Buddy Cole in “Kids In The Hall”, CBC via YouTube

Buddy Cole is the Kids In The Hall queen, played to perfection by the delicious Scott Thompson, monologuing his way through life from his gay bar, “Buddy’s”, which he purchased with money saved during the brief time that he gave up smoking cigarettes. Buddy’s even has a slogan: “Buddy’s-you’re sitting in it!”

In case you are a kid, The Kids In The Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy troupe formed in 1984, with Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Thompson. Their television show ran from 1989 to 1995 on CBC in Canada, and on HBO and Comedy Central in the USA.

They made one film, Brain Candy (1996), and then did occasional tours for the next decade. They reunited for an eight-part miniseries, Death Comes To Town in 2010.

Buddy’s “thing” is going on long rants about his personal life and the LGBTQ community. He drops celebrity names, insinuating that he has many close friendships with the rich and famous, especially his deep personal relationship with Queen Elizabeth II (also played by Thompson).

Buddy would sometimes leave Buddie’s. In one episode, he becomes the substitute coach of a lesbian softball team, and on another, he accidentally kills a drag queen while on a bad acid trip, and on one he purchases his very own male slave in the 1950s.

Thompson describes Buddy as a “butch queen” and an “alpha fag”. While extremely effeminate, Buddy is also a force to be reckoned with. Thompson, who is openly gay, has been criticized by the PC police claiming that Buddy Cole is a homophobic stereotype. Thompson:

“The whole idea of Buddy Cole being considered a terrible stereotype and a terrible throwback is, I think, just tragic, I mean, most gay men are more Buddy than Sly Stallone.”

Buddy Cole even has his own book, Buddy Babylon: The Autobiography Of Buddy Cole (1998). I have an autographed copy.

“Kids In The Hall” via YouTube

The drinking, campy quipping, stories that may or may not be true, and his abhorrence of respectability in queer culture, all make Buddy Cole one of my true heroes. Of course, people are sick of campy jokes and it’s all been done before, but, that is Buddy Cole’s appeal.

Here’s some more wisdom from Buddy Cole:

“I believe in moderation…within reason!”

 

“Respectability is for five-star hotels, not people.”

 

“Now I may have been born yesterday, but I still went shopping.”

 

“An angry drag queen is scarier than a minotaur! “