’s like we are living in the McCarthy era.”
[Polari was the old theatrical argot generally associated with the gay subculture in London, memorably brought to life in Round the Horne by Kenneth Williams and Hugh Paddick…
Horne would start off usually by mentioning that he had found an advertisement in one of a selection of risqué magazines, which he would insist he bought for innocent reasons. This would lead him, more often than not, to a business in Chelsea starting with the word "Bona" (Polari for "good"). He would enter by saying, "Hello, anybody there?", and Julian (Hugh Paddick) would answer, to a round of applause from the studio audience, "Ooh hello! I'm Julian and this is my friend Sandy!"]
Back when people had a sense of humour.]
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