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notz · Oct 10, 2009, 12:02 PM

Modern use

In modern usage the term ***** has different meanings depending largely on context and may vary from very offensive to endearing.[1] The term can refer to a person or thing that is very difficult, as in "Life's a *****." It is common for insults to lose strength as their meaning broadens ("bastard" is another example). [3] By 1974, Elton John could have a pop hit (#4 in the U.S. and #14 in the U.K.) with "The ***** Is Back," which mentions "*****" repeatedly. It was, however, censored by some radio stations. [5]
Modern use can include self-description as an unfairly difficult person. For example, in the New York Times bestseller The ***** in the House, a woman describes her marriage: "I'm fine all day at work, but as soon as I get home, I'm a horror....I'm the ***** in the house." [6] Boy George admitted "I was being a *****" in a falling out with Elton John. [7]
Generally, the term is still considered offensive, and not accepted in formal situations. According to some linguist like Deborah Tannen, "***** is the most contemptible thing you can say about a woman. Save perhaps the four-letter C word."[8] Its common for the word to be censored on Prime time TV, often rendered as "the b-word." During the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign, a John McCain supporter referred to Hillary Clinton by asking, "How do we beat the *****?" The event was reported in censored format:[9]
On CNN's "The Situation Room," Washington Post media critic and CNN "Reliable Sources" host Howard Kurtz observed that "Senator McCain did not embrace the 'b' word that this woman in the audience used." ABC reporter Kate Snow adopted the same locution. On CNN's "Out in the Open," Rick Sanchez characterized the word without using it by saying, "Last night, we showed you a clip of one of his supporters calling Hillary Clinton the b-word that rhymes with witch." A local Fox 25 news reporter made the same move when he rhymed the unspoken word with rich.
Rick Sanchez of CNN went on to comment: "...a horrible word that is used to do nothing but demean women... Obviously, the word that's used here is very offensive."[10]