Recently resurfaced footage of Lily Savage, the drag persona of Paul O’Grady, has captured the performer tearing into “lad” culture.
The clip, taken from the BBC’s Lily Savage Show, has circulated online following the announcement of O’Grady’s death.
On Tuesday, March 28, O’Grady’s partner Andre Portasio shared that the For The Love of Dogs presenter had died “unexpectedly but peacefully”.
In the clip, Savage launches into a diatribe about “lads” saying, “It’s this new breed, isn’t it? Fellas now, they’re called ‘lads’.” She goes on to say, “I know what I’d call them…” eliciting cheers from the audience. She then refers to lads as “gobs******”.
The clip, which has been viewed over 1.5 million times on Twitter, is a stark reminder of the sharp social commentary that O’Grady was known for.
As Lily Savage, O’Grady rose to fame in the 1990s and became a household name in the UK for his brash, outspoken persona. The character of Savage was known for her quick wit, flamboyant dress sense and larger-than-life personality.
O’Grady was open about the fact that the character of Savage was based on his own experiences growing up in Liverpool.
In a 2014 interview with The Guardian, he said: “The Lily Savage character was based on a lot of people in my family. My mother and my aunties were all that type of woman. They all had that loud, brash exterior and were very funny.”
In his tribute to O’Grady, journalist Piers Morgan said: “RIP Paul ‘Lily Savage’ O’Grady, a brilliantly talented comedian and entertainer who brought great joy to many millions of people. He’ll be much missed.”
Others have also paid tribute to O’Grady’s contribution to British culture. UK TV presenter Lorraine Kelly tweeted: “Just heartbroken at the passing of Paul O’Grady – such a gifted performer who made me laugh so much. A true legend who will never be forgotten.”
Throughout his career, O’Grady was vocal about his distaste for lad culture and its associated behaviours.
In a 2013 interview with The Independent, he said: “I’m not fond of this lad culture. They’re all about getting drunk and being vulgar. When I grew up, you went out and you dressed up. It was a different culture.”
O’Grady’s passing has prompted an outpouring of emotion from fans and colleagues alike. However, it is clear that his legacy, both as himself and as Lily Savage, will continue to be celebrated for years to come.
