Another piece of the past lost

[RDK]

I've found no indication (so far at least) that the cuts would extent to video/DVDs. It's a broadcast watchdog group that proposed the changes.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/ar...d=1770&ct=5

 

They are two of television's favourite cartoon characters, who have entertained children and adults for almost 70 years.

 

But now classic episodes of Looney Tune's Tom & Jerry are to be re-edited to remove any scenes of the protagonists smoking after the broadcasting regulator Ofcom said they risked glamorising smoking and encouraging children to take up the habit.

 

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However the watchdog's attempt to serve as guardian of viewers' well-being faced a backlash.

 

Critics denounced the decision as 'ridiculous' political correctness and said it was trying to 'sanitise the art of the past.'

 

Moreover there were accusations of double-standards: on the same day it ordered Tom & Jerry to clean up their act, Ofcom refused to censure Channel 4 for allowing Sir Elton John to say 'w*****' on comedian Paul O'Grady's daytime chat show.

 

Despite the singer's swearing attracting 10 times more complaints than Tom & Jerry's smoking, the regulator claimed that the offensive word was 'quite mild' and the outburst merely 'unfortunate.'

 

By contrast with the rap over the knuckles for Channel 4, Tom & Jerry were clobbered with a frying pan by the TV regulator yesterday.

 

The decision follows a complaint about two separate cartoons - Texas Tom and Tennis Chumps - that were shown repeatedly on the children's channel Boomerang earlier this year.

 

In the first episode, Tom tries to impress a female cat by making a roll-up cigarette, lighting and smoking it with just one hand. In Tennis Chump, Tom's opponent in a tennis match is seen smoking a large cigar.

 

A viewer complained that the cartoons were not appropriate for young viewers - 56 percent of Boomerang's audience is aged four to 14 years old.

 

Following an investigation by Ofcom, the channel - which is owned by Turner Broadcasting - agreed to go back through its library of Tom & Jerry cartoons and edit out scenes which could glamorise or condone smoking.

 

However it said any changes would be handled sensitively, warning that to remove all references to smoking might adversely affect the 'value of the animation.'

 

Ofcom's broadcast code states that smoking must not be featured in programmes made primarily for children unless there is strong editorial justification; and it must not be condoned, encouraged or glamorised before the watershed.

 

In its ruling, the regulator said it recognised that these were 'historic cartoons' most of which were made between the 1940s and 1960s when smoking was 'more generally acceptable.'

 

"We note that, in Tom and Jerry, smoking usually appears in a stylised manner and is frequently not condoned.

 

"However, while we appreciate the historic integrity of the animation, the level of editorial justification required for the inclusion of smoking in such cartoons is necessarily high."

 

Sir Elton John's outburst came during a episode of Paul O'Grady's live daytime chatshow broadcast in May.

 

Asked by the presenter about his decision to change his name, the singer said his old name - Reginald Kenneth Dwight - sounded like he was a banker or, making a play on the word, a 'w*****.'

 

Channel 4 admitted the slip was 'unfortunate' and said that O'Grady apologised later in the show for the 'raucous' nature of the programme.

 

It said it had also taken the show's production team to task and told them to ensure appropriate language at all times in future.

 

Explaining its decision not to take further action against Channel 4, Ofcom said that while the on-air apology was not definitive, most viewers considered the offensive swear word 'quite mild.'

 

However the broadcasting standards campaigners said the decision was 'absurd.'

 

John Beyer, director of Mediawatch, said: "Ofcom can't see the wood for the trees. Ofcom's own research showed people felt there was too much swearing and violence on television - yet the regulator doesn't want to intervene to ensure programmes meet with generally accepted standards.

 

"Instead, it tinkers with trivial things like cartoons."

[joe_collector]

I have all the Disney Treasures

 

 

Song of the South too?

 

Huh?

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listman...5Fencoding=UTF8

[Wally's Comics]

I have all the Disney Treasures

 

 

Song of the South too?

 

Huh?

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listman...5Fencoding=UTF8

 

I see, you are referring to a brand...

 

I've always considered Song of the South a Treasure.

 

[Ze-man]

Does anyone here own any of the Looney Toons DVDs? I was wondering if all the episodes unedited including those that don't get shown on TV anymore are on there. There is that one where Gossamer? (the big orange fuzzy guy) and some scientist are trying to get Bugs and they take ether or some such and started to move lethargically. I remember even as a kid missing that one because they stopped showing it maybe around 80 or 81. Bummer

 

 

Yes it is intact...sleepy potion and all. It has a TERRIFIC monster movie feel to it. Especially the opening. Watched it this Saturday morning actually, since there are no longer real cartoons of worth my daughter can grow up remembering eating cereal to, we watch 1 of the 4 Bugs Bunny DVD's each Saturday morning. She likes Tweety and Sylvester best. But always gets a kik outa the bull who swallows the rifle and then shoot bullets out of his horns at bugs bunny.

 

She will only be 3 in October but already understands it is not real. She knows to not hit anyone with a frying pan, and that guns are dangerous. Not because of what she watches, or doesnt watch on T.V. But becasue of what we teach her.

 

If anything I think alot of the old cartoons teach a cause and effect lesson that todays cartoons leave out. Not to mention the classical music used in older cartoons is another reason to watch them with your kids.

 

 

Ze-

[uclapeterg]

I used to love tom and jerry..

 

You still do. No shame in it!

 

I hated Jerry, and was ecstatic when Tom beat him in a few cartoons. Felt the same way about Sylvester and that pain in the behind Tweety Bird.

 

My favorite are when they hug in the end.

[october]

Watched it this Saturday morning actually, since there are no longer real cartoons of worth my daughter can grow up remembering eating cereal to, we watch 1 of the 4 Bugs Bunny DVD's each Saturday morning.

 

Great idea. Kids cartoons are pretty craaapy these days.

[Rocketeer]

Watched it this Saturday morning actually, since there are no longer real cartoons of worth my daughter can grow up remembering eating cereal to, we watch 1 of the 4 Bugs Bunny DVD's each Saturday morning.

 

Great idea. Kids cartoons are craaap now.

 

''Unga-bunga-bunga-inga-binga-binga-bunga.'' - B. Bunny,

 

...truer words were never said,...

[Jayman]

Watched it this Saturday morning actually, since there are no longer real cartoons of worth my daughter can grow up remembering eating cereal to, we watch 1 of the 4 Bugs Bunny DVD's each Saturday morning.

 

Great idea. Kids cartoons are craaap now.

 

''Unga-bunga-bunga-inga-binga-binga-bunga.'' - B. Bunny,

 

...truer wods were never said,...

 

"Whadiddy say? Whadiddy say?"

[TheWatcher]

I'm confused here, are they just editing for TV (which is done every minute of every day), or deleting these scenes from DVD collections and other more adult-based media, basically trying to change history?

 

If it's the former, what's the big deal?

 

If it's the latter, I'll go find my pitch fork.

 

They've been editing them for years, including the ones that appeared on laserdiscs:

 

http://looney.goldenagecartoons.com/ltcuts/mgmcuts.html

[squidmo2000]

Here's a story I heard years ago about Bill Cosby buying the Little Rascals catalog and I believed it.... Buckwheat

[Tatterdamillion]

I was on vacation with my girlfriend and I would always tell her about two of my faves and we get to the cabin and blam they both come on consecutively. The best ever is the episode with the Bull dog(Thomas?) and the little black kitten that falls into the cookie batter. That is some classic animation.Great vintage. The other episode which is much younger and definitely crappier as far as animation is the one(of many) where Bugs takes the obligatory wrong turn and ends up in Transylvania. Next thing you know " La-da-di-di-da-da-di-di- hocus pocus" That bampire rules.

[ShoNuff-migration]

The other episode which is much younger and definitely crappier as far as animation is the one(of many) where Bugs takes the obligatory wrong turn and ends up in Transylvania. Next thing you know " La-da-di-di-da-da-di-di- hocus pocus" That bampire rules.

 

Abba-cadabra

 

[goldust40]

I have all the Disney Treasures

 

 

Song of the South too?

 

Huh?

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listman...5Fencoding=UTF8

 

I see, you are referring to a brand...

 

I've always considered Song of the South a Treasure.

 

 

Just for the record, I just watched Song Of The South (I knew of this film, but had never seen it) on T.V. just now. It was shown on the BBC.

 

It certainly was an interesting slice of Americana. It did obviously downplay the vagaries of the Jim Crow era, and every so often it did make you wince with its' uncritical portrayal of deference and servitude, but the most human of the characters was Uncle Remus. Plus his relationship with the boy was very well handled by Disney. And the animation was great. Glad I finally saw it.