I think “freaking” may be…well…disrespectful is the first word that comes to mind, although I’m not sure it’s quite what I mean. I don’t like it when people say “freaking”. But I definitely do not consider it profanity. And I think “what the heck” is perfectly acceptable.
For those who believe “what the heck” is profanity, how do you feel about more old-fashioned expressions– for instance, “what in tarnation” or “what on earth”? They mean the same thing and are used in the same way.