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Smoking Cartoons

August 22, 2006

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We've had our Janet Jacksons and our Howard Sterns, but it seems America is not the only "Western Democracy" with censor problems. Here is a run down on current censorship news from Europe.

BBC News (not to be confused with BBCancelled News) reports that the UK will be censoring "Tom and Jerry" cartoons. No, Jerry hasn't been wearing the thong, and Tom’s drinking troubles seem to be behind him. It just seems that children's advocates are disturbed by scenes glamorizing the cat and mouse smoking.

So clip, clip ... no more sexy smoking mammals on kids TV. And Turner Broadcasting, which owns the Boomerang Channel in Europe where the complainants first saw the offending cartoons, will be scouring all archival cartoons and cutting smoking scenes from other classics as well, like "The Flintstones" and "The Jetsons."

Who smoked on "The Jetsons?"

Censorship is stupid, but promoting smoking to kids is an old and deadly corporate strategy. We would just like to point out that there’s a time and a place for history. Remember, "Tom and Jerry" also included, for many years, the overtly racist character of “Mammy.” Inappropriate to show to children, but important to remember.

Comments

Aaron Spruance wrote:

I saw the pilot episode about two guy friends and their lives. Its lead actors were Chris what's his name, who destroyed all coolness in the comic book character Robin, and the jilted boyfriend/financee/husband of The OC's Ryan Atwood's ex-girlfriend from Chino. The difference between that and The Jake Effect, the latter looked inteligent, funny, and well casted.

I am a big fan of Jason and I have seen the roomate somewhere before but can't seem to put my finger on it. Anyway, the concept is witty, the dialogue felt genuine (and except for the scene where he gets comfortable on the ceral bowl), the characters are lovable. Courtney Cox adds appropriate flare and sensibility to this steller cast.

All in all it is a shame. Rarely do we get a program that would appeal to myself and my lifetime watching, shallow sister. If only the studio could have seen it the way I did.

posted at August 24, 2006 03:23 PM

SekiraO_O wrote:

Really, I do think that censorship is important, but you can go too far.

One website I ran into accused a cartoon with a kiss in it as being sexual, and labeling a statue built of a loved one as a fetish!

posted at January 26, 2007 11:09 PM

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