Paul O’Grady’s Savage quip to police as they raided the Vauxhall Tavern in 1987
As Lily Savage, Paul O’Grady performed regularly in 1980s London
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Your support makes all the difference.After news of the death of Paul O’Grady, fans have been looking back at some of the presenter’s most memorable moments.
O’Grady, who died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday (28 March), was known for his humorous nature when hosting, as well as his long-time love and appreciation of dogs.
You can read the latest updates and tributes here.
Another major part of O’Grady’s legacy is his career as his drag persona, Lily Savage.
O’Grady performed as Savage in the 1980s and 1990s, and had an eight-year residency at London’s Royal Vauxhall Tavern.
In 2021, O’Grady reflected on a time when police officers raided the venue, which remains a popular social spot for the LGBT+ community.
“It was 34 years ago when the cops raided the Vauxhall,” he commented on an Instagram post from the pub.
“I was doing the late show and within seconds the place was heaving with coppers, all wearing rubber gloves. I remember saying something like, ‘Well well, it looks like we’ve got help with the washing up.’”
As this took place in 1987, during the height of the HIV and Aids crisis, officers wore gloves as a way to avoid touching those they were arresting, due to ignorance at the time over how the virus was transmitted.
“They made many arrests but we were a stoic lot and it was business as usual the next night,” O’Grady continued his comment.
“I was in quite a few police raids all over the country at the time. I was beginning to think it was me – in fact the South London Press in an extremely homophobic article called Lily ‘a lascivious act’ which I was very proud of.”
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The Royal Vauxhall Tavern had been raided once before during that winter. Though many saw this as the police’s attempt to intimidate the LGBTQ+ community, the official reason for the raids was due to “customers being drunk on licensed premises”.
Activist Peter Tachell spoke about the incident as part of a tribute to O’Grady on Good Morning Britain.
“Back in the 1980s and beyond, the police were targeting the LGBT community. It was pure homophobia,” he said of the police raids.
“Paul was there, about to go on stage, and he told the tale that he was in his dressing room, and a policeman burst in. And his first instinct was that they were strippers, part of the show.”
Paul O’Grady is survived by his partner, Andre Portasio.
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