The glizzy hot dog has a rich history that's worth exploring. The term "glizzy" is believed to have originated in the Washington D.C. area, specifically in the city's African American Vernacular English.
In the early 20th century, hot dogs were a popular street food in the United States, but they weren't always known by their current name. The first written reference to the term "hot dog" was in 1893, at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
The glizzy hot dog's popularity in the D.C. area can be attributed to the city's vibrant street food culture, which has been shaped by its diverse immigrant communities.
Consider reading: Dog Food
The Hot Dog's History
Sausage has been around for a long time, dating back to the 9th Century B.C. as mentioned in Homer's Odyssey.
The frankfurter, a type of sausage, was said to have been developed in Frankfurt, Germany in 1487, five years before Christopher Columbus set sail for the new world.
However, some claim that the frankfurter was actually created in Coburg, Germany in the late 1600s by Johann Georghehner, a butcher.
A German immigrant is said to have sold dachshund sausages with milk rolls and sauerkraut from a push cart in New York City's Bowery during the 1860s.
Charles Feltman, a German baker, opened the first Coney Island hot dog stand in 1871 and sold 3,684 dachshund sausages in a milk roll during his first year in business.
The term "hot dog" is also shrouded in mystery, with some attributing its origin to a 1901 cartoon at the New York Polo Grounds.
However, culinary historians point to college magazines from the 1890s, where the term "hot dog" began appearing, likely as a sarcastic comment on the provenance of the meat.
The name "hot dog" is linked to German immigrants and their small, long, thin dogs, as well as the German term for frankfurter, "little-dog" or "dachshund" sausage.
Glizzy Slang and Culture
Glizzy is a slang term that originated in the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia) area, where hot dogs are affectionately referred to as glizzies.
In the DMV, glizzy culture has become a significant part of the local identity. The term has been widely adopted by locals and has even made its way into mainstream media.
When Did 'Glizzy' Become Slang?
The term "glizzy" has a fascinating history. It's believed to have originated from YouTuber Azel Prather, who used it to refer to a hot dog in late 2016.
Azel Prather, a DC rapper, is best known for his 2014 hit "Awesome." He's also famous for his love of hot dogs, which earned him the nickname Glizzy Gladiator.
The term gained more traction in 2019, when Twitter user @vashti_adena further cemented the connection between "glizzy" and hot dogs.
Glizzy Overdrive Meme
The Glizzy Overdrive Meme took the internet by storm in August 2023, thanks to TikToker Jason Reborn.
It started with a viral TikTok Live where Reborn's character, the Glizzbot, declared his intention to enter "glizzy overdrive" after consuming 100 "hot dogs".
The original post is gone, but we can imagine the scene: Reborn pretending to eat hot dogs in quick succession, accompanied by suggestive poses.
This was the catalyst for the meme's spread, which Everything Out of Context helped fuel by posting it on Twitter.
Reborn's "glizzy overdrive" clips soon followed, further igniting the wildfire that was the Glizzy Overdrive Meme.
Sources
- Hot Dog History | NHDSC (hot-dog.org)
- http://awesomehotdogs.com (awesomehotdogs.com)
- Why is a hot dog called a glizzy? (dailydot.com)
- Glizzy TikTok: Where Did The Glizzy Meme Start And ... (junkee.com)
- What is a glizzy? The internet's obsession with hot dogs (screenshot-media.com)
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