The finger

:This article is about the vulgar gesture. For information on mammalian prehensile digits, see finger.

Famous examples

In 1968, captured crewmembers of the USS Pueblo used a discreet version of the finger as a covert signal of "obscene derisiveness and contempt" (quoted from a newspaper caption) in propaganda photos taken by their North Korean captors." http://groups.msn.com/ctoseadogs/usspueblocrew1.msnw The gesture was explained to the North Koreans as "the Hawaiian Good Luck sign".

Related Topics:
1968 - USS Pueblo - North Korean

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In Canada, showing the middle finger is sometimes called the Trudeau salute after Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau because of a famous photo of him giving the finger to protesters. He has also used the gesture in the Canadian House of Commons.

Related Topics:
Pierre Trudeau - Canadian House of Commons

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In some subcultures in the United States, it is known as the "one fingered victory salute" after this video, which apparently shows President George W. Bush flipping the finger in a "live mike" incident.

Related Topics:
United States - George W. Bush

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mr. Bush also thanked, "people who waved with all five fingers" in Ottawa, Canada during a visit in 2005.

Related Topics:
Ottawa - Canada

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The United States FCC has banned display of this gesture on broadcast television as an obscenity. As a result the gesture is often censored, and airbrushed out or replaced with large-pixel blocks. This gesture occurs frequently on television shows like The Jerry Springer Show or on music videos shown on MTV or formerly VH1. A popular MTV show, Pimp My Ride featured rapper, Xzibit, taking a car with a pair of Mickey Mouse gloves with four fingers including the thumb. As Xzibit drives the car, he wears the gloves and flips off the camera. Despite the technicality, it is still censored. Wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin frequently gave the finger to opponents and into the camera lens on WWE television, sometimes uncensored.

Related Topics:
FCC - Television - Censored - The Jerry Springer Show - Music video - MTV - VH1 - Pimp My Ride - Xzibit - Mickey Mouse - Stone Cold Steve Austin - WWE

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

An 1994 episode of Seinfeld featured a plotline where George believes people are giving him the finger. The finger was actually shown on camera, but never explicitly, such as a waitress scratching her face with her middle finger, and a guy with a broken hand with the splint leaving the middle finger straight.

Related Topics:
Seinfeld - George

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~