From the archives: Bugs Bunny is Jewish

October 23, 2008

Contributed by Krissy N.

Me and my friends were recently watching a Bugs Bunny cartoon, a take on the “Tortoise and the Hare”, when we began to notice some things about his behavior:

He was stereotypically Jewish.

It first came to notice at the beginning of the cartoon, when Bugs is reading a book. He reading it backwards, from right to left, turning the pages in that manner as well. Of course, one can read Hebrew or Japanese in this manner, and Bugs is definitely not Japanese.

We then begin to notice other things. Like Bugs’ Brooklyn accent. The stereotypical Jewish person always has a Brooklyn accent.

He kisses people a lot. My Jewish friends pointed this out as something their relatives do often, as well as people they just met. Bugs is awfully friendly…

He’s cheap. There’s a point in the cartoon where he has to cross a river, and instead of paying the bridge toll, he swims across the river.

Of course, being smart asses, we have to add that RABBIT - T = RABBI.

Not to say that Jewish people exhibit any of these characteristics, but they are common stereotypes.

COMMENT: Another thing altogether. In reference to what someone wrote about Bugs Bunny being stereotypically Jewish, one must also note that there is a Bugs Bunny cartoon showing Bugs reminiscing about when he was growing up (as a young rabbit either in the late thirties or early forties) in the Lower East Side. This also implies stereotype to being Jewish.
- Comment by Bugssbunni

COMMENT: Bugs does not have a Brooklyn accent. He has a Bronx accent. Just ask Mel Blanc. Oh wait, he’s dead. But I did hear him say that in an interview. As I long-time NYC area resident (not a native though), I must agree.
- Comment by JasonH2084

COMMENT: Just would like to comment on what someone said about Bugs Bunny have a Bronx accent, and not a Brooklyn one. I have read in several places that Bugs Bunny had a combination of a Brooklyn and Bronx accent.
– Comment by Mameshmeshuga

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8 Comments | Bugs Bunny, ethnicity, from the archives, stereotypes | Tagged: , , | Permalink
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Ex Situ: Chicken Run is Communist

October 13, 2008

Lucas E. sent in this Ex Situ for us to share to the world. I couldn’t significantly improve on his missive, so I’ve just reproduced it below:

I’m surprised that no one has mentioned this on your site yet. But, it seems quite obvious to me. Chicken Run is basically Communist propaganda.

A decent analysis of it is contained here:  [>Catena Ex Situ]

The problem isn’t that Mrs. Tweedy is looking to kill the chickens. The problem is she’s trying to increase profits.

The hope of the chickens is not to bargain for better wages, better working conditions, and more time off. Rather, the hope is a worker’s paradise on the hills outside the chicken farm, where chickens can roam free in a world of abundance.

Interesting, no?

2 Comments | Chicken Run, politics, villains | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
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Ex Situ: Objectivism in BioShock

October 6, 2008

Here’s the first in the previously-alluded-to series of videogame over-analyzations. For those purists out there: fret not. We don’t plan on doing these all that often. Our primary focus is and will always be Cartoon Over-Analyzations.

Unfortunately, the closest any of the staff has gotten to playing BioShock is: about five years ago, one of us got half-way through System Shock 2. Accursed monkeys! Along with rave reviews, BioShock attracted a flurry of discussion pertaining to Objectivist elements subtly and not-so-subtly within. Busy game site Kotaku presented an excellent article in early 2008 which discussed the pertinent themes primarily through interviews with the president of the Ayn Rand Institute, Yaron Brook, and the game’s designer, Ken Levine.

“It seems to me that [Levine has] misrepresented what Ayn Rand believes and her ideals beyond objectivism,” [Brook] said. “He’s setting it up to fail. He believes, based on what I’ve read, that any system that is absolutist is ultimately going to lead to disastrous effect. Any system of black and white, any system of ultimate morality. In many cases that true. But I think what lessens the game is that misinterpretation of objectivism.”

Et cetera. Would you kindly check it out.

No Gods or Kings: Objectivism in BioShock >Catena Ex Situ

Leave a Comment » | BioShock, ex situ, politics, System Shock 2 | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
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Ex Situ: The “Art” of Seth McFarlane

October 2, 2008

Seth McFarlane’s intermittently amusing Family Guy is a bit of a controversy around the offices here. On one hand, it constantly uses repetitious non sequitur shock gags to fool semi-stoned brains into thinking they are watching something funny. On the other hand, it is terribly, lazily animated. A Manichean dilemma!

Via Cartoon Brew, we found this nicely thorough piece by Kyle Evans analyzing the style and content of Family Guy, with extra emphasis towards Mr. McFarlane’s Cavalcade of Comedy‘s Super Mario Bros. parody. It’s like Mr. Evans was able to extract a beautiful geode of pure reason from our collective consciousness. (i.e. we agree with everything he says) Here’s a vivisection:

Also exactly the same is the character designs, with Mario looking like a cross between Brian and Peter, while Princess Peach looks like Lois in a pink dress. Apparently Seth never learned to draw from any other perspective than a three quarter front on. This insistence on keeping all characters at this angle creates an offputting effect when you have characters conversing – which is the majority of Seth’s work; endless, mind numbing conversations. Having two characters side by side on a slight angle talking to one another creates this bizarre effect as though they’re staring just past one another – there’s absolutely no sense that these characters are truly engaged in conversation. It doesn’t help that you hardly ever see a non-talking character animated or that these conversations are carried entirely by the moving of the lips.

The full article has diagrams and audio-visual aids. Interesting, even if you disagree.

The “Art” of Seth McFarlane > Catena Ex Situ

2 Comments | American Dad, ex situ, Family Guy, Super Mario Bros. | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
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