I think it is more prevelant online because of the anonymity factor of the internet. And I have to agree it has no place at the table when it goes beyond just regular banter.
It's kind of funny that you would post this after I had seen some awful behavior the last day or so on JetSet.
It was early to mid stage of a tournament and I told someone nh and they told me to Go F myself. Another women at the table told him nh also and told her the same thing. I'm not sure what his problem was, he had the best hand going in, won the hand and had already a nice chip stack before the hand. When he gave the other woman the same response the banter ensued. More like a battle. She was short stacked and he preceded to berate her that she would be out soon. She basically just grinned and beared it and I just made a comment that we would just turn him off in out chat. I never did, but after that he just shut up. She was out after a few more
hands and then I was moved.
Another situation, different tournament. A women that I have played over at O h/l cash tables(and is a little wild anyways, (maybe she drinks too much?) was at my table as well as a few other women. The woman I have played with before made a comment to another lady about playing the last hand the way she did. OMG it just ensued to the worst name calling fest I have ever seen in online or even live poker..................anywhere from trailer trash to the C word. Biatch was mentioned, skank etc.................. I tried to be the diplomat and ask them very politely to calm down. Oh that was the wrong thing to say, I was told to shut up so I just blocked all three of theirs chat so I didn't have to see it. Once in awhile I would uncheck it so I could see if it was still going on and it was. This battle of the words lasted for atleast 15mins or more, infact it continued until the first woman that made the hand comment to the other was out of the tournament. Then it calmed down and then I was moved.
I am not sure why people go so balistic like this but I have seen an organization online somewhere that is against abusive language at the tables. I'm not sure what they do but I think next time I cross it I am going to atleast check it out.