 How was the reaction toward Lloyd and Irvin different than that toward Tynan?
Blasphemy would be closer to it. Iwatched those episodes, and, incongruous as it may sound, I thought of Kenneth Tynan. Thirty years earlier, almost to the week, Tynan was interviewed on BBC television in his capacity as literary director of Britain's National Theater and asked if he would allow the theater to present a play in which sex took place on stage. "I think there are very few rational people in this world to whom the word '[expletive]' is particularly diabolical or revolting or totally forbidden." Within 24 hours, resolutions had been introduced in the House of Commons calling for his prosecution on charges of obscenity, for his removal as a theater official, and for censure of the network for allowing an obscene word to go out on the airwaves. Tynan escaped punishment, but he acquired a public reputation for tastelessness that he carried for the rest his life. Neither Greg Lloyd nor Michael Irvin was so stigmatized. "It's live television," NBC Vice President Ed Markey said, rationalizing the outbursts. "It's an emotional moment. Five years ago, he would have said "screwed." Twenty years ago, he would have said, "We're in big trouble." Societal tolerance of profanity requires us to increase our dosage as time goes on. By the time they have reached the end of the line of children, they have tossed off a whole catalog of obscenities I did not even hear until I was well into adolescence, let alone use in casual conversation on a public street.
 Lloyd and Irvin received limited backlash while Tynan was reputationally destroyed
 Lloyd and Irvin were forgiven after apologizing while Tynan was ignored  Lloyd and Irvin were applauded while Tynan was reproached  Lloyd and Irvin were vilified while Tynan was honored  Lloyd and Irvin received limited backlash while Tynan was reputationally destroyed