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There was a lot of censorship in Rocko's Modern Life during its original run, due to scenes with a lot of adult themes, sexual humor, or for other reasons.

Censorship background[]

Rocko's Modern Life has been noted for its racy humor. Adults made up more than one-fifth of the audience for the show during its run. The series contained numerous adult innuendos, the most famous being Rocko's brief stint as a telephone operator at what is implied to be a sex hotline in the season one episode "Canned": the instructions on the wall behind him helpfully remind all employees to "Be Hot, Be Naughty, and Be Courteous" while he flatly repeats "Oh baby" into the receiver, who turned out to be Mrs. Bighead on the other line - despite these instances, the show received somewhat minimal censorship compared to what one may expect (or even the well-documented censorship of fellow 90s Nicktoon The Ren & Stimpy Show). Joe Murray noted that the season one episode "Leap Frogs" received "some complaints from some parents" due to its sexual humor, leading to Nickelodeon removing the episode from air when the series entered reruns in 1997, pairing it's sister episode "Bedfellows" with "Wallaby on Wheels," which was originally attached to "Heff in a Handbasket," which was briefly banned for the plotline of Heffer selling his soul - although both later aired on the American cable channel Nicktoons, and was made available on DVD and video streaming sites such as Netflix (formerly) and Paramount+. In a deleted scene from the season one episode "The Good, The Bad, and The Wallaby," Heffer Wolfe encounters a milking machine and finds pleasure, although only his reactions are shown onscreen. According to writer/director Jeff 'Swampy' Marsh, the scene was originally supposed to have hearts appearing in Heffer's eyes at the climactic moment. Although it clearly wasn't going to be included, they described the scene to the Nickelodeon censors anyway: "We described the scene, and then waited for the axe to fall, but all they said was 'can you change the hearts to stars?', we said sure, and it went in." The scene, as well as another scene with Heffer saying, "Goodbye" to the milking machine, were later removed. They are intact in the Canadian broadcasts of the episode, however. In addition, the uncut version can still be found on the VHS tape "Rocko's Modern Life: With Friends Like These."

There were at least two occurrences of immediate censorship of the series. The original broadcast of the season two episode "Road Rash" featured a scene in which Rocko and Heffer stop at what is suggested to be a love hotel (the "No-Tell Motel") advertising "hourly rates" and ask the horse desk clerk for a room, who infers the two will be engaging in intercourse: "All night? [whistles] Wheeeooo! Okay." The scene was never shown again after its first airing, but a low quality clip was made available online as early as late December 1997, and two higher quality clips have been available as late as 2021. The first airing of the season two episode "Hut Sut Raw" included a scene in which Rocko is picking berries; upon picking one lower on the bush, a bear rushes out whimpering and grasping his crotch. This scene is left intact in the Canadian broadcasts of the episode. Both scenes were edited by Nickelodeon after their first broadcasts and are the only instances of censorship on the season two DVD, released in 2012. On the season three DVD, the "Wacky Delly" segment was shortened by approximately ten seconds to remove footage of Sal Ami repeatedly whacking Betty Bologna over the head with a telephone receiver. In addition, the restaurant named "Chokey Chicken" (a term for masturbation) was renamed "Chewy Chicken" for the series' fourth season. However, in the 2019 special Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling, they go back to using the original "Chokey Chicken" name.

When Shout! Factory announced a DVD retail release for the series, there were concerns on whether Nickelodeon would allow them to release the series complete with some of the racier humor that the network eventually cut out for reruns. In the end, Shout! Factory only received materials from sources that were edited for broadcast, so the episodes still remained censored on the DVDs. The only uncut release of the show on DVD so far was published in Germany in October 2013, although this release is still missing the uncut version of "Road Rash." On November 20, 2018, Rocko's Modern Life: The Complete Series DVD was re-released by Paramount Home Media Distribution. But this version was just like the Shout! Factory version and included all of the censored versions of the episodes.

Back when the show was rerun on Nicktoons, "Leap Frogs" and "Heff in a Handbasket" (the two episodes banned for content) were restored. While the former got removed from the rotation again, the latter was still in circulation until the show itself got removed from the network. "Jet Scream" was very briefly banned in 2001 alongside many other air-travel related episodes on all networks due to 9/11, but was reinstated sometime during 2002.

Season 1[]

"The Good, The Bad, and The Wallaby"[]

Heffer_Milk

Heffer Milk

Rocko's_Modern_Life_-_"The_Good,_the_Bad_and_the_Wallaby"_DVD_Version_Censorship

Rocko's Modern Life - "The Good, the Bad and the Wallaby" DVD Version Censorship

Season 2[]

"Road Rash"[]

Rocko’s_Modern_Life_-_Road_Rash_Scene_No_Tell_Motel_(HIGHEST_QUALITY)

Rocko’s Modern Life - Road Rash Scene No Tell Motel (HIGHEST QUALITY)

"Hut Sut Raw"[]

Rocko_picking_berries_HQ

Rocko picking berries HQ

Season 3[]

"Wacky Delly"[]

Wacky_Delly_(Uncensored_English_Version)

Wacky Delly (Uncensored English Version)

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