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digitalgypsymuse · 2 months ago

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10 Reasons why pepe le pew is a COMPLETE MISTAKE.

It's time to open the eyes of those stupid skunk fans about why his bullshit and overrated character is a TOTAL MISTAKE: 1️⃣ A concept based on harassment disguised as humor: From his creation, Pepe Le Pew was presented as a “tireless romantic,” but his behavior was always based on stalking: he relentlessly pursues a cat who shows no interest, ignores her body language, corners her, and never stops even if she runs away or hides. Instead of creating a character who could explore love in a funny way, Chuck Jones built him out of disrespect and insistence. This is not harmless humor: it is a normalization of bullying.

2️⃣ The exaggerated repetition of the same joke: All Pepe's short films follow the same formula: Penelope (or another cat) appears, her back is stained and she looks like a skunk, Pepe chases her, she runs away, he doesn't understand the rejection. And so on and on. There is no evolution, no development, no significant variations. This makes her appearances flat, boring, predictable and annoying, even for many viewers of her own era.

3️⃣ Penelope was reduced to a voiceless victim: While Pepe has dialogues, phrases and personality (although questionable), Penelope does not speak, does not express what she feels clearly, and many times her suffering is used as “comedy”. She was silenced so that Pepe would stand out, turning her into a symbol of the ignored victim. This shows that the character was designed to function only as an “object of desire”, which is unfair and limited for an animated female figure.

4️⃣ The character never changed or reflected: Unlike other Looney Tunes who evolved over the years (such as Daffy, who went from crazy to self-centered with nuance, or Bugs, who is sometimes vulnerable), Pepe never changed. He never understood consent, never stopped chasing the force, and was never depicted learning anything. His lack of growth makes him even more negative as time goes on.

5️⃣ The canceled movie was not going to fix anything: The Pepe Le Pew movie Warner Bros. was reportedly planning was going to treat him as a comic spy who seduced women in an action setting. Far from reforming the character, they were going to recycle his worst traits: arrogance, bullying and ego. In the end, it was cancelled because of social pressure and because there was no way to make him interesting without eliminating what made him ��Pepe”. His story doesn't have the heart, nor the conflict, nor the emotional potential that other characters have that do deserve movies. 6️⃣His attempt at reinvention was irrelevant: In Wabbit/New Looney Tunes they tried to reinvent him as a secret agent, with more focus on adventure than romance. But no one remembers him. Why? Because the character didn't have enough positive essence to sustain a new role. The audience didn't identify with him, nor did they connect, and his presence went totally unnoticed.

7️⃣ Chuck Jones and his daughter defended the indefensible: Chuck Jones, creator of Pepe, always defended it as if it were a witty and charming creation, even when it was already clear that its “romanticism” was inappropriate. His daughter, Linda Jones, continued to justify it, claiming that “it was from another era” or that it was “just innocent humor.” These positions completely ignored the negative impact it had on the perception of love and consent.

8️⃣ The character was overrated out of habit, not merit: Pepe went on to win an Oscar (for “For Scent-imental Reasons”), but it was more for Chuck Jones' reputation than for the value of the short. It's not charismatic, it's not witty, and it has no memorable moments outside of stalking. Much of its initial popularity was maintained simply out of tradition, not true appreciation. Today, most of those who continue to defend Pepe do so with weak excuses, based on nostalgia, ignorance of the context or denial of the problems he represents. There is virtually no valid defense that can withstand objective analysis.

9️⃣ It did not contribute anything significant to the Looney Tunes: Characters like Bugs, Daffy, Marvin, Sylvester or Wile E. Coyote contributed ideas, variety of gags and different scenarios. Pepe, on the other hand, was only usable in a fixed formula. He was not part of memorable crossovers, nor of relevant specials, nor did he contribute to the diversity of situations in the Looney Tunes universe. His impact was minimal compared to almost any other character. 🔟 It was overshadowed by new and better characters: As time went by, characters like Fifi La Fume (who took the base idea but with a richer and more empathetic personality), or even Penelope when given a voice, proved that the formula could be improved. Pepe remained a backward version, a tasteless caricature compared to characters who do understand modern comedy and respect. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In short, Pepe Le Pew was not a brilliant character, nor a cleverly funny one, much less an icon worthy of respect. He was the product of an era where bullying was disguised as humor, and his formula not only aged poorly, but became annoying and repetitive.

It's not about “cancellations” or forced censorship: Pepe wasn't cancelled, it was canned. Warner Bros simply stopped using it because it had nothing relevant or positive to bring to the present.

Meanwhile, characters like Penelope, who did have potential, were overshadowed by their role as constant victims. Today, at last, there is an opportunity for them to shine on their own.

To those who still defend the skunk with empty excuses: there are no more valid arguments. And to those who always saw the problem: look this publication

Not every classic character deserves to be kept alive. Some, like Pepe, should simply stay where they belong: in the archive, or better yet, in oblivion.

#fuck pepe

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