'Racial prejudice' disclaimer given with 'Tom & Jerry' show

Image
Press Trust of India London
Last Updated : Oct 02 2014 | 4:30 PM IST
Famous cartoon show 'Tom and Jerry' is being presented with a disclaimer about racial prejudice, it has been revealed.
The classic cat and mouse cartoons, some made more than 70 years ago, carry a warning for subscribers to Amazon's streaming subscription service, reported BBC.
"Tom and Jerry shorts may depict some ethnic and racial prejudices that were once commonplace in American society. Such depictions were wrong then and are wrong today," reads the warning.
There have been claims of racist stereotyping in the depiction of a black maid in the cartoon series.
The wording is similar to disclaimers accompanying some collections of the cartoons on DVD.
The warning was attacked as 'empty-headed' by cultural commentator and professor of sociology, Frank Furedi, who said it was a form of a "false piousness" and a type of censorship which "seems to be sweeping cultural life".
Tom and Jerry was first produced by the MGM film studio in 1940. The cartoons, directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby, ran until 1957, with carefully choreographed chase scenes set in the homes and gardens of suburban America.
The claims of racism are longstanding. When the original versions were shown on US television in the 1960s some scenes were edited. There have also been complaints about the characters smoking cigarettes, with changes made to recent screenings.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Oct 02 2014 | 4:30 PM IST

Next Story