Polari (60s Season), BBC4, 13/06/04 - "The alternative language embraced by the gay scene in 60s Britain, which found expression in Round the Home." Not my copyright (obviously), just sharing found ephemera.
I got a coworker who's an old Cockney man, he keeps talking to me in his Cockney dialect, and we always have laugh. One day he turned up to work a bit late so I said, sarcastically, "ohh, bona to see yer dolly ol' eke at last", to which he replied "well at least its better than your dish, darlin'" I didn't know he knew polari lmao
My favourite Polari expression is ‘National handbag’ for dole money (handbag is used for money). I have an old friend who used to say ‘you’ve saved yourself a bit of handbag’ if you got a bargain.
How bona to varda Phil Starr! Phil was one of the nicest queens on the drag circuit, his act was the embodiment of the “saucy postcard”. I love it when I meet older queens and we can still use polari just to confuse people around us.
In the 60s I lived with my dad in Leicester square, I was lucky to have a dad who worked and lived in the west end of London, if anyof my direct family had something to say about me they were encouraged to speak to me, I was a teenager, so really didn't care what was said, and polari was quite widely spoken, along with backslang, and a market slang I never got my tongue around, but there was a queen called "Fluffy" he could use complete sentences.
Phil was lovely, we worked together many times, her boyfriend not so friendly tho , i went to phils funeral in brighton, still have the service brochure
Kandy Kandy Entirely created by males, yes, but did all the men using it live completely apart from women? I doubt that they wouldn’t share bits of Polari with female friends and family - Communication, in all its forms, is what makes us all multifaceted human beings.
@@sentienttapioca5409 Well to be fair there was very little communication between gay men and gay women then so maybe some family members or close friends would know it but only a few, even letting a close friend know you were homosexual was risky.
I left school and went to work at Harrods, then Carnaby Street, I lived woth my dad in Leicester Square, that was mid 60s, I didnt give it a second thought, I know it sounds strange but at 16 I thought the world was gay!!
We all miss Colin and Phil so much. Absolute gents who would have time for literally everyone. David is still flying the drag flag here in Brighton and he must miss his wonderful friends terribly. God bless all three of you xx
Knew Doris and Phil at the Sebright Arms in Bethnal Green. Owned in part by Jack Dobson previously of "Stallions" Soho. We were all one happy little family.once upon a time. Before being Gay was being Trendy.😢 JOx
What a lovely little documentary. A shame to think that the old original speakers will soon be leaving us and a whole era will be over. Funnily enough, I first encountered Polari in books about Punch and Judy. There's a famous interview with a Punch player in Mayhew's "London Poor" from about 1850 where he gives a load of words and their meanings.
Hi! Thanks so much for reposting this. I'm doing a project for college for linguistic anthropology and this is the best video I've found on Polari. Thanks again, this video made my doubly interested to learn more.
It's a shame it's so short. There was an earlier 30/50minute documentary that went further into detail that was shown in the late 90s... which I remember as an ex-landlord was in it: one of those that lived through the 50s and 60s and actually used the phrases in normal speech. Glad it's of use, anyway :)
This is really. Really amazing. I had no idea of this historic phenomenon... I only heard of Polari because of the DRAGON QUEST series of games; there's a creature called a Goodybag, they are sentient bags of jewels, and they talk like this. I've been wanting to learn more and understand them and then to find out it's a secret lgbt+ slang... makes me love it even more
Julian and Sandy always the very best section of Round the Horne. Probably apocryphal, but producer apparently called up to Director General's office when first broadcast, but said producer played it absolutely straight, and the DG couldn't find a reason to censor it without admitting he understood it 😀
When I was a kid listening to "Round The Horne" with my Dad on a Sunday, Julian and Sandy were comedy heroes! We always looked forward to that segment as it was so outrageously funny. Today, the Julian and Sandy sketches would be condemned as "homophobic" ... completely missing the point that it was ACTUALLY making an inclusive statement (in direct contravention of the law and BBC censorship policy), accepting gay culture as normal, wholesome, cheeky and funny. The very OPPOSITE of homophobic ... and thumbing the nose at the ridiculous legal restrictions that LGBT individuals suffered.
Around the Horne is still regularly broadcast on BBC radio 4 extra, including the Julian & Sandy excerpts. ...You're imagining some kind if censorship that doesn't exist.
I started as a bell boy on P&O liners in 1963,Polari was spoken by the older queens,totally fascinating,especially when they performed in the “ sods opera “,I really really enjoyed there company,witty amusing,very caustic,just great fun.Today unfortunately is a bit bland without those amazing characters.oh ,I’m straight,just saying me dears.lol....🕺
Polari is a form of cant slang used in Britain by some actors, circus and fairground showmen, merchant navy sailors, criminals, prostitutes, and, and the biggest group - the gay subculture.
To refer to someone as a “dirty dish” has always been a filthy and very rude thing to call someone, especially among the older members of my family, and I’ve never understood why. It was akin to spitting at someone. I remember being absolutely ropeable once and calling a couple of school bullies “a stinking pair of bloody dirty dishes” and getting a hiding from my grandfather for using foul language. Now I know why I copped it! I would get less of a belting for saying the c-word than calling someone a dirty dish 😂😂
We used it at sea,we called the arse a Brandy,because a brandy glass is quite wide but the top where you drank from was narrow.So Bona brandy on the homey, meaning, that man’s got a nice bum or bottom.
I am an American, and the first time I heard polari was the title of Morrissey's 1990 album "Bona Drag". In that same year he released the single "Piccadilly Palare". Lyrics: Off the rails I was and Off the rails I was happy to stay Get out of my way On the rack I was Easy meat, and a reasonably good buy A reasonably good buy The Piccadilly Palare Was just silly slang Between me and the boys in my gang "So bona to vada. oh you Your lovely eek and Your lovely riah" We plied an ancient trade Where we threw all life's Instructions away Exchanging lies and digs (my way) Cause in a belted coat Oh, I secretly knew That I hadn't a clue The Piccadilly Palare Was just silly slang Between me and the boys in my gang Exchanging Palare You wouldn't understand Good sons like you Never do. So why do you smile When you think about Earl's Court ? But you cry when you think of all The battles you've fought (and lost) ? It may all end tomorrow Or it could go on forever In which case I'm doomed It could go on forever In which case I'm doomed Bona drag...
Help an old Yank queen out here. Didn't Quentin Crisp use this lingo in the '30's? Also, here in Boston (US), we used to use the term "Betty Badge" for the police. Lastly, am I way off by suggesting that I thought the lingo was called palaver, or is this a different word altogether? I'm wide open, darling, to learn more about your unique old way of speaking. We here had a distinctly queer lexicon in the old days, but nothing nearly as rich as Polari... which should make a complete return immediately!
ppotter ...please look me up on You Tube or Facebook..same name..I have so many happy memories of these times...my father Chubby Oates was a comedian / drag at times...have lots of rare footage Tommy Osborne, Mrs Shufflewick, Lee Tracey...happy happy days- interesting vid...thanks for posting XXX!!!
not very "secret" though was it? surely if a copper (or anybody) heard two men talking polari to each other he'd know they were gay...hardly a secret shibboleth.
