The Disney Company has shown over the years to be a particularly woke-prone enterprise, as they both push agendas of an activist bent while also seeking to scrub their history of items and content deemed offensive by today’s woke standards. This has led to decisions that are sometimes expected and other times perplexing.
Most known has been the complete memory-hole effort on “Song Of The South.” That once-famed musical was a classic of mixed live-action and animation, with lively songs. However, the character of Uncle Remus was declared too stereotypical, with accusations of slavery being depicted (wrongfully so, as the story was set in the post-slavery era). The movie has all but disappeared stateside, and even some of the elements from the film that survived – select songs, and characters used in the Splash Mountain theme park ride, for example – have been erased as well.
Another theme park staple has endured its share of woke renovations – The Pirates of the Caribbean. While the character of Jack Sparrow was added to the ride in the wake of the massive success of the film franchise, over the years numerous elements have been tweaked or removed. A bride auction has been removed in its entirety, and a pirate looking for a woman hiding is now seen to be seeking out food. Another pirate clutching a garment obtained from a wench has been altered to now see him holding a map.
Recently news came out of another alteration taking place at another attraction. The Country Bear Jamboree has recently been reopened after a lengthy shutdown. The entire experience has been revamped, from the presentation of the setting to an entirely new slate of songs composed by former Jimmy Buffet bandmate Mac McAnally and including some Disney staples like “Bare Necessities.” But there is a notable omission.
After more than 50 years the busking bears will no longer feature the warbling from Liver Lips McGee. This would be the statuesque bruin seen in the rear, who had his own song – “My Woman Ain’t Pretty (But She Don’t Swear None).” There was also an ambulatory version of Liver Lips greeting visitors and posing for photographs.
But the company moved to evict Liver Lips from the ensemble, and according to the Disney blog Inside The Magic the decision was rooted in fears of the character being an outdated representation. It is said that in these contemporary times, the inebriated Kodiak could be considered insensitive.
The fear is this could have been offensive to…alcoholics.
However, the decision to remove Liver Lips McGrowl was driven by concerns over the character’s name. The term “liver lips” is considered derogatory and offensive, as it is associated with excessive alcohol consumption and the resulting liver damage. The phrase is deemed to be insensitive and outdated, prompting Disney’s decision to modify the character.
Now while I do not pretend to speak for all imbibers – both the recreational as well as those battling with greater demons – I have a hard time grasping that there had been anyone from this category who lodged complaints at a discernible level to inspire this alteration. I would dare suggest that even someone in recovery would not be particularly incensed at this representation of a fictional, anthropomorphic Grizzly with a predilection for corn squeezin’s, or other types of hibernation-inducing spirits – in animatronic form or mascot-sized costumery.
Now, if anything, you run into the polarizing reality of this type of decision. By appealing to the concerns of the activist cranks – either real or imagined – you also run the risk of offending by the practice of being exclusionary. Where is the representation for my people, those who savor the pleasures of finely crafted fermentables? In seeking to avoid treading on the sensitivities of a group largely immune from being offended, they have othered us in the process!