You can use the word as much as you want to, but as a long time professional media consultant, I can assure you that it is a turnoff. I doubt very much if you will see it in print in even the most conservative publications.
I guess I didn’t make my point clearly. Yes, I would personally use the word, but the other part of my question asks what term WOULD one use that is not “stale”?
Conyrs *is* a commie. So is Mz. Cankles.