What's a "Hoople?"

[pamela]

I was talking to my Dad yesterday, who happened to have a very bad cold. He mentioned that he had been feeling chilly earlier and had put on a sweater and then walked out onto the front porch to get some fresh air and sunshine. Then he said "Of course, I probably looked like a hoople standing out there in the hot weather wearing a sweater."

So, does anyone know what a hoople is? I asked Dad but he just said "It's a guy who stands out in the hot weather wearing a sweater." (lol, that's such a typical response from my Dad, God love him.) I looked it up in the dictionary but it just said it was a town in North Dakota. I've also heard of "Mott the Hoople" from the REM song but that doesn't really tell me what exactly a hoople is.

Anyone know?

[Spinzonner]

1. Character from an old newspaper cartoon strip

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-hoo3.htm

Your dad must have been around for a while :-)

[pamela]

4. Thank you! That's been driving me crazy.

Sounds like it's short for "hooplehead."

"Hooplehead is not a common American slang term (most of the examples online have been taken from the series, which has probably given it more exposure than it has ever had before). It refers to a foolish, ridiculous or worthless person."

My Dad is 72-a very, young, healthy, kind and funny 72 year old. He is most definitely NOT a hoople or a hooplehead. It's a funny word though.

[Spinzonner]

6. Look at the dress of the characters in the cartoon at the link

He probably was being a little more narrow and sartorial in his reference.

[pamela]

9. Knowing my Dad...

he probably just likes the sound of the word. I kind of like it myself, actually. I think I'll make a "George Bush is a Hoople" sign for the DC rally.

[Spinzonner]

11. No, that's where HoopleHEAD definitely fits

[pamela]

13. Well, if you go to DC on the 24th...

and see a woman with a "George Bush is a Hooplehead!" sign, that will be me. I'll be sure to wear tie-dye so it will make the news. hehe

[pamela]

10. Oops, dupe. sorry.

[WCGreen]

14. I remember that strip....

And I'm only 47.....

It was around all the way into the mid 1960's

[Alexander]

2. Mott The Hoople was a 1970s band.

It was originally the title of a Willard Manus book. The band had one big hit (David Bowie's "All The Young Dudes"), and then went south as it was learned their road manager (and former lead singer) was essentially singing the song backstage during the concerts.

They dropped "The Hoople" after most of the band members bailed and became only "Mott" after that.

If any of that helps. Your pop may have been a fan or heard of them and the "hoople" part stuck in his head.

[pamela]

7. Thanks.

I knew I could count on the DUers to help me figure this out.

[ahem]

3. Mott the Hoople

[pamela]

5. Wow, I don't remember them at all.

That must be who REM is referring to in "Man on the Moon."

[ahem]

8. You've probably heard their

version of "All The Young Dudes" if nothing else, or some of Ian Hunter's solo stuff over the years (depending how old you are.)

[pnorman]

12. I too remember the Major well.

I used to enjoy seeing him in the funnies when I was a kid (during the Thirties). Googling him, I just discovered that he was also featured in those "Tijuana Comic Books", as we used to call them: http://www.thelooniverse.com/strips/tijuanabible/hoople/hoople.html

pnorman