This would fit more on the politics/religion section than the 'before the 1970's' since it's considered offensive

Also my first  thread for in a  while (ie "Song of the South", banned Bugs Bunny).

Warning: the links may contain images that may be considered offensive. Sorry that I sounded like Leonard Maltin from the Disney Treasures DVD, but it's  a reminder.
Cartoon Brew entry from animation historian Jerry Beck


An article in today’s NY Times on the shocking proliferation of racist cartoons on You Tube has had an (unintended?) effect in further spreading the awareness of said cartoons. Gawker has just posted a link to it, adding to it an (awful quality) embed of Clampett’s Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs.

The Times article is somewhat sympathetic to the idea that these cartoons should be released legally. In the last paragraph, Michael Barrier, is quoted saying the cartoons should be “presented in an informed way for an intelligent, adult audience.� Barrier also said the Censored 11’s appearance on YouTube “shows that there is a demand, so the logical step would be to release them in a way that is profitable for you as a copyright holder.�


New York Times article
Cartoons of a Racist Past Lurk on YouTube

By DANIEL E. SLOTNIK
Published: April 28, 2008
Among the millions of clips on the video-sharing Web site YouTube are 11 racially offensive Warner Brothers cartoons that have not been shown in an authorized release since 1968.



Despite efforts to suppress them, racist cartoons from the 1940s have been circulating on the Web. Above, Bugs Bunny outwits a rabbit hunter.

Some of the cartoons were removed on April 16. A message saying the cartoons were no longer available because of a copyright claim by Warner appeared in their place. By evening the messages disappeared, and some of the cartoons were back. Representatives for YouTube and Warner would not confirm whether the companies had tried to remove the cartoons.

Ricardo Reyes, a YouTube spokesman, said YouTube relies on copyright holders to identify infringing content and on users to flag offensive content. If people do not complain, videos remain, he said. Mr. Reyes said that copyright violations are removed “very quickly� once identified, but the problem “is that ownership is often tough to determine.� He said many users “unknowingly post because they don’t know the law.�

A representative for Warner wrote in an e-mail message that “Warner Brothers has rights to the titles� in question and that “we vigorously protect all our copyrights. We do not make distinctions based on content.�

The cartoons, known as the “Censored 11,� have been unavailable to the public for 40 years. Postings no longer appear if YouTube is searched for “Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs,� a parody of “Snow White� and the most famous of the cartoons. But a search for “Coal Black� does find the cartoon.

These cartoons were controversial when first released; the N.A.A.C.P. unsuccessfully protested “Coal Black� before it was shown in 1943. Richard McIntire, the director of communications for the N.A.A.C.P., wrote in an e-mail message that “the cartoons are despicable. We encourage the films’ owners to maintain them as they are — that is, locked away in their vaults.�

WMAV01, a YouTube user who posted some of the cartoons and preferred not to give his name, wrote in an e-mail message that “these cartoons were never officially ‘banned’ by any law� and added that the cartoons had “historical value.� WMAV01 said the cartoons were available on Web sites like foundrymusic.com, which is run by “The Opie and Anthony Show,� a talk radio program.

The cartoons are also available on bootleg DVDs from Web sites like banned-cartoons.com, which sells a collection of 165 such cartoons. At least two of the shorts are available on unlicensed DVDs sold by third parties on Amazon.

Michael Barrier, author of four books on the history of animation and comics, said the cartoons should be “presented in an informed way for an intelligent, adult audience.� Mr. Barrier also said the Censored 11’s appearance on YouTube “shows that there is a demand, so the logical step would be to release them in a way that is profitable for you as a copyright holder.�

Agree with Michael Barrier s

Out of the Censored 11, I've only seen two public domain cartoons: "All This & Rabbit Stew" & "Jungle Jitters"


"All This & Rabbit Stew", Looking  past the racial stereotype... it's a good early Bugs Bunny cartoon and some of the tricks he does to the hunter has also been done with Elmer Fudd like the log chase. As for the hunter, I've seen worse (ie "Scrub Me Mama With A Boogie Beat") and other characters like Red Hot Ryder, a cowboy from "Buckaroo Bugs", and Pete Puma, from "Rabbit's Kin" would make the hunter a rocket scientist.

Stereotypes were very common and also been done to celebrities like Bing Crosby, Clark Gable, and Humphrey Bogart. Also Pepe' LePew & Speedy Gonzales. BTW, I'm not white and happend to be born with a slight deformity with about two decades worth of reconstruction surgery.

Heck, stereotypes (especially in different forms) are still around from Comedy Central, Mad TV, rap videos, sitcoms (ie "Will & Grace", "Family Guy") , movies,  comedians, etc.

"Jungle Jitters", not that good and not bad either. Rather boring, though a the scene with the salesman trying to get into the door's funny.

As for "Coal Black", a Snow White parody, Bob Clampett was actually a fan of jazz music and the cartoon actually has African Americans providing voices like Dorothy Dandridge's sister as the title character. Also the Rolling Stones' "Harlem Shuffle" music video (from Ralph Baski or Jon Krisfalusi) appeared to be inspired from the cartoon.

I've seen several WWII Disney cartoons, a clip of "Song of the South" (with the snare trap), and several Walter Lantz cartoons that are actually quite good despite the content. Also have to consider that the cartoons were originally intended for adults and aired inbetween the newsreels & the feature film in theatres.


The worst I've seen are:

"Scrub Me Mama With The Boogie Beat", besides the catchy song, the female singer, and the scene with the piano... the cartoon's just loaded with racism.

"Education For Death"... Other than the beginning that parodies a Wagarian Opera, the cartoon's rather dark and disturbing. It's about a kid being brainwashed into becoming a Nazi.

"Little Black Sambo"... a mid '30's Ub Iwerks cartoon... honestly, it was just plain boring.

Tom and Jerry's 'Mammy' character was voiced by Lillian Randolph who also appeared in "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Sanford and Son".

This would fit more on the politics/religion section than the 'before the 1970's' since it's considered offensive

Also my first  thread for in a  while (ie "Song of the South", banned Bugs Bunny).

Warning: the links may contain images that may be considered offensive. Sorry that I sounded like Leonard Maltin from the Disney Treasures DVD, but it's  a reminder.
Cartoon Brew entry from animation historian Jerry Beck



New York Times article
Agree with Michael Barrier s

Out of the Censored 11, I've only seen two public domain cartoons: "All This & Rabbit Stew" & "Jungle Jitters"


"All This & Rabbit Stew", Looking  past the racial stereotype... it's a good early Bugs Bunny cartoon and some of the tricks he does to the hunter has also been done with Elmer Fudd like the log chase. As for the hunter, I've seen worse (ie "Scrub Me Mama With A Boogie Beat") and other characters like Red Hot Ryder, a cowboy from "Buckaroo Bugs", and Pete Puma, from "Rabbit's Kin" would make the hunter a rocket scientist.

Stereotypes were very common and also been done to celebrities like Bing Crosby, Clark Gable, and Humphrey Bogart. Also Pepe' LePew & Speedy Gonzales. BTW, I'm not white and happend to be born with a slight deformity with about two decades worth of reconstruction surgery.

Heck, stereotypes (especially in different forms) are still around from Comedy Central, Mad TV, rap videos, sitcoms (ie "Will & Grace", "Family Guy") , movies,  comedians, etc.

"Jungle Jitters", not that good and not bad either. Rather boring, though a the scene with the salesman trying to get into the door's funny.

As for "Coal Black", a Snow White parody, Bob Clampett was actually a fan of jazz music and the cartoon actually has African Americans providing voices like Dorothy Dandridge's sister as the title character. Also the Rolling Stones' "Harlem Shuffle" music video (from Ralph Baski or Jon Krisfalusi) appeared to be inspired from the cartoon.

I've seen several WWII Disney cartoons, a clip of "Song of the South" (with the snare trap), and several Walter Lantz cartoons that are actually quite good despite the content. Also have to consider that the cartoons were originally intended for adults and aired inbetween the newsreels & the feature film in theatres.


The worst I've seen are:

"Scrub Me Mama With The Boogie Beat", besides the catchy song, the female singer, and the scene with the piano... the cartoon's just loaded with racism.

"Education For Death"... Other than the beginning that parodies a Wagarian Opera, the cartoon's rather dark and disturbing. It's about a kid being brainwashed into becoming a Nazi.

"Little Black Sambo"... a mid '30's Ub Iwerks cartoon... honestly, it was just plain boring.



I remember one of the cartoons that involved a magician and an opera(both are dogs, I think it's a Warner Bros. or Tex Avery cartoon). I remember seeing it as a kid and then when I got older and saw it again, I noticed a scene was missing in it(after the opera singer gets hit with a flower pot). The scene was one of him being a black midget singer.

I remember one of the cartoons that involved a magician and an opera(both are dogs, I think it's a Warner Bros. or Tex Avery cartoon). I remember seeing it as a kid and then when I got older and saw it again, I noticed a scene was missing in it(after the opera singer gets hit with a flower pot). The scene was one of him being a black midget singer.


That would be a Tex Avery cartoon. The name escapes me, but it is on You Tube somewhere.

That would be a Tex Avery cartoon. The name escapes me, but it is on You Tube somewhere.


Okay, thank you! :)

Okay, thank you! :)


I found it. It's called "Magical Maestro" and it should be the full cartoon.

I found it. It's called "Magical Maestro" and it should be the full cartoon.


I found it too.

I was also wrong on how the scene occured.

"All This & Rabbit Stew" with commentary from Bradon Pierce

Not for the easily offended, though the hunter's no different than Elmer Fudd and isn't as dumb  like Beaky Buzzard or Red Hot Ryder. (listen to the commentary, which is quite interesting)

If this goes against forums rule, feel free to delete this post or block this thread.

I remember one of the cartoons that involved a magician and an opera(both are dogs, I think it's a Warner Bros. or Tex Avery cartoon). I remember seeing it as a kid and then when I got older and saw it again, I noticed a scene was missing in it(after the opera singer gets hit with a flower pot). The scene was one of him being a black midget singer.


I won't comment on the cartoons.  The second amendment covers it. If people want to watch them, well that is their right. I will say, for you own edification, the term midget when applied to people is now considered very offensive.  Dwarf or little person is okay, but officially midget is now considered the "m-word"

"All This & Rabbit Stew", Looking  past the racial stereotype... it's a good early Bugs Bunny cartoon and some of the tricks he does to the hunter has also been done with Elmer Fudd like the log chase. As for the hunter, I've seen worse (ie "Scrub Me Mama With A Boogie Beat") and other characters like Red Hot Ryder, a cowboy from "Buckaroo Bugs", and Pete Puma, from "Rabbit's Kin" would make the hunter a rocket scientist.

As for "Coal Black", a Snow White parody, Bob Clampett was actually a fan of jazz music and the cartoon actually has African Americans providing voices like Dorothy Dandridge's sister as the title character. Also the Rolling Stones' "Harlem Shuffle" music video (from Ralph Baski or Jon Krisfalusi) appeared to be inspired from the cartoon.


What you said.  I've seen 'em both -- you couldn't air either of them today, but the anonymous blackfaced antagonist in All This and Rabbit Stew is an early attempt to flesh out Elmer Fudd, who was still in the process of being invented.  Elmer's real progenitor, "Egghead", had appeared in some late-30s cartoons, "Elmer" showed up in 1940 against an anonymous rabbit, and was first matched against a rabbit named "Bugs Bunny" in 1941.  The opening credits for All This and Rabbit Stew, also released in 1941, make it clear that it's Bugs Bunny cartoon.  The character was based Stepin Fetchit, stage name of Lincoln Perry.  When Fudd and Bugs met up, the audiences loved it, and the rest was cartoon history.

And Snow White is a 1943 tribute to jazz, with a few egregious one-liners that are products of its wartime production.  (The finale is particularly telling -- one of the dwarfs is wearing a helmet that looks an awful lot like a GI's helmet, he revives Ms. White with a kiss, and when asked what he's got that makes him so hot, responds with "Well, that is a military secret!")

WB's coming closer to coming to terms with its past, though.  Volume 6 of the Golden Collection features some of the WW2-era propaganda cartoons, including Herr meets Hare, which is one step away from Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips.

There's a reason the back of the DVD says "The Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. XYZ is intended for the adult collector and is not suitable for children."

 
"Cartoons of a Racist Past Lurk on YouTube"


Reading that oversensationalized headline made me want to say "Boy, wait'll the NYTimes finds out about 4chRULES 1 AND 2"


I won't comment on the cartoons.  The second amendment covers it.


No, no, no, you're thinking of the First Amendment.  The Second Amendment was invoked in the defense of Rabbit Fire, Rabbit Seasoning, and Duck, Rabbit, Duck, all of which were ultimately banned in 2013 following rioting between supporters of the iParty versus the Microparty during the disastrous 2012 campaign season...

http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr144/imfallen_angel/VS-1.gif

Clearly much of what passed for "entertainment" in the "good old days" was racist, not to mention tasteless.  The most egregious example, of course is Birth of a Nation, the D.W. Griffith classic.  But banning this stuff is just plain dumb.  It is all part of our history, not to be denied, or swept under the rug, but confronted.

Clearly much of what passed for "entertainment" in the "good old days" was racist, not to mention tasteless.  The most egregious example, of course is Birth of a Nation, the D.W. Griffith classic.  But banning this stuff is just plain dumb.  It is all part of our history, not to be denied, or swept under the rug, but confronted.


Don Carlos, I could not have said it better.  By today's standards that old stuff was CLEARLY and OBVIOUSLY racist, and to occasionally show it helps to reinforce how stupid that stuff was.  Of course you don;t want this stuff to be showing on the Children's Hour or anything like that.

As the saying goes "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

I won't comment on the cartoons.  The second amendment covers it. If people want to watch them, well that is their right.
you didn't mean the first amendment, did you?  ;) i think a little militancy might have snuck out subconsciously, there, which in fact would be totally understandable.

you didn't mean the first amendment, did you?  ;) i think a little militancy might have snuck out subconsciously, there, which in fact would be totally understandable.


brain farts.  ;)

"Uncle Tom's Bungalow", which I just saw in YouTube (saw a link on the Golden Age Cartoons forum)...

The random gag of Eva saying her name in a deep voice and when the Eliza told the narrator "Who's excited?" since she wasn't were good. Though most part it was a mediocre cartoon. As for it's content, indifferent. Many would take offense, especially on...can't describe it here without offending others. Though on a positive note, Eva & Topsy are friends. Though never read the novel and don't know much about it, which I can't explain besides that the cartoon is a product of it's time.




I wonder what people would say about "Family Guy" & "South Park" 50 years from now...



"Tin Pan Alley Cats", pretty much similar to "Porky In Wackyland" where a cat cariucature of jazz musician Fats Waller goes into a club, which he ends up "outta this world". A good cartoon. That with "Coal Black" and "All This & Rabbit Stew" are pretty much the best from the 'censored 11'.

"Bugs Bunny Nips The Nips", actually one of the funniest Bugs Bunny cartoons with gags like when he tied the tail of the plane and the exploding ice cream (despite the slurs said), which is very typical in a Warner Bros. cartoon. Not to mention the ending when he meets a female rabbit.



I wonder that people would think about "South Park", "Family Guy", comedians like Chelsea Handler & Carlos Mencia in the future (though I findthe two comedians cringe worthy and painfully unfunny)...

I remember seeing an old B/W Porky Pig cartoon from the 1930's where Porky went to a haunted house or something and was being chased by a bunch of ghosts. At the end of the cartoon Porky was fleeing the haunted house in his car and was driving really fast down this dirt road when he drove past one of the ghosts standing on the side of the road, and as he drove past his car kicked up a huge cloud of dust. When the dust cleared the ghost reappeared but his sheet was all dirty and he was now in blackface. He looked down at his sheet then looked up and said in a stereotypical black voice, "My, oh my! Tattletale gray!"

And as much as I hate to admit it, it was actually kind of funny.

The cartoon that Porky smokes has a lot of stereotypes in it. Black, Indian, and Mexican.

1/2 the time, this cartoon isn't seen in full.

I won't comment on the cartoons.  The second amendment covers it. If people want to watch them, well that is their right. I will say, for you own edification, the term midget when applied to people is now considered very offensive.  Dwarf or little person is okay, but officially midget is now considered the "m-word"


I didn't know about midget becoming offensive not too long ago. :-\\

(At the time of posting, it was the only word that popped into my mind at that moment)