WTF?

A research study conducted in 2000 by several British media organizations including the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) examined the use of swear words. It included, in order of severity, the top offenders. There’s a shit-load (“shit” ranked a mild #17) of information on swearing on the web. As a public service, I’ll list a few research sites and then review the top 10 and let you know whether the bastards will be banned from fifteenkey. You can just relax, sit back, and have a cupcake.

Online magazine Slate has a brief article on how a dirty word gets um, dirty. The British are way ahead of us wankers in the States. They have schools that allow swearwords, but within strict limits. Oh yeah, the use of the f-word (or derivatives like “fucker”) five times. “Over this number the class will be spoken to by the teacher at the end of the lesson.” I wonder how that’s working out. If you’re already out of school, or not, but believe you have a problem, you probably fucking do, arsehole! (#9) If so, you can learn how to stop swearing, but you must start by “Recognizing that you have a problem.”

On Bravo’s “Inside the Actors Studio,” host James Lipton asks every guest, “What’s your favorite curse word?” Here’s a funny (if you like swears) video of some folks blurting out their favorites. The prevailing response to Mr. Lipton is “fuck,” bleeped out, but always lip-readable and said with a smirk or twinkle…

Alas, “fuck” could only manage a third place show on the BBC list. Without further ado, here’s the top ten:

10. Paki – Huh? Since when is a place you can buy beers a bad thing?
9. Arsehole – Now we’re talking. Just don’t be one.
8. Bollocks – Balls. Pills. Whatever. Plus, it’s in the title of a five star record!
7. Prick – Wow. There’s such nuance to some of these. A prick is not just a penis, but an unpleasant and rude one. Then there’s the whiney prick…
6. Bastard – Illegitimate child. Hence, the typical usage, “little bastard.” Although, an overly large man can be described, not negatively as, “a big bastard.”
5. Nigger – Even the attempted rehabilitation as “Nigga” in the hip-hop community won’t fly here.
4. Wanker – Um, I never really knew this one, but an Australian woman I work with uses this one a lot. Sheeeeeee’s baaaaaaad.
3. Fuck – Short, but not too sweet. The one syllable wonder.
2. Motherfucker – Nasty, but it flowed like Van Gogh’s paint from the mouth of the late, great Richard Pryor.
1. Cunt – I’m not familiar with this one. It must be new.

In summary, 5 is out, and 1 is questionable until I get more data…

Finally, “God” made the list. Given the number of innocent people throughout history who have lost their lives or been discriminated against in the name of “God,” I can understand how it did.