Wordy

We couldn’t believe our ears . . . but yes, that infamous word was uttered by Michael Keaton in the PG-rated ghost comedy, “Beetlejuice.” What is it doing in a silly--some might say family-ish--ghost picture? And how did the picture got its PG?

The Motion Picture Assn. tells us that a PG-13 just isn’t what it used to be. Two years ago it was deemed that a single use of that most notorious expletive would result in at least a PG-13. But last year “there was an exception to the clause ruling,” said an MPAA rep.

Here’s the scoop: A single use of “that” obnoxious word--used as an exclamation rather than in a sexual context--can now garner a PG if three-quarters of the seven-member rating board believes its use “would more reasonably and responsibly reflect the opinion of most American parents.” Last summer’s “Maid to Order” got a PG, for example, despite drug references, nudity and one use of that word. The recent PG-rated “Little Nikita” has its teen hunk star River Phoenix uttering that word!

Still curious about what the word’s doing in “Beetlejuice” in the first place, we put in calls to the writers, director and Warner Bros. No return call from co-writer Michael McDowell. But a rep for co-writer Warren Skaaren called to say that Skaaren had been concerned enough about our query to look through the script. “And he didn’t find that word anywhere.” (As one of the writers of “Beverly Hills Cop II,” Skaaren is very familiar with that word.)

A rep for director Burton (who also did the very family-ish first Pee-wee Herman film) thought that perhaps Keaton had done some improvising before the cameras. As for Burton, “I think he’d be more than willing to talk with you about this. And I think he’s probably the one who should talk about it.” But: “Tim’s got a three-picture deal with Warner Bros. and he doesn’t want to cause any problems with the publicity people there. So we’re asking that all calls go through the studio’s publicity department first.”

Outtakes obliged.

Warner Bros. didn’t. Said a studio publicist: “Warner Bros. has no comment. Neither does Tim Burton.”