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Supporters, however, countered that Fallon’s remark was a benign, plain-language choice—an informal term often used among friends or in casual conversation—and that outrage over such a fleeting word is overblown. Many pointed out that Schafer, who did not publicly express offense, was unaffected—or at least not outwardly upset—by the exchange.
The Broader Cultural Context
This incident underscores a larger cultural debate about language, respect, and the boundaries of free speech. On one side, some argue that language policing is necessary to protect marginalized communities from microaggressions and insults. On the other, critics see the current climate as hyperreactive, with innocent words or phrases becoming weapons in online battles over political correctness.