Cartoon characters in the UK just got their butts snuffed out. Literally. Seems folks there don't care to see Tom & Jerry lightin' up a Pall Mall.
"We have now pledged to view Boomerang's entire library of favorite cartoons and remove all other references that could be seen as glamorizing smoking in all our shows," said Cecilia Persson, vice president of programming, acquisitions and presentation for Boomerang's parent, Turner Broadcasting UK.
Now, if they would just edit out that heavy anvil that gets dropped on heads, and shut down that evil ACME factory. You know, the place that really does manufacture weapons of mass destruction.
Life would be so much sweeter.
I'm not typically a proponent of censorship. And when specific things--like cigarettes--start getting mentioned as reasons for censoring material, it just sounds petty.
But...
I sure don't want my kids (or me) watching some of the cartoons from the 40s and 50s (the decades often referred to as the best in American history). Many poked fun at those who were culturally different by exaggerating cliched physical and behavioral stereotypes.
Check this page out, if you'd like to see examples of cartoons that are now deemed too offensive to be rebroadcast.
There just isn't anything funny about a mouse in blackface. Or a cat committing suicide. (Unless it's done with an ACME anvil...)
5 comments:
That is crazy! I watched these cartoons growing up and I wasn't affected...and don't say that I was! They aren't any worse that what they show now. There are a lot more violent cartoons now.
Hey Kelly.
Well...you were!
But, most of the censored ones are those that mock or mimic racial stereotypes, or are really violent. I mean, did you see the one where Jerry shoots Tom in the head with a pistol?
I have seen all the Tom and Jerry cartoons ever made. I grew up watching them, Wylie Coyote getting blown up, etc. I've never tried to shoot or blow anyone up.
Kelly: If you don't count that one time in the office, sure...you never tried to shoot anoyone! :)
I think the main thing for me is the thoughtless sort of racist fun-poking that is all too common from a majority. Check out that link. While I don't condone censoring it, I wouldn't want to watch it.
To tell you the truth, I don't believe that kids are being influenced by Tom and Jerry cartoons anymore,,,,video games, movies and TV give them more than enough instruction on racism, violence, cursing, sexism, etc. At least with Tom and Jerry you knew for sure it was not reality.
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