All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has generally allowed some leeway with the use of coarse language on television. However, this week’s episode of Dynamite featured a segment in which Francesco Akira of The United Empire declared it was time to “kick the s**t out of” the Death Riders. Will Ospreay responded by stating that he would cover the fine for this outburst.
Dave Meltzer mentioned on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio that Akira has previously been fined for swearing on live television. He explained that there is indeed a $500 fine for such language. Meltzer further suggested that the relatively low penalty might be why talent feels emboldened to use profanity.
It’s important to note that because AEW programming airs on cable, strong language is not as strictly regulated as it is on broadcast television, which is overseen by the FCC. For example, shows like South Park have famously included “words you can’t say on TV” for years. The primary concern typically lies with advertisers, who may prefer not to have their products associated with programs that feature profanity.
