'Modern Family's' Lily Curses: Viewers Sound Off on the F-Bomb Controversy

Peter "Hopper" Stone/ ABC

When award-winning Modern Family showrunner Steve Levitan jokingly told reporters at the Winter TCA that “The one [thing] I'm particularly proud and excited about is next week Lily says f—k,” it was received with both laughter and applause. That was then and with a room full of TV journalists. Since then, the reveal that the toddler (played by Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, who joined this season replacing the twins who played the role previously) has created much controversy, which Levitan said he expected.

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The response even evoked the actor who plays Lily’s adoptive father Cameron, Eric Stonestreet, to tweet “Lily didn't ACTUALLY say FU*K. She said fudge. How bout see the episode, THEN form an opinion. For fudge sake people. Chill the f--k out.”

And it’s true, Emmons doesn’t actually say the curse word – though a bleep will make it seem otherwise. But for the Parents Television Council and one 18-year-old anti-cursing crusader, McKay Hatch, that doesn’t matter. Hatch’s No Cussing Club, which she founded in 2007, is extremely sensitive about the issue and has asked ABC to pull Wednesday’s episode.

"Our main goal is to stop this from happening," Hatch tells the Associated Press. "If we don't, at least ABC knows that people all over the world don't want to have a 2-year-old saying the 'F-bomb' on TV."

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ABC tells The Hollywood Reporter it has no comment and the episode will air as planned. Stonestreet, though, did have something to say on Wednesday: “How bout redirecting energies of the No Cuss Club 2 reading 2 the elderly, picking up litter, feeding the hungry..,” he tweets.

But, exactly where do the fans land when it comes to Lily’s potty mouth? The Twitterverse is abuzz with opinions on the subject. But, it seems that Hatch is in the minority. I was hard-pressed to find viewers who voiced that they’re offended by the news. Most were excited to see the episode and defended the story line.

Here’s a sampling of the opinions on Twitter.

parousia: "Modern Family" Next program to let 2 1/2 yr. old lily use the f word. How low can we go?????????? Good Christians voice your protest!

TheBegatron: I'm psyched to see Lily dropping ze F-bomb. Yaaaaa :D

plt0630: People are protesting tonight's episode of #ModernFamily because Lily drops the f-bomb. You people need a different hobby.

tjrog084: Anti-profanity crusader? Really? Can't wait to watch little Lily drop the f bomb. #modernfamily

TooMuchToTivo: Why is everyone so upset about Lily cursing on #ModernFamily...every toddler has repeated a bad word their parents say.

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jkitte: Swearing is a part of our vocabulary and when used properly is hilarious or (in this case) adorable.

LauraDonovanUA: God forbid children curse! I say, "Go Lily!"

NikkiJBE: i love people getting upset about Modern Family where Lily says fudge and they are fine with Toddlers & Tiaras existing.

alexaforshay: people are being crazy about lily swearing on mod fam...it's called MODERN family these things happen in real life all the time!

Ms_Fortress: Lily drops what will appear to be the F Bomb on Modern Family tonight lol ppl r in an uproar.. Its all a part of childhood #chillout

MsJohnsonIYN: Why are ppl protesting Lily saying a cuss word on Modern Family. If u don't like it don't watch! Uugh ppl r so annoying!

Where do you stand on the two-year-old’s F-bomb? Tell us in the comments section below.

Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com; Twitter: @TheRealJethro