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Cartoon Gripe
Jun. 7th, 2007 12:02 pmYesterday, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
weegoddess posted her new Pepe lePew icon. This prompted woodwardiocom to post an old photo of himself as this character.
Now, IIRC, Chuck Jones et al created the whole amorous skunk schtick after Mel Blanc cracked up the studio with a new voice based on leftover American stereotypes of the French from WWII and a heavy dollop of Maurice Chevalier. Stir in the stereotype of the French never bathing, and you have the stinky part needed for them to create a skunk character.
As it just so happens, I like skunks. I consider skunks to be a familiar totem. They are family-oriented, nocturnal, and generally avoid conflict. But if you insist on getting into conflict with them, you'll regret it both immediately and for the days after when you can't hunt anything to eat because all your prey smells you coming.
But my major gripe with the Pepe lePew character is how he has tied "skunks" and "French" together in so many peoples' minds.
There are no skunks in France.
Skunks are native to North America; there's a weird branch of the family (called "stink badgers") which live in Indonesia and the Phillipines, and some hog-nosed skunks invaded South America, but the striped skunks and spotted skunks are all here.
Even the word "skunk" is derived from the Algonquin family of languages (many linguists believe it came from the Massachusett language).
Moreover, unlike the Pepe lePew trait of dogged pursuit (some may say "stalking"), real skunks will hold a brief "dialog" with you over any given claim; stamp your feet a few times before the skunk does, and it will relinquish the claim (such as your garbage can) back to you. I've done this. In other words, real skunks take "no" for an answer.
grumble grumble stupid stereotype grumble grumble
weegoddess posted her new Pepe lePew icon. This prompted woodwardiocom to post an old photo of himself as this character.Now, IIRC, Chuck Jones et al created the whole amorous skunk schtick after Mel Blanc cracked up the studio with a new voice based on leftover American stereotypes of the French from WWII and a heavy dollop of Maurice Chevalier. Stir in the stereotype of the French never bathing, and you have the stinky part needed for them to create a skunk character.
As it just so happens, I like skunks. I consider skunks to be a familiar totem. They are family-oriented, nocturnal, and generally avoid conflict. But if you insist on getting into conflict with them, you'll regret it both immediately and for the days after when you can't hunt anything to eat because all your prey smells you coming.
But my major gripe with the Pepe lePew character is how he has tied "skunks" and "French" together in so many peoples' minds.
There are no skunks in France.
Skunks are native to North America; there's a weird branch of the family (called "stink badgers") which live in Indonesia and the Phillipines, and some hog-nosed skunks invaded South America, but the striped skunks and spotted skunks are all here.
Even the word "skunk" is derived from the Algonquin family of languages (many linguists believe it came from the Massachusett language).
Moreover, unlike the Pepe lePew trait of dogged pursuit (some may say "stalking"), real skunks will hold a brief "dialog" with you over any given claim; stamp your feet a few times before the skunk does, and it will relinquish the claim (such as your garbage can) back to you. I've done this. In other words, real skunks take "no" for an answer.
grumble grumble stupid stereotype grumble grumble
