The Thin End of the Wedgie?

[steepholm]

In Jack Whitehouse's BBC3 vehicle Bad Education, his character (an ineffective teacher) is occasionally given wedgies by one of his tougher pupils. In my day, the wedgie was quite unknown, as were noogies, wet willies and many other similar treats. We made do with dead legs and Chinese burns, and when annoyed would give two fingers, not the niggardly singleton in vogue across the Pond. Of course, I know about wedgies and the rest, for they are the staple of US cartoons and high school drama, but until they appeared on British TV the other day I saw them as exotics.

Was I simply out of date? Have wedgies been imported on the same boat that brought us Trick or Treat, proms and grey squirrels? I assumed so, but my daughter tells me that to her, too, they are distinctively American.

So, the quest begins. Has anyone spotted, perpetrated, or been the victim of a real-life wedgie on this side of the Atlantic?

And, if you can answer that, what about the kancho?

Comments

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I occasionally received them in my early and mid teens, so 1979-81 or so.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Interesting. Do you mind my asking where your school was, and what type?

(Fwiw, mine was a comprehensive in a Hampshire market town.)

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

A comprehensive in a Leicestershire market town.