Talk:Speakeasy

message: FYI I am in the process of making edits to this page for an English assignment. We may not all agree on what I edit in, but I am doing it with the purpose of learning and advancing my thought process in how to use Wikipedia for an academic purpose. I will only be on this article for two more weeks; at which point I welcome you to undo all of my updates if you feel they are not proper to the criteria. Until then would it be possible to leave the page as it stands until April 15th and then I will be done with my assignment. Thanks!!! Alley 18:32, 1 April 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: According to the History Channel, it comes from the manner in which patrons ordered - the bartender would tell them to be quiet and 'speak easy'.  I added this to the article. Tkessler 18:47, Apr 13, 2005 (UTC)
Can anybody provide source information for this line of the article: "Some discreet venues called smoke-easies have popped up in states such as New York, California, and Massachusetts where smoking marijuana in bars and clubs is prohibited." I live in Boston, MA and this is news to me.
I'd always heard it came from the fact that because anyone in such an establishment was de facto breaking the law already, gangsters and whatnot could "speak easy" about business without worrying about who overheard them. Anyone know if there's any truth to that? Mule Man 18:09, 25 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: miscellaneous comments

message: Am I right in saying that a speakeasy was often masked behind a legitimate business, especially during prohibition, in order to lower the chances of their being raided?
If so, the article makes little mention of it.
I could, of course, be entirely wrong. Ollieha 17:44, 21 June 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: No, I think you're right about that. Chavila 20:46, 21 June 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Does anyone have any references, for this then? Or shall I add it anyway? Ollieha 22:00, 21 June 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: this article seems to include a bias against Jazz, implies that Jazz music simply came from prohibition.  clearly, Jazz stands on it's own.  not a user  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.252.110.34 (talk) 18:05, 10 May 2008 (UTC)

text: I disagree about removing the article.  The writing could be improved by saying speakeasies made jazz flourish.  The competition between each "joint" promoted the hiring of big bands.  Dress styles were changing, but not because of speakeasies.  It was mostly due to college students changing their appearance with fur coats and short skirts.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.219.55.126 (talk) 13:52, 8 August 2008 (UTC)

text: This article is clearly pure knowledge and reinterpretation. It speaks of what was, so it should sound like it was written by a religious zhelott. I happen to be an 8th grader with a brain of a college professor. I am agreeing on not removing the article. <3kayla t.:)  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 165.234.104.12 (talk) 19:04, 3 December 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Article misleading?

message: Should the parenthesis type citations be replaced by wiki-style citations?
--SonicEarth (talk) 02:50, 12 May 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Citations 

message: This term "corruption" doesn't bother me at all here. If we use the laws of the land at the time, then indeed the speakeasies were corrupting the public by providing easy access to alcohol and not respecting the law. This doesn't equate to the moral definition of corruption, but the legal realities during the prohibition period. 
There's a lot of talk about 'corruption' in this article...it's loaded language.  I think a lot of that language should be removed. Niten (talk) 02:12, 19 May 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Corruption? 

message: Oppose merger with speakeasy.
1990's use of the term "blind pig" in Detroit referred to an establishment that illegally sold liquor after the official closing time. (An after hours club) It is not the same as a speakeasy, which is an illegal liquor selling establishment, usually during Prohibition. Pustelnik (talk) 01:49, 5 August 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Blind Pig

message: I have added significant information to a new sub-section heading Temperance Movement. Hopefully this gives the article more depth. Malissa875 (talk) 17:49, 1 April 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: No objections here.  Madman (talk) 14:30, 13 September 2008 (UTC)

text: At least needs a POV tag. So I added one. Woodega (talk) 19:13, 27 November 2008 (UTC)

text: I agree with the suggested removal. 208.85.2.68 (talk) 19:22, 9 December 2008 (UTC)

text: Another yes vote for deleting the "public reception" section. Totally POV, no supporting factual basis. Steve Hyland (talk) 06:05, 30 January 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Massive editing needed 

message: I have copied and pasted the information from Blind pig into this article and tweaked it up some.  I know it is not as good as it can be; it still needs a good bit of work.  I redirectid Blind pig to Speakeasy#Blind pigs.  If anyone objects, please feel free to undo my edits and let me know.  Thanks. --Andrew Kelly (talk) 09:25, 31 October 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Merged 

message: Suggestions on additional content:
* Gambling: Gambling had been very prevelant throughout the U.S. from colonial times through the 19th century (this was in fact one issue that led to the American Revolution). There was a "prohibition" on gambling that went into effect nationwide in the early 20th century before the prohibition on alcohol went into effect (the gambling prohibition was local in contrast to the alcohol prohibition). Gambling and alcohol during Prohibition often went hand-in-hand. That is, speakeasies were often casinos and vice versa. This seems worth bringing out in the article.
* Locations: The speakeasy culture was not uniform across the U.S. Whereas in some areas law enforcement was so tight that only informal mom-and-pop shops could operate, in other areas the speakeasies were big elaborate establishments as described in the article. It seems worthwhile to add a section discussing where the big speakeasy cultures were (i.e. where were the big drinking centers).
* Law enforcement: Although it is touched on in the article, it seems more could be said about the relationship between lax law enforcement and the success of speakeasy's (e.g. talking about specific notorious cases of whole police forces were on the payroll of particular mob figures allowing the speakeasies to operate).
--Mcorazao (talk) 19:50, 14 October 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Suggestion: Locations 

message: So if a news article today talks about a speakeasy (like this article) that is operating today, what exactly are they refering to? A "bar" without a liquor license? --Mûĸĸâĸûĸâĸû 02:05, 9 November 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I think some people, especially the young, use the term "speakeasy" because they do not know the terms "blind pig and "blind tiger."  These terms have fallen into disuse in recent decades, though they are still cited in both Webster's 3rd and NOAD2. IMO, "speakeasy" should be restricted to illegal bars that operated during Prohibition. Wahrmund (talk) 22:20, 3 December 2009 (UTC)

text: I don't know about today, but after Repeal, many speakeasies continued operations without a liquor license; they continued to be called "speakeasies".  BMJ-pdx (talk) 16:07, 4 October 2019 (UTC)
thread_title:  Today's speakeasys 

message: Is it pronounced "speak-easy" or "speak-a-see"? 82.11.171.72 (talk) 19:48, 11 December 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: It's "speak-easy".Wahrmund (talk) 22:22, 11 December 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Pronunciation 

message: I removed the following list from the Locations section. Wikipedia is not a list of links or an advertising brochure. Where there is a wikipedia article for the listed speakeasies (i.e. they meetwikipedia notability guidelines) then we should include a wikilink but we should not be linking directly to external websites in this manner.
* Bill's Gay Nineties
* Burwood Tap
* Butch McGuires
* Café du Nord
* Club Lucky
* Club Napoleon
* Cotton Club
* Durkins
* El Morocco
* Emmits
* Fanelli Cafe
* Genesius Theatre
* Glascotts Saloon
* Green Door Tavern
* Green Mill Cocktail Lounge
* Halligan Bar
* Hangge Uppe
* House of Shields Saloon
* Jake's Pub
* John Barleycorn Memorial Pub
* Julius'
* Longhorn Caverns
* Lottie's Pub and Grill
* Marge's Still
* O'Donovan's
* Paramount Room
* Patterson House
* Simon's Tavern
* The 21 Club
* The Back Room
* Twin Anchors
Polyamorph (talk) 19:08, 29 September 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Locations 

message: I recently edited Speakeasy_(disambiguation) to add the door feature and I couldn't help but think Speakeasies very likely might benefit from a speakeasy in their door that they could open and ask the 'password', &c.  So what came first: the saloon or the peephole/speak hole door?  I did quick superficial online research and found no sources about this subject. --IP_edits (talk) 23:00, 20 September 2016 (UTC)
thread_title:  Etymology 

message: I once heard a 64-dollar word (French, perhaps) for the peephole in a speakeasy door, but can't remember what it was.  Does anyone know it? It would make a colorful addition.
BMJ-pdx (talk) 15:56, 4 October 2019 (UTC)
thread_title:  Term for the peephole?