Reviews from

Go Bananas! [sic]

Origins of the idiom

5 total reviews 
Comment from Seshadri_Sreenivasan
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The picture you are showing looks more like a popular mechanical device than a ripe banana. I have no idea about go-go dancing. I have seen 'go-go' girls in some bars though! Good luck!

 Comment Written 06-Jan-2022

reply by the author on 07-Jan-2022
    Yeah it's a pretty weird picture. You must let me know where you saw that! Thanks for the great review Seshadri!
Comment from Theodore McDowell
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Love your source of knowledge about where go go banana dancing originated in the bar in France. Very interesting fact that I will use at my next cocktail party (even though I don't go to cocktail parties).

 Comment Written 05-Jan-2022

reply by the author on 07-Jan-2022
    Thank you Theodore! If you look in the comments you'll see there is also extensive discussion on the origins of the term *guerrilla*, which is suitable to be discussed at any party.
Comment from Cogitator
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FYI -First Known Use of guerrilla
Noun

1809, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1811, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for guerrilla
Noun and Adjective

Spanish guerrilla, from diminutive of guerra war, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German werra strife -- more at WAR

 Comment Written 05-Jan-2022

reply by the author on 07-Jan-2022
    The French term *guerrilla* (say it with a French accent) originates from that night as well, after security was called in to protect the performers from the banana-lust of the crowd. One of the performers was seized, stripped of its peel and ravaged by a pack of unidentified banana-starved "hungry animals", as reported to the police, who failed to take the phone tip literally.

    Things took a turn for the worse when the responding security detail was ambushed and mauled by a pack of Diên Biên Phu gorilla combat veterans. This was later recounted (poorly) in an American film, which has been disavowed by the French government.

    Thank you for this excellent history by the way. I had already written the above in response to a different review, but it seems more appropriate on yours!
reply by Cogitator on 07-Jan-2022
    I am a French citizen (dual)
reply by the author on 07-Jan-2022
    That makes this exchange even funnier
Comment from jwsteele
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Source: "go go bananas", an exotic troop of adult banana performers.

This is seriously humorous. The dude is hanging out without a care in the world. I kinda envy him. Made me chuckle. Good message.

 Comment Written 05-Jan-2022

reply by the author on 07-Jan-2022
    You might want to check on the gender there. I'm told they is a them. Most bananas these days do not have seeds. You have to mush through like 10,000 male bananas to get one baby banana. That's a lot of relationships for a female banana to go through. Hence, the symbiotic relationship between bananas and gorillas, and the origins of this enticing dance.

    Thanks for the great review!
Comment from barbara.wilkey
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Thank you for sharing this contest entry with us. I was not familiar this the the saying Banana go-go dancing. Maybe I was a little young. I was born in 1954. Anyway, I enjoyed reading and wish you luck with the contest.

 Comment Written 05-Jan-2022

reply by the author on 05-Jan-2022
    Yes, it is a little known historical fact that go-go dancing came to us from bananas doing a show at a French gorilla nightclub. It was quite the night. The crowd got quite out of control and violent, security was called in, the gorillas took out the security -- hence the French word "guerrilla" also originates from the same night. Thank you Barbara for your kind review!