How Beboppers Greet Each Other

At least, this is how it was done according to Life magazine for October 11, 1948.

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Paul - Mon Mar 07, 2011
Category: Music | Bohemians, Beatniks, Hippies and Slackers | 1940s | Slang

Comments

Knowing Dizzy Gillespie and the like, I'd be willing to bet that this was just a prank they were playing on Life magazine. Hilarious and awesome, but probably not true.

Posted by Salamander Sam in Chicago on 03/07/11 at 06:38 PM

welcome back kdp! hope you had a good time sweetie.
sam, what you are saying reminds me of a dave chappelle bit about using fake slang with uptight white business associates lol very funny!

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 03/07/11 at 09:07 PM

patty -

I've never really been a fan of Dave Chappelle, but on The Office, Darryl the warehouse foreman is always teaching Michael Scott "black people phrases" ("Bippity boppity gimme the zoppity!" "fleece it out," claiming to be a member of the Bloods, the Crips, and the Newsies, etcetera). Bebop era jazz musicians tended to have a good sense of humor, and this seems like the kind of thing I would do in that situation.

Posted by Salamander Sam in Chicago on 03/07/11 at 09:21 PM

same idea sam, "zip it up and zip it out." was one of chappelle's. i find chappelle's stuff hilarious. but it is a bit different. i also get a kick out of south park.

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 03/07/11 at 09:38 PM

Back in the 70's at a Navy Club I watched a guy come in late and "dap" his way around a table of about 12 to 15 of his friends. The whole thing took at least 20 minutes.

I'm currently taking classes in race relations from A. Bunker. Funny stuff even today!

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 03/08/11 at 12:56 AM

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