Hugh Laurie and Stephen Colbert teased the FCC on the "Colbert Report" last night. Hugh Laurie and Stephen Colbert read a list of words and phrases that the FCC will now allow on network television without being fined. This past June, the big four networks, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, petitioned the FCC to loosen its standards for indecency so they could better compete with cable networks which have more freedom. Hugh Laurie and Stephen Colbert took full and hilarious advantage of that freedom last night.

Hugh Laurie and Stephen Colbert were following in the tradition of the late comedian George Carlin. Carlin wrote and performed a bit from a routine that Lenny Bruce once did. George Carlin helped make history his skit was broadcast uncensored. Hugh Laurie and Stephen Colbert keep the comic torches burning.

Lenny Bruce, who made headlines in the sixties by pushing the boundaries of comedy before he died, was one of comedy’s martyrs. He was arrested repeatedly for vulgarity and profanity. Bruce explained that he was arrested for saying eight words: balls, c*cksucker, c*nt, f*ck, mother*cker, penis, sh*t and tits. George Carlin used six of the eight words in his routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television," which was on his 1972 comedy album “Class Clown.” The track identified the words, and Carlin said he was amazed that they could not be used regardless of context. Carline was arrested for performing that routine at Summerfest in Milwaukee.

George Carlin expanded on "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" on his next album Occupation: Foole which he put out in 1073 in the bit entitled "Filthy Words." New York City radio station WBAI broadcast it uncensored on October 30 that year and was put on notice by the FCC. It went all the way to the Supreme Court and resulted in an official document of broadcast decency.

Now FCC says you can say things like "whack my sack" and "titties" and not be fined. Stephen Colbert and Hugh Laurice, the former Dr. House recited the petition by ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox that asked for looser indecency standards. The two performed a reading of a list of terms that are approved by Comedy Central's parent company, Viacom, and not on the big four networks.