Keller @ Large: R-Rated Comedies Becoming Box Office Bombs

BOSTON (CBS) - Did you go to the movies this weekend?

If you did, chances are you didn't shell out for a ticket to see "Vacation," the R-rated comedy about a family trip that winds up in the toilet in more ways than one.

It seems raunchy, expletive-laden comedies have been on a box office losing streak lately, and "Vacation" is just the latest one to bomb, pulling in 35-percent less than analysts expected. Other recent duds include "Entourage," "Ted 2," "Magic Mike XXL" and "Hot Tub Time Machine 2," which I assume is a sequel, although I missed "Hot Tub Time Machine 1."

And I'm grateful for that.

So what explains this cold streak for a genre that's been box office gold for years?

The New York Times notes that some raunchy comedies are still succeeding, but reports some moviehouse owners have been begging for more PG-13 releases, which "they believe have a better shot at attracting a wide audience."

Why not respond to that message?

Because Hollywood perceives that "the limits of tastefulness continue to be tested culturewide," and "Hollywood's top comedy writers and directors also tend to want to push boundaries: It's not cool to dream up PG-13 or PG jokes and scenarios."

This is what cracks me up about Hollywood – they insist on portraying themselves as boundary-pushing artists who are somehow "cool," when all evidence suggests most of them are something that's the opposite of cool – amoral money-grubbers who'll do anything to sell product, no matter how cheap and degrading.

Wouldn't it be great if what's left of the movie-going public is saying they've had enough, and won't pay for garbage anymore?

Watch for Hollywood's greedheads to suddenly discover a re-definition of what's "cool."

Listen to Jon's commentary:

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.