Free Republic

In the right context, cursing on the job can be cathartic. But in the wrong setting, it can stain a career — like in the infamous case of Charles Rocket, who was fired from Saturday Night Live soon after dropping an F-bomb during an episode on Feb. 21, 1981. This wasn't the dismissal of a frivolous bit player — Rocket had been singled out as a potential breakout star in the 1980-81 season, a polarizing and bizarre period in SNL history. The show's original executive producer, Lorne Michaels, left the sketch series with the intent of taking a year off...

Actor Charles Rocket committed suicide Oct. 7 in Connecticut. He was 56. Rocket was the Weekend Update anchor on "Saturday Night Live" in 1980 and 1981, and was fired from the show after saying "f---" on the air. He went on to make numerous appearances on TV shows and in features. Born Charles Claverie in Bangor, Maine, he attended the Rhode Island School of Design. He was active in the burgeoning RISD arts scene, where he formed the band the Fabulous Motels and then became a newscaster under the name Charles Kennedy. He worked on newscasts in Colorado Springs and...