Jolly Roger in Banjo-Tooie

Although never explicitly stated, Jolly Roger, a bartending frog who first appears in Banjo-Tooie, is very much coded as a campy, gay character. His speaking voice is high for a male character, and his mannerisms are flamboyant (both of which can be observed in this video). His dialogue also codes him as a potentially gay character, such as when he refers to Banjo as “big boy” or asks “How about my partner and I dropping by your room later for a nightcap?” (Jolly Roger, n.d.). His bar Jolly’s is also often read as a gay bar (see this post). He asks Banjo and Kazooie to rescue his partner Merry Maggie Malpass (it is unclear whether Merry is his business or romantic partner), who is read by some players as a trans woman or cross-dressing male character (see this post).

Jolly Roger, also appears in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts (2008) with the name Jolly Dodger, and is an unlockable playable character in the 2005 racing game Banjo-Pilot.

LGBTQ references in this game:

Jolly’s Bar

Jolly Roger

Merry Maggie Malpass

Citations: 

  1. Banjo-Tooie’s gay bar. Or ITT how we discuss video games hidden innuendo’s. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=455948
  2. Dickens, D. (2011, May 9). 16 LGBT Video Game Characters. Buzzfeed. http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/16-lgbt-video-game-characters#.vdAdd0LZE
  3. Hidden Messages in Banjo Tooie. (2003, September 11). IGN boards. Retrieved from http://www.ign.com/boards/threads/hidden-messages-in-banjo-tooie.45115265/
  4. JCANDRE2. (2013, March 22). Gay Representation in Banjo-Tooie. APA340. Retrieved from  https://apa340.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/gay-representation-in-banjo-tooie/
  5. JO ThumbsUpMaster. (2013, January 18). Rated E?- Banjo-Kazooie: Jolly. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JugHP3RhCd8
  6. Jolly Roger. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://banjokazooie.wikia.com/wiki/Jolly_Roger
  7. KNOWhomo. (2012, May 11). LGBTQ* Characters in Video Games- Jolly Roger. http://knowhomo.tumblr.com/post/22856833730
  8. LGBTQ representations in video games. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_themes_in_video_games
  9. Radar: Banjo-Kazooie. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Radar/BanjoKazooie?from=Radar.Banjo-Kazooie
  10. Some disgusting things in BT. (2006, July). Retrieved from http://www.neoseeker.com/forums/863/t724309-some-disgusting-things-in-bt/
  11. stopnswopon360. (2014, May 4). Some Banjo-Kazooie headcanons I have. Retrieved from http://stopnswopon360.tumblr.com/post/118125750630/some-banjo-kazooie-headcanons-i-have
  12. Woolley, E.M. (2014, May 8). Nintendo’s long history of gay antipathy erupts in ‘Tomodachi’ flap. The Globe and Mail. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/gaming/nintendos-long-history-of-gay-antipathy-erupts-in-tomodachi-flap/article18567702/
  13. Wow, Jolly Roger Lagoon is suggestive. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/196695-banjo-tooie/58672688