Excessive profanity at the table

[rkiray]

I've mentioned similar things in a couple of other threads. By far the most polite poker room I've ever played in is the Caesar's boat in IN, across the river from Louisville KY. The players are super polite there, like most people are in the SE USA. The dealers don't have to warn anyone about their language, because no one says anything impolite. But in KY, people take insults (and comment that probably arn't even meant as insults) much more personally than in most of the country. Behavoir I've seen as common in Vegas card rooms would often end in a fist fight in KY.

[Kinli]

Al, I'm no spring chicken, and I grew up at the time when bad language was acting as the all-purpose adjective. I doubt my fellow college students ever completed any sentence without the use of the F word. I'm certainly long past shock at hearing any word.

But I still pride myself on not using such language in public, and I don't particularly care to hear it, either. You're not a prude, as I see it. Just courteous.

Kinli

[Kinli]

You don't have to change your language. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Just mutter, "asterisk, asterisk, ampersand."

Or as my Aunt used to do, "Cursewords!"

Kinli, who has, upon occasion shouted the F word at the cards. Online, that is.

[JayKon]

Oh lovely, yet another attempt to legislate morality that will be struck down.

I'm sorry, but that is just plain f***ing stupid.

[mosch]

Cursing doesn't bother me, rudeness does.

Some of the most annoying, frustrating and anti-social people I've met in cardrooms managed to do so while not once uttering a profanity. My assumption has always been that they've been tossed for using profanity, so now they've succeeded in following the letter of the law though not the spirit.

I've also met incredibly friendly and sociable people, people who are fun to have at your table at all times, but they use profanity regularly, and in a way that isn't offensive to me.

Maybe I'm an anomoly, but I'd rather hear somebody mutter 'S---' as they muck their cards than have them growl 'nice hand. i wish my poker books told me how to know that I could catch a runner runner flush, but I'm just not good enough to do that. Really, it was a nice hand'*

*This is an actual rant, made today at Foxwoods by a regular who was so obnoxious that I left a very juicy game, just so I could be free of him and his sphere of unhappiness that was slowly engulfing all the players at that table.

[PokerSlut]

I think you're living in a cocoon if you think most people don't adjust their behavior according to the situation.

Do you use the same language to address your friends in a bar as you would at your grandmother's funeral? If so you're either too formal with your friends, or too informal at the funeral.

Maybe it's because I spent some time living in Japan where this particular aspect of society is much more pronounced than in the West, but we are all taught at a very early age to adjust our behavior in different social situations. This might mean using more or less formal language, dressing a certain way, eating with the correct utensil, or any number of things. It is a natural aspect of society. The people we consider "rude" are the ones who are outside of the box we would normally apply to a given social situation. So, just like you shouldn't cuss and rant at a public table, being formal and stiff in a casual home game can be considered just as rude.

[ChipWrecked]

[ QUOTE ]
My prediction is that by the year 2015, f*ck will be common in network TV

[/ QUOTE ]

Looks like basic cable is already there. I saw part of the 'South Park' movie on Comedy Central the other night, and not one word was cut [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[Duke]

My issue with "bad" language is that the original reason why "these" words were deemed profane is completely unacceptable to me. Given that nearly nobody knows the reason is most likely part of it as well.

~D

[rkiray]

I think your crediabilty as an author is at stake here. You make two posts that blantly contradict each other and then refuse to clarify which is correct. Of course if I'm overlooking something please explain it to me.

[Al Schoonmaker]

I can see how my two posts could be confusing. The Excalibur does its best to eliminate severe swearing. I have seen many dealers tell players that they will not deal to them if they repeat certain words. If they insist on repeating them while that dealer is in the box, they get no cards, and the dealer will probably call the floor. In addition, when the dealer moves on, she may say something to the next dealer or to the floor. I have seen the floor throw out at least a dozen people for swearing, probably more.
This dealer asked me to make this post because she does not want to be forced to discipline players or to call the floor. She wants to do her job which is dealing, not disciplining people for profanity or other bad conduct. I agree wholeheartedly. She is there to deal, and I am there to play. Neither she nor I nor anyone else should be placed in the position that we have to ojbect to bad conduct. Properly raised people do NOT need to be told not to say F*** and sh** and other words in public. They KNOW better without being told.
Regards,
Al