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Thursday, August 27, 2015

Old & New Meanings Of "Boo Boo Kitty"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides some information and comments about the various meanings given to the term/name "Boo Boo Kitty". Selected videos that include the words "Boo Boo Kitty" are also featured in this post.

The content of this post is presented for linguistical, cultural and historical purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to all those who published these videos on YouTube.

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OLD MEANINGS FOR "BOO BOO KITTY"
Several online commenters have written that "Boo Boo Kitty" comes from Gay people's use of the term "Boo Kitty" or "Boo Boo Kitty" as early as the 1960s:
From http://www.ew.com/article/2015/03/02/empire-star-taraji-p-henson-her-signature-line-you-don%E2%80%99t-want-be-called-boo-boo
Corey Terrell Daniels, April 2015
"Boo Kitty" specifically is a term from underground gay culture of the 1970's and 1980's.... reference 'Paris is Burning' and you will hear a lot of pop culture language"...

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Reply
lexdiamonz > Corey Terrell Daniels, May 2015
"exactly and the mere fact that it was used in the tv show laverne and shirley SHOWS how gay culture was prevalent at the time even though it was unpopular then my dear old guncle *gay uncle* damn near 80 and was calling people boo boo kitty in the 60's lol"

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CS, April, 2015
"I heard the term over 10 years ago from a gay male work associate. He introduced me to it as he would call people that ALL the time, & I've used it ever since. It was big in the gay community. Wasn't just made up at all."
-snip-
My guess is that "Boo Kitty" and "Boo Boo Kitty" were affectionate terms for one's lover. But I'm not sure about that.

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On the 1970s American television series, Laverne & Shirley "Boo Boo Kitty" is the name of the black stuffed cat that Shirley held whenever she was sad.

Information about Laverne & Shirley series and a video of this series that features "Boo Boo Kitty" is found below.

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[Editor: The following quote gives two seperate meanings for "boo boo kitty"]
From http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Boo+boo+kitty

boo boo kitty
Affectionate pet name for your significant other

Space Ghost's cat
"Oh I miss you boo boo kitty."

"Oh I love you boo boo kitty."

"Oh, I'm so sorry I slept with your best friend boo boo kitty."

by Karie Hughes May 03, 2008
-snip-
In the context of "boo boo kitty"'s use as an affectionate name for your significant other (similar to "honey" and "sweetheart"), the word "boo" [pronounced to rhyme with the word "you"], is a folk processed form of the French word "beau" [pronounced to rhyme with the word "oh"] is "lover, boyfriend, girlfriend."
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Ghost
"Space Ghost is a fictional character created by Hanna-Barbera Productions and designed by Alex Toth for CBS in the 1960s.[1] Space Ghost is credited with being almost single-handedly responsible for the popularity of superhero cartoons in the 60's.
-snip-
A short video clip of Space Ghost crying "Boo Boo Kitty!" is found below.
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"Boo boo kitty" is still used as a pet (affectionate) name for your significant other as indicated by numerous internet merchandise and social media sites. Here are two examples of the use of "boo boo kitty" as an affectionate nickname and as a referent for a person's significant other
From https://instagram.com/p/i9-JxlEOpP/
[photograph signed by “spoiledrotten_spankieMe and my Boo Boo kitty @dtg_mixedbeauty #tbt” and “dtg_mixedbeautyAwwwwww i love u boo boo”]
-snip-
Many "boo boo kitty" coffee mugs, magnets, t shirts, and other merchandise have the signage "I [heart symbol] boo boo kitty. Here's a link to one such website: http://www.cafepress.com/+love-my-boo-boo-kitty+magnets

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The 2001 American comedy film Jay And Silent Bob Strikes Back includes the "term of endearment" "Boo Boo Kitty f&&k"* Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_and_Silent_Bob_Strike_Back for information about this film. A comment that references this film is given below in the "New Meanings Of Boo Boo Kitty" section below.
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in most quotes.

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NEW MEANINGS FOR "BOO BOO KITTY"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_(2015_TV_series)
"Empire is an American drama television series which debuted on Fox on January 7, 2015. It centers on a hip hop music and entertainment company, Empire Entertainment, and the drama among the members of the founders' family as they fight for control of the company. The show was created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, and stars Terrence Howard [as Lucious Lyons] and Taraji P. Henson [as his ex-wife Cookie Lyons]...

[Another lead character is ] Grace Gealey as Anika Calhoun, head of Empire Entertainment A&R and Lucious' ex fiancée. Cookie and Anika share an extreme dislike for each other,[13] with Cookie referring to Anika with the derisive nickname "Boo Boo Kitty".
-snip-
Anika is scripted as a snobby, elitist debutante. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debutante gives this definition for "debutante":
"A debutante or deb (from the French débutante, "female beginner") is a girl or young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family who has reached the age of maturity and, as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal "debut" presentation."...
-snip-
Note that the editor/s of that Wikipedia page labeled "Boo Boo Kitty" as a derisive nickname. That is a new meaning for "Boo Boo Kitty". Here are a few quotes that reflect this new meaning for "boo boo kitty":
From http://www.ew.com/article/2015/03/02/empire-star-taraji-p-henson-her-signature-line-you-don%E2%80%99t-want-be-called-boo-boo [hereafter given as "ew: Empire Star signature line"]
"So what exactly does “Boo Boo Kitty” mean? “You know what it is? It’s nasty nice,” explains [Taraji P. Henson. “You don’t want to be called Boo Boo Kitty. You know, it’s almost like when somebody calls you sweetie all the time. It’s almost like ‘bit&h’* without saying it.”
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this article.

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From "ew: Empire Star signature line" [comments]
This comment written in response to those bloggers who wrote that Taraji P. Henson got the name "Boo Boo Kitty" from the Laverne & Shirley series:
..."Get over yourselves. NO ONE OWNS ANYTHING AS WORDS! NO ONE! SO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CRED IS DUE...SHE CAME UP WITH the nickname boo boo kitty for the ANika character as a derogatory name for a pampered debutante trying to fit in in the hood!"

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Dan > Guest, April 2015
"No one disputes that [Shirley from the Laverne & Shirley show called her stuffed animal "Boo Boo Kitty"]. .. you do realize there are different meanings for different words and sayings right? "Sick" "ridiculous" and many others have several meanings today. ..in other cultures boo boo kitty is basically calling someone the b word without calling them the b word, and that meaning to the phrase has been around for ca long time as well. ..it just became known to a whole new audience when the character said it on the show. ..I doubt seriously Shirley's stuffed cat takes offense... just saying. ...oh that's a popular phrase today as well ;-)"

-snip-
"Boo boo kitty" also appears to be used as a general putdown, and not only as a referent for a spoiled, elitist woman. Here's an example of this use of that term:
From http://madamenoire.com/515249/malik-yoba-confirms-whether-or-not-jussie-smollett-is-gay/ Veronica Wells
[comments]
I'm quoting the entire exchange to add context to the ending comment that includes "boo boo kitty" used as a general put down.
LiiSH > Benicwin, April 2015
"Did the NFL player come out? I thought he was just sharing his moment with his boo who happened to be a boy."
-snip-
Notice the use of "boo" as a referent for a person's lover.

“came out” = publicly acknowledged that he is gay

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CAliQueen, April 2015
"If Jussie was committed to the LGBT community why not come out proudly as a gay man. Be proud and live out loud. But not to loud, some things gay or straight should be left to the privacy of your bedroom."

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Reply
Courtney Banks > CAliQueen, April 2015
"It's not as if gay people are having sex outside in broad daylight in the middle of the streets."

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Reply
CAliQueen > Courtney Banks, April, 2015
"I said gay or straight. Get it right boo boo kitty."
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The use of "boo boo kitty" as a put-down may precede the 2015 Empire series as this commenter notes in the this comment from "ew: Empire Star signature line"
Lilly, April 2015
"Ummmm...me and my other roommates were using this as a put down in our senior year of college...in '00-'01. It's hardly new or original. Thanks.

(A bad situation was also boo boo kitty f'd)"
-snip-
This commenter replies to Lilly:
CannabisIsNotEvil, April 2015
"I'm sure she's [Taraji P. Henson] seen Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back in which Jay dubs Justice "Boo Boo Kitty F&&k"*..... could have stuck in her head
*This word was fully spelled out in this comment
-snip-
Read the reference to the 2001 American movie Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back that is given in the "Old Meanings Of Boo Boo Kitty" section that is found above.

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FEATURED VIDEOS THAT INCLUDE THE WORDS "BOO BOO KITTY"
Example #1: Laverne & Shirley - Shirley's Boo Boo Kitty - Nick at Nite Promo



laverneandshirley, Uploaded on Mar 24, 2011

Shirley... and her Childhood Doll, Boo Boo Kitty. Nick at Nite promo for Laverne and Shirley, circa about 1998.
-snip-
The American sitcom tv series aired from January 27, 1976, to May 10, 1983. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laverne_%26_Shirley

The 1998 date for the Nick at Nite airings were re-runs of the series.

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Example #2: Boo Boo Kitty ]Space Ghost]



Land of Kon, Uploaded on Feb 13, 2012

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Example #3: Empire: The Claws Come Out. Anika Vs Cookie.



Ten Insider, Published on Feb 25, 2015

Empire Premieres 9.00pm Sunday March 1.
-snip-
The word "bougie" that Cookie uses and Anika repeats is an African American clip of the word "bourgeoisie. A bougie person is snobbish (a person who thinks she or he is better than people who don't have money and status).

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