The word profane originally referred to things not belonging to the church. Over time the meaning has evolved to what we now know the profane to be, swearing.
In 1965, Kenneth Tynan became the first person to say the word 'fuck' on television and the backlash was so great that his resignation and the dismissal of the general-director of the BBC were requested in the house of commons on the grounds of obscenity.
John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) and the other members of the sex pistols said 'fuck' several times, as well as other profanities on the ITV programme 'Today'. Following the outbursts Bill Grundy, the presenter, was suspended for two weeks. The Sex Pistols were unofficially banned from television and 'Today' was cancelled a few months later.
John Lydon not that long ago called the voting public 'fucking cunts' for not voting him out of 'I'm a celebrity, get me out of here!' and ITV and OFCOM received 100 complaints between them.
Evolution of language or desensitisation?
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