Warner Bros. has decided to remove from its catalog one of the characters created in 1945 by cartoonist Chuck Jones: Pepe the Polecat.

The little black and white skunk, character in Looney Tunes cartoons alongside Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck, is characterized by her pestilential smell, her strong French accent, and especially her obsession for the fairer sex.

Cut to the editing of the next film

Space Jam 2

, the beast is accused of perpetuating the culture of rape.

The case begins in an editorial by journalist Charles M. Blow in the

New York Times

on March 3, commenting on the withdrawal across the Atlantic of several children's books by Dr. Seuss, accused of perpetuating racial stereotypes.

"He catches and kisses a girl he doesn't know"

In this article, the American journalist believes that other cartoon characters are problematic.

Over the course of his appearances when he pursues the unfortunate Penelope the cat with his ardor, he is

at least

a heavy flirt, often a stalker and sometimes a sexual aggressor.

It thus normalizes the culture of rape.

RW blogs are mad bc I said Pepe Le Pew added to rape culture.

Let's see.


1. He grabs / kisses a girl / stranger, repeatedly, w / o 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.

pic.twitter.com/CbLCldLwvR

- Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) March 6, 2021

And the journalist to explain this Saturday on Twitter where he deciphers a scene featuring the two characters: "Conservative blogs are angry with me because I said that Pépé the polecat participated in the culture of rape.

Let's see in this video… He grabs and kisses a girl he doesn't know, repeatedly, without her consent and against her will.

She struggles hard to get away from him, but he doesn't release her.

He locks the door to prevent him from running away »

This Sunday, the specialized site Deadline announced that Pépé the polecat had just been deleted from the next

Space Jam 2

, a film worn by LeBron James, mixing animated characters and actors, expected on the screens when theaters reopen.

In the sequence where Pépé the polecat was cut during the editing, he was forcibly taking a woman in his arms.

The basketball player then gave him a lesson on the notion of consent.

Back in the spring, the Warner Bros. had already taken down Elmer, a grumpy hunter obsessed with the Bugs Bunny rabbit, still equipped with a rifle, while the United States was in the midst of the gun control debate.

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