# Demolition Man...3 Shells

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demolition-man-3-shells/49873>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 13, 2001, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demolition-man-3-shells/49873 "2001-01-13T17:56:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![erics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d9b06d/32.png) [@erics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erics)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2001, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demolition-man-3-shells/49873/1 "2001-01-13T17:56:29Z")

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What was the deal with the 3 Sea Shells for cleaning ones popo? How does it work? Why aren’t we using them now?

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demolition-man-3-shells/49873/2 "2001-01-14T03:04:53Z")

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Um, I don’t have a popo, so I dunno. 😕

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**Author:** ![erics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d9b06d/32.png) [@erics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erics)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demolition-man-3-shells/49873/3 "2001-01-14T03:07:06Z")

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POPO = poopie hole

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**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demolition-man-3-shells/49873/4 "2001-01-14T03:09:32Z")

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Apparently, the “shells” had something to do with cleaning your bottom after using the restroom, as a replacement for toilet paper. But what exactly was deliberately never explained, as a joke.

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**Author:** ![warmgun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecccb3/32.png) [@warmgun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/warmgun)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demolition-man-3-shells/49873/5 "2001-01-14T09:09:30Z")

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Then why not : po-ho ?

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**Author:** ![JCL1013](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@JCL1013](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCL1013)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demolition-man-3-shells/49873/6 "2001-01-14T16:36:29Z")

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In response to why the term is not po-ho:

The reason po-ho should not have been used in the stead of popo is for the simple reason that popo is the correct term. It just happens to be the appropriate term when the language you speak is German. It literally translates to butt.

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**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2001, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/demolition-man-3-shells/49873/7 "2001-01-14T18:41:44Z")

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Besides, a po-ho is an impoverished prostitute.

😃