But it still stirs strong pro and con opinions. Lee Salem agreed that frank phrasing is more appropriate in some features than others. Indeed, sexual references and other frank phrases run in non-comic sections of many papers. And stronger language appears in films, television shows, alternative weeklies and everyday conversation. Newspaper Features Council president and Wilmington, Del., News Journal executive editor Jane Amari said frank language is a potential minefield partly because newspaper comics have a dual audience.
Most readers are adults, but a significant number are kids - especially on Sundays.
Another reason why newspaper editors may get more nervous about frank language than television and movie people do is that editors can be more easily contacted by the public. It's unlikely Steven Spielberg is going to get a call. That's one reason why he uses frank language only a couple times a year in his strip. When cartoonists do want to use a slang word, syndicates may warn them about possible criticism from newspapers and readers - and may ask them to consider changing the word. Amari said widely distributed cartoonists usually have a better chance of keeping the word.