Curse Cut Short



""It's not swearing if you don't enunciate the last phoneme. PRO TIP""

- Dinosaur Comics' Alt Text

""Screw you, fu--flight lieutenant.""

- Jack, Mass Effect 3

A character is part way through saying a rude word when they are abruptly interrupted, often for comic effect. Often, the interrupter will finish the curse with his/her first syllable. Likely began be a means of Getting Crap Past the Radar.

More common in post-watershed viewing, for obvious reasons, but family shows can also get away with it. Possibly related to the practice of censoring written swear words by blanking all but the first letter, the rationale being that the reader will understand the sentence without being offended.

This can happen in different ways:
 * The speaker (the person about to curse) is interrupted by another person:
 * Another character may interrupt the speaker.
 * Or the speaker may interrupt or cut off themselves.
 * Often involves a Last-Second Word Swap or Subverted Rhyme Every Occasion.
 * Frequently Justified Trope by in-story reasons (e.g., avoiding swearing in front of kids).
 * Hard Cut
 * Simply cut to another scene (or commercial).
 * The episode ends—cut to closing credits or commercial after last scene.
 * The episode begins—cut to opening credits (for Cold Open shows).
 * Speaker is Killed (or just injured) Mid Sentence (you might call this an even harder cut).
 * Sound Effect Bleep: Noise covers the profanity. This can include a person talking over them, which can manifest as a Speech Bubbles Interruption.

The phrase "son of a..." is such a widespread variant that it's practically become a valid expression in its own right. Similarly, "why you little..."

For the non-cursing variety where important information is cut off instead, see Lost in Transmission. See also Catchphrase Interruptus. See also Subverted Rhyme Every Occasion, for the common case where a speaker sets up a rhyme to lead you to expect a bad word, then says something else.

Anime and Manga

 * Slayers Try has Amelia comment that a mountain they were about to climb "looks like a pile of--" before Lina steps in with a reminder that she's a royal princess (and thus shouldn't be cussing).

Comic Books

 * Hellboy usually only gets as far as "Son of a..." before getting struck by his opponent.

Fan Works
"Crowley: You quite liked the fu-- Aziraphale: Crowley! Crowley: Fur rug in front of the fireplace, I was going to say. Thought I was going somewhere else with that, didn't you?"
 * One Good Omens fanfic combines this with Last-Second Word Swap:

"Prussia: And by talking, I'm guessing you mean f- Canada: I mean talking! Prussia: I was going to say fighting, but your interpretation works too. *beat* So are they f- Canada: NO! Prussia: Sensitive much?"
 * This Axis Powers Hetalia fanfic plays around with this trope.


 * In The Tainted Grimoire,this has happened at least twice.
 * One time, Sasasha got interrupted when two members of the Targ Wood Police put a hand each over her mouth.
 * Another time, Luso got interrupted by an announcement.

Film
"Isaac Hayes: They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother-- Female Chorus: Shut your mouth! Isaac Hayes: But I'm talkin' 'bout Shaft! Female Chorus: And we can dig it."
 * In the title song for the movie Shaft:

"Chosen One: Well, I'm gonna count to three, and if I hear one more friggin' squeak, I'm gonna take his shoes, and shove em' up his... Chosen One's Friend: Chosen One, Master Pain's in town!"
 * Kung Pow- Enter the Fist:

"Gurgle: Don't you realize we are swimming in our own sh-- Peach: Shh! Here he comes."
 * Finding Nemo:

"Chance: Whoa! What the- Turkey: *angry gobble* Chance: AHHH! It's Birdzilla!"
 * In one scene from The Lion King Timon is trying to help Pumbaa through a narrow gap, and complains "Why do I always have to save your--AAAAHHH!"
 * Also, in the song "Hakuna Matata" when Pumbaa is singing about his odour problem, it contains the lines "And I got down-hearted/Every time that I--" whereupon Timon leaps in going "Pumbaa! Not in front of the kids!" The obvious rhyme would've been "farted".
 * In The Matrix Reloaded, Link, returning after a long deployment, bursts into his quarters with the inquiry "Where's my puss---" which is quickly strangled off at the sight of his sister-in-law, niece, and nephew with his wife.
 * To her credit, though, sis shuffles the kids out post-haste.
 * Hilariously mocked in that movie's Riff Trax: "But I wanna help Uncle Link find his cat!"
 * Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey: While chasing chickens, Chance encounters a turkey.

"Radar Operator: Colonel, you better have a look at this radar. Colonel: What is it, son? Radar Operator: I don't know, sir, but it looks like a giant... Jet Pilot: Dick. Dick, take a look out of starboard. Co-Pilot: Oh my God, it looks like a huge... Bird-Watching Woman: Pecker. Bird-Watching Man: (raising binoculars) Ooh, where? Bird-Watching Woman: Over there. What sort of bird is that? Wait, it's not a woodpecker, it looks like someone's... Army Sergeant: Privates! We have reports of an unidentified flying object. It has a long, smooth shaft, complete with... Baseball Umpire: Two balls! (looking up from game) What is that? It looks just like an enormous... Chinese Teacher: Wang, pay attention. Wang: I was distracted by that giant flying... Musician: Willie Nelson. Willie Nelson: Yeah? Musician: What's that? Willie: (squints) Well, that looks like a huge... Colonel: Johnson. Radar Operator: Yes, sir? Colonel: Get on the horn to British Intelligence and let them know about this."
 * Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
 * A comically drawn-out sequence of this, after various people all over the world noticed Dr. Evil's phallus-shaped spaceship returning to Earth.

"Basil: Did we get ? Radar Operator: No, sir, he got away in that big spaceship that looks like a huge... Teacher: Penis. The male reproductive organ. Also known as tallywhacker, schlong, or... Friendly Dad: Wiener? Any of your kids want another wiener? Friendly Son: Dad, what's that? Friendly Dad: I don't know, son, but it has great big... Peanut Vendor: Nuts. Hot, salty nuts. Who wants some?... Lord Almighty! Woman: That looks just like my husband's... Circus Barker: ONE-EYED MONSTER. Step right up and see the One-eyed Monster! Cyclops: RARRR. Hey, what's that? It looks like a... Fan: Woody. Woody Harrelson. Could I have your autograph? Woody: Sure. Oh, my Lord! Look at that thing! Fan: It's so big. Woody: No, I've seen bigger. That's...
 * It goes on like that for a further 90 seconds.
 * At the end of the film:
 * Just a little prick."

"Ozzy Osborne: Boobs! Sharon Osborne Boobs, Ozzy? Ozzy Osborne: These filmmakers are just a bunch of f** cking boobs. Kelly Osborne: What do you mean, Dad? Ozzy Osborne: I mean, they're using the same f** cking jokes as they did in the last Austin Powers movie. Sharon Osborne: What f** cking joke? Jack Osborne: You know, the f** cking joke about the rocket that looks like some guy's-- General Clark: Johnson!"
 * The exact same gag was used in the next film, Goldmember, with a satellite that looked like a certain part of the female anatomy, leading to this Lampshade Hanging:

"Agent: ...who's going to fill in? Sawyer: (sarcastically) You? Agent: Nah, I only fill in for those dashing, Clark Gable types. Sawyer: Frankly, Clark, I don't give a d-- Agent: Sawyer!"
 * Dominic Deegan does this same routine, only much shorter, in one comic to blot out the Big Fuck.
 * Johnson is another name for penis
 * In Cats Don't Dance:

"Max: My life's a living... Mascot: HELL-O, little buddy! Who's your favorite possum?"
 * Amusingly played with in Predator 2, where the titular alien cuts Harrigan's assessment of its looks short by choking him, then finishes it off anyway.
 * Even Disney pulls this one, in A Goofy Movie:

"Esmeralda: You sneaky son of a... Pheobus: Ah ah ah, watch it. You're in a church."
 * Disney does it again in The Hunchback of Notre Dame:

""Winter is a grand old time. On this there are no if or buts. But remember all that salt and grime can rust your bolts and freeze your…” (Enter main character Lightning McQueen) "Oh! There he is!""
 * ... and does it again in Pixar's 2006 Cars film, with the Car Talk brothers' verse:

"Grace: Just relax and let your mind go blank. That shouldn't be hard for you. Jake: Kiss the darkest part of my lily white-"
 * There's a really weird instance of this in some versions of the song Mark It Up from Repo! The Genetic Opera. In the film, IIRC, Pavi manages to quite clearly sing "My brother and sister should fuck!" before Luigi turns on him, but in one of the soundtrack versions, it's a Curse Cut Short.
 * The hilarity is that it's cut short by a phrase involving a Precision F-Strike: Pavi! Shut the FUCK UP!
 * In Avatar, as Grace is putting Jake into his link pod:

"The Gap Band: I'm gonna git you, sucka/dirty mother-- Female: Don't say that!"
 * Several times in the theme song to I'm Gonna Git You Sucka:

"Face: Adios, Mother F... *B.A.'s van roars into the scene*"
 * The a Team film has "AMF" or "Alpha Mike Foxtrot".

"Pilot: Get the hell out of the cockpit! Butt-Head: Huh huh, you said c-- Pilot: [pulls Butt-Head out] NOW!"
 * Later, he manages to get the whole thing out, without the last word being interrupted.
 * In Beavis and Butthead Do America:

"Black drug dealer/crime lord: I am the East Quarter drug trade, you stupid bags of-- *gets a gun pointed at his head*"
 * In Batman: Under the Red Hood:

"I am the East Quarter drug trade, you wee-brained fucku--"
 * The Hungarian dub got a bit bolder with the line:

"Wally: Oh don't worry dad, I'll do my homework without you and mom having to crawl up my... Ward: Yeah that's great Wally."
 * The Movie of Leave It to Beaver:

Literature
""Sing the past to me, 'cause I'm the one who wrote the song I made it up next week so all the words will come out wrong The past won't keep you warm tonight, the future's blown to bits, And everything that you believe is really full of --" The door slammed behind him."
 * In Going Under, book three of the Quantum Gravity series, the imp repeatedly says "What the f..." before another character interrupts him. Or shoots him.
 * Harry Potter has quite a few of these considering they are children books:
 * 'They make riding a broomstick a real pain in the-'
 * 'He'd pull up his robes and pull flowers out of his-'
 * 'YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B-'
 * 'Do you know what that-' ([Ron] called Snape something that made Hermione say Ron!)
 * 'Merlin's saggy left--'
 * In the Doctor Who Eighth Doctor Adventures novel Unnatural History, a Faction Paradox member taunts the Doctor with a parody of a Gallifreyan rhyme:

Live Action TV
"Data: There was a rather peculiar Limerick being delivered by someone in the shuttlecraft bay. I'm not sure I understand it. "There was a young lady from Venus, whose body was shaped like a—" Picard (cutting Data off): Captain to security! Come in!!"
 * Webster: Webster and a friend are singing a spaceship song, and just before they sing the last word in the line "The spaceship went to hell," Katherine interrupts and sends them to bed.
 * The Hogan Family: Back when the series was called Valerie, the third episode "The Wrong Stuff" saw young Willie Hogan begin using (mild) profanity around the house. When Valerie confronts him and threatens to wash his mouth out with soap, Willie decides to test his mother and see if she actually would. Finally, after saying a mild explicitive ("crap") and getting ready to say another, Valerie made good on her promise!
 * In Star Trek: The Next Generation

"Rose: So you're talking out your a-- Cassandra: Ask not!"
 * Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Miles O'Brien starts to tell a Bajoran shopkeeper where he can stick his Jumja stick, but is dragged away/yelled over by Keiko.
 * In Doctor Who: "New Earth":

"O'Neill: Sounds more like a Plan F, doesn't it? As in, 'We are totally-' McKay: If we can fight our way back to the bay..."
 * In the Stargate Atlantis episode "The Return," when Jack O'Neill expresses disdain for McKay's proposed "Plan C:"

"Mr Casey: I think you're mistaking me for someone who gives a f-- Michael (bursting into the room): FIRE!"
 * In an episode of My Family:

"Sheridan: Well, you can tell Earth Central they can take a flying -- Ivanova: It's only 30 credits a week, sir, it's not that much."
 * Babylon 5:

"Londo: And you can kiss my plump Centauri a--aah, gentlemen, this is what I've been waiting for."
 * Also:

"Sheridan: Pick 'em up, bring 'em in, and throw them in the brig. And I want every one of those ships scanned for weapons. And tell Ambassadors G'kar and Londo that I want to see them in chambers now. Ivanova: And what if they refuse? Sheridan: Then you can throw them in the-- Ivanova: Ahem! (Gestures her head to remind him a news crew is filming them)"
 * Not so much a curse word as it was a rude sentiment:

"Mikel: It's Mikel, Abby. Don't hang up. Abby: Oh great. My biggest fan. Mikel: Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot. Abby: The wrong foot? The only right foot is my foot up your a- Mikel: Abby. Abby, listen, I need to see you."
 * NCIS has this in the season 3 episode "Bloodbath".

"Frost: "Well Horn-rimmed Harry can go stick it up his ahhhh hello sir!""
 * A Touch of Frost. DI Frost is insulting his superior (as usual) when the man in question enters the room.

"Spike: "I knew the only thing better than killing a Slayer would be f--" Buffy: [enraged] "Is that what this is about? Doing a Slayer?""
 * Buffy the Vampire Slayer
 * In season 6 episode "Wrecked":

"Wesley: I was your Watcher Faith. I know the real you. And even if you kill me, there's just one thing I want you to remember. Faith: What's that love? Wesley: You...are a piece of shi- (Faith interrupts him by stuffing the gag back into his mouth) Faith: You should talk, huh? I guess I'll just have to try a little harder."
 * In season 5, Glory gets out an "Oh, Sh--" twice. Once as a roof collapses on her head, and the second time when she's been teleported to an altitude of several thousand feet.
 * In season 3, Vampire!Willow says "Oh fu--" just before Oz stakes her after she returned to her world.
 * Angel:

"Faith: What... the fu-"
 * While looking for clues in a vampire crackhouse in season 4, Faith is conveniently attacked by a vampire:

"Danny: "Hi, I'm D.J.'s father Mildew, and you can tattoo that name on your--" Jesse: "Hey ho ho ho! Mildew, take five.""
 * From Full House, during Viper's guitarist audition for Jesse's band, Danny doesn't appreciate Viper's interest in tattooing D.J.'s name on his arm:

"Mavis: Here's something I just can't figure / Why a white girl wanna act like a-- Courtney: Mavis!"
 * Boy Meets World has Cory's younger sister make disparaging remarks about the dress Cory's fiance picked out for her, going so far as to say "I wouldn't use this dress to wipe my--" before being dragged away, with her mouth covered, by Cory's father.
 * A bit of poetry from the short-lived sitcom Whoopi

"Servo: Just where the hell does Canada get off sharing a border / With countries far superior to it? Servo: Why, you lousy, stinking, francophonic, bacon-loving bastards / Your country's just a giant piece of sh... Crow: Whoa, whoa, whoa!"
 * Tom Servo's Canada Song on Mystery Science Theater 3000:

"Spencer: It smells like-"
 * In iCarly Spencer gets cut off just before he completes a line about a stinking gas being pumped into the torture chamber Carly has locked him in.

"Randy: Yeah, well it really doesn't matter what he thinks because he's a big piece of -- Tim: Randy! Brad: Hey! Don't give me any more of your -- Tim: Brad! You guys are becoming a major pain in the -- Al: Tim. Okay, we'll be right back after these messages from- (Brad throws a football at Randy, but hits Al) ah! Would you just cut it out, you little -- Tim: Al."
 * In the 1960s Batman TV episode "Penguin's Disastrous End," The Penguin barricades himself and his gang inside a Gotham City bank vault as the police and the Dynamic Duo try to break in. Someone asks how Penguin will keep from starving to death in there, prompting Batman to say: "I wish I knew." Then Robin asks: "And how would he be able to go to the - " and is cut off by Batman snapping: "I wish I knew, Robin!"
 * In Pat and Margaret, Pat is talking to someone about Margaret on the phone and says "She can take a flying — yes, quite."
 * Several characters take turns at this in an episode of Home Improvement:

"Greek Chorus: Well now Grant has decided to wait! So from now until then he'll have to mastur-- Garry: (Rushing in) HIS STUDIES! MASTER HIS STUDIES!"
 * In It's Garry Shandling's Show, Garry's neighbor's son, Grant, comes to Garry for advice about sex. For some strange reason, the entire episode is accompanied by a group of men who perform the duties of a Greek Chorus. Garry tries to dissuade teenaged Grant from having sex until he's really ready, with the Greek Chorus performing color commentary in the background. At the episode's conclusion, Grant decides that he's not ready, and tells his girlfriend that he's decided to wait. This prompts the following exchange:

"JJ: The EAS is coordinated by the FCC, Thema, and the Nation Weather Service, it's a bureaucratic pile of steaming--- Reciever: Ma'am?"
 * Criminal Minds:
 * From the episode "The Longest Night":

"Reid: (while giving the profile) Loner, invisible, outcast, boiling rage- (phone rings) SON OF A BITCH! (answers phone) Hi, this is Dr. Spencer Reid. Yes I can come to the phone right now with a very special message that your mother is a- Hotch: Reid!"
 * In the episode "Painless," Morgan gives out Reid's cellphone number to a bunch of reporters as a prank and Reid finally loses it after at least 500 calls and then manages to avert and play this trope straight in less than thirty seconds:

"Hoynes's staffer: It's what magicians call "misdirection." Josh: Really? 'Cause it's what the rest of us call bull— Hoynes: Knock it off!"
 * From The West Wing episode "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen—Part I":

"GOB: No Al, I want to spill booze all over my fu- GOB (Five minutes and a few scenes later): -cking $6300 suit! Come ON!"
 * Subverted in Arrested Development:

Music
"Jimmy: That woman sure chaps my... George: Ask her out then!"
 * From Brad Paisley's Cornography:

"McNamara crossed the street and by a bus was hit But he was just a Scotsman, so nobody gave a (OCH)"
 * From Another Irish Drinking Song by Da Vinci's Notebook:

"Oh, when der Fuehrer yells, "Ve've got to have more shells!" Ve say "Heil! Heil!" and then we make those shells And should all these shells should blow him right to (Donald Duck gets hit in the head by a large shell) Ve say "Heil! Heil!" 'cause wouldn't that be swell"
 * This verse from the song "Der Fuehrer's Face"

Musical
"Hunter: Broadway.com can kneel down, open its online mouth, and suck my-- Chorus (singing): Festival medley! Hunter (screaming over the others): IT CAN SUCK MY FUCKING COCK!"
 * Subverted in [title of show]:

Newspaper Comics
"Bucky: Were you voted Most Likely to Remain Chickless? Rob: Dude, I'm about to be voted Most Likely to Kick Your-- Satchel: Assuredly, that's the skinniest leather tie I've ever seen!"
 * In one Get Fuzzy strip, when Rob's pets have got hold of his freshman yearbook:

"Jon: Bad date, Garfield. We went sailing. Ever had a mizzenmast stuck up your... Garfield: No, and let's talk about anything else right now."
 * In one Garfield comic:

Video Games
"Ambassador Udina: I'm tired of this council and its anti-human bull-- Asari Councillor: Ambassador!"
 * Seems to be unintentionally subverted in The Suffering; in the opening cutscene a character gets cut off before they can swear (or barely even start the word), yet if you have subtitles on "cunt" is in full view.
 * Mass Effect:

"Duke: What's your angle here, Mengsk? Raynor: Our angle? I'll give you angle, you slimy Confederate piece of sh- Mengsk: Jim! Enough! I'll handle this!"
 * The Convo system being what it is, there's a noticeable delay between the Curse Cut Short and the next line. Net result being that it comes off more like self censorship than actually being interrupted.
 * In StarCraft, when Mengsk and Raynor rescue Duke:

"Michael: You are a sick- Richard: Take a bite from its super energy wave phaser! It'll get you high enough to reach heaven!"
 * In Left 4 Dead 2, Coach will shout "MOTHERF--" while being choked by a smoker, only to be cut off by his own coughing.
 * Metal Wolf Chaos gets one when Michael gives his opinion on Richard's Spider Tank:

"Galactic President: (concludes heartfelt speech) Clank : What a load of bull- Ratchet: Shh!"
 * Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal gave us this gem at Captain Qwark's funeral:

"Cave Johnson: Black Mesa can eat my bankrupt-- Caroline: Sir, the testing?"
 * In Portal 2, Cave Johnson gets interrupted by his own assistant.


 * Fear Effect. Deke tells Glas "You need a shave and a haircut, mate." Glas says "You mother-" before Hana interrupts him. It is likely that she did not interrupt Glas because of his cursing (Hana can curse, too), but because she needed to ask Deke questions and she could not do that if a fight broke out between Glas and Deke.

Web Comics
"Dr. McNinja:: Yo ho, motherf-- Pirate mook: He said a bad word!"
 * In this issue of The Adventures of Dr. McNinja.

"Meji: Well that seems like a mixed message, telling us not to kill anyone right after she kills the Queen Bi- Jon: Not the time Meji."
 * Lampshaded in the Alt Text: "The self-censorship is killing me, Johnny."
 * Done in Errant Story here, when Meji is calling out Sarine for a bit of hypocrisy.

"Mr. Mighty: Wherever evil plots are sowed / They shall not come to pass! Summer: So take your lunch and hit the road / Before Mom kicks your - Jane: SUMMER!!"
 * Mr. Mighty's Large Ham speech in Everyday Heroes gets rudely interrupted.

"Leo: It's a p-- Aeris: I KNOW."
 * VG Cats does this numerous times. For example, in this comic.

"Josh: "Emma Frost didn't even sound British. That's her thing! She uses a fake British accent, she's mostly naked and she's a total cun..." Joel: "Cunning telepath! My point exactly!""
 * Housepets:
 * Spot interrupts Spo.
 * In a later strip, Pete's curse interrupted by nearly getting a set of sharp teeth clamped onto his backside.
 * Order of the Stick, from a Lizard Folk: "Hey, while you're at it, look up 'hemipenes', because you can suck BOTH of my-"
 * From Hijinks Ensue, this:

"Sabalom Glitz: Personally I think it tastes like Nimon shi-- The Second Doctor: Ahem-hem... that's enough of that."
 * Done THRICE in this Schlock Mercenary strip. Made even funnier because what's being cut short is pretty tame compared to most others on this page.
 * Inverted in this page of Murphy's Law, with Lexington's ponytail covering the first half of Miles' speech balloon.
 * In the Doctor Who Fan Web Comic The Ten Doctors

"Alamand: It's hotter than a donkey's buttho-- Soli: Alamand. Alamand: --out there."
 * Two in The Meek, including one where the curse is accidentally finished!

"Pinter: What the h- Angora: Hello!"
 * Earlier:

Web Original
"Bajo: "Be careful with any movie-game tie-in, cause the chances are that it's going to be a big, steaming pile of sh-" Hex: "That's it for this week...""
 * On Good Game: Spawn Point, Bajo describes the 'Movie-Game Tie In' of Avatar thusly:

"Ron: "Maybe he's in love! Hermione: "Who'd fall in love with such an a--" Ron: "Maybe he needs a hug!" Harry: "I don't want a hug!""
 * In Potter Puppet Pals we have this in "Wizard Angst":

"Lex Luthor: "Wow, this is good sh-" (Superman appears)"
 * Often used in I'm a Marvel And I'm a DC:

"Green Goblin: " I knew you'd try to pull something like this, you son of a -" (zapped by )"
 * Also Green Goblin after electrocuting Lex.

"Tanya: Don't tell me you're competing with Carlisle for the title of most sanctimonious - [zap]"
 * Luminosity has a conversation including a distressed person, and a person with lightning powers.

"Lemure: I think you've mistaken me for someone who gives a rat's a- [Kismet interrupts]"
 * Whateley Universe "Ayla and the Great Shoulder Angel Conspiracy" when Kismet is trying to get her team to take a Team Tactics class:

Western Animation
"Beast Boy: You're supposed to laugh! What do I have to do? Make it fly out my- Raven: Let me try."
 * A mild example from Teen Titans: Cyborg says to Brother Blood, "You can take your offer and blow it out your--" "INSOLENT CHILD!"
 * And again with Johnny Rancid, who taunting Robin about his dog "kicking your a--" then he is knocked back with two hoofprints on his chest. Reverse angle to Beast Boy. Who has turned into a donkey.
 * And in "Only Human", after Beast Boy has tried a complicated trick with shape-shifting and a cookie to try cheering Cyborg up:

"Grim: Don't make me get medieval on your... Irwin: As I was saying..."
 * The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, "Curse of the Black Knight":


 * Irwin holds the s for a bit too long.

"Braniac: I am Krypton. Superman: You're a perversion, dishonoring the very memory of my father and all my people. Braniac: And this is your final decision? Superman: Read my lips. Go to- Braniac: Unfortunate, but predictable."
 * Justice League used this now and then:

"Wonder Woman: So, he's telling me to go to- Hermes: Basically."
 * And from "The Balance", when Wonder Woman has just been told that Zeus has ordered her to, who has taken over Tartarus:

"Jimmy Olsen: Superman's turned into a real di- Lois Lane: -fferent person."
 * Batman: The Brave And The Bold - "The Battle of the Superheroes", which is a half-hour tribute to the concept of Super Dickery, naturally had to sneak in a joke based on the actual term.

"Rocko & Filburt: (answering the door while shouting) What in the hell...o? (realizing the deportation guy keeping track of them is at the door)"
 * In The Shiny Show (which is aimed at three-year-olds!) this occurs. Obviously the cut-off word is not as strong as other cases.
 * In the Rocko's Modern Life episode "Kiss Me, I'm Foreign":

"Rattrap: The next time that big ape asks me to do something for him, man, I am going to shove my blaster so far up his-- Silverbolt: Target dead ahead. Prepare for drop."
 * Beast Wars: "Changing of the Guard"

"Drakken: Your Nana is one bad grandmother-- Kim: Shut your mouth!"
 * Subverted in Kim Possible, regarding Kim's Nana, and a callback to Shaft:

"Kid: You're no unicorn, you're just a horse's... Villain (suddenly appearing): I've come to claim what's mine!"
 * Another Kim Possible example, when Ron is wearing half of a unicorn costume on Halloween:

"Dee Dee: That is one rugged brother-- Dee Dee's friends: Shut your mouth!"
 * A similar example in Dexter's Laboratory, when Dexter grows a beard and is being gawked at by Dee Dee and her friends.

"Caitlin: Tricia. Tricia: Caitlin. New loser friends of Caitlin. Nikki: Oh, you stuck up little bi-- Jonesy: OKAY, who wants some chunklets, huh?"
 * 6teen, "Khaki Girl":

"Courtney: I'm a C.I.T.! Heather: More like a B-I-T-C- Gwen: Guys, lets get going."
 * From the 3rd season of Total Drama Island:

"So hail to thee, O Pizza Cat Please ring your little bell Although you may be pen and ink We know you'll fight like-- Pizza Cats: PIZZA CATS!"
 * The Samurai Pizza Cats Fan Club Oath:

"Hayley: I know it's crazy, but I like him. He challenges me, and besides, he has a really huge- Stan: Penis! I mean, Hayley! Dammit! I was trying to cut you off before you said- Hayley: I was going to say "heart" but, well, you shined his shoes."
 * Inverted in an episode of American Dad, after Hayley sleeps with Stan's boss:

"Timmy: Well, Quddus, much like Christina, Vicky is an evil... Wanda: Timmy!"
 * When The Fairly OddParents were interviewed by MTV's TRL

"Numbah 1- “I said no once, I said no twice, you chained me here and that’s not nice. I will not eat it, not a scrap. I tried it once, it tastes like-”"
 * On Jimmy Two-Shoes, when Jimmy is hallucinating all his friends, including Heloise in a girly dress. After a few steps she growls "If I were awake, I'd kick your-" before hallucination Lucius picks her up.
 * In Codename: Kids Next Door the Spinach Inquisition (an army of Spaniards who have an odd obsession with Spinach) shows up to get kids to eat the green leafs. They capture the titular kids and attempt to force them to eat spinach, through song. Numbah 1 almost lets out a not-so-kid friendly word before being cut off.

"Kevin: Beat it dorky, or I'll shove these moon rocks right up your - (Jonny's trumpet)"
 * Ed, Edd n Eddy has this, too, in a combination of this and Sound Effect Bleep.

"Ed: I am a horse! Eddy: You're a horse's- Sarah: HEY!! You better win!!"
 * In Sir Ed A Lot:

"Babbitt: Give me the bird! Give me the bird! Catstello: If the Hays Office would only let me, I'd give him the bird, all right!"
 * The 1942 W-B cartoon "A Tale Of Two Kitties" as Babbitt sends Catstello up a ladder to get Tweety:

"Thatherton: M.F. Thatherton. Thatherton Fuels. Mr. Holloway: Dang glad to meet you, M.F. Hank: The M.F. stands for... Thatherton: My friend!"
 * Redeux in Animaniacs as Yakko, Wakko, and Dot protect their pet turkey from Miles Standish (Miles: "Give me the bird!" Yakko: "We'd love to but the Fox censors won't let us!")
 * In King of the Hill:

"Milo: That woman wouldn't know art if it bit her in the-- Pepper Ann: Assignment, Milo, it was just an assignment."
 * In one episode of Pepper Ann, Milo rants about the art teacher giving him a bad grade.

"Spunkler Kid: Ain't you one o' them funny, big-nosed, show-biz people? Krusty: Oh, you mean a clown? Spunkler Kid:: No, a J- Krusty: Joker! And I'm not a practicing joker, so I'm not offended. Heh-heh!"
 * Not exactly a curse, but inThe Simpsons episode "Yokel Chords":

"Wolverine: Oh, you gotta be kidding me, Fury. Mystical curse my a- * violently grabbed by Hulk*"
 * In Wolverine and the X-Men: Wolverine vs. The Hulk

"Lana: It's Archer's fault. Cyril: It's fine. Lana: It's just with the lying, and the cheating, and that thing with the mayonnaise... Cyril: It's FINE. Lana: Not to mention how messed up he is about his mother! Did you know he once called her name while we were f- Cyril: FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!"
 * In the pilot of Archer:

"Riley: You got knocked the fu..(Granddad shushes him) never mind."
 * In The Boondocks episode "Wingman" after Huey's former friend Cairo headbutts him and sends him flying across the deck:

"Anakin: If you ask me, that sounds like a load of s-- Obi-Wan: Superstition? Anakin: That's one word for it."
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars has this:

"Leela: Your heart was in the right place, but your brain must've been up your- Hermes: Moving on to item 0.002!"
 * In Futurama, one of the deleted scenes from "Parasites Lost" has Fry explaining that he was trying to stick up for Leela at the truck stop, leading to this exchange:

Real Life
"NPH: They all make shapes! So I have four of them. This one I am very excited by, it's a rabbit 'cause I'm a magician and I like magic. (shows a rabbit-shaped band) Craig: Oh yeah? You still hidin' rabbits down your pants and that kind of thing? NPH: Sometimes... Craig: Mmmkay. NPH: This one's a pineapple because I like piña coladas. (show a pineapple) Craig: And, uh, walks in the rain? NPH: Sometimes... This one's a dolphin because I like dolphins. (shows a dolphin) Craig: Oh really? (in a snooty voice) I don't care for dolphins, I prefer sharks! NPH: And this one's a rooster, because I love -- Craig: Heeeeyy!! Neil Patrick Harris, everybody!"
 * Neil Patrick Harris got one when he appeared on Craig Ferguson's show in which he discussed his love of Silly Bandz. Possibly that it is scripted, funny either way.

Comic Books

 * In X-Men, one of Nightcrawler's standard exclamations is "Ach du lieber..." (frequently misspelled: "Ach du leiber..."), which means "Oh you dear...". He never once finishes it, so we can only guess what word is cut off. "Gott"? "Augustin"? "Herr Gesangsverein"?

Film
"Iago: [on seeing that Aladdin survived a near-drowning] "How in the He-- I mean, uh, AWKKK!""
 * You see this done a lot with "tough guy" characters in old '30s and '40s films. "Why, you...!"
 * Aladdin:

""MOTHER--" * extended screaming*"
 * Regina George in Mean Girls:

"Max: "Hold me touch me", where is "hold me touch me"? "Kiss me feel me", "Lick me bite me", "Yank me spank me", "Suck me fu--"... ah! "Hold me touch me"!"
 * In Dark Star the computer automatically censors obscenities in Sgt Pinback's diary entries, replacing them with silence and a caption reading "deleted", and in one case a full-screen caption reading "Gesture Deleted".
 * Spy Kids: "Oh, sh...itake mushrooms."
 * The Producers: Max, looking through his gallery of little old ladies:

"Eliza: "You, dear friend who talk so well, You can go to ... Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire!""
 * Part of the lyrics in My Fair Lady. In this case you know what the word should be by the rhyme scheme.

"Oscar: ARE YOU CRAZY?!! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!! TAKE YOUR FRANKFURTERS AND...! (*slams receiver down*)"
 * In The Odd Couple, Oscar is watching a baseball game in the press box when he's summoned to the phone. While Felix is telling him not to eat any frankfurters at the ballpark because he's making franks and beans for dinner that night, Oscar misses a triple play. He turns back to the phone:

"Gov. Le Petomane: Have you lost your mind? Can't you see that that man is a ni-- The governor notices that he has accidentally pulled aside the new sheriff, not Hedley."
 * In Blazing Saddles, Hedley presents the governor with his choice for Rock Ridge's new sheriff, a black man. Shocked, the governor pulls him aside for a private conservation:

"Bruce: Holy sh- ...cow."
 * The movie takes the joke further after the governor starts talking to Hedley; apparently "ni" is exactly the word he meant to use.
 * One scene from the film Megamind has the titular Villain Protagonist and his pet robotic fish Minion playing the song "Highway to Hell" on the boombox. However, for some reason Minion is constantly tampering with the tuning knob, therefore causing the boombox to switch to another radio station whenever the song mentioned "hell."
 * In Bruce Almighty, Bruce almost lets one slip before realizing that it's God in high person he's speaking to.

Literature

 * In The Truth, a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, Mr Tulip is often heard to use "-ing". As in "that -ing rubbish".
 * This is also a parody of the censorship used in early Discworld novels, where swearwords would be starred out in the same manner.
 * It's also Lampshaded in the book with people bemusedly wondering what is he saying. And near the end
 * Subverted in "Guards! Guards!" when a mugger gets out "Sh-" before being incenerated by a dragon only to finish the curse "-it" as a ghost. The same gag is reversed by Greebo later in the series, when his feline snarls of dismay as he transforms into a man end in "...it!", and his subsequent reversion to cat form is heralded by "Shi...{cat yowling}!"
 * Captain Carrot can apparently pronounce "d* mn." (But then, Rincewind can say "!")
 * Cohen in Interesting Times, claiming the Agatean Empire's bureaucracy requires you to fill out a form if you want to go to the privy. "Can't get married without a chit. Can't leave your village without a chit. Can't even have a ... Ah well, here we are."
 * German humorist Kurt Tucholsky used this in a poem, talking to a baby girl: "You / will become a great who-"

Live Action TV
"Tobias: [arguing with Lindsay] Oh, great, you're mocking me. You selfish cun- [realizing his daughter is listening] try-music loving lady!"
 * Arrested Development:

""[Something to the effect of "I was a kid once"] and we can be right little sh--. . . terrors.""
 * Rose Tyler from Doctor Who:

""We have mothers, bragging to their friends about being MILFs at their kids' high schools. M-I-L-F, Mother I'd Like to F...orgive me for speaking this way in court.""
 * In one of his infamous long-winded closings, Alan Shore did this:

"Cara: Dear Margrave, the sight of your face makes me sick You decadent, pompous, self-satisfied-- (punches him in the face)"
 * Keith Olbermann's "WHAT THE -" segment on Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Usually Keith stops himself, sometimes he's cut off by a commercial break.
 * Legend of the Seeker, "Princess": Cara has to impersonate a princess to get into a castle, and a local law requires her to speak in rhyming couplets in the presence of the margrave. Later, when she's holding him at knifepoint to get the key to the dungeons:

""What the... HELL-O!""
 * In the Chuck episode "Chuck versus the First Date", Chuck's reaction when he first sees the team's new underground spy base known as Castle is:

"Paige: But why me? I don't have anything against the little fu-- uh, fetus."
 * In Charmed, after Phoebe's Fetus Terrible takes Phoebe over to push Paige out a window, her reaction is:

"Buffy: You have to stick up for yourself, Amanda. You need to show this bully that you're not gonna take any more of his sh... guff. Uh, any guff."
 * Buffy working as a high school guidance councellor:

Music
"I bet to them your name is "Cheap," I bet to them you look like shh..."
 * Panic! at the Disco's There's A Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven't Thought Of It Yet:

"My nephew's a horrible wise little twit He once gave me a nice gift-wrapped box full of ..."
 * Another one of their songs, "I Write Sins, Not Tragedies" contains the line "What a shame the poor groom's bride is a whore". Guess which word gets replaced with "Shh!" in the music video!
 * The Johnny Horton song "The Battle of New Orleans" has the following line: "Then we opened up with squirrel guns and really gave 'em ... well", then going into the chorus of the song.
 * Some cuts of "The Season's Upon Us", a Christmas Song by Dropkick Murphys, has the last word missing from following lines:

Truth in Television

 * People who grew up with cartoons and kids' shows that use this trope may find them doing it themselves, saying "What the...?!" with no intention of actually saying anything after 'the'.

Video Games
"Prince Kael'thas: Insolent son of a ... Let's get this over with!"
 * In Warcraft 3:

"Matt Horner: Holy sh--sir, scanners show the largest zerg biosignature I've ever seen!"
 * At the beginning of the make money for Venus level (Formerly Save The Pandas from WLK) in Katamari Forever, the king needs to rhyme something with rich. So he says, "If you don't have any, what a bi-" Or something along those lines. Then he catches himself.
 * In the City Elf Origin in Dragon Age: Origins, a guard tries to arrest the PC for either killing or robbing a nobleman (depending on player choice.) Duncan steps in and uses his authority to save the PC, leading the guard to say "Son of a tied down... Fine."
 * In Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles, Richter starts staying "Son of a..." before cutting himself off while saving Maria from Shaft.
 * Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty has this:

"Dunban: Why did you betray us to Mechonis?! Why did you kill our friends at the colony? WHY?! Dunban: You PIECE OF-!"
 * In Madagascar for Gamecube. Marty and Mort get Wilbur to fulfill his promise (which turns out to be truly anticlimactic), much to Marty's annoyance. He says: "I oughtta open up a can of Whoopa-- BUTT on you, Warthog!!!"
 * In Mass Effect 3, Jack has taken to censoring herself while, leading to her calling Joker a "fu--flight lieutenant."
 * In Xenoblade:
 * You wanna know? Because it's your home!

Web Comics

 * Elf Quest occasionally has one character censoring another, for instance here (panel 6).
 * Sinfest. There's nothing Slick cun--CAN'T do

Web Original
""'Hi strong bad. This is Trevor from Hampden Maine and I was wondering if you could teach me how to be as awesome as you. I am a vampire and' And what? That's it? I'm a vampire and here's a million dollars...or I'm a vampire and here's your own spaceship... I mean what the f (Beat) Oh no, I get it. THEY GOT HIM!!!""
 * Strong Bad in Homestar Runner, answering an email:


 * In the DVD commentary, Strong Bad says he was going to say "what the fireplace in the mangic place".
 * A comic panel from the depths of 4chan that often ends in a crudely drawn person screaming FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
 * Though this isn't about censorship so much as unrepresentable rage. The Image Board in question has very little interest in censoring anything.
 * Subverted at least once, with the penultimate panel being a screamed "TO-".
 * in the Helluva Boss episode "The Harvest Moon Festival" Moxxie gets attacked by a demonic shark three times, First after climbing the wall in the obstacle course, Second in the Tug-Of-War event. The third time during the Mud Wrestling event. The trope comes in after Moxxie gets Dogpiled while mud wrestling. All of the other demons get off and leave, and Moxxie sits up. Then the screen cuts to the edge of the ring where the shark jumps on the fence and then elbow-drops Moxxie. We see Moxxie yell "MOTHERFU-" before the scene cuts to Wally Wackford.

Western Animation
""F-U-C- can't make out that last one...""
 * Phil Ken Sebben in Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, taking an eye exam:

""Let's see ... gum wrapper, pocket lint, lighter ... oooh! flamethrower! ring of power, dunno what that is, roll of quarters ... wait, that's not a roll of ... A-ha! Here they are!""
 * And this variation while digging in his pocket for his keys:

""Shave and a haircut: Two ti-- AH!""
 * And when he's in his office getting groomed by a busty barber, he puts a new take on an old ditty as she swings his chair so that he's underneath her breasts:

""Good things come to those who wait! Ha-HA! Cu-" *bathroom door opens*"
 * Using a security camera to spy on the women's bathroom:

""Dr. Quest": "I have half a mind to come down there and kick your little a-""
 * In one of the early ones (might've been the first one) has a scene where Dr. Quest gets angry at the boys for denting something with a ball.

"I coulda pulled a better cartoon outta my a--ha ha ha"
 * In the Looney Tunes short "The Bashful Buzzard Beaky Buzzard" says to the dragon "Why you shriveled up incontestable piece of sh...shoeleather."
 * A quasi aversion happened in a 1938 "blooper reel" film shown at the Warner Bros. Christmas Party that year—along with the usual scenes of actors hilariously flubbing their lines was a short newly-animated sequence of Porky Pig, just after he had whacked his thumb with a hammer. "Son of a b-b-bi-- son of a b-b-bi-- son of a b-b-b-gun!" He then looks at the camera and says "Heh, heh. You thought I was going to say 'son of a bitch,' didn't you?"
 * The Simpsons: Krusty has just shown a lackluster Itchy & Scratchy cartoon where all that happens is Itchy weakly hits Scratchy's head with a mallet three times, then both say to the camera, "Kids, say no to drugs!"

"Chris Tucker: Man you crazy, Jesus! You crazy! Jesus: That's what my ex-wife said. Chris Tucker: For the son of God, you sure are the son of a--Whoooaa!"
 * The trailer in Family Guy for The Passion of the Christ 2: Crucify This has a Chase Scene with Chris Tucker and Jesus.


 * In an episode of Wakfu, Amalia and Yugo get Dragoturkey dung poured over their heads. Amalia proceeds to comment "If they notice, we'll really be deep in... well, even more than now."

Real Life

 * In the book Star Trek Lives, one of the authors describes her visit to the Star Trek set during the filming of a scene on the bridge. According to her, when William Shatner flubbed a line, he began to say "Oh, shi...", then realized this young lady was standing there watching and finished, "...atner, you've done it again!"

Advertising

 * A couple of commercials for Volkswagen showcased the car's safety features. Both had the car's occupants engaged in conversation just before getting into an accident. Cut to the occupants standing outside the car unharmed and looking at the wreckage. One says "Holy sh-" Cut to the slogan "Safe happens".

Film
"Charlie: Mother-- (cuts to the rehearsal dinner)"
 * In The A-Team, Hannibal gets cut off while saying motherfu- as the helicopter that was following them is destroyed by fighter pilots.
 * A variation happens in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory - while watching Mike Teevee's interview, Grampa George breaks out in a long string of insults, all of which from Charlie's point of view are muted because his mother has covered his ears. (Though, one supposes, someone who can read lips could figure out what was being said.)
 * In Monster-in-Law after Viola throws her dress out of her car.

"Moon Queen: "Men are useless! Several thousand gamma-spans ago, all men were banished from the lunar surface because they couldn't__ (cut to black title card with PLACE COMMERCIAL HERE)."
 * In New in Town, where Renee Zellweger's curse is unheard when the doors close behind her, muffling out all sound. However, her tantrum is still seen through the glass.
 * The sci-fi B-Movie spoof Amazon Women On the Moon is repeatedly interrupted by "technical difficulties", naturally providing a good opportunity for this trope.

""I'm here to help restore your pluck, 'cause I'm the nurse who loves to--" (slam)"
 * A variant in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, where the sexy singing telegram nurse gets cut off with a door slam:

"Brains: This is a total clusterf-"
 * Done in the trailer for RED, if not in the actual film. The trailer closes with John Malkovich's character reacting to being called an "old man", and he proclaims "old man my a-" before the trailer cuts to credits and "Coming soon" bit.
 * In How to Train Your Dragon we see Stoic mouthing "what the--" before cutting to another shot--though he probably would have just said the Viking equivalent for "hell" anyway.
 * Which I believe is "Hel."
 * The 2002 Back to The Future DVD set uses this on the menu screen for the first film when it shows a clip of Biff's car slamming into the manure truck.
 * In Transformers: Dark of The Moon, Brains gives us this little gem when he and Wheelie crash land within one of the Decepticon shuttles before the scene transitions to Epps and his crew:


 * This might also be seen as a bit of lampshade hanging as the movie had unusually brief scenes.
 * The very last line of dialogue from 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming is Aunt May's "What the F-", uttered when she comes across Peter in his Spider-Man suit, and is interrupted by a hard cut to the end credits.

Live Action TV
"[outside shot] Manny: [runs off and writes on paper, then brings it back to show to Bernard] I think I've locked you out! Bernard: [withering stare] Yes! Yes! Manny: [runs off and writes on paper again] Oh no< Bernard: WRITE SOMETHING USEFUL YOU STUPID FU-- [cuts to (silent) interior shot where we see him continue his tirade]"
 * Black Books, after Bernard is locked out of the shop by the fancy security system and its sound proof door:

"Cassandra: At last I can be revenged on that little b-- Cut to Rose and the Doctor Rose: Bit rich, coming from you."
 * Also from the Doctor Who episode "New Earth":

"Parker: "I still need "ef," "uh," and "kuh." Eliot: "Don't worry..." Mark: "This is shrimp, you stupid f--" Parker: "Oh! There they are. Really loud too.""
 * Red Dwarf. In "Back in the Red" Lister realizes they're not escaping, but are actually in a virtual reality program that Rimmer is editing to cover up his own guilt ? most noticeably when obvious jump cuts start happening, whereupon Lister says he's going to cut off Rimmer's (jump cut) with a blunt knife!
 * Thirty Rock: In the episode "The Funcooker," Jenna Maroney falls asleep from exhaustion while hosting the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Tracy then shouts at her "Wake up motherf-". At that point the television that the program is being played on is turned off.
 * Top Gear
 * While Jeremy Clarkson was reviewing a new Ford Fiesta in an attempt to do a "proper" road test, the segments kept ending when he tried to say that an aspect of the car was sh-
 * In the Top Ground Gear Force comic relief special, there was a hard cut to Richard Hammond just as James May was about to call Clarkson a fu-
 * While introducing Jeremy and James' "Classic Luxury Car" contest, Richard Hammond states the disclaimer that, unlike the "Cheap Car" challenges, the Mercedes and the Rolls Royce shown are actually owned by Jeremy and James, something which prompts him to call them both stupid tw-
 * Leverage: Eliot has been getting the mark to say certain sounds into his mic so Parker can pick a voice lock.

"Sophie on the mark's phone: Merry Christmas, motherf-- The mark slams his phone shut in frustration Sophie to the rest of the gang: He hung up. Nate: No kidding."
 * In a different episode, The Experimental Job, Sophie calls a mark with news he doesn't want to hear.

"Wash: "Oh, motherless son of a bi--""
 * And another one. Quote Eliot, after beating up three mooks: "Yippee-ki-yay, motherf-" "Found it!
 * Firefly's pilot episode:

"Castle: Ryan and Esposito have a better car than you do. I'm just embarrassed to have criminals in the back of that thing and I don't know about your seat, but mine has a spring that hits me in the..."
 * Also done in 'Our Mrs. Reynolds'. Both Mal and Inara get their curses cut short when
 * Arrested Development has a variation on this in "Afternoon Delight". One scene starts with Gob talking about his "-king six thousand dollar suit." We later get a flashback to the first part of the scene, where he starts the "fu-" before it cuts away
 * In the episode "Boom", Castle's rant get's cut in the end.

"Mike: Holy shi- (cut) Damon: ...ims missing from around the door like the shims missing from the window."
 * An episode of Holmes On Homes had Mike Holmes, astounded by the bad job a house builder had done, start making a comment, and then cut to Damon while he was in the middle of a sentence.

"Abby: (typing) Hello, you twisted little piece of s--(CUT)"
 * NCIS:

"Mr. Liberal: Hang on, you pair of young scruffy tearaways! Don't you realise the way you act is influencing millions of children to talk Cockney and be insubordinate? Pupil: Well, come on Sir, don't be silly, we're the only kids in Britain who never say--(CUT)"
 * In an episode of The Young Ones (Sick) during a sort-of parody of Grange Hill, one of the kids says:

"Matthew: So, Catherine, where in Africa are you from? Catherine: Shut up, Matthew. Matthew: Say something in African. Catherine: Shut the -- [cut to Establishing Shot]"
 * While the cut happens before he utters the word, it's clear from the movement of his lips that it would've started with F.
 * News Radio: "The Trainer":

"Sam- "Ah, sh-""
 * The Burn Notice episode "Blind Spot":


 * An instance in the Scrubs episode My Fifteen Seconds most closely resembles the above Charlie and the Chocolate Factory example than anything else. Kelso is temporarily deaf. When Turk informs the rest of the staff of this, everyone in the room immediately starts cheerfully cursing him out. The first to do this is Dr. Cox who says, "Bob, you stupid mother--" and it cuts to Kelso's muted perspective. It's not very hard to read Cox's lips.

Music

 * If any Christmas-themed episode (especially in the UK) plays "Fairytale of New York", expect the scene to cut before the infamous "scumbag" verse, and definitely the word "faggot".
 * The decision of Radio 1 to censor the song in precisely this way caused a great deal of controversy, and was reversed very quickly.

Newspaper Comics

 * When talking about the canidate for Sports Jerk of the Year, Tank Mc Namara mentions that nominations have to be individuals, not teams, not orginisations, "Not even the BCs, not matter how much they b-" TEMPORARY LOSS OF JOURNALISTIC OBJECTIVITY - ONE MOMENT PLEASE...

Video Games
"Main Character: "I can't hold them off. Yeah! Take that, you son of a-""
 * From the newly released trailer for an in-progress Mechwarrior game:

"Massimo: ""FEEBLE" Massimo?! You Sonnova-" [battle scene transition]"
 * One NPC in Half Life 2 does this when Gordon Freeman is about to sneak into the Citadel. As soon as he jumps down, the NPC says to Freeman "If you see Dr. Breen, tell him I said fu---ou." Most of the profanity is cut out from a large explosion above ground. If you listen closely you can in fact hear Barney say "fuck you".
 * In Mega Man X Command Mission, where the fight begins just as the character subverts a Heroic BSOD and goes berserk. Also a bit of a Crowning Moment of Awesome:

"Joker: What, does she have a swear jar or something? I bet we could empty that out and have enough to buy a new cruiser! Jack: Cover your ears, kids. Hey, Joker! Fu--[loading screen]"
 * Mass Effect 3: Joker catches Jack censoring herself in front of, leading to this scene:

Web Comics
"Dominic: ffffFFFFFFF- Gregory: (singing) -UUUUUCK! I say oh baby that's just me LUUUUCK!"
 * Subverted in Dominic Deegan, the curse is filled in with the end of another word:

"Black Mage: * On the upper deck* BOATDOKEN! Thief: What the fu- White Mage: It's a real shame that both of our organizations require their members to take oaths of poverty."
 * A joke which Mookie himself stated he borrowed off of Brian Clevinger.
 * Multiplex: In this strip, the last half is actually cut off by the edge of the panel.
 * In Eight Bit Theater, Thief's reaction to Black Mage's Boatdoken. See it here.
 * Cuts to White Mage and Black Belt*

"Black Mage: Fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff- next panel: [+++ -UCK!+++ ]"
 * Also in 8 Bit, when Black Mage, his reaction is as follows.

"Fighter: Silence, Red Slave Black Mage Wait. So does that make me the black sla--
 * And on this one
 * GOOD NIGHT, EVERYBODY*"


 * Happens in Furthia High, where Bruce's profanity at having spent three days getting through a dungeon in an MMORPG, and finally being able to sleep, only to be told to get up because of school, gets cut off by a picture of kittens.
 * El Goonish Shive: Agent Wolf is such a.
 * An earlier example:

Web Original
"Bree: What annoys you about Jonas? Daniel: Everything. He's a piece of sh-- [cut] Jonas: He didn't say that. Did he really say that?"
 * In Lonelygirl15 "Men Are From Mars":

"Spencer: I wonder if I'll meet a doppelganger Spencer. Holy sh-- [cut]"
 * In Lonelygirl15 "We Have A Plan":

"Bree: My mom listened for a few minutes and decided that pretty much everything my dad was saying was wrong. So she thought it was time to open up a good ol' fashioned can of whoopa-- [cut]"
 * Another Lonelygirl15 example, from "How My Parents Met":


 * In the latest episode of Helluva Boss

Western Animation
"Homer: Kids...leave the room please. (They run out of the room.) Homer: FUU-- (Jump Cut to outside. Disturbed Doves. Neighbors looking out their windows in utter shock.) Ned: Dear Lord! That's the loudest profanity I've ever heard!"
 * The Simpsons Did It in "Who Shot Mr. Burns?, Part 1":

"Daffy Duck: (to Bugs) You smug son of a... cuts to another take"
 * More fun with Simpsons cursing cut short: In a halloween special, Burns is a vampire. Bart and Lisa are at the door and they ring the buzzer. Burns talks about how he will let them in, then goes into his evil plan about drinking their blood. Cue maniacal laughter. Smithers then says something like "Uh, sir, you're supposed to turn off the intercom." Burns says "Oh, son of a bi-" and the door creaks open.
 * Its earliest use in the swear jar sequence from "Bart the Lover".
 * From the 1990s Looney Tunes short Blooper Bunny:

"Modo: That makes me more than just mad. Now, I'm mad as-- [cut] Limburger: Hello, fellow citizens of Chicago."
 * In an episode of Biker Mice From Mars, upon hearing that Lawrence Limburger got himself elected Mayor of Chicago:

"Vinnie: I'd like to unexplain his- Charley: Shhh!"
 * Also-

"Skwisgaar: (to old lady) Hello. You are a GMILF, that is a Grandmother I Would Like To- (scene change)"
 * Metalocalypse does this in the first episode.

"Finn: Son of a... [scene is cut to train whistling]."
 * More Warner cartoons: 1947's "The Eager Beaver" and 1959's "Unnatural History" and the beavers "damming" a river.
 * In the Western Animation/Adventure Time episode "Mystery Train", Finn screams this when he finds out that Dr. Donut :

Film

 * The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: You know what you are, Blondie?! Just a dirty son of a B--aaaaAAAAaaaaAAAAaaaah!!!! (waaah-WAAAH-waaah)
 * Johnny English: Aww fu-

Live Action TV
"Claire/Noah: (having in both cases come back to life on a mortuary slab) "Holy sh--" [to be continued...]"
 * Heroes:
 * "One Giant Leap" and "Cautionary Tales":

"Adam: (after being released from his coffin) "Hiro, you son of a bi-" [to be continued...]"
 * Did it again in "I Am Become Death":

"Claire: (on seeing Hiro's comic and how it matches the scene in the past they're watching) "Holy sh--" [to be continued...]"
 * "The Eclipse, Part II":

"Lady Whiteadder: "Luck!" Wa-hey! Get it? Everyone else: No... Lady Whiteadder: Oh, come on! "Luck" sounds almost exactly like "fu-" [closing credits]"
 * Amusingly, in several of these cases the next episode's cold open repeats the final scene...except, obviously, the show doesn't end, which leads to unfortunate continuity errors like the scene playing out in the exact same way except for Claire saying "Oh my God" instead.
 * In the famed Spanish Inquisition episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus, Cardinal Ximenez' Catch Phrase gets cut short by the credits, prompting him to say "Oh, bug-" (presumably the beginning of 'bugger')
 * Oh really? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m07ISfx_5b0&feature=related (7:00 onwards)
 * The Blackadder episode "Beer" ends with everyone very drunk:


 * Every episode (at the very least most of them) of Lab Rats ends with the words "Oh, for fu--". In fact, it cuts off after "fuck" rather than in the middle, leaving the full phrase uncompleted but the Precision F-Strike intact.
 * The Office: Michael ends one episode by saying "But I think this plan sucks ba-"

Music

 * Music: Wilco's song "Monday" ends with singer Jeff Tweedy exclaiming, "Son of a--!"

New Media
"Announcer: NUMBER EIGHT! Stuttering Craig: Now THIS is a game! Virtua Fighter 5: All the levels, characters, it's so-- Handsome Tom: Wait, wait, wait. It's on the 360. It's not exclusive. (Beat) Stuttering Craig: Fu-- Announcer: NUMBER SEVEN!"
 * Zero Punctuation when ragging on that 50 Cent game: "Not that they'd know anything about work, the lazy nig-" * END CREDITS*
 * In ScrewAttack's Top Ten Play Station 3 Exclusives list:

Video Games

 * VAATI YOU NO GOOD MOTHER-- *Credits Music Plays*

Web Comics
"Ceilidh: HOLY SH-- Caption: To be continued..."
 * Gunnerkrigg Court. There is a symbol (the elemental symbol for antimony) that is in the lower right hand corner of the last page of each chapter. On one occasion, the symbol was strategically placed over the last half of a curse word.
 * Rage Guy to the point when it has become so Memetic Mutation that it's a subversion to end it with -CK.
 * This happens in Avalon, when Ceilidh turns around and unexpectedly sees a lot of student campaign posters plastered all over the school wall.

Web Original
"Linkara:(Goes to answer door) Oh hey, it's my student loan bill, did-wait what? MY STUDENT LOAN BILL??!! OH FU--"
 * The first season finale of the web series The Guild ends with Codex's "Oh, sh--"
 * One episode of The Legend of Neil ended with the line "Fu-" The next episode began with the line "ck!"
 * The ending to Linkara's Future 5 review is as follows:

"NC: "But like I said, it's not a terrible movie. I mean, it's not as bad as something like, A Troll in Central- Nope! ...Nope, nope! I know how this works. If I say the entire title, that means I have to review it next week. Yeah, I know this joke. I'm not doing it, mm-mmm. There is no way you're getting me to say A Troll in Central Park...!" Text: "Next Week: A Troll in Central Park" NC: FUUUUUUU- * cut to villain sinisterly eating popcorn, then end credits*"
 * The Nostalgia Critic ended his review on Free Willy with:

""Motherf-" (credits)"
 * The traditional Internet response to someone trying to Divide by Zero is "OH SHI--" with the implication that the universe ended in mid-word.
 * Lex Luthor in I'm a Marvel And I'm a DC


 * When Mr. Brilliant is about to reveal what the N in K-On! stands for in his review of K-On!, he gets cut off by the review ending.

Western Animation
"Mr. Garrison: ...and now we can sell all their homes and become millionaires. Guys: WHAT?! Jimbo: But then you had us all do all that for nothing! Don't you see, if you get rich selling these homes, then there'd still be rich people in South Park. Randy Marsh: Yeah, you'll become what you hate. Mr. Garrison: ...Yeah, but at least I got rid of all those damn ni--[South Park ending theme]"
 * In South Park: "Here Comes The Neighborhood"

"Billy: (sniffing) Wait a minute this isn't shampoo, it's dog sh--[Episode ends]."
 * The 2nd Savage Dragon/TMNT crossover ends with a building falling on the heroes, while they exclaim: "Oh, sh-". The storyline continues in Savage Dragon #22, in which begins with them saying "-it!"
 * In an episode of The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Billy is taking a shower with the new "shampoo" Mandy gave him:

Live Action TV
"Scully: [Shows Mulder his staking victim's very fake vampire teeth] Mulder: Oh sh-- [cut to opening credits]"
 * In The X-Files: "Bad Blood"

"Lee: "I think she means f--" [cut to opening credits] Lee: [immediately after opening credits] "-uck""
 * Subverted in Not Going Out, after Lucy says "Eff" a few times:

"Eli: What the f--- [COMMERCIAL BREAK]"
 * In the Stargate Universe episode "time":


 * In the pilot of Studio 60, the control room director leaves the producer's rant on the air (in real life and in the show) for some fifty seconds, until he is about to drop an F bomb, before cutting to the titles.

New Media
"Dim: * referring to PSP* This thing is so damn perfect! * throws PSP to ground, but it opens a parachute* Oh for fu- [OPENING CREDITS]"
 * In Decline of Video Gaming 3

Web Original
"Vegeta: (through walkie-talkie) We'll go to Earth, find the Dragon Balls and kill everyone. And we'll be there in a year or so. Depending on Filler, of course. Nappa: Anything else we need to go over, Vegeta? Vegeta: Nnnope, that's about it. Roshi: (Beat) Well, fu- [OPENING CREDITS]"
 * In Echo Chamber's 8th episode, Dana is halfway through calling Shannon a "whore" when the opening titles roll. To be fair, the sound under the zooming titles sounds like it is finishing the word "whore" for her. This probably wasn't genuine censorship, since Dana had used a Precision F-Strike mere lines earlier.
 * Team Four Star's Dragonball Z Abridged, episode 3:

"Goku: Kaio-Ken... Vegeta: ...Nooooooo. Goku: ...Times... Vegeta: No, no, no... Goku: ...FOUR! Vegeta: Nononononono FUUUUUUUUUU- Scene transition Another scene Scene transition back to Vegeta Vegeta: -UUUUUUUCK!"
 * The series never manages to do this to Vegeta. Every time it looks like it's going to happen, he finishes the curse anyway. Such as when he's blown away by Goku:


 * Or when he realizes that Goku's been training in multiplied gravity situations:

"Goku: Well, I did train at 100 times Earth's gravity. Vegeta: FU[BEEEEEEEEEEEEP ] Vegeta: uck."
 * Krillin and Goku converse*


 * Or when he realizes that the earthlings have summoned the Dragon while he was asleep.

"Vegeta: ...Oh you mother- Scene transition Vegeta: *heard from a distance* FUCKERS! Piccolo: *likewise* Ow! My ears!"

"Green Goblin: " Oh sh-" (cuts to opening credits)"
 * I'm a Marvel And I'm a DC
 * Zero Hour begins with  appearing in front of Green Goblin and Harley.

"Luthor: " MOTHERF-!!!!" (cue opening credits)"
 * Luthor upon discovering


 * Grandpa, in Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series: "Bring it on, you little bi..."
 * Moxxie the imp from Helluva Boss (Several demons dog-pile Moxxie. They get off him and he pulls himself into a sitting position. the camera then pans cuts to the fence where a demonic shark jumps on the fence and then starts to elbow drop Moxxie)"Moxxie: MOTHER FU-! [cut to Wally Wackford jumping on stage to announce the festival standings]"""

Western Animation
"Fry: (looks out the window and sees New New York) HOLY SH-- [OPENING CREDITS] Fry: --IT!"
 * The original script of the first episode of Futurama called for one of these:


 * In the Space Ghost Coast to Coast episode "King Dead", the episode opens with Space Ghost shouting, "...king dead!" to Moltar and Zorak.

Anime and Manga
"Kanta: Akio, you dumb f-- (gets hit over the head by Fuyuo)"
 * In Desert Punk:


 * Haruo does say the f-word twice, but they're easy to miss as background chatter.
 * At least one fansub of Macross Frontier subverts this with Bobby exclaiming "Oh f-" before narrowly dodging.
 * of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann can only manage an "Oh shi-" before the Dai-Gunzan barrels into him.

Fan Works

 * Kyon: Big Damn Hero provides these often, generally people swearing at Kyon when he's fighting them.

Film
"Frenzy accidentally kills himself with one of his razor discs Frenzy: Oh sh-- [he dies]"
 * In the 2007 Transformers movie:

"Mittens: "Slow down! You're scraping the fur off my-" (crashes into mailbox)"
 * Rock and Rule has this for when the sailor-type guy gets killed after talking to Toad on the phone. A quick 'Oshi--' and he dissolves.
 * Bolt had a quick dance with this trope.

"Eddie: I'm through with taking falls / And bouncing off the walls / Without that gun, I'd have some fun / I'd kick you in the... [Vase falls on his head] Roger: Nose! Smartass: Nose? That don't rhyme with "walls". Eddie: No, but this does! [Kicks Smartass in the "balls", sending him flying to his doom in the Dip vat]"
 * Who Framed Roger Rabbit?: While Eddie tries a rhyme routine to make the weasels die laughing, he levels a particularly saucy stanza at the Smartass of the group.

"Ferro: Now where the fu..(Alien pierces her skull with it's tongue.)"
 * From Aliens

""I'll tell you what's grass: our a--owwwww!""
 * Little Shop of Horrors does this when gets electrocuted: "OH SHI--"
 * The Polar Express: Smokey the engineer almost swears only to cut himself off after Hero Boy grabs his beard to stop himself from falling after slipping on the ice.

Literature
""Holy sh--" Finch screamed. There was a loud plop. A brown geyser spouted above the floor and sank back."
 * The Discworld books:
 * A photographer shows up to take a picture in Monstrous Regiment. He is a vampire, so the first time he takes a picture, the result is an "Oh sh--" and the photographer crumbling into dust as a result of the camera flash. Luckily, all it takes is a drop of blood to reconstitute the resulting pile of vampire dust.
 * The dragon's 1st victim in Guards! Guards! This being the Disc, two paragraphs after he said "Oh shi-" and died, we cut to his ghost talking with Death. The first thing the ghost says is "-t!"
 * In Going Under, book three of the Quantum Gravity series, the imp repeatedly says "What the f..." before another character shoots him (into something). Or just interrupts him.
 * In The Alloy of Law, a certain villain gets very annoyed with getting his gun shot out of his hand by the main character, after the fourth time this happens he responds with "Stop doing that, you bast-" before he's shot again, this time in the face.
 * The Crowning Moment of Funny in David Drake's Patriots is when the Benedict Arnold Expy is tricked into falling into a deep pit toilet. After he's fished out of the liquefied crap, a recording of this will be used to blackmail him into never betraying the main characters. As he falls, he has just time to start coincidentally identifying what he's about to be submerged in:


 * Fridge Disgust: He had his mouth open when he went under....

Live Action TV
"Slitheen: Oh, boll-- [the building explodes]"
 * In Doctor Who: "World War Three":

"You stupid bast-- (melts)"
 * Not to mention the Abzorbaloff:

"Vampire Willow: [is impaled on a piece of broken wood] Aw, fu.. [she turns to dust]"
 * In Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "Dopplegangland"

"Glory: [Realizing she's about a mile above ground] "Oh shi-" [Starts falling]"
 * Also in "Blood Ties, when Glory is teleported away, Giles asks where she was sent.

"Spike: From now on, I'm my own man! Lone wolf. Sole survivor. Heh -- Look out! Here comes Spike, the biggest, baddest mother-- [He is conveniently cut off as his hair catches on fire.]"
 * In the Angel episode "In the Dark":

"George: Oh, sh-- [is killed by a toilet seat from Mir]"
 * In the first episode of Dead Like Me:


 * That was only in the clean version on Sci-Fi. On Showtime, she finishes the word.

""Life ain't a movie you sorry sack of" (punched in the face)."
 * In the Supernatural episode "Monster Movie" Dean is captured by a man pretending to be Dracula.

"O'Neill: Ah, sh- [grenade explodes]"
 * Stargate SG-1 when the alternate SG-1 first encounters a Goa'uld shock grenade.

"Leo: Catch! Grace: Oh, motherf--(is knocked down by the pumpkin)"
 * Will and Grace: While on a biking trip with Leo, Grace pretends to be having fun even though she's not outdoorsy. They find a pumpkin patch:


 * One episode of Nash Bridges had this happen to a would be assassin after he accidentally sets off the bomb he's planting in someone's car. His last words: "Oh sh-"

New Media
"Sheila: "New target acquired." Caboose: "That's not a target, that's Church!" Church: "Hey, Caboose! Why didn't you tell us you could drive the tank?" Sheila: "Firing main cannon." Church: "Oh, son of a-" * BOOM*"
 * Red vs. Blue does almost all the variations of this at different points (as well as using plenty of uncensored swearing). The most iconic, however, is Church's first death:

"Sonic: All I had to do was hit up and down? UP AND DOWN?! WHAT THE FU- *time runs out*"
 * The WTF Boom meme.
 * This Sonic Short about the infamous Carnival Night barrel.


 * Subverted by Bob in Poke Battles Red Version: When Nerra-Torr kills him, he screams "OH SHI-", and when he reappears in the Land of the Dead several battles later, he first says "-T!".
 * I divided by zero, OH SHI-

Video Games
": SON OF A --!"
 * At the end of The Neverhood:

""Son of a-" BOOM!"
 * This thug in Deus Ex.

"Coach: MOTHER FU- Strangled coughing"
 * Left 4 Dead 2

"Snow: You son of a - (lunges at him, but teleports out of reach)"
 * Snow in Final Fantasy XIII, after an enemy has done something to really get under the team's skin.

"Simon: "Shi-" (Runt drops him)"
 * Simon the Sorcerer 3D, when Runt has kidnapped the Swampling and is currently levitating Simon over the trigger switch to a bomb.

"Guybrush: [to the MerLeader] Actually, there is one thing. I sorta caused this Pox and I need Esponja Grande to fix that. Especially now. Elaine: [under the influence of the Pox] What do you mean by that, you worthless piece of *cough cough cough* ooh, excuse me."
 * In Tales of Monkey Island Chapter 2: The Siege of Spinner Cay, although Elaine doesn't die when a cough may count as an injury due to the Pox of LeChuck:

"Scout: Woah! What the fu-- (Rockets explode, Scout is sent flying.) Scout: --UUUUUUUUUUU--! (Scout's shout stops suddenly when he slams into a window.) Scout: Medic..."
 * Team Fortress 2's short, "Meet the Medic", starts with an injured Scout staring at three rockets heading his way.


 * No More Heroes, as Travis steps on a land mine: "FUUUUUUUUUU-" BOOM.

Web Comics

 * The last thing Yokyok of Order of the Stick says is "Oh shi-".
 * Milder variant in Gunnerkrigg Court, where the speaker was cut off by a punch to the face.
 * Dave's introduction in webcomic Homestuck. His name is initially entered as "Insufferable Pri--" which is as far as it gets before he shows his displeasure with the name by bisecting the name entry box with a katana.
 * for some reason there are lots of these in one chapter of Fey Winds(all by the girls) herehereand here. ironic because in a earlier chapter the author has no problem having a character say a different swear

Western Animation
""Beans, beans, they're good for your heart, the more you eat, the more you f-" * gets 'beaned' by a can of beans*"
 * Beast Wars again: This time, from Waspinator when he wants out in "The Nemesis: Part 1".
 * Owen in Total Drama Island:

"Maddie Holograph One: "Your resolution is too low and your bandwidth is too large!" Maddie Holograph Two:"*gasp* Why you holographic- *Violence Ensues*""
 * Danny Phantom has one in the Phantom Planet Finale.

"Raven: "Azarath Metrion ZINT- [blast] Dr. Light: "A word of advice. Find shorter magic words.""
 * Teen Titans provided:

"Ned "You stupid son of a-" * BOOM*"
 * In The Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror XV", Ned Flanders, of all people, has this moment.

"Nelson: Man, that horse don't take no guff from no one. Jimbo: Guff? Nelson: I mean sh- Bullies start pummeling Nelson"
 * "Saddlesore Galactica"

"Minstrels: With all his troubles in the past/King Arthur sat down on his gets trampled by horses."
 * King Arthur's Disasters has this little line:

"Rigby: The only thing you're better than me at is being a big piece of-- OOF!"
 * Robot Chicken does this in the Mario Kart/Vice City skit. After Luigi is killed, Mario starts shooting up the cops. "You'll never take me alive, you mother-" *gets shot by police*
 * Rigby gets cut off a couple of times in "Grilled Cheese Deluxe," by getting socked in the stomach.

Real Life

 * Truth in Television: "Oh shit" is often attributed to airline pilots just before they crash. Kind of a "tried everything to save the plane but..."

Film
"Gabby Johnson: Hey! The sheriff's a nig-* clock bell chimes* Harriet Johnson: What did he say? Dr. Sam Johnson: He said the sheriff's near. Gabby Johnson: No, gone blame it dang blammit! The sheriff is a nig-* clock bell chimes again*"
 * At the end of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Tuco is staggering after Blondie who's departing with the gold they were chasing after all film. He expresses his negative opinion of Blondie's parentage, but gets cut off at the last word by the opening riff of the ending theme.
 * In Blazing Saddles:


 * In Ocean's Twelve, a character is complaining about the censorship of his music, and the bleeps over the soundtrack playing exactly match up with his swear words. He then interrupts himself to tell someone to turn off the censor machine.
 * A combination "Sound Effects Bleep" and "Cut to Another Scene" in Sex and the Single Girl happens when Natalie Wood starts to yell something like "Why you..." into a phone. Cut to the person on the other end of the line, and "cuckoo" sounds coming out of the phone.
 * Smokey and the Bandit: Texas Sheriff Buford T. Justice is chasing the Bandit across several states in his increasingly damaged police car. An Arkansas State Trooper looks at the severely delapidated automobile, and says "You can't drive this piece of shit on the highway." Sheriff Justice proceeds to "tear him a new one" both for his unprofessional use of foul language, and the fact he's been chasing a criminal who's violated a number of state and federal laws. As the trooper apologizes, we hear the faint sound in the distance of an approaching big rig. As Sheriff Justice prepares to put the car in gear and leave, he says, "I accept your apology, now ..." his words are obliterated by the truck horn as it passes, but his lips clearly show him saying, "...fuck off."
 * A Running Gag in Megamind is that the "background music" is provided by Minion with a boombox. When the song "Highway to Hell" is used, all the "Hells" are cut off by Minion having trouble with the stereo.
 * Done in Wayne's World, where a curse near an airfield is obscured by a jet. We still get to hear the ending.

Literature

 * In the Animorphs novel where the character David is introduced, David is seen carrying the alien "blue box" around. When Jake is informed of this, he begins with "Oh--" just as the school bell rings.

Live Action TV
"Carter: You are such a chicken s-- [incoming wormhole alarm sounds]"
 * In Stargate SG-1, Carter is having a discussion with Jonas about his inability to ask a girl out on a date.

"Jack: "It's called [loud ship horn] on a shingle.""
 * In The IT Crowd, Jen unleashes a tirade of swears to a Japanese man who stepped on her feet with Doc Martens. These are conveniently bleeped out by an employee nearby using a button. Made even more funny when said employee is out of time with covering up Renholm's swearing at Jen.
 * In an episode of Will and Grace, Will mentions an old friend of Grace's. Grace mentions that she once made fun of the girl's lisp, and proceeds to do it again. Will mentions that the friend died, and Grace moans, "Oh, shit." However, she's still making fun of her lisp, so it comes out more like a combination of "sit" and "slit."
 * In an episode of Three's a Crowd, Jack Tripper is serving some upper crust obnoxious guests on a cruise ship. When they ask him what it is, he replies:

"Kate: You bastard. Terrorist: You're a qualified agent, and that's the best you can come up with? Kate: You [Gerald screaming] bastard!"
 * NCIS had one of these in "Bete Noire" when the autopsy is taken over by a terrorist (later revealed to be ) and is torturing Gerald:

"Mulder: (on a cell phone) No [static] Sherlock. Mulder: (on a cell phone) Somebody's got to get to that fight and keep those two women apart or else this time the [static] is going to hit the fans."
 * The X-Files had two of these in season 7 episode "Fight Club":


 * On Seinfeld, Jerry warns Elaine that George won't be too happy with what she's doing. "Well, I don't really give a sh-" (slams the bathroom door behind her)
 * In a Pushing Daisies episode, a nun spouts off several obscenities, all of which are masked by the ringing of a church bell.

Professional Wrestling

 * Subverted on a 2006 WWE Monday Night Raw, during a match pitting super-hot diva Maria against the bloodthirsty Samoan monster heel Umaga, when Umaga did his avalanche move on a prone Maria, announcer Jim Ross cried out in disbelief, "Oh Jesus!" with Jesus muted out on U.S. broadcasts, leaving the impression that he had uttered "Oh shit!"

Video Games
"Barney: If you see Breen, tell him I said fu-- [Grinding sound of metal debris and rubble collapsing] --you!"
 * In Half-Life 2, as Gordon is entering the Citadel, Barney makes a request of him:

""You girls strapped in nice and tight now?" "Tighter than your momma's--" (The bay door opens loudly) "That's a good one, man!""
 * The rubble collapsing and Barney's dialogue are two separate sound files, which means if you experience any sort of sound glitch at that time (for example, the "dialogue stutter" that used to be quite common), you can hear the full like in all its glory. (Or just dig around in the game files until you find the appropriate sound file...)
 * In the opening scene of StarCraft, some of the Terran scavengers have the following exchange:

"Junpei: "Get back here, you son of a-""
 * In Persona 3, Junpei's All-Out Attack quote is stopped by the sound effect of the Big Ball of Violence.

Western Animation
"Harm: Oh, that little.... * BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!* (The house explodes)"
 * In the Young Justice episode "Secrets", Artemis shoots at Harm while making her escape, only for him to catch it with his bare hands. Unfortunately, she races out slamming the door behind her, while Harm notices the gas filling the room from the open stove. Then the arrow ignites...

"Mongul: Oh, dear. Is that a neural impactor? I didn't know that they were still making those. I'd advise you to try the plasma disruptor. It's more of a woman's weapon. Wonder Woman: Go to * SHBOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!* "
 * In the Justice League Unlimited episode For The Man who Has Everything

"Angelica: No. mommy. The new happy fun phrase is: She thinks we're all little....(A truck goes by and honks loudly as Angelica says a "new word" she learned)."
 * In an episode of Rugrats, Angelica is appearing on a kid's show whose host was... not fond of them, to say the least. She came up with a "real" new Happy Fun Phrase for what she thinks of them. Also combo'd very well with a Running Gag.

"Woods:...What do you mean, I gotta give two weeks' notice? Why you frickin', no good, motha [beep] [beep] cheese! ...No, not you, I'm just talking to my oven."
 * The Simpsons
 * Homer's other Catch Phrase, "Why, you little...!"
 * James Woods wants to leave his job at the Kwik-E-Mart after being told his movie role has been changed while cleaning the microwave:

"Lois: You see Meg, I'm like one of those Bald eagles on the Discovery Channel. Beautiful to look at... but mess with one of my baby chicks and I'll use my razor-sharp talons to rip your [oven dings] Lois: ... ing eyes out. Cookies are done. Who wants chocolate chip?"
 * Family Guy has a similar gag:

"Emcee: And the prize goes to The von Trapp Family Singers! Peter: That is bull... (drowned out by applause)"
 * In the first episode when Peter tries to win money on a talent show:

"Nazi: "When der Fuehrer yells: I gotta have more shells! We heil! Heil! For him we make more shells! If one little shell should blow him right to * CLANG* We heil! Heil! And wouldn't that be swell!""
 * Also in that episode after finding out that Peter got all that money from welfare Lois says "What the fu--(gets cut off by Peter blowing an air horn)".
 * PTV. When the FCC tries to censor real life, they blow an air horn to cover up swear words.
 * The Powerpuff Girls episode "Curses" has the girls overhearing the Professor spouting a blue word (obscured by sound effects) after injuring his thumb, and they spend the rest of the episode repeating it because they think it's neat.
 * SpongeBob, as it turns out that the seemingly incidental or censorial noises of a dolphin chattering and/or boat horn honking are the bad words to the undersea dwellers.
 * The 1939 Warner Bros. cartoon "The Hardships Of Miles Standish" featured a scene in which a cockeyed Indian plunks a fellow Indian with his bow and arrow. The hurt Indian turns angrily and (from what is known) lips the words "Goddamn son of a bitch!" There was some speculation that the Indian actually vocally said it but it was excised by the Hays Office.
 * Similarly at the end of "Rhapsody Rabbit" after a mouse beats him into playing the finale on the Hungarian Rhapsody, Bugs Bunny angrily plays the last few notes and mouths "son of a bitch!".
 * In Der Fuehrer's Face:

"McSquizzy: (to a Doberman) You muscle bound sack of sh--(gets cut off by someone loudly drinking coconut juice with a straw)."
 * In the Space Ghost Coast to Coast episode "King Dead", Space Ghost saying "fucking" is cut off by his megaphone crackling, so all we hear is "Just don't touch my TV, OK? Or you're... king dead!" The episode also begins with Space Ghost saying "-king dead!", after having been locked outside of the studio by Zorak and Moltar.
 * In The Ren and Stimpy Show episode "Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen" a line in the Yaksmen National Anthem goes like "And we will probably go to hell" when they sing that part "hell" is droned out by a farting sound and it can be seen when the lyrics go by with the word crossed off.
 * Metalocalypse does this frequently with pinch harmonics.
 * In the 'Gee Whiz' episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Meatwad goes on a little curse rant constituted by various SFX used as bleeps.
 * From Open Season 2: