Last night's Tonight Show w/ Conan O'Brien featured Samuel L. Jackson. Conan discusses Jackson's unique ability to add class and elegance to swear words. A clip of a network television version of Snakes On A Plane is shown with Jackson using the term "Monkey-Fighting" in lieu of "Mother-Fucking".
While this version is designed to cater to the network and cable television audiences, I feel that the intensity is reduced greatly. Even a version with the bleep is has the intense shock that Jackson's line initially delivers is a better choice. I'd prefer a bleep over an alternate version any day.
The bleep, while it does censor the word, it does not censor the meaning, context or the power behind the word or phrase being censored. Once a bleep is used to cover up one of the Seven Dirty Words or more, it retains the intensity and integrity of work.
In some instances, adding a bleep gives a work increased intensity, especially when it comes to certain comedies. Arrested Development uses the bleep on air, and continues to use it on the DVD editions. During episode three, "Bringing up Buster", Buster on two occasions has extended lines where he describes what he's going to do to his brother, Michael, and later while bad-mouthing his mother, Lucille. The bleeps are long, extended and end precisely when necessary. These bleeps might cover up Buster's vulgarity, but it doesn't cover up his intentions, since his visual gestures are clear. The result is pure comedy.
Below is the clip from The Tonight Show here:
The clip begins at marker 1:36. Please note that at NBC, the time code is reversed.