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Nicole Richie and Cher seem like an unlikely pair, but it turns out that the two were both involved in two separate “indecency” cases being investigated by the FCC, which both ultimately found that the two “entertainers” (I struggled to find a word to link the two…sorry, Cher) had in fact violated broadcast standards by dropping the F-bombs at the Billboard Music Awards. From SAWF News:

No fines were proposed for the Cher and Richie incidents, as heard on Fox during the 2002 Billboard Music Awards and 2003 Billboard Music Awards, respectively. The duo was saved from paying the fine, as the ‘indecency’ incidents occurred before the FCC decided that the F-word was bad even when used as an adjective, rather than a verb. “Ms. Richie frequently used indecent language in inappropriate contexts,” E!online quoted FCC’s decision, as saying. According to the FCC, Richie did not stick to her script at an award show during a banter session with fellow presenter and Simple Life co-star Paris Hilton. Richie had to say: “Have you ever tried to get cow manure out of a Prada purse? It’s not so freaking simple,” but instead she substituted ‘s–t’ for ‘manure’ and ‘[bleep]ing’ for ‘freaking.’ A year earlier, at the 2002 Billboard Music Awards, it was Cher who used indecent language while accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award. She had said: “People have been telling me I’m on the way out every year, right? So [blee] em.”

Well, kudos to both of them for somehow getting in the news without any talk of plastic surgery, or an eating disorder. Until now.

Written by Lisa Timmons

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