The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Indiana

Those who know your Uncle Rod know that he likes his coffee strong, his women sassy and his Christmas presents with frilly little ribbons.

And he also likes him some "Morning Joe" on MSNBC.

Joe, Mika, Willie, Courtney, Erin, Mike and the others offer a more relaxed, more real morning show, something sorely lacking in the forced cheeriness and banality of "Today," "Good Morning America," "The Early Show" and all the others.

Still, "Morning Joe" got a bit too relaxed on Monday. While discussing possible Obama appointees and what smooth, decent guys they are, host Joe Scarborough, former Congressman from Florida's 1st District, said they were guys who "didn't go around flipping people off and saying '---- you.'"

Mike Barnicle, a newspaper columnist and sometime contributor to MSNBC, is a Boston guy who has heard some rough language. Barnicle was on set -- in fact, he was in a split screen with Scarborough -- and even HE blanched visibly over the word.

You know, "the word." That word you can never, ever, ever say. Well, there are actually several more, but it's the big one. The Anglo-Saxon transitive verb.

On Tuesday, someone gifted Mr. Scarborough with a bar of Dove soap. Evidently, to use in his potty mouth.

Of course, this is what the FCC has been dealing with. The inadvertent blurting out of a word on live television. In filmed television -- dramas or comedies -- that's one thing. But on live TV, it's inescapable.

Maybe Joe was right when he later muttered ruefully: "Three words: 'seven second delay.'"

Anyone wishing to see it -- and no one should, because it's an evil, terrible thing -- can scamper over to YouTube and search the phrase "Morning Joe."

Good morning, everyone.