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Tom & Jerry in trouble for smoking
Reuters ^ | 08/20/06

Posted on 08/21/2006 7:19:16 AM PDT by presidio9

They chase each other at high speed wielding axes and hammers. But the famous cartoon duo of Tom and Jerry are in trouble for smoking on screen.

Media regulator Ofcom received a complaint from a viewer who took offence at two episodes involving smoking.

In one, "Texas Tom", the hapless cat Tom tries to impress a feline female by rolling a cigarette, lighting it and smoking it with one hand. In the other, "Tennis Chumps", Tom's opponent in a match smokes a large cigar.

In a bulletin posted online, Ofcom noted "concerns that smoking on television may normalise smoking", and said that the Turner company, licensee for Boomerang which aired the cartoons, had agreed to edit some smoking scenes out of Tom and Jerry.

"The licensee has ... proposed editing any scenes or references in the series where smoking appeared to be condoned, acceptable, glamorised or where it might encourage imitation," Ofcom said, adding that "Texas Tom" was one such example.

But it would not cut all smoking scenes, it added.

Ofcom said it recognised smoking was more generally accepted when cartoons were produced in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, but noted that the threshhold for including such scenes when the audience is predominately young should be high.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: cartoons; censor; censorship; media; nannystate; pufflist; revisionisthistory; smokingnazis; tomandjerry; turner
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1 posted on 08/21/2006 7:19:16 AM PDT by presidio9
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To: presidio9

Wow, not even noon and this might already be the most idiotic thing I read today.


2 posted on 08/21/2006 7:20:57 AM PDT by ECM (Government is a make-work program for lawyers.)
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To: presidio9

Maybe it would be acceptable if he flashed her a condom.


3 posted on 08/21/2006 7:21:11 AM PDT by texas_mrs
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To: presidio9

Are there any "photoshopped" pics of these guys?


4 posted on 08/21/2006 7:22:01 AM PDT by Karliner ("Things are more like they are now than they ever were before. DDE)
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To: presidio9

There seem to be a lot of folks in this world who have nothing to do but worry about stuff like this. What an awesome waste of life.


5 posted on 08/21/2006 7:26:20 AM PDT by basil (Exercise your Second Amendment Rights--buy another gun today!)
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To: SheLion

ping


6 posted on 08/21/2006 7:26:37 AM PDT by Vaquero ("An armed society is a polite society" Robert A. Heinlein)
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To: presidio9

7 posted on 08/21/2006 7:27:04 AM PDT by TheBigB (Pardon me whilst I shake my money-maker.)
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To: presidio9

"We need the help of the greatest anti-smoking celebrity that ever lived. Rob Reiner."


8 posted on 08/21/2006 7:27:14 AM PDT by Oztrich Boy ("You can either accept science and face reality, or live in a childish dream world" - Lisa Simpson)
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To: presidio9

Yet the axes and hammers seem to be no problem.


9 posted on 08/21/2006 7:27:16 AM PDT by txroadkill
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To: ECM
Wow, not even noon and this might already be the most idiotic thing I read today.

We aim to please.

10 posted on 08/21/2006 7:27:27 AM PDT by presidio9 (“The term ‘civilians’ does not exist in Islamic religious law.”)
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To: ECM

Remember, kiddies - splitting the skull of your enemies with a large axe and ripping out eyeballs is just fine, but smoking can hurt you!


11 posted on 08/21/2006 7:27:29 AM PDT by Ueriah
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To: texas_mrs

Or if Tom and Jerry were gay partners...then it would be fine for the idiot who complained.


12 posted on 08/21/2006 7:28:28 AM PDT by JRios1968 (This kid knows how to wallop a baseball!!!!!!)
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To: presidio9
Popeye is in real trouble. Not only does he smoke a pipe, he endorses candy cigarettes for the kiddies.


13 posted on 08/21/2006 7:29:05 AM PDT by Kirkwood
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To: presidio9
Islamic terror is not an issue. But smoking in a cartoon from 40 years ago is worthy of a news story.
14 posted on 08/21/2006 7:29:33 AM PDT by Vision (God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love and self-discipline 2Timothy1)
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To: presidio9
Media regulator Ofcom received a complaint from a viewer who took offence at two episodes involving smoking.

Never underestimate the power of human whininess.
15 posted on 08/21/2006 7:31:29 AM PDT by JamesP81 ("Never let your schooling interfere with your education" --Mark Twain)
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Comment #16 Removed by Moderator

To: presidio9

Don't let them exterminate Tom and Jerry like they squashed Fred and Barney. Remember this? http://www.askmen.com/video/2004_nov/nov04_flintstones_cigs.html


17 posted on 08/21/2006 7:32:39 AM PDT by doyle
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To: doyle

I remember those.


18 posted on 08/21/2006 7:34:19 AM PDT by Kirkwood
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To: Vaquero; Just another Joe; Madame Dufarge; Cantiloper; metesky; Judith Anne; lockjaw02; Mears; ...

Thanks for the ping. Stupid, eh?


19 posted on 08/21/2006 7:39:41 AM PDT by SheLion ("If you're legal, you can fly with the Eagle!" - Michael Anthony)
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To: presidio9

What next?

This is stupid.


20 posted on 08/21/2006 7:42:11 AM PDT by Mrs.Nooseman (Proud supporter of our Troops and President GW!!!)
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