The late, late show of poor taste

THE ridiculous image of the Elisabeth Frink statue of a naked man with a cardboard fig leaf over his genitals caused as much mirth in United Kingdom papers this week as no doubt its prudishness did in Hong Kong.

But while it is easy to mock the naivety of the cover-up order by the Obscene Articles Tribunal, the ground is somewhat more confused over the British Independent Television Commission's fierce condemnation of the UK's most outrageous TV show The Word, a late night extravaganza of the vulgar and sensational.

Those of a nervous disposition should perhaps turn away from this column now.

The Word, the opening sequence of which is mainly made up of a clip of a fully dressed man fondling a bikini clad woman, attracted the wrath of the worthies on the ITC who have accused Channel 4, its home channel, of going beyond its licence remit in a series of stunts climaxing in the prowess of Mr Powertool who dragged a woman on a chair across a stage with a rope attached to his (often visible) private parts.

Another depicted a vomiting Santa Claus and a third incident which led to sanction involved an elderly man's colostomy bag, admittedly with fake contents, being poured over 'a victim' - one of the volunteers who offer themselves as prepared to accept anything for their own personal 30 seconds of fame.

There have been many other such japes. Volunteers have eaten worm sandwiches, sat in baths of urine and wallowed in horse manure.