[PW] Re: Fuzzy wuzzy - a lovely, warm emotion

[Carol Guerriero]

Not only do I remember the "fuzzy wuzzy" poem, but as a child there was
"Fuzzy Wuzzy" soap -- a bear shaped bar of soap that got fuzzy and had a
small surprize inside, and this would be late 60s/early 70s.  One of my
favorite stocking stuffers for several years!

I just Googled it and apparently there are still versions of it available.
(And as far as "fuuzy wuzzy" being a derogatory term, I've never heard
that.


Carol Guerriero
Livonia Civic Center Library
32777 Five Mile Road
Livonia, Michigan 48154
(734)466-2485
cmg at livonia.lib.mi.us

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Russell Hamilton wrote:
> Hello W0mbats,
>
> I used the descriptor fuzzy wuzzies today in a blog comment, and only
> afterwards thought to check its political correct-ness. The standard
> Australian dictionary - the Macquarie - says it's derogatory. The Oxford
> just says it's slang. To me, hearing stories about 'fuzzy wuzzy angels'
> when
> I was at school, it was always an affectionate term for Melanesians. But
> maybe it's suffered the same fate as golliwogs.
>
> What I want to ask w0mbats is: does anyone remember (in the 70's?) when
> fuzzy wuzzy became a popular way to describe a nice warm, emotional state
> -
> I can remember my little nieces asking "Give me a fuzzy wuzzy" which meant
> a
> big hug - I always assumed this came from Sesame Street or some program
> they
> watched. I can find people on the 'net using fuzzy wuzzy in this sense -
> but
> I don't have any dictionary that describes this usage.
>
> BTW what is it called when people take a word like fuzzy and then add a
> similar sounding word like wuzzy as a kind of intensifier?
>
> Regards,
> Russell Hamilton
> Perth, Western Australia
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