Why does the ‘c’-word upset Americans so much?
Recently I dined with an old American friend at my home in Sydney. He brought up the sacking of the Fox News host Tucker Carlson, reportedly for, among other things, using a terrible curse word, which my friend referred to coyly as "C U Next Tuesday." I was baffled for a minute. “Do you mean ‘c—’?” I asked. “Oh, don’t say that!” “C—, c—, c—!” I cried. He cringed as if being assaulted physically. Fresh from the news about Carlson, the New York Post reported that ESPN fired journalist Marly Rivera for using the word against a female colleague trying to muscle in on her interview with Yankee player Aaron Judge. Why does it upset Americans so much?
