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Shock news today that the great Paul O’Grady has died aged just 67.
The comedian and presenter’s husband, Andre Portasio, confirmed in a statement that O’Grady died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday evening.
His death prompted no end of tributes on Twitter, including this thread about the night O’Grady – performing as Lily Savage – was arrested in full drag by police while performing at the legendary Royal Vauxhall Tavern pub in London.
It was back in 1987 at the height of the AIDS crisis and was widely perceived as an attempt by police to intimidate the LGBTQ+ community.
1.
1987. The Met Police are waging an intimidation campaign against London’s gay community.
Wearing rubber gloves to “protect from AIDS” they raid the Royal Vauxhall Tavern
“Well well,” says Lily Savage (Paul O’Grady) on stage. “It looks like we’ve got help with the washing up” /1
— John Bull (@garius) March 29, 2023
2.
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.
— John Bull (@garius) March 29, 2023
3.
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.
— John Bull (@garius) March 29, 2023
4.
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 another way to think.
— John Bull (@garius) March 29, 2023
5.
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.
— John Bull (@garius) March 29, 2023
6.
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.
— John Bull (@garius) March 29, 2023
7.
(As a personal sidebar, I’d been looking into Paul’s life a fair bit recently as he was on my list of potential chapters for a future book project. He would have been the only living person covered. No more.
My heart breaks for his husband.
)
— John Bull (@garius) March 29, 2023
8.
ADDENDUM:
Wonderful interview with him here. https://t.co/jtzwlY1YhP
— John Bull (@garius) March 29, 2023
9.
And if you’ve never seen Lily Savage in full, sweary flight, then here’s six minutes of joy. https://t.co/19MRVJKeT7
— John Bull (@garius) March 29, 2023
Here’s how Paul himself remembered the night a couple of years back on Instagram, shared by @mrnicklevine on Twitter.
And the front page news story that followed it back in the day.
35 years ago at the height of the AIDS crisis, 35 policemen raided The RVT wearing rubber gloves.
Lily Savage was on stage at the time, and she said: ‘Well well, it looks like we’ve got help with the washing up.’ pic.twitter.com/olWTfMIUX7
— Royal Vauxhall Tavern (@thervt) January 31, 2022
Here are just a few of the things people were saying about it on Wednesday.
Thread about the effect Paul O’Grady had on our 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 another way to think.” https://t.co/4pfNECTRUo
— Samuel West 💙💛 (@exitthelemming) March 29, 2023
An absolute star. So much more subversive and ground breaking than his cuddly TV persona. A massive loss xx
— Dragon Fruit Film (@DragonFruitFilm) March 29, 2023
John is spot on here.
My own parents thought Lily Savage was hilarious- and on their shelves were the videos of Roy Chubby Brown.
Lily helped mainstream a whole part of society that just didn’t get the chance https://t.co/5ZhEUAnVxO— Disappointed Optimist (@disappoptimism) March 29, 2023
Well I had no clue where this was going and suddenly i am in tears.
— NotTheSwiss (@NotTheSwiss) March 29, 2023
A wonderful story about a wonderful entertainer. Very sad to hear Paul O’Grady has passed away far too young. Will be missed by many. https://t.co/894TXKdNej
— LancashireandBeyond (@LancsandBeyond) March 29, 2023
He was fantastic. A genuinely good man who’s love of dogs was right up there with his genius as Lily Savage. He was proper drag. I still use “Birmingham breakfast” coined from him in the 90s.
He was a gem. The LGB have lost an icon.— Radpublica (@radpublica) March 29, 2023
The story of a legend being a legend. https://t.co/jWInwFnvra
— Bryony Morgan (@kittymoran) March 29, 2023
RIP Paul O’Grady.
Source Twitter @garius
The post This tale of Lily Savage’s response to a police raid is a fabulous and important read appeared first on The Poke.
