Everyone got stuck into the Chaser over their Eulogy Song — watch it here — talkback seethed, shock jocks fumed, the ABC switchboard took as many as six calls.

What was the worst of it? That Chaser‘s Andrew Hanson sang that Diana might have died spattered in ”Arab s-men”? That Stan Zemanek was a malignant, bull-necked xenophobe? That Don Bradman was a grumpy old tight-wad? Nope. The worst of it was, it so quickly emerged, that the worst offence was to give offence. Welcome to the age of politeness triumphant, the era of the anodyne. ”Pick on someone who’s alive” the PM told the Chaser crew this morning through gritted teeth and presumably ruling himself out of contention. Spot on we reckon. They should.

For further proof of how over-moderated public life has become, cast an eye over federal politics (and both campaigns have had nothing better to do for the last 36 hours than take pots at The Chaser). The base rule of modern politics is say what you like as long as it has been pre-polled, homogenised and sanitised for broad audience appeal. Whatever you do, don’t so much as give a subliminal impression that might startle the horses or offend some demographic segment or other.

Which is all very well, expect that as well as enforcing the dominance of the bland it also argues against conviction and belief. At risk of giving offence, f-ck that.