Peanut gallery

Howdy Doody peanut gallery, late 1940s–1950s

A peanut gallery was, in the days of vaudeville, a nickname for the cheapest and ostensibly rowdiest seats in the theater, the occupants of which were often known to heckle the performers.[1] The least expensive snack served at the theater would often be peanuts, which the patrons would sometimes throw at the performers on stage to convey their disapproval. Phrases such as "no comments from the peanut gallery", "quiet in the peanut gallery", or "throwing peanuts from the gallery" are derived from this term.[1]

In 1943 the Howdy Doody children's radio show adopted the name for its live audience of children.[2] Howdy Doody is most remembered for its later transition to television, which included the Peanut Gallery audience, then on camera.

"Peanut gallery" may have been the source of the name for Charles Schulz's comic strip, Peanuts,[3] a name chosen by United Features Syndicate (UFS) as a solution to a trademark issue, but against the wishes of Schulz, who bitterly resented and never understood the name.[4] Schulz had wanted to keep the name of his previous strip, Li'l Folks. However, UFS pointed out that the name was too similar to other strips such as Little Folks and Li'l Abner.[5] Thus, Peanuts was chosen.

A similar term was introduced to Brazilian football by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. He called Palmeiras' complaining audience that sat in the closest seats "peanut gang" (Portuguese: Turma do Amendoim).[6]

C. J. Dennis's poem "The Play" from Songs of a Sentimental Bloke, recapitulating the suicide scene from Romeo and Juliet, ends bathetically with "'Peanuts or lollies!' sez a boy upstairs."[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Rowland, Ian (April 1999). "What's the origin of the expression 'peanut gallery'?". The Straight Dope. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  2. ^ Smith, Andrew F. (2002). Peanuts: The Illustrious History of the Goober Pea. University of Illinois Press. p. 129. ISBN 978-0-252-02553-2.
  3. ^ Michaelis, David (2007). Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography. New York: HarperCollins. p. 219. ISBN 978-0-06-621393-4.
  4. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions: The Peanuts Comic Strip". Charles M. Schulz Museum. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  5. ^ Inge, M. Thomas (2000). Charles M. Schulz: Conversations. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. p. 146. ISBN 1-57806-304-3.
  6. ^ "Felipão criou o apelido "Turma do Amendoim" no Palmeiras; leia trecho" [Felipão created the ‘Peanut gang’ nickname: read passage]. Folha de S. Paulo (in Portuguese). Folha da manhã. Folha Online. November 9, 2009. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  7. ^ C. J. Dennis (1914). "The Play (from Songs of a Sentimental Bloke)". Retrieved September 19, 2022.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut_gallery