Top 10 Things Only Adults Notice in Looney Tunes

For all of his mischief, there’s no denying Bugs Bunny is a rabbit of many talents. But who remembers him being so passionate about math? In the “Merrie Melodies” cartoon “People Are Bunny,” Bugs gets the chance to show off just how smart he is when asked a complicated math question on a gameshow. When Bugs nails the question immediately, he makes quite the sly comment on his inherent multiplication skills. While Bugs could simply be referring to the math operation itself, his slick answer and snickering make us think he could be referring to a different type of multiplication that rabbits are just as good at.

I betcha I can make a rhyme out of anybody’s name … but I betcha the creators behind “Tiny Toon Adventures” wouldn’t want me to. Shirley Ellis’ iconic song “The Name Game” has had many renditions on the playground and in the media. One appearance occurs in an episode of “Tiny Toons,” in which Buster and Babs Bunny present a countdown of music videos. While many of the “Tiny Toons” gang are present during the song, not everyone participates in the game. Ironically, the hyperactive and typically uncensored Plucky Duck was “inadvertently omitted” from participating, according to the credits. This is, of course, because replacing certain letters in Plucky Duck’s name would lead to some very strong and inappropriate language.

The word “nimrod” used to mean something very different before Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck began referring to their antagonist, Elmer Fudd, as such in their encounters. In fact, the term used to mean a skillful hunter, after the biblical figure Nimrod. However, thanks to that silly rabbit and crazy duck, who referred to Elmer as a ‘nimrod’ in ironic terms, the word transformed drastically. Now, people are more likely to associate the term “nimrod” with an idiot or dummy.

Here’s one to make “Looney Tunes’” older audience do a double take. In a short entitled “Carrotblanca,” you’d think the most inappropriate part would be Pepe Le Pew’s unwanted advances towards Penelope Pussycat. Or even Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck drowning their sorrows with carrot juice. But in both instances, you’d be wrong. In this cartoon, Yosemite Sam is tricked by Bugs into pleading guilty to fictitious charges, resulting in Sam locking himself in a jail cell. Once he’s trapped, Sam notices his much larger cellmate eyeing him seductively from across the room. With sensual music playing and Sam’s obvious panic, the adult audience can put two and two together for what may have happened next in this pretty obvious joke about prison assault.

What’s in a name? Perhaps something the creators of “Merrie Melodies” didn’t think their younger audience members would catch. Viewers familiar with the Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoons may know that nearly all of their shorts open by displaying the characters’ names in English and in Latin or faux-Latin. These supposedly scientific names typically describe the Road Runner’s speedy nature and the Coyote’s faulty traits. In the short “Wild About Hurry,” Wile E. Coyote’s Latin name reads as “Hardheadipus Oedipus” And, if you know anything about Oedipus Rex - the mythical Greek figure who married his own mother - you can roughly translate the Coyote’s name to: hard headed mother… Well, you get the idea.

In the “Merrie Melodies” short, “Rabbit Seasoning,” Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck confuse inept hunter, Elmer Fudd, about which animal is in season. At one point, Bugs dresses as a seductive woman to trick the hunter, planting a wet kiss on his lips. Clearly enthralled by the advances, Fudd’s hat stiffens with a boing sound effect, alluding to the idea that he may be excited in other ways as well. This is followed by the hunter shooting off his gun. While this episode was censored in the 80s and 90s for its gun violence, adults watching this cartoon may wonder why it wasn’t censored for Fudd’s apparent excitement.

The ACME Corporation is the fictional conglomerate that makes just about every product you could dream of in the “Looney Tunes” universe. It’s heavily featured in the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons. The name “acme” was popularized in the 1920s with the rise of alphabetized phone directories. Not only would businesses using the name be placed highest on these lists, but the word itself is Greek for ‘highest point’ - connoting success and quality. Unfortunately for Wile E. Coyote, his use, or rather misuse, of ACME products to catch the Road Runner almost always fail and end in disaster for the canine. Though the company is ironically named, their delivery service is unparalleled.

Do you ever wonder how this wise-cracking, wacky rabbit who munches on carrots came to be? Those with a passion for the golden age of Hollywood might already know. Many of Bugs Bunny’s iconic characteristics take inspiration from Clark Gable’s performance in 1934’s screwball comedy, “It Happened One Night” In one particular scene, Gable’s character leans cooly against a fence while talking quickly through mouthfuls of carrot. Audiences quickly took to Gable’s character and his performance even won him an Oscar. A few years later, Bugs Bunny made his official debut in 1940, bearing a strong similarity to Gable’s character, carrot and all.

This controversial skunk made his preliminary debut in 1945, where he attempted to unsuccessfully find love, remaining unsuccessful ever since. While our memories of Pepe Le Pew may be viewed through rose-colored glasses, that image is quickly shattered as an adult when you realize just how creepy his behavior was. Throughout all of his appearances, this skunk can be seen stalking, grabbing, touching, and kissing his victims without consent. He has even gone so far as to threaten to hurt himself for the affection of his primary target, Penelope Pussycat, who has in turn, tried to off herself to escape Pepe’s advances. Looking back, Pepe’s actions seem wholly inappropriate to make light of, especially when aimed at a young, impressionable audience.

“Looney Tunes” might be one of the last places you’d expect to see outright offensive and racist content, but these cartoons have a dark past that you may not remember. There are several shorts, many of which have been pulled from syndication, that depict racist caricatures of Japanese, Hispanic, and Indigenous peoples, with a heavy focus on negatively portraying African-Americans. These cartoons contain offensive imagery and enforce negative stereotypes, all the while making light of the characters and predicaments involved at the expense of marginalized groups. Bugs Bunny has even participated and been a main catalyst in these jokes, donning blackface and pretending to be a slave. Yikes. Some things cannot be unseen.