The Good Wife – a CBS legal drama whose plot was inspired by the political sex scandals of Elliot Spitzer, Bill Clinton and John Edwards – is creating some controversy of its own.
At a press conference on Aug. 16, reporters were shown clips from the show's next season premier, including a brief simulation of oral sex between the program's top stars, Christopher Noth and Julianna Morgulies.
Clips of the racy scene were shown at the press conference, where Morgulies gushed that “I think that is the first time network television has had an oral sex scene!”
But when a reporter from Associated Press asked, “Have you researched that, Julianna? Is that the first time there has been an oral sex scene on a network television show?” the actress blew up, calling his question “disgusting.”
“Honestly, is that the question you are going to ask me? That is despicable,” she said, according to the New York Post's Linda Stasi. “That is disgusting! This is what media is now? That is truly the stupidest question I have ever heard … I'm insulted right now. Oh, my God. It's bad enough we have '
As the New York Post's TV critic Linda Stasi put it, “What is more disgusting, despicable and stupid: simulating oral sex for a primetime TV show? Or calling a reporter 'disgusting,' 'despicable' and 'stupid' for asking a question about it?”
But while the “historic” sex scene – and Margulies press conference hissy-fit – have generated “The Good Wife” a ton of buzz, the Associated Press reports that the controversial oral sex clip may never even hit the airwaves. Apparently it has not yet been given the go-ahead by the CBS standards department.
The Washington Post says that holding a press conference to promote a shocking scene that will likely get scrapped before the season premier was sheer marketing brilliance on behalf of the show's producers.
“The press went gaga over the clip, an actress became outraged over questions about the sex scene, the whole incident went viral -- and CBS never actually has to air the naughty bits and deal with those pesky FCC fines and angry watchdog-group chain letters. Yes, CBS can truly have its cake and eat it, too,” the paper reported.
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