in Chicago, launches a weekly blues show, “The Chess Records Hour,” on channel 74 of Sirius Satellite Radio at 10 a.m. Sunday. … Quotable: “Television is the first truly democratic culture – the first culture available to everybody and entirely governed by what the people want. The most terrifying thing is what people do want.” Clive Barnes.
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-954-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
