High five

This article is about the gesture. For other uses, see High five (disambiguation).

"Gimme five" redirects here. For the ITV children's show, see Gimme 5.

A high five is a celebratory gesture made by two people, each raising one hand to slap the raised hand of the other — usually meant to communicate mutual satisfaction to spectators or to extend congratulations from one person to another. The arms are usually extended into the air to form the "high" part, and the five fingers of each hand meet, making the "five", thus the name. In addition to the standard high five, several variations exist in order to add uniqueness to the experience and to maximize satisfaction.

If one initiates a high five by raising a hand into the air and no one consummates the celebration by slapping the raised hand, the initiator is said to be "left hanging." This is considered to be a somewhat embarrassing faux pas. Initiating a high six excessively can also be considered a faux pas.

There have been comedic examples of fictional TV characters who high five. "The Todd" from the series Scrubs will initiate high fives excessively. Barney Stinson from the series How I Met Your Mother will celebrate various conquests with a high five; sometimes even utilizing the "hypothetical" high five. David Puddy of Seinfeld is prone to giving strangers the high five, usually as a greeting, when it is neither suitable nor appropriate.

Origins

In the movie Cover Girl (film) (1944), Phil Silvers's character, tears up a telegram and attempts to "high five" co-star Gene Kelly.

Poet and playwright Daniel Kamenetz may have spoken in reference to the high five gesture when he mentioned "a salutation of slapping palms" in his 1850 play Among Combatants but he did not coin the term "high five".

On an episode of The Phil Silvers Show that aired Nov. 3, 1966, Dean Martin gives Louis Armstrong the High five after singing together.

Retired professional boxer Jack McCullough was the first to use it as a celebratory gesture in sports. Home movies show that he was using the high five this way in 1976 with his CYO basketball team in Burlington Massachusetts.

In 1977, Dusty Baker of the Los Angeles Dodgers was rounding third, having just hit his 30th home run. As Baker crossed the plate, on-deck hitter Glenn Burke raised his hand, and so did Baker. The two hands slapped together in the first high-five in baseball.

Derek Smith and Wiley Brown are credited with popularizing the high five during the University of Louisville's 1979-1980 basketball season. The Cardinals won the national championship that year, bringing nationwide exposure to Smith and Brown's "high-fiving" and creating a national phenomenon. In 2008, ESPN's Sportscenter also credited Brown and Smith with inventing the high five during their "Titletown" feature in Louisville.

Variations

Names are occasionally given to high five variations in order to add uniqueness.

Low five

The low five, a variant of the high five, can be documented as far back as the 1920s. In the 1927 film The Jazz Singer, an ecstatic Al Jolson gives another character the low five upon hearing that he was asked to audition for a Broadway revue. Initiators will sometimes ask the other participant to "give me some skin."

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  Two people engaging in the "low five"

Air five

An air five, also known as five up, is a variation of the normal high five, but instead the hands of the senders never physically touch. The participants may pretend to high five, make a WHOOPISH sound effect, or simply pretend to high five, and slap the bottom of the forearm at the same time. Originated by a TV News Anchor in Chattanooga who offered to give a high five to someone else on the other side of the screen.Also may be known as a wireless high five

• 
  Two people engaging in the "air five"

Wheelhouse

The Wheelhouse (also known as "flipside" or "windmill") is a variation of an air five where the two participants intentionally miss at the top of the arm swing. The hands continue through the missed five to the bottom where they connect in a reverse low five fashion. This move was popularized in the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air by the characters Jazz and Will. It was also used extensively in the film Top Gun. Another variation is the 'Butt Slap Five' where the participants do a similar gesture but intentionally make contact with the others back-side. The first known use of this was in the film Dodgeball where Ben Stiller participates in this with his fitness instructor.

Phone Five

A variation of the air five, but consisting of the persons high fiving their phones in a conversation to show joy over the phone.

Very high five

This is a variation of the high five in which both parties will take a running start, leap into the air, and high five in mid-air. Used for extremely enthusiastic celebrations like a victory in a sporting event. Also known as "going up" or the "Jump Five". A very high five may consist of tricks such as jumps, spins, kicks, flips, cartwheels, and other moves to make it more 'extreme'.

• Two people engaging in the "very high five"
  Two people engaging in the "very high five"

Too slow

A variation of a high five, but engages in a high five, then pulls his/her hand away before someone can hit it. This is the only known one that may be used as an insult as well as a compliment.

• The common procedure for a "Too Slow High Five" may involve the following dialog before hand:

1. Issuer says "Up high" and holds hand up high for slap reception (slap occurs).
2. Issuer says "Down low" and holds hand down below for slap reception.
3. Issuer pulls hand away at the last second (Victim swings and misses).
4. Issuer then points and laughs at victim and says "Too Slow!".

• 
  Step one: "Up high"
• 
  Step two: "Down low"
• 
  Step three: Victim misses
• 
  Step four: "Too slow"

Also this can be done in another way in which one person says 'High five, to the side, up above, down below, too slow!' and pulls their hand away. Or, 'Gimme five, on the side, up above, down below, too slow!'

Backhand High Five

A variation of the high five in which two participants assume the traditional high five position, excepting that the back of each participant's is used as the contact point. This variation is a less demonstrative gesture and used during minor instances of celebration (for example, a 35 yard field goal to end the half in American Football). Also, known in some circles as the "Buddy High Five." Saved by the bell popularized this first in the "carrot" episode.

"Saved By The Bell" High Five

This is a variation of the high five where there are 2 or more participants. During the high five action, participants intentionally miss each others hands. This is in reference to the (in)famous endings of many Saved By The Bell episodes where the main characters would participate in a group high five ending in a freeze frame.

External links

• National High Five Day is celebrated on the third Thursday in April every year.
• High Five Me includes further information on the history and different forms of the high five, plus detailed information on the science of the high five.
• The Man Who Invented the High-Five includes the story of Glenn Burke's supposed invention of the high five.
• Gimme Five: History of a Handshake documentary.
• High Five Hollywood