why do they call tv the boob toob

Hello iamdakota-ga,

According to Merriam-Webster, "boob tube" dates from 1966, while
"boob" dates from 1909.

"5 entries found for boob"
Merriam-Webster
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=boob

"Boob tube" derives from "boob", which means a stupid person.  (So, in
other words, television is supposed to be stupid or stupefying.)

'Re: Origins of "boob tube"', posted by Ed Cray in <jhistory.96> (29
Mar 1996)
New York University
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/projects/jhistory/jhist.96/0246.html

"Mom, why do they call it a boob?" (November 24, 2000)
ToT [Tim O. Thompson]
http://timothompson.com/archive/2000_11_01_archive.htm

Merriam Webster also explains that "tube" by itself can refer to
television (or specifically to a television picture tube).

"33 entries found for tube"
Merriam-Webster
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=tube

I hope that this information is helpful.

- justaskscott-ga


Search terms used on Google:

"boob tube" slang
"boob tube" slang 1909
site:m-w.com boob
site:m-w.com tube