# Two phrases I'm confused about

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-phrases-im-confused-about/51816>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 26, 2001, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-phrases-im-confused-about/51816 "2001-01-26T03:39:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2001, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-phrases-im-confused-about/51816/1 "2001-01-26T03:39:04Z")

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Two particular phrases popped into my head while skating 2nd line defense at the local rink, of all places.

1. “The Clap”

Now, I understand this is a _generic_ reference to VD, but is it linked to a definitive disease?

1. “Keeping it Real”

What am I keeping, and why is it fake? What the hell does this mean? If I play a great game, am I keeping it real? If I eat a bowl of mashed potatoes, is it still real? Do I need to keep “it” or can I just take the real and leave “it” but the wayside?

Call me ignorant. I should know these at this point in my life. Help, before I tell someone to keep the clap real . . .  
Tripler  
As confused as a baby in a topless bar.

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**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2001, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-phrases-im-confused-about/51816/2 "2001-01-26T03:42:16Z")

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AFAIK, the clap refers to gonnorhea.

My dad used to teach sex ed to sailors. The way he explained it was, if you had to grab the overhead pipe while you pissed, you had urethritis. If you _bent_ the pipe while you pissed, you had the clap.

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**Author:** ![Eo\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Eo\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eo_Echo)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2001, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-phrases-im-confused-about/51816/3 "2001-01-26T03:44:22Z")

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Keeping it real means to not front. Don’t be fake. Don’t put on airs.

Don’t use no double negatives.