Pepe Le Pew CANCELLED for Perpetuating Rape Culture in New York Times Op-Ed

Right after Dr. Seuss was put on blast for racist depictions, another nostalgic memory is being called problematic, Pepe Le Pew. If you want to stay up to date on viral stories like these, please hit that subscribe button below.

Charles M. Blow wrote an op-ed article in the New York Times called “Six Seuss Books Bore a Bias” where he said racism is deeply embedded into American culture and this racist imagery is then given to young kid.

He brought up cartoons like Looney Toons’ Speedy Gonzales, which depicts racist stereotypes against Mexicans. But the League of United Latin American Citizens called Speedy a cultural icon. He was praised for being sharp and getting the best of his enemies.

The author also brought up Tom & Jerry’s Mammy Two shoes, which showed a heavyset Black maid who speaks with a caricaturized voice. You usually just see her legs and feet, but her body was depicted as well.

Those two examples highlight his race concern, but, just for extra measure, he threw in Pepe as another ‘toon that broadcasted the wrong message, saying the French skunk normalized and perpetuated rape culture.

Blow tweeted “1. He grabs/kisses a girl/stranger, repeatedly, without consent and against her will. 2. She struggles mightily to get away from him, but he won’t release her 3. He locks a door to prevent her from escaping. This helped teach boys that “no” didn’t really mean no, that it was a part of “the game”, the starting line of a power struggle. It taught overcoming a woman’s strenuous, even physical objections, was normal, adorable, funny. They didn’t even give the woman the ability to SPEAK.”

Still, some say he’s reaching to make a point, and that the cartoon was never meant to be interpreted that way, adding it was all in good fun and that no child would absorb Pepe’s behavior as something to be replicated. This guy writes, “1. It’s a cartoon. 2. It was made in the 1950s, when this society’s values and mores were a wee bit different. 3. Pepe always gets clowned by the cat in the end…every time. 4. It’s a cartoon. 5. For those of you unclear on the point, see #1 and #4 above.”

Cartoons portraying problematic characters is nothing new. Dave Chappelle once touched on this exact issue in a stand-up special of his, “Killin’ Them Softly,” where he also brought up Pepe Le Pew, and flat-out called him a rapist.

My verdict? Pepe Le Pew, I will need to ask the audience. What do you think? Should Pepe Le Pew be cancelled? Sound off in the comments below and don’t forget to subscribe by hitting my face on the right hand side.