What are They Smoking?

Scott Hardie | September 13, 2006
In the news, or at least it was in the news two weeks ago and I'm just now getting around to linking to it: England wants Tom & Jerry to cut back on the smokes. Apparently it's ok for anthropomorphized animal characters to commit all manner of brutal, vicious, pre-meditated violence against one another, but how dare we show them lighting cigarettes! Kids might imitate that! Any comment?

Jackie Mason | September 13, 2006
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Aaron Shurtleff | September 19, 2006
This, to me, brings back all of the nonsense (IMO) about how Joe Camel was "encouraging" kids to smoke, just because he was a cartoon character. I don't think an animated character is any more or less likely to cause children to smoke than a real actor.

Of course, it is true that the Teletubbies encourage homosexuality... ;)

That said, how can you prevent kids from seeing the lovely Tom and Jerry? The one with Jerry's cousin stealing all of Tom's whiskers to put into his guitar becasue the strings keep breaking is a classic! :)

Jackie Mason | September 19, 2006
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Scott Hardie | September 23, 2006
Here k'ty k'ty, I need another string fer my GEE-tar...

Jackie Mason | September 24, 2006
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Amy Austin | September 26, 2006
This, to me, brings back all of the nonsense (IMO) about how Joe Camel was "encouraging" kids to smoke, just because he was a cartoon character. I don't think an animated character is any more or less likely to cause children to smoke than a real actor.

Ah, yes, Camel Joe. Well, he had the added authoritay of being a phallus, too, doncha' know...