# British dopers - This 'Rainbow' episode real? (talk about sexual innuendo) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2004, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352 "2004-05-09T22:23:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/1 "2004-05-09T22:23:41Z")
Please tell me this was a joke episode for adults that didn’t get aired in the children’s time slot? [http://www.keenaschips.co.uk/index.php?page=articles/misc\_rainbow](http://www.keenaschips.co.uk/index.php?page=articles/misc_rainbow) ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/2 "2004-05-09T22:46:06Z")
It didn’t get aired. I heard the writers got the sack after that, although most of the stuff around it is bordering on urban legend. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/3 "2004-05-09T22:46:23Z")
My guess - it was a spoof show that was genuinely filmed, but never aired. There’s a very mundane reason for this: the clip’s far too short to be a broadcast programme. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/4 "2004-05-09T23:39:48Z")
There used to be a great tradition among BBC employees of making christmas compilation tapes, which were then distributed through the industry grapevine. They were mostly made of out-takes but also included a few purpose made spoofs such as this. It is a tribute to the high regard these tapes were held in that an ITV programme made a spoof for a BBC joke. This particular clip was on the same tape as Sue Lawley (a sober news reporter for those not familiar) issuing the most filthy tirade of bad language imaginable - bliss!! Sadly these tapes are no longer made because of the popularity of out-take shows and the re-structuring of the BBC into internal markets. Suitable clips are now a valuable commodity and so jealously guarded. If you get the opportunity do watch one of these tapes. They are hilarious and much better than the broadcast bloopers. ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/5 "2004-05-09T23:46:56Z")
Thanks for that guys. What about that programme with ‘Seaman Stains’ and a few others - do you have any more information about that? Was that a spoof too? ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/6 "2004-05-09T23:52:37Z")
See what [snopes](http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/pugwash.htm) said. ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/7 "2004-05-09T23:56:12Z")
> [@MelCthefirst](#): > > Thanks for that guys. > What about that programme with ‘Seaman Stains’ and a few others - do you have any more information about that? Was that a spoof too? You talk of Captain Pugwash, one of his crew Seaman Stains and Roger the Cabin Boy. This is real. They appeared to be cutouts with real mouth superimposed in the right place. Very surreal. I used to watch it as a kid. Many, many moons ago. ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2004, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/8 "2004-05-09T23:59:02Z")
Interestingly that image on the snopes page is NOT the same image that I recall from the original show. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/9 "2004-05-10T09:49:45Z")
> [@Caught@Work](#): > > Interestingly that image on the snopes page is NOT the same image that I recall from the original show. It’s still Pugwash though. The picture on the page looks to me like it comes from his earlier incarnation as a comic strip, when he did look a little more seedy. The artwork and character designs were tidied up a little for the TV series (probably to make them more appealing, but I imagine that much of the artwork was done by animators, rather than John Ryan himself). Click on the link at the bottom of that snopes page for an image from the TV series. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/10 "2004-05-10T11:51:58Z")
> [@Caught@Work](#): > > You talk of Captain Pugwash, one of his crew Seaman Stains and Roger the Cabin Boy. > This is real. No, it’s not. It’s a myth. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/11 "2004-05-10T12:04:20Z")
> [@Futile Gesture](#): > > No, it’s not. It’s a myth. I’m backing up \*_Futile_ the rude names In Captain Pugwash are an Urban Legend. [Verdict: False](http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/pugwash.htm) ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/12 "2004-05-10T14:03:40Z")
Agree - all UL’s - apart from the name \*\*\*Pugwash \* \*\* oddly enough. I am assured by a rapantly homosexual Brighton resident acquaitance that pugwash is UK gay slang for a male on male blow-job. Now this could be wrong, or the slang could have followed the TV show which after all is very old now but thought I would share for what it is worth… Any comments? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/13 "2004-05-10T14:20:07Z")
I believe the slang term _pugwash_ did arise after the show, possibly as a result of the (common misconception of) sexual innuendo in it. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/14 "2004-05-10T14:35:22Z")
The consensus via Google confirms the quote in Snopes, that ‘pugwash’ meaning (not necessarily gay) oral sex is of Australian origin. ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-dopers-this-rainbow-episode-real-talk-about-sexual-innuendo/244352/15 "2004-05-10T20:37:13Z")
I feel so enlightened - SDMB achieving its goals.