The Straight Dope: What’s the deal with Japanese tentacle porn?

[Send questions for Cecil Adams: cecil@straightdope.com](mailto:cecil@straightdope.com) FOLLOW CECIL ADAMS ON [TWITTER]( AND [FACEBOOK](! [dope_101119_tentacles.gif] THREADSPOTTING: THE BEST OF THE STRAIGHT DOPE MESSAGE BOARD — 09/27/2019 It's a colloquium on "dumpster fire." Flame on! [Click here]( for more. STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC #1 — 011/19/2010 Dear Cecil: Sorry if this question is too graphic, but I'm baffled by Japanese tentacle porn. Why are there so many rapist octopuses living in the Land of the Rising Sun? — Michael Cecil replies: Don’t be such a wuss, Michael. Have you looked at much tentacle porn? If you can get past the gang rape and violent death aspects, it’s actually kind of cute. More on that below. In any case, tentacle porn is hardly Japan’s only out-there erotic category … [Click here]( for more. STRAIGHT DOPE STAFF REPORT — 07/27/1999 Dear Straight Dope: I pride myself on my knowledge of word and expression origins — after all, I have acquired most of it from reading your columns/books for over five years. But recently I was stumped, and even after consulting my Straight Dope Reference Library, I still had no answers. Pray, could you search your reference library (AKA gray matter) and tell me — what is the origin of "bated breath"? I, and many of my associates, had mistakenly thought it was "baited." As a confessed member of the teeming millions, I can do nothing but embrace my ignorance, and turn to you for guidance. — Leslie in Wilmington, DE SDStaff Terey replies What, Leslie, you thought maybe people were chewing on worms? If your extensive research had involved a dictionary, you would have easily found the word “bate,” meaning … [Click here]( for more. STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC #2 — 01/30/1981 Dear Cecil: Why do men keep the bottom button of their vests unbuttoned? I asked a male companion and he said, "just in case." Just in case what?. — Sylvia D., Oak Park, Illinois Cecil replies: Who knows? Maybe he figures he’ll save time if he needs an emergency appendectomy. Guys don’t think too clearly when it comes to the crotch region. [Click here]( for more. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [View this message as a webpage](. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. To advertise on The Straight Dope, contact Rich Hummel at rhummel@suntimes.com [Privacy Policy/Terms of Use]( • [Unsubscribe]( © 2019 Straight Dope, LLC. 30 N Racine Ave. Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60607