Peanut gallery

[Francois]

Originally Posted by Some guy on some forum

It was difficult to convince him as I was getting pelted by potato(e)s and tomatos from the peanut gallery.

What's that peanut gallery stuff? I googled a bit and found some kind of kid show, but was it famous for flying veggies?
BTW the sentence is figurative...

FRC

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Francois

What's that peanut gallery stuff? I googled a bit and found some kind of kid show, but was it famous for flying veggies?
BTW the sentence is figurative...

FRC

In the olden days , movie theatres sold peanuts, and they also had balconies. If the people watching the movie didn't like a particular scene or even if they liked the scene, they'd throw peanuts, which, if thrown from the balcony, would land on the people seated below.

Originally Posted by Francois

What's that peanut gallery stuff? I googled a bit and found some kind of kid show, but was it famous for flying veggies?
BTW the sentence is figurative...

FRC

Peanut gallery can mean a few things:

child audience or ignorant spectators who can indeed start throwing things around and get really noisy ( just like Cassy explained).


We usually use that term ( in Canada at least) when we talk about the cheapest seats at the hockey arena ( or any other arena for that matter) - the uppermost area where you can't really see too much. We call those peanut gallery seats or a "nose bleed" section.

Also, the peanut gallery term is oftentimes used to signify an unimportant opinion:

ex.

-Mom, it's not my fault I have a "C" in social studies again! This teacher is a real goof! He reads everything from a book, never jokes, never smiles and has a bad breath.
-I see, another peanut gallery opinion when you know you might not pass....hmmmm

[Tdol]

I've never heard this in the UK- maybe we throw other things.

[Francois]

OK, thank you for your answers.

FRC

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Francois

OK, thank you for your answers.

FRC

You're welcome. Natalie's additions are fab!

[shane]

Originally Posted by tdol

I've never heard this in the UK- maybe we throw other things.

Like toilet rolls, at football matches.

[blacknomi]

Am I late?

1. Late 19C, the top gallery, the 'gods' in a theatre.
2. Late 19C, ignorant, vociferous spectaculors.
3. 1940+, the front rowof the stalls in a cinema (the comsumption of peanuts by the occupants of these seats)

Source is from: Cassell's Dictionary of Slang by Jonathon Green

Originally Posted by Casiopea

You're welcome. Natalie's additions are fab!

Thank you, Cassy!

The figurative meaning is that of a person of small stature, who makes a lot of noise but isn't much of a threat... in other words, a big yapper and a loudmouth.

OK. so much from the peanut gallery, then