Media General’s faux-alt weekly Orange hit the newsstands a day late last week because of a single word that caused a pressroom ruckus: cunt.

A fashion story about an artist and her online store, The CUNT Shop, written by freelancer Greg Caracci, was pulled from the issue after the papers were on the press, according to the subject of the story, Liat Silverman. Two sources confirmed that printing had been completed, and the full run was scrapped. (Caracci posted the entire interview and his comments on having the story shitcanned on his MySpace page blog.)

Orange Editor Mitzi Gordon would not discuss those kinds of details, but she did confirm that the story about Silverman’s CUNT Shop was spiked because of concerns over the word’s possible impact.

“I was asked to replace the story, and I’m not happy about it,” Gordon said. “I thought there would be a little ripple, but I didn’t expect what happened.” She referred questions about the decision to Orange’s publisher, Carla Floyd, who has not yet returned a telephone call for comment.

Silverman said she is surprised and dismayed by the decision, especially since her creations will be part of an upcoming fashion show that benefits the Boys and Girls Clubs.

“I used ‘cunt’ in the title on purpose, trying to reclaim the term as a feminist,” she said. Her line of designs features a prominent representation of the female genitalia. “I understand that if the word had been used in a bad concept, [not allowing it into the paper] would make sense. But it was from a feminist standpoint. Greg actually sent me a copy of what he wrote.”

Silverman’s thecuntshop.com is part gynecological health forum, part fashion store and part feminist statement. The Lutz artist says on her website that she is leaving the area to travel the country starting March 1 “in search of a commune (eco-village) to call home.”

This article appears in Jan 17-23, 2007.