gistfile1.py

def strip_tags(tags, html):
    soup = BeautifulSoup(html)
    for tag in soup.findAll(True):
        if tag.name in tags:
            s = ""
            for c in tag.contents:
                if type(c) != NavigableString:
                    c = strip_tags(tags, unicode(c))
                s += unicode(c)
            tag.replaceWith(s)
    return soup