OK, I’ve been watching a lot of cartoons lately, and I keep on seeing the ol’ bit where a performer on-stage is not doing so hot, and a long cane comes from behind the curtains to yank him off. Is this simply a cartoon cliche like the anvil-on-the-head routine, or were vaudeville performers really yanked off-stage in this fashion if the audience had had enough?
I believe this really happened, sort of a pre-Gong Show instant review.
It’s where we get the expression “got the hook” referring to the removal of someone from their position, i.e. a non-winning college coach, or a non-performing starting quarterback.
It dates back to the days of Vaudville when shows often featured many short variety acts (comedy skits, jugglers, singers, --my Grandpa said trained poodle acts were inexplicably popular). The ones that went over well were invited back at the end of the show where the audience would vote via applause who was the best and deserving of some extra prize.
The acts that didn’t make the cut (booed by the audience I suppose) were in either “given the hook” as mentioned or chased off the stage by a clown with a broom.
Don’t you know a shepherd’s crook when you see one? They can be used to pull a bad comedian from the stage as they would be to retrieve an errant sheep. Though I’ve never had to hook sheep (I come from a long line of cattle ranchers. Shewwp! <pitooie!>) I’ve used a similar device to hook chickens by the leg.
http://www.harbornet.com/~gmacdonald/
I always hit post so soon. At any rate the crook used to be a familiar object to people. Using one to pull a baaad (I cannot friggin’ believe I typed that) off stage would make perfect sense.