Fliping the bird.

[The Wiser Hatter]

First-known-photo-of-someone-flipping-the-bird/

 

[sal]

Too funny. Thanks for posting. Liked the article

 

[herringbonekid]

i also wonder: why 'bird' ?

 

[LizzieMaine]

In the Era, "The Bird" referred to the razzberry, the Bronx Cheer, or any kind of rude noise made by an audience toward a performer they didn't favor. For a vaudeville actor to comment that "the bird is on the wing" meant that the audience was hostile that night, and the performers could expect trouble. Using "the bird" to refer to the well-known gesture is a relatively recent development -- when I was a kid we simply called it "The Finger" or "the South End Salute." I didn't hear it start to be called The Bird until well into the 70s.

There's a once-well-known children's counting song called "Where Is Tall Man?" which involves raising each finger in turn as its name is called -- "tall man" being the middle finger -- and when we'd sing it in kindergarten you'd see thirty-five smiling little cherubs extending their middle digits to their teacher without the slightest idea that the gesture had any obscene connotation. Innocence didn't last long.

 

[Sprinkles]

That's pretty funny! If you look at this link he is giving the finger in another instance as well!!
http://twentytwowords.com/2013/01/1...of-someone-giving-the-finger-1886-3-pictures/

 

[gtdean48]

In other parts of the globe, the raised middle finger is a welcomed gesture...

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Here is my contribution. I wonder what Roscoe's reaction was when he finally saw the finished photo?!!! ≈

-dixon cannon

 

[dhermann1]

Oh! My goodness! Sputter sputter! The morals of this place have just completely gone down the toiletta!

 

[Hercule]

There's a once-well-known children's counting song called "Where Is Tall Man?" which involves raising each finger in turn as its name is called -- "tall man" being the middle finger -- and when we'd sing it in kindergarten you'd see thirty-five smiling little cherubs extending their middle digits to their teacher without the slightest idea that the gesture had any obscene connotation. Innocence didn't last long.

There's a candid snap shot of Fred Rogers making that gesture and of course being misinterpreted from the original context - perhaps it may have been that song.

 

[Hercule]

Here is my contribution. I wonder what Roscoe's reaction was when he finally saw the finished photo?!!! ≈

-dixon cannon

Somehow I keep looking at that picture and wanting the guy under the plane to be Marty Feldman.

 

[LizzieMaine]

There's a candid snap shot of Fred Rogers making that gesture and of course being misinterpreted from the original context - perhaps it may have been that song.

That's exactly what it was -- leave it to internet snarkers to strip the innocence off of anything they possibly can. Mr. Green Jeans used to do that same song on Captain Kangaroo now and then.

 

[Rudie]

In Germany it's called "[Removed]". You get the meaning, I believe.

 

[scotrace]

OK kids, I think we've covered this topic.