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1. John Bull (garius@mastodon.me.uk)'s status on Wednesday, 29-Mar-2023 11:27:35 UTC John Bull

   It's 1987. The Metropolitan Police are waging an intimidation campaign against London's LBTQ+ community.

   Wearing rubber gloves to "protect from AIDS" they raid the Royal Vauxhall Tavern

   "Well well," says Lily Savage (Paul O'Grady) from the stage as the police pile into the venue. "It looks like we’ve got help with the washing up" /1

   • John Bull (garius@mastodon.me.uk)'s status on Wednesday, 29-Mar-2023 11:27:33 UTC John Bull

     in reply to

     Once Paul started also presenting shows out of character this impact grew.

     Paul O'Grady as presenter? Bosh. My dad would watch it. Whatever it was. Sick animal show. Talk show. Whatever.

     I know my parents were not alone on this. It was happening in houses across the country. /5

     Santa Claes 🇸🇪🇭🇰🎅 repeated this.
   • John Bull (garius@mastodon.me.uk)'s status on Wednesday, 29-Mar-2023 11:27:33 UTC John Bull

     in reply to

     That's all I wanted to say really. Just wanted to try and show that in the 80s and 90s the LGBTQ+ community was fighting a war on multiple fronts - against violence AND public perception.

     There are few people who can claim they fought on both.

     Paul O'Grady was one of them. /6

     Santa Claes 🇸🇪🇭🇰🎅 likes this.
   • John Bull (garius@mastodon.me.uk)'s status on Wednesday, 29-Mar-2023 11:27:34 UTC John Bull

     in reply to

     Paul refused to drop his alter ego for the entire duration events.

     When she was booked in, and ordered to give her name the answer was "Lily Savage".

     When a REAL name was demanded, the reply was:

     "Lily Veronica Mae Savage"

     On release, Lily was back on stage the next night. /3

   • John Bull (garius@mastodon.me.uk)'s status on Wednesday, 29-Mar-2023 11:27:34 UTC John Bull

     in reply to

     I don't think it can be overstated just how HUGE an impact Paul O'Grady had on people like my parents.

     As the press, police and politicians waged a war on the LGBTQ+ community and stoked AIDS fear, Lily Savage was on TV making them laugh, and showing them that these were real people. People they didn't need to fear. /4

   • John Bull (garius@mastodon.me.uk)'s status on Wednesday, 29-Mar-2023 11:27:35 UTC John Bull

     in reply to

     The raid was one of a number carried out by the police, using obscure laws as justification for their intimidation.

     In this instance, the excuse was "reports of drunkenness on premises"

     With Lily continuing to mock the police, she was handcuffed and arrested with others. /2