AFTER EMMYCAST, STARS ON THE SPOT OVER TV'S CONTENT.

Byline: Reed Johnson Daily News Staff Writer

``If you don't dig it, turn it off.''

Thus spake double Emmy winner Dennis Miller on Sunday when asked whether TV was too dirty for America's own good.

``You know, in Rwanda they're getting up in the morning and eating dung beetles,'' Miller went on, by way of suggesting there are more pressing matters in life than keeping Tipper Gore and Bob Dole happy.

Both in their formal speeches and off-the-cuff remarks, Emmy's honorees agreed to disagree on the increasingly volatile issue of whether TV should be made more family-friendly.

While the ceremony itself generally treated the subject like the plague, avoiding mention of V-chips and ratings guides whenever possible, Emmy presenters and recipients were less guarded offstage.

Steve Allen, a man of not a few words, minced none when asked what he thought of politicians who complain of overly explicit programming.

``The politicians are right,'' Allen retorted.

Then, flipping the question back on a roomful of journalists, he asked, ``Do you feel TV should be a little filthier?''

Allen also ventured that `` `Married ... With Children' is truly revolting,'' and speculated that ``if we don't clean up our act, we're gonna get censorship.'' Officially, the Emmy organizers presented a conciliatory face for worldwide viewers. This year's awards marked the debut of the President's Award (presented by Candice Bergen to AMC's ``Blacklist: Hollywood on Trial''), whose somewhat ethereal premise is to promote programming that explores social or educational issues in a way that helps society to ``more effectively deal with the situation.''

But unofficially, several Emmy members were unrepentant, or at least uncertain as to what should be done. Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Peter Boyle (who won for an ``X-Files'' appearance) dryly remarked that, yes, he does think there's too much violence in popular culture.

``And I think we should end wars,'' he added tersely.

Dennis Franz volunteered that he is not personally opposed to regulation of television ``for different age groups.''

``I don't know that's the solution, but I think it's something we have to take into account,'' he said.

Ever mindful of its rear flank, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences made sure to pay homage to family values. It came in the form of a montage of film clips Sunday night showing memorable prime-time domestic moments: the scene from ``Friends'' where Rachel and Monica fight over the last condom, a ``Married ... With Children'' snippet about menstrual cramping, and so on.

It ended with the image of paterfamilias Jim Anderson (Robert Young) petulantly asking his spouse, ``Am I too old-fashioned?''

The question hung in the air as celebrities variously tackled or evaded queries about their own families' viewing habits.

Dramatic actress winner Kathy Baker said that she watches ``Friends'' with her 11-year-old, ``and we talk about the subject matter.''

But then, Baker conceded, she does the same thing for ``Picket Fences'' - her own show.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1-2) Dennis Miller, who took home two Emmys, sug gests there are more important things to worry about than the explicit nature of television programming. Candice Bergen presented the first President's Award, created by the academy to promote programming that explores social or educational issues.

Hans Gutknecht/Daily News