You Decide – Pepè Le Pew

I’m starting a series called “You Decide,” whereby I present to you, dear reader, the pesky facts of a situation, and then, you decide for yourself.  I will try very hard not to interject my personal feelings, however, I must admit that it is nearly an impossible task on the catalyst for the first article in the series.  Pepè Le Pew and Pink Panther are my favorite cartoons.  I’ve already said too much; you must choose for yourself Mon Chèri. 

Pepè Le Pew is a Looney Tunes Cartoon character.  He is a french skunk.  In real life, skunks emanate a disgusting, oily smell from their behind if you approach them.  In Pepè’s cartoon life, he sends forth that smell constantly as depicted by cartoon smoke that wafts up everyones nose during his travels.  He is not aware of his stance as a vile smelling skunk and finds himself to be a great lover.  Perhaps other skunks might feel the same way.  

However, the stray black cat know as Penelope the Cat, does not.  She accidentally gets painted with a white stripe in each episode.  For example, an unobservant street painter not noticing the lump in the road, hey, it’s a cartoon, paints a white streak down the unsuspecting black cat’s back. Pepè mistakes her for a skunk and he is in hot pursuit. 

She runs away, hits him in the head with a cartoon hammer, tricks him into walking off a cliff, etc.  Again, he does not understand that he’s indeed a skunk who produces a vomit inducing odor.  Penelope is all too aware, and she must get away.  He continues in his attempts to woo her, she gets away, again and again until she finally breaks free, and off poor broken hearted but persistent Pepè goes to fall in love another day.  

Pepè Le Pew has been removed from Space Jam 2 because a reporter from the paper of record said Pepè represents rape culture.  Rape culture or not.  You Decide.