Ofcom says 'poof' need not be banned

LONDON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Britain's Ofcom regulator says the word "poof" is not a slur that should be banned from the airwaves, The Times of London reported Tuesday.

The watchdog released its findings after reviewing 200 complaints about the use of the word on the reality show "Big Brother."

Some critics argued the word "poof" is just as offensive to homosexuals as the N-word is to black people, The Times said, but Ofcom said the program did not discriminate or use double standards in airing the word.

"It is not possible or appropriate at present to establish definitively the degree of offense use of the word 'poof' can cause in all contexts," Ofcom said.

"It is clear that within the gay community itself, the word 'poof' can be used in a playful, affectionate or self-deprecating way. This is evidenced, for example, by the use of the word in (the show) 'Friday Night with Jonathan Ross,' with its resident band Four Poofs and a Piano. In Ofcom's view, there is insufficient or no evidence to suggest that Laura Williams used the word complained of, in a denigratory way."