# What exactly IS the Boogie Man? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 26, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973 "2013-03-26T01:05:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973/21 "2013-03-26T22:31:53Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > Some say. Just asking questions? :dubious: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Vashbul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Vashbul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vashbul)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973/22 "2013-03-27T07:33:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Eyes the size of the kind of saucer that’s 8 inches across? [This](http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv319/ashbul/pipkins_zps2fed57e1.jpg) is a general approximation. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973/23 "2013-03-27T08:27:06Z")
I think the whole concept would lose power if you ever actually could and did answer the OP’s question. The nebulousness of the concept is why it works. All you need to know is that the bogey man is very, very bad and horrible and scary. ---
**Author:** ![sidecar\_jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@sidecar\_jon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidecar_jon)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973/24 "2013-03-27T15:55:44Z")
Another interpretation told to me was it was originally “the Bonney man” meaning literally Napolian Bonaparte, used as a threat to children. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973/25 "2013-03-27T16:48:46Z")
Meet [Fungus the bogeyman](http://www.filmclub.org/assets/images/filmworld/slides/5/207-filmworld-fungus-the-bogeyman-reviewed-by-rory-5-1.jpg)! ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973/26 "2013-03-27T16:48:59Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > [Boogie Man, the Real One](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ee3C2m3OXE#t=0m25s) Nah - he’s [this guy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u746WqH0jCM): “He’s got supernatural rhythym, ten fingers on every hand, one big ear for music, known as the Boogie Man!” ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973/27 "2013-03-27T17:10:13Z")
I assumed at some point, once I’d become familiar with the mostly-Brit verb “to bugger”, that it had something to do with that. Buggery. You’ll get raped in the ass by depraved “bugger men” if you go out there in the dark etc. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973/28 "2013-03-27T17:13:46Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Eyes the size of the kind of saucer that’s 8 inches across? Pratchett quote? ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973/29 "2013-03-27T17:45:42Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > \*\*What exactly IS the Boogie Man? > \*\* > > More importantly, _ **where** _ exactly is he? That’s all I need to know. Need answer fast? ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973/30 "2013-03-27T17:54:08Z")
Oops, too late. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973/31 "2013-03-27T18:34:40Z")
Keyser Söze is real tho, right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-boogie-man/653973.md?page=1)