re: Foghorn Leghorn
I know that generally it's best to let sleeping dogs lie, but. . .Foghorn Leghorn, the Warner Brothers cartoon character voiced by the legendary Mel Blanc, was based on a character called Senator Claghorn, created for Fred Allen's radio show back in the 1940's.
Claghorn would typically answer the door with, "Somebody, ah say, somebody knocked! Claghorn's the name, Senator Claghorn, I'm from the south." His obsession was with The South, and he would proudly point out his refusal to wear a "Union suit", for example, or claim to drink only out of Dixie cups. When asked a political question by host Allen, Claghorn would respond with a rapid stream of talk, shouting, repetition, and bad puns. After a quip, the senator would laugh uproariously, and quip one of his two catchphrases: "That's a joke, son!" or "Pay attention now,boy!"
Senator Claghorn, as portrayed by Kenny Delmar, in scene from It's a Joke Son, the Senator's only film appearance.
posted by Mr. Mac | 7:37 AM
3 Comments:
I'm sorry, but I disagree with the Tolland High School opinion on that issue. Calling a black person the "n" word (which I now have to abreviate) is one thing, but Foghorn, Leghorn? Hell no, it all depends on your interpretation of it. My father has been saying that to me ever since I can remember as a father/son thing, not as a field hand workin' in the cotton fields. I'm not about to stop mimicking that character (or Senator) just because a small minority takes it completely out of context and believes I shouldn't. Up here in the North, thats "derogatory," but down in the South, thats what they say.
Man, it really pisses me off about that whole matter.
Myles
Well, from looking at the history of the character, there doesn't seem anything racist about it. Except if you think that all southern whites are racists, which is in itself racist thinking.
I'd have to go with Myles on this one.
My favorite cartoon is racist, so I must be a racist too, right? People take all this crap way too far! Foghorn Leghorn is nothing more than a cartoon character, and anyone who doesn't see that is an idiot..
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