As a nerdy kid in the 1980s, I watched the 1984 classic "Revenge of the Nerds" more times than I can count... but never the theatrical release.  The version I watched was edited and played on VHF/UHF TV.

Which means not only was it modified to make the run-time fit the needs of the TV station (and work around commercial breaks)... but also edited for content.

And, if you know "Revenge of the Nerds", you know that there is a lot of content that is not ok to air on broadcast television (especially in the 80s).  Oh, my word.  The movie was rated "R" and it really, really earned that "R" rating.

But I had no idea about those "R" rated parts.  I knew about the PG-rated stuff that made it through to the TV version.  And I knew those parts by heart.  I had recorded the broadcast version onto a VHS tape... and that tape was a prized posession.

Then, sometime around 1991 or 1992 -- as a kid of 12 or 13 years old -- I was at the video rental store, by myself.  It wasn't a Blockbuster or Hollywood... it was one of the local, mom and pop VHS rental shops.  I had walked the few blocks, from my house to the store, to rent a movie for the night.

Because this was the '80s and kids could do stuff like that back then.

They had a shelf of used VHS tapes -- ones which had been previously rentals -- that were now for sale (since they no longer were rented out regularly).

And, there it was.  The full, theatrical version of "Revenge of the Nerds".  For sale.  And it was cheap enough that I could afford it with the cash I had in my pocket.  I had to buy it.  It was a moral imperative.

Now, here's the thing.  This was an "R" rated movie.  And I was not 18 years old.  In fact, there was no reality where I could even remotely pass as 18 year old.  I was a scrawny little nerdy kid.  Plus... there was no adult there with me.

But, again, this was the 80's.  Which means the High School guy working at the store sold the movie to me anyway.  Without even giving it a second thought.  (God bless the 80s.)

I drop the VHS in my backpack and walked back home -- triumphant.  I had just purchased a copy of one of my favorite movies... without commercials.

At this point, it still had not occured to me that the tape I had just purchased had any distinct difference from the version I had been watching recorded from TV.  Oh, sure, maybe a few naughty words, I thought.  But that's about it, right?

Well.

That evening, my aunt came over for dinner.  After diner I go sit myself down in our living room, and slide my new VHS tape into the top-loading VCR.  (For those who weren't around back then... most people, if they had a VCR, only had one... and it was in the living room.)

While I sat there watching my movie -- indian style, right in front of the TV -- my mother and aunt sat on the couch behind me.

As the movie progressed, I noted the few additional naughty words.  As expected.  But nothing too intense.  Nothing that was going to get me in trouble.

Then -- oh-my-word -- that scene happened.  You know the one.

The one where the boys of Lambda-Lambda-Lambda are sitting on the couch.  Watching the TV.  Showing the output of their surveilance equipment.

And, suddenly, I knew why "Revenge of the Nerds" was rated "R".

It was also that exact moment when the conversation on the couch behind me came to an abrupt halt.  Total silence.

I froze.  Total panic set in.  Were my mother and aunt seeing what I was watching?  Of, course they were!  They had to be!  The couch was literally facing the TV!

Why weren't they saying anything?!

What should I do?  Should I turn it off?  Should I turn around?  Should I say something?

My mouth went on auto-pilot and blurted out -- at a way-too-loud volume -- three stupid words:

"THAT'S SO WEIRD!"

Even as a nerdy, awkward kid I knew how utterly stupid that was.  I didn't even turn around.  I just yelled those words at the TV set.  "That's so weird!"

UGH!

Now I was embarrassed for what I was watching... and for how I reacted to it.  Oh, boy was I sweating.

Several years went by -- or several seconds, it was hard to tell -- before the ladies on the couch spoke up.  "Maybe you shouldn't be watching this."

Without missing a beat -- and in one fast, smooth motion I turned off the TV set, stood up, and walked out of the room.

That VHS tape disappeared.  Never to be seen again.  I never even got to watch that tape one full time through.

And it would be several years before I would revisit the antics of the Tri-Lambs.  Heck, it was quite some time before I could even bring myself to watch the old VHS "PG" rated TV copy I had.

But, when I did, I remembered what an awesome movie it is.  Even if there's one scene that still, as a grown man, makes me blush.

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