On April 2, in a conference call with journalists and advertising executives, NBC president and Vulture hero Ben Silverman officially reinstated his network's policy of making the 8 p.m. prime-time hour one that families can watch together. Then, hilariously, last Thursday at 8:30, 30 Rock debuted a new episode featuring a fictional reality show titled MILF Island, on which hot, barely clad moms compete to be the most hittable. Needless to say, the New York Times took offense and called poor NBC VP Mitch Metcalf to see if he could explain his way out of this. (Metcalf says "the family-hour designation should be seen as offering 'direction for program development,' not 'black-and-white expectations' for the audience." Nice!)

Really, though, in what desolate corners of America are kids not already familiar with the term "MILF"? Probably only in places where there's no television anyway, in which case youngsters there are likely creating their own entertainment out of stolen prescription drugs and illegal fireworks. If Ben Silverman says NBC's prime-time lineup is family-friendly, we think it's best to take him at his word; he's a smart, successful Hollywood entertainment executive who gets paid a lot of money to think about these things. Plus, if children are denied the pleasures of vulgar, sexually explicit television, they run the dangerous risk of growing up to be nothing like Ben Silverman. Parents, take note.

At NBC, Supersizing the Season [NYT]
NBC Tests Family Hour Boundaries [NYT]

Earlier: So, How Long Before Ben Silverman Green-lights ‘MILF Island’?