Pepe LePew should move to Copenhagen.
This is going to sound like a joke, but it’s real. There is an animated kids show in Denmark named JOHN DILLERMAND. The premise is that John has a huge penis. And I mean, HUGE. It can perform rescue missions and steal ice cream. Google this if you don’t believe me. Or better yet..
Here’s an article about it.
And here’s the opening:
Too bad it’s not in the US so Fox News could focus on that instead of the American Rescue Plan that will bring desperately needed relief to millions of Americans.
How has the show been received in Denmark? Well, the Woke folks are going bat shit. Especially in this #MeToo era, opponents believe it sets back equality, sends the wrong message, etc. On the other hand, proponents say it’s funny, it’s silly, and children do find genitals funny.
I’d give anything to be able to pitch it to the Hallmark Channel.
Proponents argue the show is not about sex. I would imagine most kids 4 to 8 don’t know about sex. But Danish TV certainly pushes boundaries. Apparently there’s another children’s show where the lead swears, smokes a pipe, and doesn’t bathe.
Pepe’s looking pretty good right about now, isn’t he?
I’m writing to Disney +. I’ve got to see this show.
Pitch it to Netflix with McConaughey in the lead. That would also keep him out of politics. Sounds promising.
ReplyDeleteHis significant other is lucky as hell.
ReplyDeleteThe MeTV channel has been running an hourlong daily compilation of old cartoons (Warner Bros., Popeye, Betty Boop, etc.). I've been DVR-ing it and fast-forwarding to the good ones, and I've learned a few things: 1) There are a lot more really well-made Bugs Bunny / Daffy Duck shorts than I remembered, 2) the background animation and musical accompaniments got really weird in the 1960s, and 3) Pepe Le Pew was never funny. Seriously -- the stories are repetitious, the Pepe character is obnoxious (in a not-fun way) in addition to being offensive, and the cartoons are just plain boring. They should have been canceled (in the TV sense) long before they were "canceled" in the political sense.
ReplyDeleteI always hated the Pepe cartoons as a kid. It felt like a waste of time compared to the rest of the WB stuff.
DeleteYou didn't mention that it is red and white stripped! Its not a penis its a Waldo!
ReplyDeleteAs a Dane I can confirm that every word of your post is true except the bit about the woke crowd going crazy. The woke crowd understands that this is just a kids show and kids do find genitals, farts and misbehaviour funny. We do have a woke crowd in Denmark and we do have extremists amongst them, but nobody seems to be bothered by this one.
ReplyDeleteOh boy! They would have to create Disney After Dark for this show, right?
ReplyDeleteblinky is correct: For readers who aren't familiar with the usage, a waldo is a remote-manipulation device, often at the end of an extensible or flexible arm, that was invented after the fictional version appeared in Robert A. Heinlein's novella "Waldo" (1942).
ReplyDeleteOn one hand, judging by the video, the penis' actions are in no respect related to sexual arousal, so how 'obscene' can it be? (and said penis is fully clothed).
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, it could send 'penis envy' off the charts for young Danish girls.
I first came across this story being discussed in a Reddit forum, and most of the discussion there was around the defensive statement from the network that they could have "just as easily made a show about a woman with no control over her vagina", and I must admit that's the weirdest part of this story to me as well. I mean what would a comical kids show about a rampaging vagina even be? Is it swallowing children up? Spitting them out machine gun style? Well, in the interests of gender equality I'm calling their bluff. I intend to boycott Danish TV until they put their kroner where their mouth is and greenlight Joan Vunderkunt.
ReplyDeleteI thought the thing that was funny about Pepe Le Pew was Mel's over-the-top Maurice Chevalier voice. :)
ReplyDeleteBut many cartoons were repetitive, rising above a limited schtick was the challenge. Road Runner, Tom and Jerry, Foghorn Leghorn, Chip'n'Dale, Mr. Magoo, Speedy Gonzales were all pretty repetitive. Some of them suffered from this. Pepe Le Pew more than others, I guess.
One thing though: little kids love repetition. And the idea of a skunk chasing a cat is at least funny once.
Darn, those pesky Danes finally outdid Sweden in the field of Very Weird Scandinavian Children's TV Shows.
ReplyDelete"I mean what would a comical kids show about a rampaging vagina even be?"
ReplyDeleteIsn't there already a kids show called "Angry Beavers?"
Friday Question:
ReplyDeleteSomeone on Reddit posted the opening and closing to a foreign version of “Cheers” from c. 2011. When another country wants to produce an American product (or vice versa), how much input or consulting does the original crew offer?
Why not retool the Pepe LePew cartoons into sexual harassment training videos?
ReplyDeleteBut how is Pepe more offensive than the current "Gush" commercials?
For some reason (no idea why...), this brought to mind a story I saw a few months ago about the Qiui Cellmate hack. You may have already heard about it, but if not try googling "chastity belt ransomware". The Forbes article on it had the most groanworthy jokes, but the original Vice story has the best headline. The future is getting more absurd by the day.
ReplyDelete