Evolution of PEPÉ LE PEW, The CANCELLED Looney Tune - 78 Years Explained | CARTOON EVOLUTION
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
- CARTOON EVOLUTION #41 - PEPÉ LE PEW
I take a look at the history and evolution of Pepé Le Pew, the love-sick, womanising skunk, is without a doubt the most controversial Looney Tune. A character who can only be described as ‘a product of his time,’ filmmakers have struggled to adapt him in the modern day, leading to him being supposedly “cancelled.”
In this video, we’ll trace his evolution from 1945 to now. To do so, we’ll touch on his design and personality changes over a near 8 decades of shorts, series and movies, while also discussing his notoriety and current place in pop culture.
I discuss how Pepé has evolved over time, alongside other Looney characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester the Cat, and more. I also spotlight how animators have continually changed his look, appearance and personality over time. Here's my look at Pepé Le Pew (and Penelope Pussycat) through the years!
CLIPS & MEDIA FEATURED
PEPÉ LE PEW CARTOONS
Odor-able Kitty
Fair and Worm-er
Scent-imental Over You
Odor of the Day
For Scent-imental Reasons
Scent-imental Romeo
Little Beau Pepé
Wild Over You
Sylvester and Tweety - Dog Pounded
The Cats Bah
Past Perfumance
Two Scent’s Worth
Heaven Scent
Touché and Go
Really Scent
Who Scent You?
A Scent of the Matterhorn
Louvre Come Back to Me!
Tweety and Sylvester - Dog Pounded
WARNER MEDIA
Porky Pig and Daffy Duck - Porky and Daffy / Porky Pig’s Feat
Bugs Bunny - Wabbit Twouble / Elmer’s Pet Rabbit / Bugs Bunny and the Three Bears / Haredevil Hare (Marvin the Martian) / Devil May Hare (Taz Devil)
Sniffles - Naughty But Mice / The Egg Collector / Lost and Foundling / Hush My Mouse
Tweety and Sylvester - Tweetie Pie
Hubie and Bertie - The Aristo-Cat
Merrie Melodies - Fair and Wormer
Porky Pig - Porky’s Hare Hunt
Elmer Fudd - Cinderella Meets Fella (Egghead)
Tweety - A Tale of Two Kitties (Orson)
Speedy Gonzales and Daffy Duck - See Ya Later Gladiator
The Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote - The Solid Tin Coyote
Bugs Bunny’s Easter Special
Bugs Bunny’s Valentine
Bigs Vs. Daffy: Battle of the Music Video Stars
Bugs Bunny Road-Runner Movie
Bugs Bunny’s Looney Christmas Tales
Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie
Bugs Bunny’s Mad World of Television
Daffy Duck’s Fantastic Island
Carrotblanca
Bugs Bunny’s Silly Seals (The World of Sea Lions with Bugs Bunny)
Space Jam
Looney Tunes: Back in Action
Tiny Toon Adventures
Animaniacs (Original & Revival)
Histeria
The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries
Tweety’s High Flying Adventure
Baby Looney Tunes
Loonatics Unleashed
Bah, Hummock! A Looney Tunes Christmas
The Looney Tunes Show
Looney Tunes Rabbit’s Run
New Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes Cartoons
Bugs Bunny Builders
Space Jam 2: A New Legacy
OTHER CARTOONS
Mickey Mouse - Plane Crazy
OTHER MEDIA
Pepé Le Moko
Algiers
Gilda
James Bond - Goldfinger
Some Like it Hot (Marilyn Monroe)
Dave Chappelle - Killin' Them Softly
Pirates of the Caribbean - Curse of the Black Pearl / At World’s End
#PepeLePew #LooneyTunes #Cancelled
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What’s even more emblematic about Pepe’s cameo in Animaniacs is that he is literally erased from Yakko’s ice cream cone, symbolizing him being erased from modern projects
It was storyboarded in mid 2020 remotely. At the height of the MeToo movement in Hollywood. Corporate execs at AT&T/WarnerMedia were pretty protective of the brand and they thought that leaving Pepe out instead of updating it would solve the problem.
"No, no! Please, mon cherie! Do not erase me! The void, she is cold and dark and-"
It's so annoying
They could have just tone down the character. Other than that, Pepe is not even worse than anything that’s considered offensive out there. He’s just a hopeless romantic who just doesn’t understand boundaries. In fact, the reason why girls, (and counting the boys he accidentally grabs), run away from him is because of his PUTRID STENCH! Proof is in the episodes, when he gets covered in perfume or paint with nice odor, Penelope doesn’t even run away from him. Then she’s the one who grabs him and he gets scared of her knowing how it feels. Karma hits you back, doesn’t it, Pepe?
Side note, I like how Johnny Depp based the character Jack Sparrow on him, no wonder where he gets that charisma from. But other than that, good job with the history Dave, and I hope Pepe can somehow redeem himself and be given the chance to have his own movie, like promised.
I just find it great to know that Johnny Depp is such a big Looney Tunes fan.
Also, Penelope emerges from the barrel full of water ugly and sick, then proceeds to chase Pepe. I'm pretty sure even Pepe wouldn't go for an ugly/sick woman the way Pennie wouldn't go for a stinky man.
As someone who was born a girl, raised a girl, and who will die a woman, I have never found Pepe Le Pew offensive in my entire life. I always took him as an overly affectionate Skunk who didn't know when to stop, and someone who would never hurt Penelope on purpose.
I've never took him seriously and never will. He's a fun character who needs a come back in my opinion.
I get so tired of hearing everything through a politically correct lense.
I’m okay with politely correctness, but I don’t like erasing history and pretending a certain piece of art or history doesn’t exist.
@@benmalsky9834 Exactly. But that's exactly what these people do.
@@angelcat2865 I’m all for improving as a society, but we also shouldn’t forget and bury our past. We can ALWAYS use our past as a tool to learn better. That’s why it’s always a good thing to have disclaimers before reruns of older films like the Pepe Le Pew cartoons or Gone with the Wind. We should still be able to watch them, but we should also have the ability to understand that they are old and some stuff is outdated.
@@angelcat2865 Strive for a better future, but also learn from a troubled past.
@benmalsky9834 I agree, and that's also why I'm not a fan of PC thinking. That's what they're all about.
I'd like to point out, Penelope sometimes was totally into Pepe. Like, to the point of chasing him. It's just his stench that was off putting to her.
While I wholeheartedly agree that the “harassment” part of Pepe’s character shouldn’t ever be present in the modern era, I still think the “lady’s man” aspect of Pepe is still appealing and has potential if done well, like Pepe the King Prawn of the Muppets.
Uh cartoons always do this joke on boys. so it's fair to do it on girls. He SHOULD return, regardless to how "Problematic" it is. Warner has to ignore it and let Pepe contiue the way he is in the mordern era.
@johnmorgan491 You can’t just avoid them because of the absence of one character. You’re missing out.
@johnmorgan491 PLEASE give some of the modern projects a chance. A few of them are really good.
Omg He’s a cartoon ANIMAL. Have you ever watched how animals mate in the wild? 😂 yeah they aren’t asking each other for consent
I love Pepe. Some of his old shorts really make me laugh, and they’ve been doing so since I was a child. That’s not to say I can’t see he’s got some problems and I don’t want new cartoons without an update to be made today. I hope he comes back in a new form to keep making me laugh
EXACTLY
While Pepe is very much a product of his time I don’t consider him unsalvagable in the slightest. At his core he is a character that is in love with love and oblivious to his odour and advances. He can still be retooled for modern audiences without losing his humour or essence.
Also regarding his ‘cancellation’, nothing is forever. Remember when Speedy Gonzales cartoons were banned from Cartoon Network in the 90s until the Latino community protested? Now he’s in the latest Space Jam and Fluffy did a great job of modernising the character.
A possible new schtick for Pepe would be to see him falling for other black and white animals like badgers, lemurs (which also stink), orcas and zebras. These animals mean business and could make for hilarious scenarios in a consensual (but hilariously painful) inter species relationship context. Just an idea from a zoologist who loves cartoons😂
I think Pepe could work as a Johnny, bravo themed character who thinks he’s a ladies man but he’s really not and whatever he hits on a woman they immediately pummel him
I also think Pepe the King Prawn of the Muppets as another good template. He’s hilarious and charming, and he doesn’t have much luck with the ladies either.
Exactly! You don’t have to cancel him just retool him a little bit.
there you go.
Pepe didn’t deserve to get cancelled. He’s a major player and an integral part of the Looney Tunes franchise. They could’ve just retooled him instead of getting rid of him altogether. I frankly find it quite offensive that WB would actually listen to a bunch of Karens and get rid of one of their important mascots.
While Pepe is my LEAST fave Looney Tune, I wholeheartedly agree and think they could’ve reworked him for the modern times without losing the core elements
I agree
@@BR-jw7pmI agree with that too!
Yes and if WB doesn’t find a way to recover him soon, when I start my company I am going to take Pepe away from them and claim him as my own, not that they would mind because they don’t seem to have plans for him anyway
@@henriquedearruda8902 you are a spiteful individual who knows how to hold a grudge and plan longterm revenge…
Respect!
The fact that the cartoon that had Pepé threaten suicide to coerce Penelope was given an academy award really shows how different times were back then. Maybe someday, a new formula that works for Pepé will be found, but until then, we should never forget, but not forive either.
That scene is THE reason I DESPISE Pepe…
To be fair, suicide was sadly the type of dark humor that was shown a lot in classic films. He wasn't the first to do it either. I know daisy duck did the same thing.
I don't think fiction (especially "comedy") was meant to portray or influence real life. I mean, that is how even video games are getting censored, even those from Japan and, more recently, Skullgirls.
Bro it's not that deep
@@OmarAlikaj Keep crying you can't see upskirt pantyshots of cartoon middle scholers, creep.
Pepe did appeared in the Bugs Bunny 80th Birthday video which features the the Tunes in their new design. Apparently, there were two versions. One with him and the other without him.
There is one Pepé cartoon I think is alright. "Really Scent" sees him arriving in New Orleans, where Fabrette (one of Penelope's alternate names,) is actually, crucially, interested in him too, but still can't stand his smell. Pepé realizes this, and gets the smell removed, unfortunately, Fabrette made herself stink at the same time. I like that it at least attempts to make the attraction consensual, not surprisingly, it's the only one post "Odor of the Day" not directed by Chuck Jones. Maybe Jones was the problem here.
Actually, they're had been a few times Penelope was actually interested in him and he was scared away. They both were French stereotypes, lovers not fighters. So while she might not like his smell and is shown to be the main reason, she can find him charming. But he comes on strong and smells terrible, so chances aren't in their favor.
"You probably have a point. In "The Merrie History of Looney Tunes," a multi-part documentary available on UA-cam, the narrator touched upon a few interesting points. In 1953, the Warner Bros. cartoon studio was shut down due to the belief that 3-D films would signal the end of animated cartoon shorts. However, this prediction was off the mark, and the studio reopened six months later. Jones made his return, but his writer, Michael Maltese, had already found employment at the Walter Lantz Studio and chose not to return to Warner Bros. For a while, Chuck Jones collaborated with writer Tedd Pierce, who, if my memory serves me right, penned the debut of Pepe Le Pew. Jones also took to writing some of his own shorts. The narrator highlighted the synergy between Maltese and Jones, mentioning that Maltese was a valuable asset because he somewhat balanced Jones. It was observed that the Pepe Le Pew cartoons Jones wrote by himself often portrayed Pepe in a more sympathetic light compared to those written by Maltese. Eventually, Maltese returned to Warner Bros. after Jones convinced the higher-ups to offer him a better salary.
I honestly think Jones was a better adapter than a creator, most of his original characters (Marc Anthony, sniffles, Charlie Dog, Hubie and Bertie) have been forgotten, while bugs, daffy, and porky, were around for a while before chuck changed their formulas
@@michaelboydston313He did create Road Runner and Wile E Coyote though.
I think people are just too sensitive nowadays.
People aren’t “sensitive”, people are more aware of problematic depictions in media and how they can affect people. Watch the video, learn, and have an open mind to discussion.
@@DaveLeeDownUnder You think so? I dunno… I always saw this whole controversy about Pepe as people making a big deal over nothing. I mean, I never saw him as offensive. Then again, I’m not a woman. But even if the gender roles were reversed, I wouldn’t see the problem.
@@DaveLeeDownUnder
The creepy stalker girl character trope (basically a female pepé) is a really popular and accepted trope in modern times, so no, it's not about people "being more aware of problematic depictions" no society ever becomes more aware of problematic behavior. Because raising awareness of a certain problem always comes at the cost of another problem being more accepted.
There is nobody in the world who is in love with Pepé Le Pew than me.
Pepé Le Pew is a real good charming lovesick skunk I ever love. Personally I am a huge, huge fan of him and I adore him so much ever since I was a kid by growing up.
I've been reading all this crap about Pepé Le Pew being dropped from the Space Jam sequel because he is a rapist.
PEPE LE PEW WAS NEVER A RAPIST!
Pepé was a parody of all the French lovers portrayed in movies and their over-the-top ways of pursuing women.
Above all Pepé Le Pew is JUST A CARTOON CHARACTER!
GROW UP PEOPLE!!!
VIVE LA PEPÉ LE PEW!
JUSTICE FOR PEPÉ LE PEW!
JUSTICE POUR PEPÉ LE PEW!
Charlie Dog fans will revolt
Agreed, satire, parody! People look for reasons to feel offended nowadays!
I think the way to make Pepe work is to show the attraction as consensual. He can still be a womanizer and ladies' man if we know the ladies are actually into it and his attentions are not being forced on them. Maybe they could show him with lots of love interests but include a running gag that they all have clothespins on their noses or are always trying to get Pepe to wear cologne to mask his scent or something.
The movie Waking Ned Divine had a similar joke. There was a young couple that was in love but the girl kept rejecting the guy because he was a pig farmer and he always smelled of pigs. "Finn, ya know I love ya and I'd be all yours...if it weren't for the pigs!" That kind of comedy might work for Pepe.
Great call, and a terrific reference! I almost NEVER hear people talk about Ned Divine - a gorgeous movie!
Pepe and Penelope deserve better not from the most awful social media discussion of rape culture or WOKE by certain people questioning of their characteristics even their behaviors. When I saw Pepe chasing Penny in a comedy way but it’s still funny not anything too offensive. I hope WB could bring them back soon. And never listening bad social media in which it’s responsible for the despicable mess.
#SavePepeandPenlope2023
#SaveWB2023
I'm glad that you finally made a video for him. Personally, he's one of my favorites and though I understand why people have a problem with him, I still feel a bit disappointed that they've basically phased him out. I don't condone the unwanted advances, but I adore the hopeless romantic aspect of his character. Like you mentioned, the people in that era had a different mindset than current times, so what was seen as ok then isn't always considered ok now. At the end of the day it's still just a cartoon and shouldn't be taken seriously.
Today everyone takes offense at the merest hint of something actually being offensive or not, it’s ridiculous.
Context matters.
Sure, it’s “problematic” to people today, but when these first aired, not so much. How far is it going to go, film studios are already putting what amounts to trigger warnings on older films, it’ll start creeping into classic tv shows and books before you know it.
@@ajclements4627 Yeah, I think it's pretty sad.
Yes. It's a cartoon from decades ago. Move on!
Even though Pepe is my LEAST fave Looney Tune (of the main cast anyway), I agree it’s stupid to just remove him entirely when they could rework the character/shorts without losing the iconic elements
That's what i said. I had conversation about this with my sister and we both agree on that statement
@@sleepystories8958 my idea is to both make it clear that Pepe’s behavior is wrong AND have him face karmic consequences for his actions
I think the looney tunes show has the right idea. Making him still deal with romance, but not the center of it. Like when he was the wedding planner, or mentioned online dating. It's on brand and less problematic.
Adorable Couples
Now you've mentioned that, Johnny Bravo haven't appeared in a while neither. Outside of some mentions.
The last time he appeared anything CN was in Crossover Nexus.
Really well put together. I appreciate that rather than some people who just say "dont cancel" you carefully looked over the episodes and the character himself. Personally, around the time I saw Pepe pretend to shoot himself in order to trick the lady into unlocking the door, and him chaining chaining her up, I thought "yeah I'm okay with this guy being gone in 2023" 😆 Some people might call it "political correctness." Personally I call it removing a character who no one's actually going to miss once they get past their personal outrage. It is certainly art from a different era. Either way, really appreciate the great analysis!
It's so baffling that Warner Bros can't rework Pepe Le Pew for modern audiences, instead of just cancelling him. Like he could still be the stinky casanova, but toned down a bit as to not offend anyone.
As a French person myself I find it disgusting how some people and WB treated him and I'm not offended by him in fact I find it hilarious I hope someday WB will realised their mistake and bring him back.
People are gonna hate me for saying this but Pepe le pew is my favorite character of all time besides Marvin the Martian, I love all of his art styles including my favorite from the looney tunes show, except his art style in Odor-able Kitty (which is a perfect cartoon) and Odor Of The Day (which is an alright cartoon), also like many people say this, For Scent-imental Reasons is the best one! I love his personality, his cuteness, his voice from every looney tunes show, and his relationship with Penelope (who I also really love), the only problem with him isn't even from him, it's that we don't get enough of him, I know people will disagree with me, but I'm just saying an honest opinion, still he has no problems in my opinion, and no matter what he'll always be from my heart!! 🥰😍🤩❤💙💜🖤🤍
THE SKUNK IN "ODOR OF THE DAY" IS *NOT* PEPE! He's a generic Warner Bros skunk who bears a resemblance to Pepe, end of story.
@@joestrike8537 Well, according to the Pepe Le Pew DVD, Odor Of The Day was part of the collection with the rest of the Pepe shorts!
@@PokeToonimationTrue - but that still doesn't make him Pepe. (For one thing, the cartoon was directed by Arthur Davis, not Chuck.) He lacks Pepe's suave self-confidence and in terms of facial expression and personality, gives off a "wiseguy/smart aleck" vibe. The real giveaway is at the very end when he and the dog simultaneously say "Gesundheit!" - that is NOT Pepe's voice we hear! I confess I have a PVC figurine of Pepe holding and pointing his tail as if it were a weapon, a pose borrowed from the OotD skunk - but he never used his scent as an offensive (in both senses of the word) weapon in any of his cartoons. I once owned a VHS of Pepe cartoons that included Jones' "Much Ado About Nutting," wherein a an obssessed squirrel repeatedly tries and fails to crack open a coconut. (The Wile E Coyote syndrome, as it were.) I'll wager the only reason it was included was the squirrel's plush, bushy tail, not unlike Pepe's; including that cartoon did not make the squirrel a skunk!
@@joestrike8537 Yes the vhs had a cartoon that wasn't Pepe, but Pepe does other stuff than falling in love with Penelope, like in New Looney Tunes for example, he was an secret agent, yes his voice wasn't the same, but didn't tweety have a different voice too? And if you think he did, don't you at least respect my opinion?
Yeah, totally cancel him wasn't a good move to me, they surely should've rework his concept to a more reasonable tone. Maybe emphazise more his French charm and put a classy behavior to him.
Even with the problematic behavior he has, I still find Pepe to be a fine character. Even my dad considers him one of his favorite Looney Tunes characters. Pepe would’ve been better if they ever give him a new purpose in future toons, but for now let’s wait and see if WB can find ways to do so. Another great Cartoon Evolution you made Dave, well researched!
Thank you!
@johnmorgan491 Cause when it's a female it's acceptable, but not when it's a male.
@@walkerphillips2818 "Because when a Women Does what Pepe Does, that mean's that it is not Illegal" Richard Nixon
I feel that a retooled Pepe would work. Imagine Pepe as oblivious and a hopeless romantic in an actual relationship with Penelope, but she's just trying to love a man who absolutely reeks and is unaware of it.
Personally I love Pep-Lepew! That Casonova who falls so hard for a lover as he fails to achieve it! I even love his successor Fifi, Tiny Toons, as she was another iteration who desperately longed for another!❤😂
I saw these traits as a parody of the romantic gentleman or burnt out super hunk whose never given up( pre Johnny Bravo) so I have been shocked on how many want him cancelled by today's standards( heck look at Speedy!). I just remind people its merely jokes and not to be taken seriously. I'll always love Pepe, and never stop being a fan. If there's a way anyone could bring him to a more " Tolerable" or " Acceptable" standard while still making him a hopeless romantic; if gladly welcome it!❤
Dave, I think it was very noble of you to make a video about Pepe. And hey, you now finally tackled EVERY major Looney Tunes character!
Bosko, Foxy, Piggy, Goopy, Buddy, and Beans:
I think he missed Petunia and Granny. He might've talked about the latter more in detail in the Sylvester and Tweety video but maybe that one was already very crowded as it turned out.
I may not be a fan of Pepe, but he didn’t deserve to be cancelled.
I do like his characterization in the New Looney Tunes shorts, but honestly, if I were part of the animation team, I would cast Pepe as someone who's been through rehab and has acknowledged his misdeeds just so he still makes appearances.
I feel the animaniacs cameo was meant to comment on the character getting cancelled, as he states "no! The void she is dark." Before being erased.
😔 it’s a shame that Pepe is no longer accepted in society because when I was a kid he was one of my favorite cartoon characters
Quick question are your also gonna do a voice evolution for Pepe? Just asking.
I love to see a voice evolution of pepe myself dave!
That would be fun to watch.
I always thought a decent way to modernize Pepé would to have him be the host in a parody of one of those Dating reality shows
My god, that would be hilarious.
Pepe deserves a rightful comeback with a change of act while still being the French big hearted skunk we know in love.
I'm someone who still laughs at rape jokes such as on Archer.
Maybe Internet Dating
This story sounds like a bit of a tragic tale. I never knew there was something behind the lovey dovey rinky dink. Does he deserve a comeback? What about speedy?
@@Woobuggy848 Yes
@@Woobuggy848 Oh yeah I think his horrible smell may come in use to fight against french criminals. Plus everyone's reacations to his terrible stench always leave me stitches.
Pepe le pew is one of the best cartoon characters of the looney tunes and I love his first cartoon "odor-able kitty" and I love how he appear in space jam with his odor for the monstars!
I think modern sensibilities assume audiences are braindead. Not every headline character is meant to be a role model.
It's too late to retool given how one note he originally was plus the modern baggage, but maybe TTL will make good use of Fifi la Fume in his stead.
There's no reason to endlessly quality and apologize for Pepe. The humor of the cartoons is no worse than the violence of the other Looney Tunes. Obviously no one would come away from these cartoons thinking it's okay to act like Pepe anymore than it's okay to smash a hammer into someone's head.
Karens obviously haven’t watched the old school cartoons.
Penelope, the cat he was chasing whom he thought was another skunk eventually falls for Pepe at the end of one of his cartoons when he gets covered in (I think white paint, I can’t remember) and Pepe becomes the victim. So, it’s not like he didn’t get his comeuppance in the end.
It would’ve been easier to retool him than to cancel him overall.
I hate cancel culture.
It gives people a sense of power that they have no business using.
Very reductive and counter-intuitive to call anyone who has legitimate concerns with the character a "Karen." It adds nothing to the important conversations that need to be had here.
Also, "cancel culture" does not exist.
@@DaveLeeDownUnder Dave, I disagree but respect your opinion. Love the channel, man. Keep up the good work!
@@DaveLeeDownUnder "cancel culture" very much exists
I feel it's odd how Warner-Discovery never thought to permanently change him, I mean, they did change a jerkhole rabbit into their main mascot, a insane duck into a self-centered quackpot, and a naked wittle sociopath into a "innocent" baby canary. And all of those toons have been in massive controversies themselves, like The 12 Missing Hares. Personally, if he and Penelope were changed into a playful married couple, it wouldn't fix him completely, but it'd sure change the character for the better.
It’s sad that the Looney Tunes aren’t shown much anymore.
They are. Pepe isn't
@@evy9439I Feel that Daffy is Shown Less Now. (IMO).
You have MeTV?
Boomerang and Max site a number of them but not all.
They are shown literally everyday on boomerang and MeTv. Even pepe le pew cartoons sometimes
I remember this now-deleted video by John Cav from March 2022. It begins with Bugs Bunny (voiced by Sebastian Ortiz Ramirez) and Daffy Duck (voiced by Cav) bringing John a cake on his birthday. When John holds the cake, he finds it heavy and asks what is inside, but Bugs says that it is a secret. He brings the cake indoors, and is about to cut a slice when he hears someone inside the cake humming "Happy Birthday". Then Pepé Le Pew (voiced by Cav) bursts out singing, "Happy Birthday to you!", startling John, who falls backwards. It cuts to a television color bar screen, then to an excited John, who says, "Pepé Le Pew! You're my favorite Looney Tune! You're here on my birthday!", which the skunk accepts. He then laments to John about his removal from Space Jam: A New Legacy and his controversey in 2021, and says that it was Bugs who organized to have him be inside the cake and bring him to someone to explain his problems. John is repulsed by Pepé's odor. After it cuts to the color bar screen and then to him again, he tells Pepé: "I understand how you feel, Pepé. Most people don't understand that your shorts were meant to be funny. Social media is a really horrible place, I wouldn't recommend going there. But don't feel so down about it. Even if there are people that hate you, you're still gonna find the same amount of peope out there that do love you. And I should know, because I am one of them. Come. I have something to show you." He then leaves the table as the scene fades to black. "Pump Up the Jam" by Technotronic plays as the scene cuts to John and Pepé in the former's garden, turning around and wearing Tune Squad jerseys and shorts. They grin at each other, before John points to something on their right, much to Pepé's joy. Penelope Pussycat is then seen in a Tune Squad jersey and shorts, spinning a basketball on her finger, and the video ends.
One way he can come back is with his lothario personality, if done correctly, but maybe more importantly if they let Penelope speak face to face with him.
Pepe Le Pew is an awesome character. it’s a cartoon character that was different then, and is different now and that’s big points because we rarely see new cartoon characters being created as back then.
Different doesn’t mean good
That I understand@@pipergallaher5463 but to us that like him, well… there’s lots of cats, rats, bunny’s, birds etc characters, but skunks, there’s only Pepe Le Pew.
Thank you for making this😊, I'm aware of how uncertain you were to make it but Pepé and Penelope are unironically some of my favorite Looney tunes characters so I'm glad this was made, keep up the good work 👍
Honestly, Pepe's problem is that he was too one note. When the other Tunes are already very bit and gag based, it allowed those characters infinite possibilities, and that benefit isn't in Pepe's corner.
I don’t know, tweety seems more one note.
@@MrSophire I wouldn't say that. Tweety worked early on until Friz Freleng turned the character into a mere object who wouldn't even defend himself.
@@abdullahibouraleh6919 I really like Pepe, When they turned him into a Bond parody I thought it was fitting, the redesign was bad but out fit was cute and it fit his delusions
I keep saying he should be turned into a character we laugh at when karma strikes him. That we laugh at when his attempts at stalking fail miserably on his face.
Like Ataru Moroboshi.
Perhaps they should make a new skunk character for Pepe le pew! They should call her Scarlet Skunk! And by the time when Pepe and Scarlet would ever meet one day I know the true Love Will conquer All! And of course Pepe would redeem himself I just know it! And you should know that when it comes to cartoons I never wanted to give up hope! Even if they only exist on TV it's still the part of me to believe that anything could happen! Also I wonder if Dave Lee would talk about Rocky and Bullwinkle next time!
The tiny toons already created a female version of her and that skunk's name is fefe
Pepe's canceletion is a perfect example of how soft and easily-offended humanity has became. Calling a fictional character "offensive" and getting them completely wiped out doesn't make you some strong lord and savior, it just makes you look pathetic. Hope Pepe will make some stong come back one day
Spoken perfectly! It makes me so angry when people lose their minds about a cartoon character! It’s so stupid!
I think something that could work for Pepe is if he was depicted as being in a mutual relationship with Penelope (something media outside of cartoons often likes to show them as) and the subject of their cartoons is just them trying to have a date, where the humour revolves around Pepe's scent making it unbearable for everyone else. Pepe and Penelope are having the time of their lives while the world gags and screams around them.
Oh, I rather like that. Could even have a scene where Pepe is by himself, being his charismatic, confident self, and respecting boundaries, say building a woman's self confidence, a Karen comes in thinking he's trying to romance another lady and confronts him about it and he defends his behavior by saying he politely helping that other lady's confidence, walks away, leaving the Karen surrounded by a crowd of angry ladies he's actually helped.
A few thoughts about Pepe from someone who as little kid had trouble making friends and felt rejected, identified with him:
- Yes, they should have *definitely* kept him in "New Legacy," being taught that lesson by Santo. (That "restraining order" line would have been a perfect way of bringing him up to date.)
-- A mobile phone commercial featuring Pepe & Penelope begins with her *painting the white stripe on herself* - she loves him so much she wants to make herself more appealing to him! (When he calls, her heart visibly thumps in her chest cartoon style)
- Pepe appears as Bugs and Lola's wedding planner In that Looney Tunes Show episode: "Your wedding day is the most important day of your life - and I should know, I've been married seven times," which I thought was an utterly *perfect* way of bringing him up to date: he's still a romantic idiot, but without the "rapey" behavior. (Tangent: in an episode of the Barney Miller sitcom a man arrested for accosting women asks the detectives "why is it in the movies when a man wants to kiss a woman she resists then gives in?" to which one responds, "because men make those movies.")
- “Really Scent,” the one Pepe cartoon *not* directed by Jones takes a different & opposite approach: a lady skunk born with a stripe down her back (that frightens would-be suitors) sees him as a perfect mate and tries (unsuccessfully) to hold her breath while with him. The cartoon features a female narrator encouraging her to keep trying - it’s the one Pepe cartoon from the cat’s perspective, and a role-reversal ending, with the cat pursuing a terrified Pepe…which leads me to my next thought:
- In *every* cartoon where the female eventually finds him attractive, he runs away in terror, leading me to wonder - is Pepe gay, trying to pose as a “Don Juan” to convince others (or himself) he’s straight? His title card appearances with shaded eyelids, visible eyelashes and a ‘come hither’ expression would lend itself to that interpretation.
- As long as we’re talking about Pepe’s possible non-CIS behavior, in “Wild Over You” he tries to put his moves on an escaped-from-the-zoo wildcat who’s painted a white stripe on herself to avoid capture. The wildcat rips him to shreds every time he tries & the cartoon ends with a smiling, scarred and bruised Pepe telling the audience “if you have not tried it, do not knock it” - *the skunk’s into S&M!*
- And again about Pepe’s possible kinks, I wish I could put a link here to my parody drawing of Pepe *painting the stripe on a panicked Penelope himself* with a crazed smile on his face in a boarded up room, as a movie poster: “It began as A SIMPLE MISUNDERSTANDING - grew into A STRANGE COINCIDENCE - and gave way to AN INSATIABLE OBSESSION! - *WHITE LINE FEVER!”*
OOPS and DUH! - in the "Really Scent" paragraph above, that should've read "a lady *cat* born with a stripe down her back..." I am zee poor proof-reader, no?
Lol omg do you really put that much thought into a cartoon to wonder if pepe is gay? It's a simple cartoon. No hidden meanings. Just a damn cartoon. He runs from her because IT'S FUNNY. That it.
I abosolutely love this exposition about our beloved skunk's amorous animation history!
A lot of over dramatic folks in the comments like this is a stupid harmless cartoon and they are treating it like if it was a ruthless dictator from the 20th century. Chill the hell out.
Pepe Le Pew made a brief cameo in Aninmaniacs (2021). There's still hope he may return. Linda Jones (Chuck Jones's daughter) suggested to rebrand him as a job seeking candidate who keeps getting rejected but keeps changing up his routine. I suggested too that if that's the case, then Penelope Pussycat should become his booking agent or zomething like that.
Congratulations on another excellent video and for tackling a sensitive subject so well, Dave.
Thanks as always 🙏
Well, although Pepe's reputation is not great, I think he still a fine character. I think what Warner could do with him is give him a new personality, but at the same time staying with some of his old self's trades. Great video as always Dave!!
This is a great video and I love pepe' le pew dave!
Like in New Looney Tunes, because he is low key great in there
@@cerebrummaximus3762 They should have definitely done more with the James Bond angle.
@@cerebrummaximus3762 In an alternate universe, the Pepe episodes would have lead to a full blown spin-off series, following Pepe’s spy escapades and globetrotting escapades.
@@benmalsky9834 I wish they do that. James Bond had the reputation of... girls, which fits Pepe. He is such a cool character in the NLT, so I'd love a spin off in the spy take.
Pepé is innocent! He never deserved to be canceled
I know right?
Having Pepe Le Pew and Penelope Pussycat not appearing in Space Jam 2: A New Legacy will still be the ONLY Flaw I'll give.
Pepe Le Pew is like Any Typical man who likes Women.
@@thefantasticretroreviewer3941
The ONLY Flaw you give? But what about the other ones for example
Rhythm wants a big star for his movies and wants to be recognized so why did he chooses LeBron over other celebrities that are more popular like Dwayne Johnson and Robert Downey Jr??
Why did Rhythm kicked out the Looney Tunes out of their world and what does he had against them exactly?
Why couldn’t the Justice League help LeBron to save his son after he asked them? Superman not helping someone to save their child is completely goes against his character. And why didn’t Wonder Woman participate in rescuing Dom?
How did Dom get that incredible scanning technology for his game?
How did Bugs and the Tunes teleport to the real world? They explain how Bugs survive because he’s a toon but didn’t explain how he’s in the real world now.
Why are these characters are joining the basketball team when most of them seem to enjoying their new lives in all of these WB properties? We got a reason to why Daffy and Lola joined but we didn’t a reason why other characters decided to join the team like Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, Sylvester, Granny, Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, Speedy Gonzales, Gossamer, and Yosemite Sam.
How would winning a basketball game change anything for Rhythm if he’s already made history by teleporting millions of people into the server, and since he did transport millions of people wouldn’t cause planes to crash and cars pileups or something?
Before the game starts, LeBron tells his son that Rhythm has transported millions of people into the server-verse and Dom treats as No big deal?? Does he just not care?
The movie abandoned an interesting plot line of Bugs Bunny being lonely and why couldn’t they focus on that part a lot more?
Where are the other LT characters such as Barnyard Dawg, Playboy Penguin, Rocky and Mugsy, Witch Hazel, The Crusher, Petunia Pig, Hubie and Bertie, Michigan J. Frog and didn’t Bugs look for them?
We did saw Nasty Canasta in the Mad Max world with the Coyote and Road Runner but somehow Bugs didn’t brother to recruit him despite he wanted to get all Looney Tunes back together.
What's wrong with me giving it only one Flaw and still enjoy the Film a lot?
Its not a big deal.
And besides, Space Jam 2: A New Legacy is still a 1 Hour and 55 Minute MOVIE, NOT a Commercial.
If it was (which I always try to tell you its not a Commercial), there would be Product Placements everywhere and the Film would've been 30 Seconds to a Minute long.
No idea why you keep thinking its a Commercial when its not.
@@thefantasticretroreviewer3941
What are you talking about?
I never said that Space Jam A New Legacy was a commercial, like, where did that come from?
Great cartoon evolution video Dave, I hope Penelope Pussycat will still appear in future Looney Tunes cartoons without Pepe ❤️🖤🤍
The cancellations is stupid. WHO CARES if he's creepy, that's the whole point! You're not supposed look up to some of these characters, they're looney tunes. We should appreciate the fact that he generally never gets his way. People are just looking for someone//something to cancel!
💯
This was a great video giving us the information of the character and I think he should NEVER be erased or canceled from Warner Bros. at all. He just needs some reworking. I could see him still being a ladies man and trying to win certain woman's hearts but they just can't seem to like him mostly cause of his sent and not cause he seems to grabby. Come on Warner Bros and get to working on some new Pepe le' Pew shorts. We need him to stay with our core group of characters. I have seen him on Looney Tunes products. There have been plush toys of Pepe. Yeah certain items or products of those times didn't include him but he has had toys, figures, clothing and other things. Nah don't cancel the poor shuck.
Ever since Pepe Le Pew got cancelled I never looked at looney tunes the same way again
I find it odd that Pepé le Pew is considered too problematic/controversial to use in new Looney Tunes stuff (besides cameos), but Fifi la Fume still appears in the new Tiny Tunes cartoon even though her shtick is more or less the same as Pepé, even more if you cosider that up until recently it was a "common" trope to have a female character harassing/stalking the male characters and nobody bats an eye, like Dijonay from Proud Family, Tootie from FOP, Jackie from Kick buttowky, Sarah from TAWOG, Panini from Chowder, Miyo from A Whisker Away, etc.
(not saying that those are bad characters or that that is good behavior)
For Scent-imental Reasons on an Oscar? That wasn't my favorite Chuck Jones cartoon...or even my favorite Pepe Le Pew cartoon! Still,Pepe remains one of my favorite characters!:-)
Space Jam: A New Legacy showed the Droogs from Clockwork Orange in the crowd of the Serververse, and BOY did they get a lot of attention?
They were background cameo characters with no dialog. Very different to placing a character front-and-center.
@@DaveLeeDownUnder That is very true, Dave
@@DaveLeeDownUnder Yeah, but let's just say they've done worse then Pepe... 🙄
A Clockwork Orange isn’t a comedy. It’s a dark drama. And the characters are not meant to be idolized, celebrated, or a source of humour. That’s the difference.
@@DaveLeeDownUnder You have a very good point, even though I never saw the Film.....but it doesn't hurt for r to try.
I’m gonna be honest with one thing, I still think Pepe’s “Cancellation” was kind of undeserving, in a time where there are way more gross characters in other pieces of media, seeing Pepe get cancelled is sort of disappointing, with the fact that all the plans in retooling him to be a little more tamer getting tossed aside for just straight up erasing him makes it more disappointing
From what I’ve seen and read, Jones himself had tried to make sure that Pepe wasn’t crossing the line in terms of being offensive as he’d based Pepe on the confidence he wish he had when he was younger and the shorts do sort of show that. Pepe while being rambunctious can also understand certain things, in one of the shorts after realizing that the reason why Penelope doesn’t like him is due to the smell, he ends up removing it all for her
Saying that Pepe is a joke on Assault would be like saying the 3 Bears Shorts are a joke on Abuse or that Wile E. Coyote are a joke on Stalking, it’s a very big jump to conclusions as more or less, Pepe being a skunk should make it clear that the joke is “She doesn’t like him because he smells.”
In any news Pepe has gotten some more appearances and Warner is loosening up in the restricted use of him, like in fact, when the whole cancellation thing begun, a Pepe Character in World of Mayhem was scrapped due to it, but now after some years, they managed to add a new Pepe Character in the game which should make it clear that Warner is loosing restrictions on the use of him and it’s nice that the erasure wasn’t permanent
And also to explain one thing, I think the character isn’t really as “personality-less” as people would say, he’s a romantic, he’s very calm and composed even when getting bashed and there’s some very interesting details about his character, in an Web-Toon, he essentially helps Porky with finding the perfect girl for him because he likes the feeling of love, and he wants others to also feel loved, that’s what makes him pop out for me
Word. As Rafiki in The Lion Guard would say, "Leap to conclusions, and you'll leap to confusions!"
my favorite part of the cancelling of pepe is that they completely fail to mention whatsoever that, in some episodes, the cat is chasing pepe back! these new youth brainwashed to be "woke" think this is grape culture? wow. i garuntee your woman wants more in a man, and you fail to fulfill your masculine essence, and walk around ashamed of the savage lust within you and your own sexuality, dismissing and belittling your masculine core as if there is something wrong with you because "hey thats bad they said so "
Couple of things to note with the Pepe shorts that I think you missed mentioning:
1)There have been times when Penelope has shown attraction to Pepe, usually only put off by the smell. Usually these examples come at the end of the short, though there was also this phone commercial: ua-cam.com/video/lvhDGctJr6E/v-deo.html
2)In the old shorts, there have been times that show that once the tables have turned, Pepe can't handle the same level of affection. Can dishbit out but he can't take it.
In regards to how I would modernize Pepe and by connection Penelope, I would make the two a pair in the cartoons, and be hopeless romantics for each other (think the Roger/Jessica relationship mixed with Disney's Robin Hood and Maid Marian flirting amped up), Penelope either not caring or oblivious to Pepe's smell, and the two of them getting into various romantic escapades with each other (maybe modify their classic chase sequence as it being a playful game they have with each other), but either through Pepe's stench or other means most of their attempts don't turn out the way they want. Perhaps even throw in some other cat trying to get Penelope, and she takes him out while saying in some form "no means no", and as a hint of his past Pepe chiming in "Some of us learned that the hard way."
Perfection. Why can't Warner Discovery hire people like you?
@walkerphillips2818 Well, not sure I would want the job...but aside from that I have no college training in that field and I live on the opposite coast of most of those operations. Thank you for the praise though!
The least they can do is rejig the Pepe formula around the Really Scent template! 😊
No matter what people say about Pepe, he isn't as cancelable as that Buddy The Boy guy
Who?
Referring to the second major star of the Looney Times series, who was killed off in Animaniacs for being “too bland”.
@@walkerphillips2818 Really?
@@thefantasticretroreviewer3941yes
@@walkerphillips2818 I'll go along with it
No one was ever supposed to take Pepe Le Pew's demeanor seriously---and no one, _nowhere_ was ever forced to emulate his behaviors. Pepe's hopelessly romantic advances towards Penelope are so obviously unwanted/unrequited, that most people see through it right away; understanding the lesson that his behavior is unacceptable in the real world. We also can't forget that as a skunk, Pepe Le Pew's character inherently possesses *_an absolutely horrid stench,_* the actual reason Penelope doesn't want to be anywhere near him. Besides...it's a cartoon? You know, _a work of fiction?_ There are many problems in the real world that would benefit immensely more from our efforts and attention.
With all that said and out of the way though, *_I like Pepe Le Pew._* Even as a guy, I still think he's cute, cuddly and funny. In a lot of ways, I relate to _Chuck Jones'_ sentiment about wanting to be like Pepe (in the right ways, obviously). I too would love to be as confident and charismatic as him. 21:48 It's also a pleasant surprise to know Johnny Depp also likes Pepe Le Pew and even used him as inspiration for Jack Sparrow. Be like Johnny Depp; channel the better parts of Pepe to improve yourself. Besides, look at him 5:05, 7:40, 7:42, 7:44, 13:05. Love him or hate him, this art of Pepe is beautiful and a reminder that male beauty is a thing worth striving for.
I have always said, nothing is truly timeless, and everything is a product of when it was made. Pepe's cartoons having a pre-Woman's Lib bend to them is no different than constant references to WW II rationing LT shorts of the 40's or the VERY unfortunate racial stuff in certain older cartoons. And it is no secret that they've been struggling with the character since the 80's at least, something I've also been saying. Though it seems WB has at least walked back banning the character from older appearances, with the for kid's Boomerang LT block not only reintegrating full Pepe cartoons into their rotation, but advertising his appearances as well. For contrast, Speedy cartoons are only seen in the more adult LT compilation on MeTV, along with other rarities, and they've been using Speedy solidly since the same time period. As for Pepe., I think we can get his cartoons to work in a modern era with one simple change. Have the women actually like Pepe. Make him a romantic type that the women can't resist, UNTIL he gets too excited and sprays skunk stink, causing them to run for cover, giving Pepe either a "was it something I said" or "sigh, easy come, easy go" reaction. Not only is that less one sided, it's more biologically realistic, as skunks only spray as a defense mechanism and smell no worse than any wild animal otherwise. Or let's look at why Fifi la Fume holds a higher standing, make him depressed and lovelorn instead of overconfident.
In the New Looney Tunes, Pèpè takes the form of secret agent, I love the role so much, that honestly he's my favourite character in the show.
I wonder why they didn’t continue the “James Bond-esque” route with Pepe. THAT has tons of potential!
@@benmalsky9834 I storyboarded the Pepe "Moonraker" Double Le Pew short. We really started to push the idea that Pepe didn't want to be a spy and just wanted to date Claudette in that cartoon. I remember that I pushed him a little to close to the classic Pepe in that short in the picnic scene and was asked to make some adjustments. I think there is at least one more Pepe Short in season 2 and it is quite good. It found the balance of old Pepe and this new Secret Agent Le Pew. Our Executive Producer Gary Hartle came up with the Double Le Pew idea and for a while it felt like it would have made a strong spinoff series. I do not know if they were asked to stop making Pepe cartoons in season 3 of the show, but I do know that Pepe was not be used in Looney Tunes Cartoons on HBO. He in fact made a cameo appearance in a Bugs Bunny Birthday short made for UA-cam and was later removed and reuploaded without him in it.
@@drawwing Hey, Thanks!
@@drawwing It’s a shame that the guys at WBA didn’t decide to do more with the secret agent angle of Pepe, as in my opinion, it’s a step in the right direction of modernizing him. But I guess they’d rather have more respected characters utilized more for the modern generation huh?
@@drawwing What was the attitude among your colleagues? Was it that Pepe was too ingrained in his controversial nature that there was difficulty escaping from it, or was it that to the powers at Warner, Pepe was one-dimensional or one-note that he was no different than Cecil Turtle or Hippity Hoppy?
Remember kids, the people who complained about a cartoon skunk getting censored are soft, whiny and should worry about something more important.
But the people who were offended about a cartoon skunk and demanded him to be censored in the first place, they aren't soft and whiny, they shouldn't worry about something more important.
Reductive comments like this add nothing to the conversation. Be open to conversation and listening to others or don’t bother.
The fact that Karens on the internet helped to get a cartoon character cancelled is so ridiculous to me. Some folks have nothing more productive to do with their time I guess.
Maybe it’s time to cancel Lola Bunny and Jessica Rabbit. Or Cheetara from the Thundercats? Or Arcee from the Transformers?
Can’t have any sexy animals, or sexy cartoon women married to a rabbit or sexy robots right?
To call people who have legitimate concerns about vintage media which displays out-dated material “Karens” is incredibly reductive. It’s important to adress these issues and analyze them.
people now a days take things way to seriously. it's a cartoon for crying out loud.
I am from Brazil and in my opinion, Mel Blanc does a "decent" voice for Pepe and I can recognize his voice VERY EASILY. But I think that the portuguese dub is a little better, because his VA his "Guilherme Briggs", one of best Brazilian VAS I know, his comedic timing is HILARIOUS and I watched both versions of a same short and Guilherme puts his "special flavor" which makes the character 100% more likable.
Fun Fact: he is also the same VA for Mickey Mouse and King Julien.
If you are able to find any video footage with the Portuguese dub I would love to hear it.
I am Brazilian too.
@@Moura8794 If you have a link to the Portuguese dub, I would love to hear it
Give him back. Give him back! GIVE! HIM! BACK!!!
Pepe Le Pew actually has the potential to be retooled for a more modern audience if writers didn't focus/overthink his apprasive & tone-deaf approaches. The answer is to simply playing up the more sensative & timid aspect of his personality, where the true romantic lies. Whenever his affection is actually reciprocated or sought out, he becomes overwhelmed & flusted since he's so used to taking the lead & expecting to be met with immediate rejection. He is the kind of guy that puts up the front of being a confident & seasoned ladies' man, but is actually a shy & sensitive guy underneath the bravado. Have Penelope be the one to pursue him & give him the chance to change.
Sacre maroon! You are a genius. Maybe a sacrifice to drop his obliviousness, being a near-sighted skunk thinking just about anything black and white and striped looks like him (even Sylvester when he painted a white stripe to catch Tweety). This may include toning down his odor which is often used for wild takes/exaggerated reactions. I can see his female co-star Penelope Pussycat falling in love and Pepé’s shyness/timid nature comes into play despite trying to be confident around her. Think of Bugs when he first meets Lola in Space Jam.
Yeah, that could work!
Hes not fully cancelled yk. He was just excluded from a new leagacy. He's made multiple cameos since. PC culture sucks man.
The earlier cartoons were fine because Pepe’s efforts backfired on him in one way or another. But in later cartoons he wins every time
I fucking love pepe le pew
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Great video!
People need to realize that Pepé was created in very, very different time. A time when the Looney Tunes characters were also seen in racist and stereotypical situations that were thought to be humorous. It's not fair to hold Pepé up to modern standards of decency when he was not created with those standards to begin with.
Thank you!!
@@DaveLeeDownUnder You're welcome!
I don't know if I would be brave enough to tackle the subject of Pepé in this day and age, but you did it brilliantly.
I appreciate that, thanks!
My theory is that Pepe has been tried, sentenced and convicted for historical sex offences, landed himself on the Sex Offender's Register for life and incarcerated. It's only a matter of time before he himself becomes a vicitm when one of the inmates offer to 'scrub his back' in the showers.
My theory is that PETA hung and skined him.
Dave Alvarez, who's worked on countless Looney Tunes projects, said back in March of 2021, that Pepé isn't being retired; he's just not appearing in a couple of (then-)upcoming LT projects, including Space Jam: A New Legacy. (Not that Pepé was missing anything anyway.) Alvarez even said, in all his years working on the LT franchise, he's seen gun banning & dynamite control. He's even said that Speedy Gonzales has been prevented from appearing countless times yet he's still here.
No disrespect to the wonderful Alvarez, but he doesn’t make the decisions. A highly reputable trade-paper reported that the studio has no current plans to use him in the near future, and I’ll take that word. This does not mean he’s gone forever - and I never said he was. But, don’t expect to see him in anything any time soon. If we’ve learned anything from this series it’s that characters come and go, change and adapt.
If anything, we’re more likely to see the return of the first Looney Tunes character then see Pepe’s reanimation.
@@DaveLeeDownUnder I hope that he gets completely rebranded to a characterization that falls in line with what is appropriate for today especially to kids. I suggest that they should keep him French but make him into someone who is funny and not limited to one trait. His absence shouldn't be too long otherwise people will call him a martyr thinking that his erasure/"death" is permanent. Adaptation has potential. Every character was adapted but some or all of their personality was kept. No one should worry if a cartoon character is gone for 5, 10 or even 20 years (they have the right to exercise and renew their trademarks). When the time comes and once he cameos or appears again, we'll look back and say "He's not cancelled". He's never dead or banned. If enough time has passed, they can grant the right to reboot without falling into these negative traits. Maybe reboot Pepé Le Pew and Penelope Pussycat as an established couple and imply that Penelope was the one to fall in love at first sight. If there is one thing a skunk needs is personal hygiene.
While I understand some people being uncomfortable with Pepe as a character, and the difficulty of adapting him to modern times, I don't think it's right to erase him from the Looney Tunes roster like he doesn't exist. He may be more of a C-tier Looney Tune who appeared in a handful of Golden Era cartoons like Speedy, Taz, and Marvin, he's just as much of a memorable staple as the rest and doesn't deserve to be forgotten to time.
What they could have did with Pepé is changing him but keeping the idea that he is a french skunk who wants to find love but can't because he's a skunk.
Pepe Le Pew is one of the Looney Tunes characters that I like but wholly Lord, he is pretty underrated. He deserves some respect, then what he got.
The way I would fix Pepe is have it so the cat can't smell and enjoys being with him and you just see the antics the two end up in.
Yeah, that could work.
"Lemonade?"
"Please. You make the best lemonade, Pepe."
"Why thank you, Penelope."
24:59, Its funny and somehow slightly weird how the Casablanca Scene in Space Jam 2: A New Legacy had to be re-worked during Production and Yosemite Sam would have to replace Pepe Le Pew in the same setting when you think about it.
No idea what took me so long to actually realize that right now, but better late than ever to come to that conclusion.
On the other hand, I do like the added pun of Yosemite Sam filling the role of Sam the piano player in Casablanca. That was pretty clever.
@@benmalsky9834 I agree.
Good thing they put that Casablanca Scene to some good use.
@@thefantasticretroreviewer3941Will we ever see Pepe le Pew Make a proper comeback In future Looney Tunes media? Time will only tell!🤔
@@rudymalone1 Yeah
FINALLY, You've made a Cartoon Evolution for my favorite Looney Tunes character
Oh yes the Warner Brother cartoon character that became very problematic in the me-too era.
1st of all it's a CARTOON!! Not for REAL!!! This generation is so simple-minded and sensitive do you believe Bugs Bunny is a real rabbit that stands upon his hind legs and say what's up doc?! It's just a cartoon! Fine example;
The road runner and the coyote you think the road runner would file a restraining order against the coyote for stalking. It's just a cartoon!!
I posted this before but feel like Pepe is a character that deserves to come back with new personality traits that change the older ones. I know many people don't like Pepe for what he represents. However, just like other Looney Tunes such as Speedy (which some might deem offensive), he can just get reworked to fit in with the times. I imagine him being a hopeless romantic character who is flirty and is on a quest of trying to successfully ask someone out (or have a date). The catch is that he is well aware of his skunk scent, and he spends the whole cartoon trying to get near his love interest (whether its Penelope or someone else) while at the same time, trying to get rid of his bad scent without success (the gags will revolve around the impossible task of removing it or having to use his scent to help someone). He can also be in other situations akin to the Looney Tunes Show and New Looney Tunes where he is a spoof of prominent romantic characters or helps others find love.
The thing is that just like all the other cartoon characters who were involved in outdated or problematic cartoons, Pepe can have another chance with the correct writers and change the audience's perception of him. What happened should not be forgotten, but he can definitely come back if everyone is willing to allow it. I hope someday someone can make it happen
The point of Penelope is that she's just as smothering as Pepe when given the chance. They DESERVE each other.
I'm surprised it took so long for you to do a video on him.
I actually was thinking of him a couple months back.
I'd say the evolution of Pepe would be Johnny Bravo, who is more obvious on being the joke of a person. Most homes were at his expense, with few exceptions, and almost none of the exceptions involved the countless injury gags the show used.
Actually, there was a stuffed Valentines Day plush of him gifted to my mother of which I have the plush once she gave it to me. So there was at least one bit of marketing for him.
I didn't say there's never been any Pepe merchandise - there has been lots. Saying he "doesn't have great merchandising potential" doesn't mean there's _no_ merchandise, it just means theres little of it.
Someone plz explain what’s so offensive about Pepe Le Pew when there are worse movies out there like horror movies & murder movies, witchcraft movies, demon movies, and sexually immoral movies etc. Yet ppl find this cartoon skunk offensive for supposed sexual assault. When the only reason Penelope runs is his smell. She really likes Pepe it has been proven at certain moments. Ppl today can’t understand comedy I guess? And want to cancel a character with no bad intentions. Pepe never would purposely hurt Penelope. In fact in one short when he found out he stank he tried to get rid of his stink. It’s not his fault he stinks. Looney Tunes is supposed to be comedy not cancelled. Pepe is a great character along with Bugs and Sylvester. Are they going to cancel Sylvester for trying to eat Tweety? Sylvester tried to stop himself on occasion he just has cat instincts. Are we seriously getting mad at animal characters? Why not worry about what’s happening in the real world. Good grief as Charlie Brown would put it. If ppl get rid of Looney Tunes characters ppl will have to watch baby stuff to entertain themselves. Cause your removing characters and movies. I don’t think Pepe Le Pew should be cancelled in my opinion. Apparently ppl don’t appreciate opposite gender couples anymore. Pepe and Penelope were so cute. Better than most characters today. He was just desperate.
There's a difference between a character that is depicted as evil / someone who should be derided for their actions, and a character that is depicted as a hero / celebrated for their actions. Very, very easy to see the difference.
Pepé and Penelope were never a 'couple.'
@@DaveLeeDownUnder If you are saying he is a villain you are probably mistaken. What if he was just desperate? And sometimes he was very nice to the cat. How is that bad? What about the time Penelope cat was worn out and Pepe gave her a glass of water? He is just a skunk. It isn’t wrong to like someone. And if you don’t know u stink how is that assault? And how were they never a couple? One time he asked Penelope to Marry him. Not saying they got married in canon. But they love each other very much. Sometimes you have to be a little forceful and introduce yourself to get the person you love. Sylvester tried to eat Tweety. But at least he tried to stop himself. And Sylvester shouldn’t be cancelled he is just a cat! Horror movies are a lot worse. I don’t care one ioda if ppl support horror movies over this. Horror movies are worse they are about demons and murder. Pepe Le Pew is a innocent skunk. God created skunks. But I respect people’s opinion. But I want Pepe Le Pew back if looney tunes if looney tunes is going to continue. Ppl don’t have the right to cancel good cartoons. God says you have to be like a child to go to heaven. And cartoons are for children. This is my opinion. Also this is quite hypocritical what about Fifi La Fume in Tiny Toons? She acts like Pepe. Is it more right for a female to pursue a male? What’s the difference? FIFi La Fume was also adorable.
People today are offended by everything. It's sad really.
Pepé is my favorite Looney Tune character... he was funny in his own way. i will miss him.
Me too, and Penelope. Space Jam: A New Legacy screwed us over
He's gonna be in the new tiny toons. He's not really cancelled.
@@ananonymoususer4698 That true?
@@Master-Works yea. Dave got it a bit wrong.
@@ananonymoususer4698 Who is Dave?
I always figured his cartoons were supposed to be satire of those cheesey romances? A lady wouldent really want something that so intense XD You could always update him also for more modern times? Maybe a smooth ladies man like in the looney tunes show.
This stinks
Pun intended, right?
Figuratively and literally it stinks!!😂
@@thefantasticretroreviewer3941 Yes
@@JustinFrazier_360 Okay
I think your next cartoon evolution should be about Garfield or Alvin and the chipmunks.
It will be neither.
They shouldn’t cancel Pepe Le Pew from Looney Tunes. Penelope liked him she just didn’t like his smell or to be clobbered. There was one short where Penelope ran up and hugged Pepe. They are cute characters why would they cancel them from looney tunes? They are the cutest looney tunes characters skunks are cute animals anyways. I hope they return to Looney Tunes. Pepe wasn’t trying to harass the cat he thought she was a skunk and he was just desperate to be loved.