The Dog's Bollocks

So, back story, I'm on the phone today for work with a UK client and we're discussing an advert that ScreenPlay's going to run as part of the British Video Association Awards. It's a joint ad highlighting both companies.

Anyways, I ask him his thoughts, and he says it's "the dog's bollocks". I pause... thinking to myself, um, is that good or bad? what the hell does that mean? Knowing I'm a Yank and we're always friendly and joking, he says that when a Brit describes something as "the dog's bollocks", it's a good thing... maybe similar to the "bees knees".

Here's a little background I found from phrases.co.uk -

"Meaning:
Excellent - the absolute apex. In other contexts the word bollocks (meaning testicles) has a negative connotation. For example:

- 'that's bollocks' -> 'that's rubbish'
- 'give him a bollocking' -> 'chastise him'
- 'He dropped a bollock' -> 'he made a mistake'

The reasons why the 'dog's bollocks' are considered to be the top of the tree aren't clear. It may be linked to an associated phrase - 'stand out like a dog's balls', i.e. 'outstanding', although I can find no evidence to indicate that phrase as being earlier than the 'dog's bollocks'. Dogs do enjoy licking their genitals of course but again, there's no evidence that links the coining of this phrase to that. It is most likely that this is just a nonsense phrase, coined because it sounds good. In that, it would join a long list of earlier nonsense phrases, e.g. 'the cat's pyjamas', 'the bees knees', etc."

There you have it... ok, maybe a little more info would be fun from Wikipedia:

"A usage with a positive (albeit still vulgar) sense is "the dog's bollocks".^[17] An example of this usage is: "Before Tony Blair's speech, a chap near me growled: ‘'E thinks 'e's the dog's bollocks’. Well, he's entitled to. It was a commanding speech: a real dog's bollocks of an oration".^[18] Sometimes the phrase is shortened to just "the dog's" or "the bollocks" (see below). There are also several broadly synonymous substitute phrases that are sometimes used for humorous effect, including "the mutt's nuts", "the dog's danglies", "the badger's nadgers" etc.

This phrase has found its way into popular culture in a number of ways. There is a beer brewed in England by the Wychwood Brewery called the "Dog's Bollocks",^[22] as well as a lager cocktail.^[23] There is an Australian political blog called The Dogs Bollocks, with the motto 'Truth is like a dog’s bollocks - pretty obvious if you care to look – but most of us prefer to avert our gaze, or have them permanently removed'. In a derivative word-play, fans of Chelsea F.C. are known to refer to players Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba as "The Drog's Ballacks"."

I laughed and told him I'd keep that one in my back pocket for the right time. I'm giddy to use it.

- Chris