Modern Family Cuss Word Controversy: Should Lily Be Allowed to Drop the F-Bomb?

Tonight on “Modern Family,” Mitchell and Cameron (played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet) are horrified when they learn that their little 2-year-old girl, Lily, has learned her first cuss word. The comical premise should give the Golden Globe winning show a humorous half-hour of television but not everyone is thrilled that the little girl will be using a cuss word on television.

McKay Hatch, an 18-year-old college student who founded the No Cussing Club in 2007, said:

“Our main goal is to stop this from happening. If we don’t, at least ABC knows that people all over the world don’t want to have a 2-year-old saying the ‘F-bomb’ on TV.”

The Associated Press reports that Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, who plays Lily on “Modern Family,” won’t actually be saying the f-word. Instead, Aubrey was told to say “fudge” while taping. The show will then bleep out the word and blur the little girl’s mouth to give the impression that she said the cuss word.

Steven Levitan, creator and executive producer of the sitcom, said that he had to persuade ABC to allow the story line, but he doesn’t think that he’s stepping over any lines. Levitan said:

“We really had to convince ABC… We thought it was a very natural story since, as parents, we’ve all been through this… We are not a sexually charged show. It has a very warm tone so people accept it more. I’m sure we’ll have some detractors.”

Do you think Lily using a cuss word on “Modern Family” is a big deal?