Around 1964, “Camp Records” began issuing gay novelty 45’s. They seemed to be aimed at gays with a sense of humor.
No doubt once used copies turned up in thrift shops, or got passed around via cassette dupes, straight listeners got a laugh, too. Maybe the laugh was more AT the simpering vocalists than WITH, but "light in the loafers" humor was always a part of the comedy world, from Edward Everett Horton and Joe Besser in movies, to stereotype depictions by Lenny Bruce and Jonathan Winters, to wink-wink guys like Charles Nelson Reilly and Paul Lynde and those who preferred to be considered "flamboyant" rather than outright gay (Rip Taylor).
The singles (and later two albums, “The Queen is in the Closet” and “Mad About the Boy”) were mostly sold via mail order in “body builder” gay interest magazines such as Vagabond, but probably had sales in some Greenwich Village and San Francisco record stores where a snickering clerk might slap one on the turntable for a trusted customer to try out.
The ten singles were given amusing serial numbers. “I’d Rather Fight Than Swish” by B. Bubba, was on Camp 2B1 (to be one), and “Homer the Happy Little Homo” by Byrd E. Bath was on Camp ICUR 1-2 (I see you are one, too!) “Leather Jacket Lovers” by Sandy Beech was on Camp TS2U (tough shit to you) and “Stanley the Manly Transvestite” by Rodney Dangerfield was on Camp 181 (one ate one).
Nobody knows who the singers behind the aliases were, but no, Rodney Dangerfield was not THE Rodney Dangerfield. The oddball name was invented decades earlier, perhaps by one of Jack Benny’s writers, who used it as a character name on a Benny radio show circa 1941. “Rodney Dangerfield” turned up as a character name here and there on radio, TV and in whiz bang jokes and yes, an adult novelty single. When Jacob Cohen was searching for a catchy new stage name (having had no respect or luck as “Jack Roy”) somebody suggested “Rodney Dangerfield.” Rodney had no idea of its history and gave it a try. As with Orson Bean (who had used a variety of other funny names, including Roger Duck), the audience was laughing just on the introduction.
The output from Camp Records is now available on CD, so the originals are only valuable to a small circle of vinyl junkies and collectors of gay memorabilia.
Collectors tend to be a sad, nutty bunch, especially the “I’ve got it YOU don’t” loners, who brag about what they have, but won’t even share a photo, and most certainly not make a copy of rare vinyl UNLESS it’s in trade for some rarity of equal value. Which leads to a mention of the Laurel & Hardy addicts. Back in the day, there were “tents” for “The Sons of the Desert,” a Stan Laurel-approved fan group organized by Orson Bean, Chuck McCann and others. 16mm prints would be screened at “banquets,” and the biggest “tent,” which was in New York, would bring in guest speakers who knew “the boys,” as well as vintage stars and entertainers such as Margaret Hamilton and Will Jordan. Sadly, in the Internet age, things have degenerated a bit, and that includes ridiculous Facebook groups where creeps dress up as “Stan and Babe.” You’ll find no shortage of jerks in bowler hats and badly-fitting suits standing in a basement loaded with worthless memorabilia such as ugly “big head” statues of “the boys” and other ceramic crackpot nonsense. The “I have it you don’t” mentality extends to shelves of inane books, and rows of the same movies in 8mm, VHS and DVD formats, etc.
They’ll share boring snapshots of L&H film locations then and “NOW!” (Yes, let’s all go stare at some modern building that replaced one that “the boys” used as the background for a pie fight or something). One idiot Facebook group is called “Deconstructing Laurel and Hardy” or something like that, and contains selfies on some of the most ridiculous losers on the planet. Their mantra is to insist that “the boys” were the greatest comedy team of all time “because they really loved each other.” Well, yes, if you notice how often they shared the same bed in some harmless 1930’s short, or were married to hideous harridans who ruled over them like angry mommies. But in real life, they steered clear of each other, as they’d spent enough time together during filming. As for “loving” each other, Ollie was bossy and officious, and Stan wasn’t averse to giving Ollie a poke in the eye.
One might argue that Abbott & Costello were a more believable team, since they got on each others’ nerves and were both clearly pissed off at a world where they had to live together because no women wanted anything to do with them. Which is generally the case with today’s surviving L&H fans, the obsessive ones who are so incredibly homely and clueless. Although not nearly as ridiculous as the 50 year-old virgin in the UK who runs a “museum” (a room in back of a memorabilia mall shop) for Phil Silvers.
Melding “Stanley the Manly Transvestite” and Laurel & Hardy’s infamously fey dance from “Way out West” AND a few crossdressing film moments, you have, for viewing or downloading, the artfully done item below:
STANLEY THE MANLEY TRANSVESTITE 3 Minute VIDEO - mega downloadOR the rather dodgy ZIPPY https://www6.zippyshare.com/v/IGmL79GF/file.html 
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