I thought Tipper Gore just wanted labels on the music so parents would know if they should let their kids buy the album or not.
My take is the brew pub can play the music because they are a private business, but I think it’s dumb of them because they’ll probably turn off their afternoon crowd. No problem with Sevmom complaining.
That’s what I thought too. Kind of like knowing what you (and your kids) may be getting into if you attend a movie, concert, comedy club, etc.
I was not allowed to buy albums with warning stickers until I was 18. State law.
Her group also wanted regulations forcing record stores to hide albums with explicit covers under the counters, and they worked to pressure television stations into censoring performances via threats of further regulation.
Aren’t TV and magazines already under similar restrictions?
I guess I don’t pay attention much to things I have no interest in.
This was many years ago- I doubt there is any regulation considering how kids get their music today!
And today they certainly don’t need magazines or TV shows if they want to take a look at whatever…
And without belaboring the point, this baggage is the reason I was very offended by the initial response to my post that Iimpled I was being a “Tipper Gore” on CC . It was uncalled for and set a tone about me that I did not appreciate.
Unfortunately at this time, much of popular culture is a toxic tidal wave of sludge and garbage. How far we have fallen. The number one pop song of last year was WAP. It’s all very debased. Your reaction, @sevmom , was natural and just.
We were outside. The families I saw were inside. I saw a couple families walk out while we were there but have no clue if they left because of the music or if it was just when they were ready to go.
Doesn’t matter to me. Just because I had no kids or grandchildren there didn’t mean I didn’t have a right or didn’t feel a need to express my concerns. We’re all in this together!
I think you have every right to tell the manager that you disagree with this entertainment and that you won’t be back. If they want to still play that crap and lose customers, that’s their right too.
The city might have obscenity laws but that usually doesn’t apply to language, more to photos and actual action taking place (striping, nudity) and sometimes only in certain places, like next to a day care or school.
The right to free speech applies to the government.
" Congress shall make no law … or abridging the freedom of speech…"
It doesn’t mean a bar or restaurant can’t restrict what is said in the establishment or allow whatever it wants. Free speech rarely comes into play in a private business. I’ve heard some pretty bad things at public places, even Chuck E. Cheese’s. They have ‘family sections’ at NFL and MLB games that don’t allow bad language, but it is not restricted in most of the stadium and there really isn’t a lot the teams or the cities can do about it.
I thought the entertainment industry did make an agreement with the govt about labeling things R or NC17 and stores that carry that stuff don’t sell to those without ID? My kids never really bought video games but I know some of their friends couldn’t buy some games. My daughter was younger than most of her hs friends and couldn’t go to R/NC-17 movies with them (I didn’t even know this was a problem until we traveled with her team and she couldn’t go to a movie unless I went with her; she didn’t care and I think liked the excuse not to go to horror movies when she was only 16). When I was a nanny, the kids knew they couldn’t play M and R video games at their friends’ homes, and they didn’t. The ratings do work.
But I’d make a big deal about it to the owner/manager, and maybe write a letter to the editor or put it on Nextdoor or Yelp. It’s too bad that a restaurant you liked will no longer be available to you and your family.
How many more times can the Tipper Gore issue be discussed in this thread? The poster took down the post and apologized.
Also, if this kind of music played while I was there with my family, I would speak to the manager and then leave. To that extent, I agree with you and don’t think you overreacted, FWIW.
But, it’s pretty simple: just leave the brewery and don’t go back again. Isn’t that about it? What more is there to do?
Ok, I had never heard of them so I looked them up and listened to the song. The song doesn’t bother me, it’s a song.
It’s not something I’d want my young children listening too but mine are mid to late teenagers now. I bet my oldest has heard them, I’ll have to ask.
I understand that breweries have become very popular and many of them capitalize on the fact that patrons with young children like to come out there and have a few beers while the kids can play on playground equipment or pet the animals, etc. Part of me says that this is an odd place to bring children though.
It’s certainly convenient for families and can kill two birds with one stone (the adults can enjoy an adult beverage and the company of others while the kids can get some play time in). Is it really considered a “family place” though? To me it’s more like some odd mixture of the corner bar and Chucky Cheeses at that point. It’s not someplace I would be surprised to have something out of the ordinary happen.
Maybe I’m strange but I can only remember a very few times when I briefly had one of my children in a bar type situation and it was only briefly. I certainly understand the reason a brewery would want to be family friendly and welcoming to these types of patrons (it maximizes their business) but in the end their main focus is selling their alcohol right (and making money).
I think it’s certainly appropriate to speak to the manager and voice your opinions. I also think it’s within the venue’s wheelhouse to allow what they feel is appropriate for their establishment and deal with the consequences. We all make choices everyday about how and where to spend our time and money.
Personally when I think of brewery my first thought is about high quality beer and not about a place I want to take the kids for them to enjoy the afternoon. Just my two cents.
Don’t know what to tell you. Breweries are fine for families and it’s accepted. They serve alcoholic beverages as do about 99% of all eating establishments.
Agreed, breweries in our region switched to “family friendly” during the afternoon and early evening years ago. It was a way to increase business during the slow periods of the day. They often have family friendly events, food trucks, games, live entertainment, etc. They don’t usually turn to MA until 9pm.
I’m not saying they aren’t fine for families or that they aren’t accepted. In my mind it’s still primarily an alcohol based business with a side of food service as opposed to many restaurants that focus on food with alcohol served in addition. I understand they are potentially more family friendly during the day but also realize that as a primarily alcohol based business they probably cater more towards that crowd. Obviously it expands on their business if they can attract a wider range of individuals.
I consider myself pretty progressive and open. I have plenty of music with explicit lyric warnings on my playlist. That said, these lyrics are particularly offensive, on multiple levels, and management of this restaurant showed very poor judgement in allowing these songs to be an option to be played.
I hardly ever say anything at a restaurant but I would have in this situation too. I also wouldn’t go back.
The easier thing to do would have been to say nothing and just leave, which is what my husband suggested we do. But, I just did not feel comfortable leaving without saying something.
We went to a comedy club last month. It became very raunchy-scantily clad women, grinding, simulated activity involving bananas, etc. But, it was an adults only crowd and you never know what you’re going to hear or see in that kind of setting!
A brewpub in the middle of the day- I don’t expect to hear something like that.
A little off track, but we’ve become addicted to Dry Bar Comedy online because we don’t like raunchy and it gives us a place where we know we can avoid it. The comedy itself still varies between awesome, let’s share this now to ho-hum, but at least we don’t feel we wasted our time on pure cwap (to us).
It’s also tempting to us to go there in person on a trip someday. We rarely go to other places because we know we’re taking our chances with wasting both time and money if we go there. We’re content streaming comedy with our own meal or beverage of choice. 
Restaurants, stores, or any other establishment playing anything we don’t care for just has us leaving knowing there are other places more in tune (pun intended) with us. There have been a few that didn’t survive (even pre-Covid). It doesn’t surprise us or sadden us, and of course, may not have been dependent upon their music choices.
Thanks @sevmom for saying something to the establishment. I would find those lyrics offensive even without children with me. You started at the source,suggested a change, and will follow with your lack of business. If nothing changes, social media might be another suggestion (not to chastise the establishment, but rather to alert others).
I disagree that breweries are not suitable for families during the day. It depends on the establishment, policies, and environment. Aren’t EU beer gartens family friendly? Very different from an evening pub atmosphere.
