Betty Boop & "boop-boop-a-doop"

[Barry A. Popik]

   This full-page ad is in the New York Post, Tuesday, 11 May 1999, pg. 75:

_Betty Boop_
_Stamps_
_Causes_
_Sense-_
_ation!!_

     Wonderful.  Now let's put that on a single line:
     "Betty Boop stamps causes senseation!!"
     William Safire gives awards for this--maybe he should name them the
Boopies.
     The stamps are being issued by the Post Office--of Chad.  It seems to be
located in Owings Mills, Maryland, in the offices of the International
Collectors Society.  The web address is www.icsNOW.com/icons/BETTYBOOP.html.
      Now, to etymology.  Did Betty Boop coin "boop-boop-a-doop?"
      B. B. began in the 1930s.  I noticed "boop-a-doop mama" and this in OUR
ARMY, October 1930, pg. 11:

      ...this Dolly Dimples is a boop-a-doop which is a jane what likes to
step.

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     I copied the Army slang as it was printed and can't offer an explanation
for what's there.  Some terms are in the RHHDAS and some are not.
     More items from that publication tomorrow.
     I'd like to look at the ARMY TIMES, NAVY TIMES, and AIR FORCE TIMES for
"gizmo" and others, but you can bring only so many items at a time from the
annex--and it takes a few days, also.