-ola, sfx — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

-ola sfx

[the original use is in pianola (1901), although in that context it worked as a diminutive. It was greatly popularized in the payola scandals in the US pop music industry during the late 1950s, although payola itself had been a recognized part of the business for 20 years]

(US) combined with a n. and used as an intensifier of that n., e.g. boffola n.; cashola n.; crackola n.; drugola n.; hopola n.; noisola n.; payola n.; schnozzola n.; stackola n.; latterly also used of adjs.

see Amer. Speech (1961) XXXVI. 104-116.

1919		Kendall, Robinson & Morse ‘Jazzola’ 🎵 Just ask for ‘Jazzola!’ / Nobody knows its origination, / Jazzola! / It’s just a dance full of syncopation.
1936		Charleston (WV) Daily Mail 20 Jan. 3/6: Flopola – a bad or unsuccessful picture. A ‘turkey.’.
1937		T. Thursday ‘Little Boy Blooey’ in Ten Story Sports July 🌐 Blooey replies with a right to the chinola.
1942		W. Winchell On Broadway 6 Jan. [synd. col.] Bob Hope, in a sparkly job, and Zoriuna, with her priceless gamolas.
1943		W.R. Burnett Nobody Lives for Ever 31: She was with her actor friend: a big effeminate-looking hamola with dyed blonde hair.
1944		D. Runyon Runyon à la Carte 130: She is far from beautiful. In fact, she is strictly a blouwzola. [Ibid.] 188: Johnson follows him into the hole and applies the darbolas to Henri’s wrists.
1955		Mad mag. Jan. 7: Anytime I’m on the good old waterola, kid.
1958		T. Capote Breakfast at Tiffany’s 77: I don’t have them much any more, except sometimes, and even then they’re not so hideola.
1962		S. Longstreet Flesh Peddlers (1964) 87: Next time I meet that Cockney hamola, Ronnie Galt, I’m going to knock his block off.
1963		A.E. Morgan Six-Eleven (1966) 202: ‘Plugola,’ said Jack. ‘It’s very hush-hush business.’.
1977		P. Hamill Flesh and Blood (1978) 185: Bango, on the chinola [...] A real good punch.
1984		D. Jenkins Life Its Ownself (1985) 290: You want to know the real trouble with pro football [...] Too many spookolas.
1985		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 1: barfola – unattractive female.
1987		‘Joe Bob Briggs’ Joe Bob Goes to the Drive-In 41: One thing I can’t stand is a bunch of wimpola surfers in a movie. [Ibid.] 67: By now I assume you can tell this guy Stack is a royal jerkola. [Ibid.] 170: The man is sickola.
1990		National Lampoon Apr. 98: This is Hollyweird, babe-ola! [HDAS].
2001		S. King Dreamcatcher 335: Catch my old drift-ola?
2020		C. Hiaasen Squeeze Me 41: ‘I heard some stories. Holy Christ-ola’.
2024		J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 780: [H]e referred several times to an actress and a bishop... weird-ola!