At the same time as Janet and Justin were getting embroiled in 'Nipplegate', Bono was being condemned again for using the f-word during the 2003 Golden Globe Awards.

"If you use expletives in your everyday speech, sometimes they will come out. I didn't mean to offend anyone," the singer reflected after saying on live TV that receiving a gong for 'The Hands That Built America' was "really, really fucking brilliant."

The matter appeared to be closed when the US broadcasting regulatory authority, the FCC ruled that it "did not describe sexual or excretory organs or activities."

It now appears that the decision was far from unanimous with FCC President, Michael Powell, now trying to overrule his colleagues.

"I personally believe that this growing coarseness in use of such profanity is abhorrent and irresponsible," argues Powell who wants obscenity fines for broadcasters hiked to $275,000.

Meanwhile, two Republic congressmen, Doug Ose and Lamar Smith, are championing a bill that would prohibit the use of "shit", "piss", "fuck", "cunt", "cocksucker", "motherfucker" and "asshole" on free to air channels.

This new wave of conservatism isn't confined to the States with RTE Radio One's Liveline show running an item last week about the Dublin clothes shop who've been promoting their wares with a "Never Mind The Bollix, Here's The Real Sale!" window display.

With Foundation of one Hot Press' Trinity Street neighbours, HP's Assistant Editor Stuart Clark was asked for his opinion and found himself being censured by presenter Joe Duffy when he dared to utter the word "bollix". The boy Clark responded by saying that the furore was "a return to the Catholic Nazism of old" and suggesting that John Lydon would be delighted that the classic Sex Pistols album cover is still causing offence by proxy.