Monday, 11 October 2021

ARE YOGI AND BOO MORE THAN JUST FRIENDS? WHEN WILL IT ALL STOP?

Copyright relevant owner

Regular readers will know that I'm a Yogi Bear fan.  Probably due to the fact that he's the earliest cartoon character I remember from childhood and because I had quite a few Yogi items of merchandise at the time.  Anyway, I still buy old Yogi stuff on occasion and the above cardboard covered comic is a recent acquisition (for a song) via the auspices of eBay.


It's dated January on the cover and 1963 in the indicia, which probably means it went on sale around October 1962.  Nice little collectable item, but imagine my shock when one story appeared to suggest that Boo Boo 'played for the other team'.  In one panel he refers to Yogi as his boyfriend (well, boy-friend to be precise, in case the apostrophe makes a difference), which nearly made me choke on my cornflakes.  (Or would've done had I been eating any.)

I mulled it over then decided he meant it in the same way women refer to their platonic female friends as 'girl-friends' - no romantic relationship implied.  Then, two pages on, he ruins it by saying he'll make up for his duff Christmas gift to Yogi on Valentine's Day.  Swoon!  Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised - after all, they share a bed in a cave, but I'd always assumed it was on the same basis as Laurel & Hardy and, later, Morecambe & Wise did.  (As in nothing dodgy.)

So what's going on?  Was the writer unfamiliar with the characters and perhaps thought Boo Boo was a girl?  Or was he having a subversive dig at the nature of both bruins' relationship while hoping his editor wouldn't notice?  Are dodgy doings going on at Jellystone Park, or could there be a simple, more innocent explanation?  Quick - rescue Yogi & Boo Boo's reputation with a reason as to why things aren't as they seem.  Apply brains now!

25 comments:

McSCOTTY said...

Lol that's a hysterical panel where Boo-boo cake Yogi his boyfriend. I would assume that for the time in the US "boyfriend" in that sense meant a friend that's a bit like "gay" used to mean happy ie that gay blade etc. The again Boo boo is going to make it up on Valentine's day to Yogi, oh dear. You really shouldn't be worried about Yogi being gay Kid that's just the way some folk are, you should be more worried Boo-boos a child and Yogis an adult and well you know seriously evil life style there.... Lol

Kid said...

I've always regarded Boo Boo as just a smaller type of bear than Yogi, McS, not a young bear - at least, not much younger than Yogi (if at all). But that Valentine's Day remark has me perplexed, I must admit. He really should've said 'Birthday' instead. The next thing we'll be finding out is that Cindy Bear is transgendered and used to be a male bear. Stop the world, I want to get off!

Kid said...

Check out my reply to your comment in the previous post, McS.

McSCOTTY said...

For me Boo boo was always a young bear cub but I don't think that was ever established. Strange couple of lines perhaps the writer/ artists were making a joke.

Kid said...

If so, it's a bold joke for 1962. If I'd read it back then, of course, it would've been completely over my head. Or maybe friends sent Valentine's cards or gifts to one another in America? Anyone know?

Colin Jones said...

And what about these lines from Elvis Presley's 'Jailhouse Rock':

Number 47 said to Number 3
You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see
I sure would like to have your company
Come and do the jailhouse rock with me

Those lyrics are blatantly referring to a gay relationship in a song released in 1957.

Kid said...

Hopefully they were just rippin' the piss, CJ, but you never know with those singer/actor types, do you? I've heard that song a few times in my life, but the lyrics just went over my head before. Trust you to ruin my innocence, you boundah!

Hey, maybe it was a mixed prison?

Colin Jones said...

A mixed prison in 1957 America?? It was an all-male prison in the film.

Obviously the lyrics went over the censors' heads at the time!

Kid said...

They obviously mixed gays and straights, eh? Never seen the film, only clips, CJ. Elvis's songs work better for me when I don't have to watch him prancing around making a prat of himself.

McSCOTTY said...

Jailhouse rock was indeed written tongue in cheek hinting about gays in jail according to a documentary I saw on the writers Leiber and Stroller). Gay jail ( err let's say) romance is hardly a surprise to anyone even back then. Elvis "prancing" about is what rock n roll is all about ( and I'm not a big Elvis fan).

Kid said...

Maybe, but rock'n'roll doesn't appeal to me - the visual side of it anyway. Jim Reeves could never get Elvis's prancing either, nor could my dad. Gay jails? Who'da thunk it?

Gene Phillips said...

I agree with McScotty; this is some writer having fun with a couple of kids' characters, knowing that the humor would rocket over the heads of the audience. It's comparable to one or two Batman comics where Robin is placed in some sort of "feminine" situation. I think they all appeared in the forties, before the publication of Wertham's book circa 1954. I don't see anything deeper than bored writers having a laugh.

Dave S said...

Apparently Little Richard's original lyrics for Tutti Frutti were absolutely filthy, hence why Dorothy LaBostrie was brought in to rewrite them unti something more palatable...

baggsey said...

Valentine's Day is a completely different celebration here in the US to the UK. On Valentine's day, school kids are encouraged to make and send valentine cards to all of their friends. No sexual connotation, or unfulfilled amour implied. Have never heard boyfriend used here, so probably fell out of use in the past 50 years. Girlfriend is used commonly to imply the female friend of another female. All examples oftwo countries divided by a common language...

Kid said...

Or lazy writers not thinking things through. However, applying my mighty brain, the first balloon can easily be explained if it's read like this; 'big buddy, bear boy, friend of mine'. That way, the 'b' words are only for the purpose of amusing alliteration. The second balloon is likely explained by Valentine's Day being the first 'gift-giving' public celebration after Christmas, so Boo Boo was just going to use it as an opportunity to make up for his duff festive present.

******

The only words I remember from the song, DS, are Tutti Frutti, so the new lyrics are hardly memorable. Can't recall the last time I heard it on the radio.

******

Ah, just as I alluded to in an earlier response, B. That would explain things. Incidentally, never sent or received a Valentine's Card in my life. And me - Mr. Handsome.

Michael said...

So gay relationships are "dodgy" and a cartoon character being gay needs saved quickly from being so? Homophobic twat. Add that to your sexism and racism. Dickhead.

Kid said...

Normally I wouldn't bother, but I published this one (for a short while) just so we can laugh at him. Dunno why he bothers. Those woke people just can't stand anyone having a different opinion to them on any topic. Nice of him to put his name to the end of it.

McSCOTTY said...

Michael you could have phrased that better and not just been aggressive in your reply - you lost your argument right there once you called him a "tw*t" imho. Sad as it would have been a good point to raise in a constructive way (ie "... Kid is this really that big an issue to you as an adult in 2021 ... etc") but Michael we are talking about a childhood cartoon character here the post was just an observation and I don't think Kid was being rude to gay folk/culture by asking that particular question. I get the impression Kid is not the as tolerant as others in some matters, but I doubt very much if he would meaningfully hurt anyone or any group although he did hurt my feeling last year by dissing the great David Bowie , the bitch! :)!

Kid said...

Spot on in that I was merely humorously wondering about what was seemingly going on with those two word balloons, McS. What people forget is that when one has a blog, one (don't I sound posh) is always looking for material to fill it.

As to what consenting adults get up to in privacy, well, I have no interest, but I do object to being told what I can think and say about it. I'm not on a mission or crusade to change anyone's mind or to get folk to agree with me, but I won't be dictated to by those who wish to impose their way of seeing things on me, simply because they've got a chip on their shoulder about not everyone agreeing with them.

They won't be happy until everyone thinks as they do on the subject (because they ARE on a crusade), even though the majority of the world's population doesn't share their views. All of which I've only said because of "Michael's" obnoxious comment.

Anonymous said...

I hear that Superman is being gay now?

Kid said...

First I've heard of it. Isn't he married to Lois Lane?

McSCOTTY said...

Its actually Superman's son and he is bi sexual its been on the BCC news most of the day -I didn't know Superman had a son. Jeez you stop reading comics for 30 years and they change lol

Kid said...

Isn't he just a kid? And so the gay agenda marches on. They won't be satisfied 'til there's no straight people left - or they're in the minority. As Bob Hope once said (and I was there to hear him say it), "I don't mind homosexuality being legal - just so long as they don't make it compulsory!" That day could be coming sooner than we think. If he were still alive, he probably wouldn't be allowed to crack that joke now. So much for inclusivity and diversity, eh?

Anonymous said...

you sure do obsess about the gays so much for someone who thinks he's straight

Kid said...

You sure do obsess about ME so much for someone who thinks he's impartial. So the tired old cliche that anyone with reservations about the relentless intrusion of gay culture into mainstream society MUST be a repressed homosexual raises its head yet again. That myth seems to be the default position of you guys. Quite ironic that in seeking to defend your position, you resort to saying "You're just a poof!" in order to diminish dissent. Didn't think it through, did you?



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