I first became acquainted with the term "toadies" listening to Jean Shepherd on the radio in the late '60's. Although the term did not originate with him, I was pleased to hear him use it again, in the singular form, when he narrated the film "A Christmas Story" (which he also wrote). He applied the term to Grover Dill, the second banana to the bully who was always terrorizing Ralph, Flick, and company.