Flipboard Culture Desk<p>In the summer of 1956, 15-year-old Kathy Kohner Zuckerman learned to surf, and she recorded her experiences of riding waves and the people she met in a diary. Everyone had a nickname — Tubesteak, Lord Blears, Thrifty Phil — and Kathy wanted one too. Soon, she became Gidget, a portmanteau of "girl" and "midget." Her story went on to become a series of novels, a movie starring Sandra Dee, an ABC series starring Sally Field, a stage musical co-written by Francis Ford Coppola, and more. And, Defector's David Davis argues, it also was an inflection point in surf culture, turning it from "a sleepy pastime to a billion-dollar mainstream commodity." Kohner Zuckerman dipped out of the limelight in the 1960s before re-embracing it over the past couple of decades. Davis spoke to her about her early experiences, her unique place in American culture, her life as Gidget and beyond, and what she saved from the LA fires that razed her home of 60 years.</p><p><a href="https://flip.it/lJhmOm" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">flip.it/lJhmOm</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p><a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Gidget</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/PopCulture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PopCulture</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/USCulture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>USCulture</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/Culture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Culture</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/KathyKohnerZuckerman" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>KathyKohnerZuckerman</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/LAFires" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LAFires</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/Television" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Television</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/TV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TV</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/Film" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Film</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/Surf" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Surf</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/Surfing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Surfing</span></a></p>
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#Gidget
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Pat McCurry<p>RIP James Darren <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Gidget</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/TJHooker" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TJHooker</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Moondoggie" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Moondoggie</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/VicFontaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>VicFontaine</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/TheGunsofNavarone" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TheGunsofNavarone</span></a></p>
Trekker21<p><a href="https://libretooth.gr/tags/JamesDarren" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>JamesDarren</span></a> <a href="https://libretooth.gr/tags/StarTrek" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>StarTrek</span></a> <a href="https://libretooth.gr/tags/DS9" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>DS9</span></a> <a href="https://libretooth.gr/tags/TJHooker" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TJHooker</span></a> <a href="https://libretooth.gr/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Gidget</span></a> <a href="https://libretooth.gr/tags/Celebrity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Celebrity</span></a> <a href="https://libretooth.gr/tags/RIP" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>RIP</span></a> <a href="https://libretooth.gr/tags/VicFontaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>VicFontaine</span></a></p>
Raurquiz<p><a href="https://c.im/tags/qepd" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>qepd</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/jamesdarren" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>jamesdarren</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/rip" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>rip</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/actor" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>actor</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/singer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>singer</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/vicfontaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>vicfontaine</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/startrek" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>startrek</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/deepspacenine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>deepspacenine</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/thetimetunnel" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>thetimetunnel</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/tjhooker" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>tjhooker</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/thegunsofnavarone" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>thegunsofnavarone</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>gidget</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/heartsinatlantis" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>heartsinatlantis</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/swat" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>swat</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/HawaiiFiveO" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HawaiiFiveO</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/TheLoveBoat" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TheLoveBoat</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/FantasyIsland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>FantasyIsland</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/DiagnosisMurder" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>DiagnosisMurder</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/MelrosePlace" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MelrosePlace</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/RandomActs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>RandomActs</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Lucky" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Lucky</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/ds930" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ds930</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/startrek57" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>startrek57</span></a> <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@trekcore" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>trekcore</span></a></span></p>
cs<p>James Darren Dead: 'Gidget,' 'Time Tunnel,' 'T.J. Hooker' Actor Was 88</p><p>James Darren, ‘Gidget’ Surfer and Cop on ‘T.J. Hooker,’ Dies at 88<br>The 'Time Tunnel' star also was a pop singer and a crooning hologram on 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.'<br><a href="https://mastodon.sdf.org/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Gidget</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.sdf.org/tags/StarTrek" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>StarTrek</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.sdf.org/tags/DS9" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>DS9</span></a> <br><a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/james-darren-dead-gidget-time-tunnel-tj-hooker-1235989762/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">hollywoodreporter.com/movies/m</span><span class="invisible">ovie-news/james-darren-dead-gidget-time-tunnel-tj-hooker-1235989762/</span></a></p>
T.M. Baumgartner<p>This little scamp decided the walls of the playpen were just a suggestion, so now the kittens have moved out of my office to the more secure bathroom.</p><p><a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/FosterKittens" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>FosterKittens</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/CatsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CatsOfMastodon</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/NaughtyKitten" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NaughtyKitten</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Gidget</span></a></p>
Deadline<p>James Darren Dies: Teen Idol Actor in ‘Gidget’ And Singer Was 88<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Obituaries" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Obituaries</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Gidget</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/JamesDarren" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>JamesDarren</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/NancySinatra" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NancySinatra</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/WilliamShatner" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WilliamShatner</span></a></p><p><a href="https://deadline.com/2024/09/james-darren-dead-gidget-actor-singer-1236076023/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">deadline.com/2024/09/james-dar</span><span class="invisible">ren-dead-gidget-actor-singer-1236076023/</span></a></p>
Variety<p>James Darren, Teen Idol Actor in ‘Gidget,’ Singer and Director, Dies at 88<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Variety" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Variety</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/News" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>News</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Obituaries" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Obituaries</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/PeopleNews" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PeopleNews</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Gidget</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/JamesDarren" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>JamesDarren</span></a></p><p><a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/james-darren-gidget-moondoggie-star-trek-1236127756/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">variety.com/2024/film/news/jam</span><span class="invisible">es-darren-gidget-moondoggie-star-trek-1236127756/</span></a></p>
Raurquiz<p><a href="https://c.im/tags/happybirthday" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>happybirthday</span></a> @jameswdarren <a href="https://c.im/tags/jamesdarren" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>jamesdarren</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/actor" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>actor</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/singer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>singer</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/vicfontaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>vicfontaine</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/startrek" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>startrek</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/deepspacenine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>deepspacenine</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/thetimetunnel" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>thetimetunnel</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/tjhooker" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>tjhooker</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/thegunsofnavarone" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>thegunsofnavarone</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>gidget</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/heartsinatlantis" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>heartsinatlantis</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/swat" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>swat</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/HawaiiFiveO" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HawaiiFiveO</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/TheLoveBoat" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TheLoveBoat</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/FantasyIsland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>FantasyIsland</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/DiagnosisMurder" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>DiagnosisMurder</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/MelrosePlace" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MelrosePlace</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/RandomActs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>RandomActs</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Lucky" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Lucky</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/ds930" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ds930</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/startrek57" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>startrek57</span></a> <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@trekcore" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>trekcore</span></a></span></p>
Strong Language<p><span>A lot of surfer slang consists of in-crowd jargon or outmoded antiques: </span><i><span>grommet</span></i><span> (an eager young surfer), </span><i><span>hodad</span></i><span> (a non-surfer; a poser), </span><i><span>log</span></i><span> (a heavy surfboard), </span><i><span>Noah </span></i><span>(a shark). But other terms that bubbled up in the surf towns of Southern California, Hawaii, and Australia in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s – </span><i><span>bro</span></i><span>, </span><i><span>dude</span></i><span>, </span><i><span>Cali</span></i><span> (for California), </span><i><span>wipeout</span></i><span> – are now part of the everyday vocabulary of English-speaking landlubbers who may have no idea about the words’ briny origins. One of the most widespread of these expressions, and probably the most pertinent to our interests at Strong Language, is </span><i><span>bitchin’</span></i><span>, an adjective or interjection meaning “excellent,” “cool,” or “admirable.” </span></p><p><span>It took a long time for </span><i><span>bitch</span></i><span> and its derivatives to evolve from veterinary noun (Old English: “female dog”) to taboo slur (for a woman c. 1400; for a man c. 1500) to slightly taboo verb (early 1900s: “talk spitefully”; early 1930s: “complain”) to a word so cheerily inoffensive that it’s used in brand names that are prominently displayed in mass-market retail outlets like Costco. Along the way, </span><i><span>bitch</span></i><span> begat dozens of slangy spin-offs, most of them U.S. in origin and mostly pejorative, that include </span><i><span>bitch bath </span></i><span>(perfume instead of soap and water), </span><i><span>bitch box</span></i><span> (loudspeaker), and </span><a href="https://almostunschoolers.blogspot.com/2016/05/a-pioneer-what-light.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><i><span>bitch light</span></i></a><span> (a twisted rag soaked in grease and used for illumination). </span></p><a href="https://stronglang.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/bitchin-sauce-at-costco.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a>Bitchin’ Sauce at Costco, Richmond, California. Photo: Nancy Friedman<p></p><p><i><span>Bitch</span></i><span> and its relatives were considered highly offensive from the 18th century on: In </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Words-Hugh-Rawson/dp/0517573342?ref_=ast_author_mpb" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><i><span>Wicked Words</span></i></a><span> (1989), author Hugh Rawson notes that people resorted to euphemisms like “lady dog” even in the “proper canine context.” (Speaking of dogs, Rawson informs us that the poet John Keats coined </span><i><span>bitchrell</span></i><span> on the model of “doggerel.” It was naughty enough that </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=Hx_fFPMTzvIC&pg=PA250&lpg=PA250&dq=bitchrell+poetry&source=bl&ots=0TLrmZdegw&sig=ACfU3U2wWFgYL470TC-LCc2lLdhkyfdSgA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiS3IrqyZKFAxVOJjQIHQJOBO4Q6AF6BAgKEAM#v=onepage&q&f=false" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Keats self-bowdlerized the word as B–rell–</span></a><span>.) It wasn’t until 1962 that </span><i><span>bitch</span></i><span> was heard in a Hollywood movie (</span><i><span>Advise & Consent</span></i><span>; the speaker was Gene Tierney, </span><a href="https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,895949,00.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>saying</span></a><span> of Washington hostesses,</span> <span>“They say any bitch with a million bucks can be the best”). Elton John could sing “The Bitch Is Back” in 1974, but there was still enough opprobrium surrounding </span><i><span>bitch</span></i><span> in 1984 that Barbara Bush, campaigning for her husband George H.W. Bush, cattily demurred when calling Democratic vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro “that four-million-dollar – I can’t say it, but it rhymes with ‘rich.’” </span></p><p><span>Twenty years later, <em>bitch</em> was fully out in the open. It was heard frequently on the TV series <em>How I Met Your Mother</em> (2005–2014): See <a href="https://stronglang.wordpress.com/2017/12/26/how-i-met-your-mother-the-bitch-chronicles-part-1-son-of-a-bitch/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Michael Adams’s four “Bitch Chronicles” posts</a>, in which he posits that <em>bitch</em> was the solution for “tonal accuracy” in the show’s dialogue, “permissible on television, but not always in polite conversation.” </span><span>Around the same time, </span><i><span>bitch</span></i><span> attached itself to a whole category of wines marketed at women; </span><a href="https://stronglang.wordpress.com/2015/04/02/dirty-wine/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>as I wrote in 2015</span></a><span>, the trend began in 2004 with an Australian Grenache called simply Bitch and expanded into unrelated brands like Sassy Bitch, Tasty Bitch, and more. And 2012 brought us <em>resting bitch face</em>, “a facial expression that unintentionally creates the impression that a person is angry, annoyed, irritated, or contemptuous, particularly when the individual is relaxed, resting, or not expressing any particular emotion” (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resting_bitch_face" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>).</span></p><p>By then, <em>bitchin’/bitchen </em>had migrated from surf shacks to high streets. The earliest agreed-on appearance in print of positive <i>bitchen</i> is in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gidget" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><i>Gidget: The Little Girl with Big Ideas</i></a>, the 1957 novel by Frederick Kohner that was inspired by his teenage daughter’s experiences with the Malibu Point surf crowd: “It was a bitchen day too. The sun was out <span>and all that, even though it was near the end of November.</span>” The spelling gradually settled on <em>bitchin’</em>, eliding the <em>g</em> of the participle. <em>American Speech</em>, the journal of the <a href="https://americandialect.org/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American Dialect Society</a>, included <em>bitchin<i>’ </i></em>in a 1965 issue under “Notes on Campus Vocabulary,” observing that it could “serve both as an interjection (<i>bitchin’</i>, man! = ‘Great!’) and as an adjective.” <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Surfinary-Dictionary-Surfing-Terms-Surfspeak/dp/1580081932" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><i>The Surfin’ary</i></a>, a compilation of surf terms originally published in 1991, calls <i>bitchin’</i> “a sixties term for <i>cool</i> adopted by surfers” and adds that “it has now been replaced by <i>rad</i>” (from <i>radical</i>). But editor Trevor Gralle also inserts this unverified anecdote:</p><p><span>The word </span><i><span>bitchin’</span></i><span>, derived from </span><i><span>bitching</span></i><span> – as in “Quit your bitching” – may have been coined by Dale Velzy in 1949. While surfing with the Manhattan Beach Surf Club, Velzy was overjoyed after a ride and said, “That was a bitchin’ wave,” giving the word new meaning and a positive connotation. </span></p><p>Velzy (1927–2005) was a pioneering Southern California surfer and surfboard maker; according to a Los Angeles Times <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-may-30-me-velzy30-story.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">obituary</a>, he was “<span>surfing’s first commercial </span><span>shaper or builder.” </span></p><a href="https://stronglang.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/surfinary.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a>Surfin’ary, 1991 edition.<p><span>I haven’t been able to confirm Velzy’s reappropriation of </span><i><span>bitchin</span></i><span>’, but I have found evidence for earlier positive or emphatic uses of </span><i><span>bitch</span></i><span> that may have laid the groundwork. As early as 1928, according to the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang (HDAS), </span><i><span>bitching</span></i><span> could be a synonym for “whopping” or “damned,” and </span><i><span>bitch kitty</span></i><span> was World War II slang for “something extraordinary.” </span><span>(“She’s flying right along. Bitch kitty of an airplane.”)</span></p><p><span>Today, although </span><i><span>bitch</span></i><span> can still skew negative – and necessitate a softened version, </span><a href="https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/bish/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><i><span>bish</span></i></a><span>, that tones down the aggression and evades online censorship – the adjective/interjection </span><i><span>bitchin’ </span></i><span>has achieved full cultural integration. As proof, I point you to the U.S. trademark database, which as of this writing includes 32 registered or pending marks with adjectival BITCHIN’.</span> <span>Besides the aforementioned Bitchin’ Sauces – whose owners also own a record label, </span><a href="https://bitchinmusicgroup.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Bitchin’ Music Group</span></a><span>, phone number 1-737-BITCHIN – there’s </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadia_G%27s_Bitchin%27_Kitchen" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Bitchin’ Kitchen</span></a><span>, a cooking program that launched on Canadian TV in 2010; </span><a href="https://bitchinkitten.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Bitchin’ Kitten Brewery</span></a><span> (Pennsylvania); </span><a href="https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2310/83475/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Bitchin’ Berry</span></a><span> beer (Nevada); </span><a href="https://www.bobsbitchinbbq.com/shop/dry-rub-and-seasoning" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Bob’s Bitchin’ BBQ</span></a><span> (Wisconsin;, </span><a href="https://bitchincoffee.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Bitchin Coffee </span></a><span>(North Carolina); </span><a href="https://untappd.com/b/armored-cow-brewing-co-bitchin-betty/3244512" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Bitchin’ Betty</span></a><span> brown ale (also North Carolina); and </span><a href="https://www.bitchindigs.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Bitchin’ Digs </span></a><span>commercial and residential design in Malibu, California, home of the original bitchin’ surfer girl Gidget.</span></p><p><span>Like </span><i><span>bad</span></i><span>, </span><i><span>wicked</span></i><span>, and </span><i><span>sick</span></i><span>, three other negatives-turned-slang-positive, </span><i><span>bitchin’</span></i><span> has reversed course, from pejorative to enthusiastically approving. While other surfer slang has crested and ebbed — does anyone still say “quimby” or “kookster”? — <em>bitchin’ </em>continues to ride a long, sweet wave of acceptance by the mainstream.</span></p><p><a href="https://stronglang.wordpress.com/2024/03/27/thats-bitchin/" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://stronglang.wordpress.com/2024/03/27/thats-bitchin/</a></p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stronglang.wordpress.com/tag/bitchen/" target="_blank">#bitchen</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stronglang.wordpress.com/tag/bitchin/" target="_blank">#bitchin</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stronglang.wordpress.com/tag/gidget/" target="_blank">#Gidget</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stronglang.wordpress.com/tag/surfer-slang/" target="_blank">#surferSlang</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://stronglang.wordpress.com/tag/surfing/" target="_blank">#surfing</a></p>
KDramaQn 🍷⚽️🎬📚🇨🇦🇬🇧<p><span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@jodmentum" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>jodmentum</span></a></span> </p><p>When listening to a programme like <a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/DesertIslandDiscs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>DesertIslandDiscs</span></a>, I have wondered if I would be able to choose 5-7 movies instead of musical pieces.</p><p>Right now, off the top of my head,</p><p><a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/MrSmithGoesToWashington" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MrSmithGoesToWashington</span></a> 1939<br><a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Gidget</span></a> 1959<br><a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/TheGrinch" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TheGrinch</span></a> 1966<br><a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/ThePrincessBride" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ThePrincessBride</span></a> 1987<br><a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/LikeWaterForChocolate" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LikeWaterForChocolate</span></a> 1992<br><a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/YoursMineAndOurs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>YoursMineAndOurs</span></a> 1968<br><a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/BugsyMalone" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>BugsyMalone</span></a> 1976</p><p>Honourable mention to</p><p><a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/TotoTheHero" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TotoTheHero</span></a> 1991<br><a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/ItsAWonderfulLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ItsAWonderfulLife</span></a> 1946<br><a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/Cocoon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Cocoon</span></a> 1985<br><a href="https://ottawa.place/tags/SomeLikeItHot" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SomeLikeItHot</span></a> 1959</p><p>See, I can't choose 😉</p>
d4doome<p>Gidget (1959), the first surfer girl movie. Sandra Dee is amazingly charming. Lightweight amusing romantic fun that takes its heroine's struggles with growing up quite seriously. But the ending is - well let's just say I hated the ending.</p><p>My review: <a href="https://dfordoom-movieramblings.blogspot.com/2023/12/gidget-1959.html" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">dfordoom-movieramblings.blogsp</span><span class="invisible">ot.com/2023/12/gidget-1959.html</span></a></p><p><a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/1950smovie" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>1950smovie</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/1950smovies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>1950smovies</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/50smovie" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>50smovie</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/50smovies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>50smovies</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/classicmovie" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>classicmovie</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/classicmovie" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>classicmovie</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/goldenagehollywood" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>goldenagehollywood</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/SandraDee" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SandraDee</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/JamesDarren" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>JamesDarren</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Gidget</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/Surfmovie" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Surfmovie</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/surfmovies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>surfmovies</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/romance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>romance</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/romancemovie" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>romancemovie</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/romancemovies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>romancemovies</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/CliffRobertson" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CliffRobertson</span></a></p>
Raurquiz<p><a href="https://c.im/tags/happybirthday" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>happybirthday</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/jamesdarren" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>jamesdarren</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/actor" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>actor</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/singer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>singer</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/vicfontaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>vicfontaine</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/startrek" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>startrek</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/deepspacenine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>deepspacenine</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/thetimetunnel" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>thetimetunnel</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/tjhooker" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>tjhooker</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/thegunsofnavarone" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>thegunsofnavarone</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>gidget</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/heartsinatlantis" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>heartsinatlantis</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/swat" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>swat</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/HawaiiFiveO" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HawaiiFiveO</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/TheLoveBoat" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TheLoveBoat</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/FantasyIsland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>FantasyIsland</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/DiagnosisMurder" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>DiagnosisMurder</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/MelrosePlace" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MelrosePlace</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/RandomActs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>RandomActs</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Lucky" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Lucky</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/ds930" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ds930</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/startrek56" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>startrek56</span></a> <span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@trekcore" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>trekcore</span></a></span></p>
miriam heddy<p><a href="https://mas.to/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Gidget</span></a> (1959) talking to her mom about her lack of romantic interest in boys. <a href="https://mas.to/tags/LesbianInterest" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>LesbianInterest</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/BabyDyke" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>BabyDyke</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/BeachMovies" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>BeachMovies</span></a></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/FLxL6oAws6A" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">youtu.be/FLxL6oAws6A</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p>
Will McKinley<p><a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/GabrielleUpton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>GabrielleUpton</span></a> (1922-2022) — Screenwriter, best known for <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Gidget</span></a> (1959). </p><p>She also wrote for anthology TV shows like <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/AlfredHitchcock" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AlfredHitchcock</span></a>, Westerns like <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/TheVirginian" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TheVirginian</span></a> and was head writer on the soap operas <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/TheGuidingLight" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TheGuidingLight</span></a>, <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/TheSecretStorm" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TheSecretStorm</span></a> and <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/LoveOfLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LoveOfLife</span></a>. </p><p><a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/gabrielle-upton-dead-gidget-1235333558/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">hollywoodreporter.com/movies/m</span><span class="invisible">ovie-news/gabrielle-upton-dead-gidget-1235333558/</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/SoapOpera" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SoapOpera</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/Soaps" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Soaps</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/ClassicSoaps" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ClassicSoaps</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/ClassicTV" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ClassicTV</span></a></p>
Bennet Kelley<p>2/2 I post about my <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/dog" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>dog</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Gidget</span></a>, <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/internetlaw" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>internetlaw</span></a>, <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/politics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>politics</span></a>, my history blog <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/TodayPast" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TodayPast</span></a>, my sports blog <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/TrophyLives" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TrophyLives</span></a> and my <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/dog" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>dog</span></a>.</p>
miriam heddy<p>My 14yo had some questions about the lovely <a href="https://mas.to/tags/JamesDarren" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>JamesDarren</span></a> ❤️ as <a href="https://mas.to/tags/VicFontaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>VicFontaine</span></a> on <a href="https://mas.to/tags/StarTrek" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>StarTrek</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/DS9" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>DS9</span></a> S6&7.<br />14yo: So those are real songs?<br />Me: What do you mean by “real”? He’s really singing them….<br />14yo: I mean were they made up for the show or…<br />Me: No. They existed before the show. They’re called “Standards”—part of “The Great American SongBook.”<br />14yo: They’re from a book?<br />Me: [See also: <a href="https://mas.to/tags/Gidget" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Gidget</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/RatPack" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>RatPack</span></a> <a href="https://mas.to/tags/LasVegasStrip" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>LasVegasStrip</span></a>]<br />The Next Best Thing to Love (1959)<br /><a href="https://youtu.be/k_nqLTG3-4M" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">youtu.be/k_nqLTG3-4M</span><span class="invisible"></span></a> via <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mas.to/@youtube" class="u-url mention">@<span>youtube</span></a></span></p>
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