As a congressman in 1997, Coburn protested NBC's plan to air the R-rated Academy Award-winning Holocaust drama "Schindler's List" during prime time. Coburn stated that, in airing the movie without editing it for television, TV had been taken "to an all-time low, with full-frontal nudity, violence and profanity." He also said the TV broadcast should outrage parents and decent-minded individuals everywhere. Coburn described the airing of "Schindler's List" on television as "irresponsible sexual behavior. I cringe when I realize that there were children all across this nation watching this program."