I read somewhere recently (Radio Times?) that when the song was done live on TOTP, they made Kirsty MacColl sing "ass" instead of "arse". Why this should be considered less offensive, I really can't imagine. And anyway, as with the above examples) the whole point about that verse is that it's supposed to be insulting, and if you remove any offensive terms it kind of misses the point.

I suppose it could be argued that when they censor "faggot", what they're objecting to is its use as a term of abuse - after all, the n-word is banned not because it's not OK to be black, but because it's not OK to make skin colour the focus of an insult.

But I wouldn't be convinced that this is the reason.

Marje