A CBS anchor stunned viewers during live coverage of the papal conclave by joking that cardinals were "raw-dogging it" without their phones, leaving some social media users amused and others calling for a ban on the phrase.
The Vatican officially began its papal conclave on Wednesday, following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.
CBS on the cardinals: "One thing we know they're not doing is checking Instagram because their devices have all been confiscated. I believe the kids call it rawdogging." pic.twitter.com/rNse1AJkTk
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 7, 2025
As part of centuries-old tradition, cardinals are completely cut off from the outside world during the process — no phones, internet, or media — to prevent outside influence on the selection of the new pope. This digital lockdown is enforced through military-grade signal jamming inside the Sistine Chapel, Mediaite reported.
While covering the conclave on CBS, host Tony Dokoupil used the term "rawdogging it" to describe how cardinals would endure the phone-free proceedings. The comment drew laughter from the panel but quickly gained traction online due to the term's origin as slang for unprotected sex.
Really sorry I lived long enough to hear someone say “rawdogging” on the national news
— Chargé d’Affaires (@BrandiAtkinson) May 7, 2025
"Really sorry I lived long enough to hear someone say 'rawdogging' on national news," one user lamented. Another added, "Why we gotta say that."
Though now sometimes used more casually to describe enduring something without modern comforts, its use during solemn Vatican coverage struck many as jarring.
Dawg why we gotta say that
— Okie (and Texas) Political Memes (@OKPoliticalMeme) May 7, 2025
Online reaction was swift, with some users amused by the generational culture clash and others pleading with news anchors to "never use that phrase again."
Let’s never use that phrase again
— Snake 🌻🐀🇵🇷🇨🇦 (@Snake9911Snake) May 7, 2025
The moment also drew broader attention to how modern slang is increasingly crossing into mainstream broadcast journalism, sometimes with awkward results.
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