These days, the use of the F word (no, not Gordon Ramsay’s show, although he’s a good example) on television is as common as anything, with movies and programmes regularly being littered with them. But in the 1970s, things were slightly different, and swear words weren’t something you ever heard on the goggle box.
Which is why the Sex Pistols appearance on Bill Grundy’s Today programme in 1976 caused such controversy. Between them, the band used the words sod, bastard, fucker, and shit in the space of a couple of minutes. And this was even before the legendary punk rockers had released début album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols.
Now, the clip of the sweary encounter between the rebellious band and the conservative host has been named as the most requested TV clip ever, in a poll conducted by Freemantle Media which counted requests from TV companies to use clips.
Here’s the moment that grandmas up and down the land choked on their Sunday roast, in full, courtesy of YouTube.
The NME has helpfully provided a text version of the audio for those who haven’t got 2 minutes to spare watching the video. The main bulk of the conversation happens between Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, and Bill Grundy. It started after Grundy started flirting with Siouxsie Sioux.
Jones: “You dirty sod. You dirty old man.”
Grundy: “Well keep going chief, keep going. Go on. You’ve got another five seconds. Say something outrageous.”
Jones: “You dirty bastard.”
Grundy: “Go on, again.”
Jones: “You dirty fucker.”
Grundy: “What a clever boy.”
Jones: “What a fucking rotter.”
Other music related clips to feature in the poll included Paul Potts first appearance on the original series of Britain’s Got Talent Leona Lewis winning The X-Factor in 2006, and Will Young winning the first Pop Idol in 2001.
The clip is still quite shocking to watch even now, so seen in the context of that era of British television, there’s no wonder the newspapers went absolutely mad with rage over the appearance.
This is also the moment when the Sex Pistols, and John Lydon in particular, probably realised that controversy means headlines, a fact he’s been labouring ever since.
[Photo Source: From Newscom with permission]