Tom & Jerry in trouble for smoking

Reuters ^ | 08/20/06

[presidio9]

They chase each other at high speed wielding axes and hammers. But the famous cartoon duo of Tom and Jerry are in trouble for smoking on screen.

Media regulator Ofcom received a complaint from a viewer who took offence at two episodes involving smoking.

In one, "Texas Tom", the hapless cat Tom tries to impress a feline female by rolling a cigarette, lighting it and smoking it with one hand. In the other, "Tennis Chumps", Tom's opponent in a match smokes a large cigar.

In a bulletin posted online, Ofcom noted "concerns that smoking on television may normalise smoking", and said that the Turner company, licensee for Boomerang which aired the cartoons, had agreed to edit some smoking scenes out of Tom and Jerry.

"The licensee has ... proposed editing any scenes or references in the series where smoking appeared to be condoned, acceptable, glamorised or where it might encourage imitation," Ofcom said, adding that "Texas Tom" was one such example.

But it would not cut all smoking scenes, it added.

Ofcom said it recognised smoking was more generally accepted when cartoons were produced in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, but noted that the threshhold for including such scenes when the audience is predominately young should be high.

[ECM]

Wow, not even noon and this might already be the most idiotic thing I read today.

[texas_mrs]

Maybe it would be acceptable if he flashed her a condom.

[Karliner]

Are there any "photoshopped" pics of these guys?

[basil]

There seem to be a lot of folks in this world who have nothing to do but worry about stuff like this. What an awesome waste of life.

[Vaquero]

ping

[TheBigB]

[Oztrich Boy]

"We need the help of the greatest anti-smoking celebrity that ever lived. Rob Reiner."

[txroadkill]

Yet the axes and hammers seem to be no problem.

[presidio9]

Wow, not even noon and this might already be the most idiotic thing I read today.

We aim to please.

[Ueriah]

Remember, kiddies - splitting the skull of your enemies with a large axe and ripping out eyeballs is just fine, but smoking can hurt you!

[JRios1968]

Or if Tom and Jerry were gay partners...then it would be fine for the idiot who complained.

[Kirkwood]

Popeye is in real trouble. Not only does he smoke a pipe, he endorses candy cigarettes for the kiddies.

[Vision]

Islamic terror is not an issue. But smoking in a cartoon from 40 years ago is worthy of a news story.

[JamesP81]

Media regulator Ofcom received a complaint from a viewer who took offence at two episodes involving smoking.

Never underestimate the power of human whininess.

[doyle]

Don't let them exterminate Tom and Jerry like they squashed Fred and Barney. Remember this? http://www.askmen.com/video/2004_nov/nov04_flintstones_cigs.html

[Kirkwood]

I remember those.

[SheLion]

Thanks for the ping. Stupid, eh?

[Mrs.Nooseman]

What next?

This is stupid.

[Bommer]

Media regulator Ofcom received a complaint from a viewer who took offence at two episodes involving smoking.

1 users and this is news????? Incredible

[RandallFlagg]

LOL! Cartoon characters can get lung cancer, I guess.
They must be alien to this Earth because after being shot, poisoned, stapled, hammered, run over, eaten, crushed, stabbed and set on fire, and returning soon after for more pain, cigarettes are even MORE hazardous to them.

Who knew?!

Thanks for the ping, SL.

[RandallFlagg]

Sorry. I forgot to add, "Sliced into neat little sections by sword or other bladed means."

[nhoward14]

Hey.. I remember numerous T&J episodes where one or the other would end up wearing a dress.

If they weren't gay to begin with, they were definitely transvestites.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Oh, yeah, I remember watching these shows as a kid. Went right out and purchased my first pack of Camel straights.

[metesky]

So whay is Ofcom?

Why it's an "independent regulartory authority"! Wink, wink. Nudge...

Will the Brits ever come out of the ether?

[Niteranger68]

What about Bugs Bunny dressing in drag???

[LexBaird]

Appropriate action needs to be taken immediately. I say we take them out and whack them flat with a shovel.

[Inyo-Mono]

That's nothing, when the Cartoon network ran their "June Bugs" series of (allegedly), all the Bugs Bunny cartoons, they omited several very un-PC ones that were made during WWII.

I remember watching all those anti-Jap and anti-Nazi cartoons on TV as a kid back in the 1950s. They even had some that showed slimey Arab types in dark robes with big daggers.

[Orbiting_Rosie's_Head]

They'd better not cut "Cowboy Tom". That's one of the greatest cartoons ever made. The cigarette scene is the greatest Tom & Jerry scene ever conceived. Foot on the porch, flip back the hat. One-handed cigarette roll. Forcing Jerry to lick the paper. Tossing the cig into the air & lighting it with a pistol shot. Catch it on the bottom lip from 3 feet away. Draw the entire cigarette down in one big drag, blow out the smoke into the word "howdy". All with the greatest of fluid motion and mannerism of a true hardened cow poke. Pricless. Talk about Nazis. What the hell is wrong with these people?

[Kirkwood]

[BBT]

"Media regulator Ofcom received a complaint from a viewer who took offence at two episodes involving smoking. "

I'm so sick of this garbage and the media who gives it attention. I've wondered for decades, why don't we just tell these nit-picky jerks, "TOUGH...GET A LIFE AND GET OVER IT."

[Popman]

Just wait until we are under Shari Law.

Porky Pig is going to be in big trouble.

Of course, sex with goats or sheep will be O.K. for kids to watch as they grow under their new Islamic customs

Over my dead body

[pray4liberty]

This is hysterical.

[Obie Wan]

Reminds me of an old joke.Does your wife smoke after sex? I don't know I never looked !!!

[Publius6961]

Advice: order unedited American cartoons and de facto" banned" movies from England or Canada...

I know at least two people whose hobby it is to give away copies of "objectionable movies and cartoons" to as many others as want them.

[desherwood7]

This is retarded. now the anti-Smoking Nazis are trying to regulate what we watch. Now,Everytime I watch a tom&Jerry cartoon, I'll hear the jackboots stomping my way.

[Publius6961]

When one neurotic is allowed to change the lives of millions, anything is possible.

I would not rule out violence, eventually.

[Gabz]

It would truly be comical if it weren't for the fact that the time of mindset that would complain about smoking in a 50 year old cartoon is spreading like wildfire on both sides of the Atlanti.

[Alouette]

I remember watching all those anti-Jap and anti-Nazi cartoons on TV as a kid back in the 1950s. They even had some that showed slimey Arab types in dark robes with big daggers.

"South Park" did a tribute to the Warner Brothers "Merrie Melodies" WW2 cartoons, showing Cartman playing the same tricks on Osama bin Laden that Bugs Bunny did to the Japanese.

[pillut48]

I fear for our children!! *gasp*
/sarc off

Seriously, the smoking is bad, but all the rest of the violence is A-OK??

Dude, there's a little something called the 'on/off' switch on your tv. USE IT.

[RJL]

The liberals are very selective in their support of free speech.

No boundaries if you agree with them, if not, they have no problem outlawing your speech.

[pray4liberty]

These people are nuts.

[dfwgator]

They already edited out the T&J episodes with the black maids.

[1Old Pro]

In a bulletin posted online, Ofcom noted "concerns that smoking on television may normalise smoking",

I agree, let's make the two tennis players gay and instead of playing tennis they could have hot steamy sex. OR, make them Islamic facists and have them blow people up.

[weegee]

These cartoons should be in the public domain ALREADY.

If the major media corporations didn't have a monopoly on our cultural heritage of literature, music, and film (including cartoons), they couldn't revise the past like this.

Turner Corp. could still offer edited shorts on their own network but those who wanted to could see them elsewhere.

[weegee]

Mammy Two-Shoes.

In some they merely replaced her with an Irish maid.

I hear there are some transfers out there with the soundtracks/voices swapped.

[My Favorite Headache]

I CAN'T STAND CARTOON NAZIS!!!!!!!!!! LEAVE THE CLASSICS ALONE!