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   Walt Disney, 1930: "Why don't you do a continuity of Mickey trying to commit suicide? I think you could get a lot of funny stuff out of that"

23 Jun 2012 03:05 AM   |   8665 clicks   |   io9
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Because People in power are Stupid    [TotalFark]  
Yeah and people who watch Roadrunner are likely to run off cliffs in excitement, thinking that they will be back to buy ACME rocket skates.

23 Jun 2012 12:24 AM
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Lionel Mandrake    [TotalFark]  
Too bad Mickey didn't go through with it

I hate that filthy rodent

23 Jun 2012 01:42 AM
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NowhereMon     
Clearly there are some cultural references here that are lost to most of us....

23 Jun 2012 02:02 AM
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Durendal    [TotalFark]  
Wait, so does this mean that Suicide Mouse is real?

23 Jun 2012 02:16 AM
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TsarTom    [TotalFark]  
God, I love this stuff. Now I'm gonna spend another hour checking out the links, which will lead to an hour at Wiki, which will lead to an hour at digital comic museum and probably finishing off with some tijuana bibles.

I guess I'd better get started

23 Jun 2012 02:16 AM
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fusillade762     
"Cream puff inhaler"?

And don't forget Walt's infamous "Nazi Supermen Are Our Superiors" short film.

23 Jun 2012 03:26 AM
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Gyrfalcon    [TotalFark]  
Durendal: Wait, so does this mean that Suicide Mouse is real?

Danger Mouse was real, so why not?

23 Jun 2012 03:34 AM
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AlanSmithee    [TotalFark]  
I like that the opium was hidden in bath salt.

23 Jun 2012 03:35 AM
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NDP2     
NowhereMon: Clearly there are some cultural references here that are lost to most of us....

Suicide being treated in a light-hearted manner was surprisingly common in a lot of live-action and animated shorts of the era. For example, a Buster Keaton film from a few years earlier features Keaton trying to commit suicide by tying a stone around him and jumping off a bridge only to have his attempt thwarted when the stream below turns out to have only a foot of water. Also, an often-seen gag in animated shorts features a character seeing some outlandish sight and blowing his brains out after commenting, "Now I've seen everything."

I don't know whether it's because audiences more than 70 years ago had a taste for dark humor that we're unaware of or because we're more sensitive now.

23 Jun 2012 03:41 AM
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ks1415     
NDP2: NowhereMon: Clearly there are some cultural references here that are lost to most of us....

Suicide being treated in a light-hearted manner was surprisingly common in a lot of live-action and animated shorts of the era. For example, a Buster Keaton film from a few years earlier features Keaton trying to commit suicide by tying a stone around him and jumping off a bridge only to have his attempt thwarted when the stream below turns out to have only a foot of water. Also, an often-seen gag in animated shorts features a character seeing some outlandish sight and blowing his brains out after commenting, "Now I've seen everything."

I don't know whether it's because audiences more than 70 years ago had a taste for dark humor that we're unaware of or because we're more sensitive now.


My guess would be that suicide was considered absurd back then. The nation was more overtly non-secular back then, and suicide was still considered an unforgivable sin. There'd be no reason to show respect for those who had committed suicide; after all, God (supposedly) didn't.

23 Jun 2012 03:52 AM
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Durendal    [TotalFark]  
fusillade762: "Cream puff inhaler"?

And don't forget Walt's infamous "Nazi Supermen Are Our Superiors" short film.


Huh? All of the WW2 Disney cartoons I've seen were definitely not favorable to the Nazis, ie, Der Fuhrer's Face, Education for Death, etc.

23 Jun 2012 04:02 AM
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calbert     
Durendal: fusillade762: "Cream puff inhaler"?

And don't forget Walt's infamous "Nazi Supermen Are Our Superiors" short film.

Huh? All of the WW2 Disney cartoons I've seen were definitely not favorable to the Nazis, ie, Der Fuhrer's Face, Education for Death, etc.


it's from The Simpsons. it's in reference to Itchy and Scrathy's creator Roger Meyers Sr.* (who has similarities to Walt Disney)

/*yeah, yeah, yeah...Chester Lampwick

23 Jun 2012 04:17 AM
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Lionel Mandrake    [TotalFark]  
fusillade762: "Cream puff inhaler"?

And don't forget Walt's infamous "Nazi Supermen Are Our Superiors" short film.


Ah yes...the one exception to his being loved by the world.

23 Jun 2012 04:19 AM
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wildcardjack     
AlanSmithee: I like that the opium was hidden in bath salt.

Exactly what I was thinking. This was a WTF moment.

23 Jun 2012 04:24 AM
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Apos    [TotalFark]  
AlanSmithee: I like that the opium was hidden in bath salt.

*Nods* That *did* add much needed intrigue to the proceedings,didn't it?

23 Jun 2012 04:25 AM
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steamingpile     
TsarTom: God, I love this stuff. Now I'm gonna spend another hour checking out the links, which will lead to an hour at Wiki, which will lead to an hour at digital comic museum and probably finishing off with some tijuana bibles.

I guess I'd better get started


It looks more like bullshiat than anything else.

23 Jun 2012 06:39 AM
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way south     
In other news: Things that were funny in 1930 aren't funny today.

dl.dropbox.com

23 Jun 2012 06:49 AM
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swahnhennessy     
NDP2: I don't know whether it's because audiences more than 70 years ago had a taste for dark humor that we're unaware of or because we're more sensitive now.

Relevant.

23 Jun 2012 07:18 AM
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buntz     
way south: In other news: Things that were funny in 1930 aren't funny today.

Ok, but if you say something like that, you should at least give us an example!

23 Jun 2012 07:39 AM
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MoronLessOff     
In Paranoia Agent, there is a small group of trying to commit suicide, but each of their attempts fails rather humorously...in a grim sort of fashion.

First, the building they try to give themselves CO poisoning is demolished and they run out. Then when they try to jump in front of a train, someone else had the same idea and beat them to the punch, leaving them in shock. Finally, the rope breaks on a noose.

It's a pretty dark series to begin with.

23 Jun 2012 07:45 AM
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MusicMakeMyHeadPound     
ks1415
My guess would be that suicide was considered absurd back then. The nation was more overtly non-secular back then, and suicide was still considered an unforgivable sin. There'd be no reason to show respect for those who had committed suicide; after all, God (supposedly) didn't.

Suicide is absurd even today.

And I disagree, I don't think religion has anything to do with it.

You have this phenomenon where people seek to end their own life over a very temporary problem. Anyone who's known someone who's committed suicide knows the strangest part is wondering why they did what they did.

So in the realm of fiction you set up a character seeking to commit suicide and it becomes funny to the audience when that person fails. Rather than feeling sympathy for the character's misfortune, you tend to feel relief.

And you have two avenues to go from there - you can have the character snap out of their funk and move on with their lives (but not before stiffing the bike brigade of newsboys out of their $2) or you can have them achieve their goal in the most Rube Goldbergesque way possible, giving the audience "secret" knowledge that can't be shared with the no doubt perplexed person who finds the body in the fictional universe.

Do they not teach this in Film & English Literature anymore?

23 Jun 2012 08:07 AM
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Ooba Tooba    [TotalFark]  
ks1415: NDP2: NowhereMon: Clearly there are some cultural references here that are lost to most of us....

Suicide being treated in a light-hearted manner was surprisingly common in a lot of live-action and animated shorts of the era. For example, a Buster Keaton film from a few years earlier features Keaton trying to commit suicide by tying a stone around him and jumping off a bridge only to have his attempt thwarted when the stream below turns out to have only a foot of water. Also, an often-seen gag in animated shorts features a character seeing some outlandish sight and blowing his brains out after commenting, "Now I've seen everything."

I don't know whether it's because audiences more than 70 years ago had a taste for dark humor that we're unaware of or because we're more sensitive now.

My guess would be that suicide was considered absurd back then. The nation was more overtly non-secular back then, and suicide was still considered an unforgivable sin. There'd be no reason to show respect for those who had committed suicide; after all, God (supposedly) didn't.


Yeah. Or we're just pussies now.

23 Jun 2012 09:34 AM
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EngineerAU     
It was funny in Goundhog Day but then again, I might be the only person who liked that movie.

23 Jun 2012 09:41 AM
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BroVinny     
way south: In other news: Things that were funny in 1930 aren't funny today.

[dl.dropbox.com image 480x360]


Biggie Smalls and Flavor Flav enjoying a private joke.

23 Jun 2012 09:45 AM
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downstairs    [TotalFark]  
Goodbye cruel world
I'm leaving you today
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye all you people
There's nothing you can say
To make me change
My mind
Goodbye.

23 Jun 2012 10:11 AM
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MoronLessOff     
NDP2: Also, an often-seen gag in animated shorts features a character seeing some outlandish sight and blowing his brains out after commenting, "Now I've seen everything."

Even in Horton Hatches the Egg. 6:45

23 Jun 2012 10:29 AM
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Fano    [TotalFark]  
Ooba Tooba: ks1415: NDP2: NowhereMon: Clearly there are some cultural references here that are lost to most of us....

Suicide being treated in a light-hearted manner was surprisingly common in a lot of live-action and animated shorts of the era. For example, a Buster Keaton film from a few years earlier features Keaton trying to commit suicide by tying a stone around him and jumping off a bridge only to have his attempt thwarted when the stream below turns out to have only a foot of water. Also, an often-seen gag in animated shorts features a character seeing some outlandish sight and blowing his brains out after commenting, "Now I've seen everything."

I don't know whether it's because audiences more than 70 years ago had a taste for dark humor that we're unaware of or because we're more sensitive now.

My guess would be that suicide was considered absurd back then. The nation was more overtly non-secular back then, and suicide was still considered an unforgivable sin. There'd be no reason to show respect for those who had committed suicide; after all, God (supposedly) didn't.

Yeah. Or we're just pussies now.


I'd say it had to do with not considering "imitatable behavior" at the time. Not until the hospital wards were groaning under the weight of Three Stooges related casualties were writers forced to admit that people would do the things they saw on screen.

23 Jun 2012 10:39 AM
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wyltoknow     
MoronLessOff: In Paranoia Agent, there is a small group of trying to commit suicide, but each of their attempts fails rather humorously...in a grim sort of fashion.

First, the building they try to give themselves CO poisoning is demolished and they run out. Then when they try to jump in front of a train, someone else had the same idea and beat them to the punch, leaving them in shock. Finally, the rope breaks on a noose.

It's a pretty dark series to begin with.


Yeah that episode gets even darker when you consider the idea that all the people in that group are already dead. Not to mention fact that there's the eager little girl in their group. That's definitely one of the more morbid shows I've watched. But it's a bit of a different case, the Japanese definitely have a different "suicide culture" than we do.

23 Jun 2012 10:44 AM
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Electrify     
Compare this to what is showing on the Disney Channel today. Mickey's comedic take on suicide is vastly more entertaining compared to whatever tween girl crap staring their current piece of jailbait.

23 Jun 2012 10:57 AM
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Easy Reader     
Sadly, Walt and Roy's parents were killed by a faulty gas heater in an LA home the Disney brothers bought for them.

23 Jun 2012 11:01 AM
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SharkTrager     
Electrify: Compare this to what is showing on the Disney Channel today. Mickey's comedic take on suicide is vastly more entertaining compared to whatever tween girl crap staring their current piece of jailbait.

No... no it is not.

23 Jun 2012 11:23 AM
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MoronLessOff     
SharkTrager: Electrify: Compare this to what is showing on the Disney Channel today. Mickey's comedic take on suicide is vastly more entertaining compared to whatever tween girl crap staring their current piece of jailbait.

No... no it is not.


It's about the same.

/waiting for Meep Me in St. Louis.

23 Jun 2012 11:39 AM
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Apos    [TotalFark]  
MoronLessOff: In Paranoia Agent, there is a small group of trying to commit suicide, but each of their attempts fails rather humorously...in a grim sort of fashion.

First, the building they try to give themselves CO poisoning is demolished and they run out. Then when they try to jump in front of a train, someone else had the same idea and beat them to the punch, leaving them in shock. Finally, the rope breaks on a noose.

It's a pretty dark series to begin with.


Indeed it is. It's also one of the most compelling anime series I've seen in a very long time. It was short compared to most productions(13 episodes) but damn was it riveting.

Thank you,Satoshi Kon.

/Lil Slugger FTFW!

23 Jun 2012 11:48 AM
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Cargo    [TotalFark]  
MusicMakeMyHeadPound: ks1415
My guess would be that suicide was considered absurd back then. The nation was more overtly non-secular back then, and suicide was still considered an unforgivable sin. There'd be no reason to show respect for those who had committed suicide; after all, God (supposedly) didn't.

Suicide is absurd even today.

And I disagree, I don't think religion has anything to do with it.

You have this phenomenon where people seek to end their own life over a very temporary problem. Anyone who's known someone who's committed suicide knows the strangest part is wondering why they did what they did.

So in the realm of fiction you set up a character seeking to commit suicide and it becomes funny to the audience when that person fails. Rather than feeling sympathy for the character's misfortune, you tend to feel relief.

And you have two avenues to go from there - you can have the character snap out of their funk and move on with their lives (but not before stiffing the bike brigade of newsboys out of their $2) or you can have them achieve their goal in the most Rube Goldbergesque way possible, giving the audience "secret" knowledge that can't be shared with the no doubt perplexed person who finds the body in the fictional universe.

Do they not teach this in Film & English Literature anymore?


Yes, they taught it at my college. But the professor killed himself before getting to that part of the class.

23 Jun 2012 11:52 AM
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hbk72777     
way south: In other news: Things that were funny in 1930 aren't funny today.

[dl.dropbox.com image 480x360]


Wrong

23 Jun 2012 11:54 AM
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MoronLessOff     
Apos: MoronLessOff: In Paranoia Agent, there is a small group of trying to commit suicide, but each of their attempts fails rather humorously...in a grim sort of fashion.

First, the building they try to give themselves CO poisoning is demolished and they run out. Then when they try to jump in front of a train, someone else had the same idea and beat them to the punch, leaving them in shock. Finally, the rope breaks on a noose.

It's a pretty dark series to begin with.

Indeed it is. It's also one of the most compelling anime series I've seen in a very long time. It was short compared to most productions(13 episodes) but damn was it riveting.

Thank you,Satoshi Kon.

/Lil Slugger FTFW!


I haven't been able to get into anything new aside from Death Note. Most newer shows are just not that great. I'll rewatch Trigun 100 times before I watch another episode of Bleach.

23 Jun 2012 11:55 AM
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Apos    [TotalFark]  
MoronLessOff: Apos: MoronLessOff: In Paranoia Agent, there is a small group of trying to commit suicide, but each of their attempts fails rather humorously...in a grim sort of fashion.

First, the building they try to give themselves CO poisoning is demolished and they run out. Then when they try to jump in front of a train, someone else had the same idea and beat them to the punch, leaving them in shock. Finally, the rope breaks on a noose.

It's a pretty dark series to begin with.

Indeed it is. It's also one of the most compelling anime series I've seen in a very long time. It was short compared to most productions(13 episodes) but damn was it riveting.

Thank you,Satoshi Kon.

/Lil Slugger FTFW!

I haven't been able to get into anything new aside from Death Note. Most newer shows are just not that great. I'll rewatch Trigun 100 times before I watch another episode of Bleach.


Deadman Wonderland is beginning to grow on me,but Casshern Sins just seems....pointless and boring. As for "Bleach",I'd really hoped that they would have gotten back to the Arrankar/Soul Reaper showdown in Karakura Town by now-which is the ONLY arc I'm interested in-but a few(okay,two) of these mini arcs aren't that bad.

23 Jun 2012 12:13 PM
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MoronLessOff     
Apos: Deadman Wonderland

Sounds like it could be good. Have you seen Now and Then: Here and There?

23 Jun 2012 12:20 PM
Reply
LewDux     
tnmh.files.wordpress.com

23 Jun 2012 12:31 PM
Reply
LoneWolf343     
MoronLessOff: Apos: MoronLessOff: In Paranoia Agent, there is a small group of trying to commit suicide, but each of their attempts fails rather humorously...in a grim sort of fashion.

First, the building they try to give themselves CO poisoning is demolished and they run out. Then when they try to jump in front of a train, someone else had the same idea and beat them to the punch, leaving them in shock. Finally, the rope breaks on a noose.

It's a pretty dark series to begin with.

Indeed it is. It's also one of the most compelling anime series I've seen in a very long time. It was short compared to most productions(13 episodes) but damn was it riveting.

Thank you,Satoshi Kon.

/Lil Slugger FTFW!

I haven't been able to get into anything new aside from Death Note. Most newer shows are just not that great. I'll rewatch Trigun 100 times before I watch another episode of Bleach.


Skip Death Note, and watch Paranoia Agent. Death Note is just going to piss you off.

23 Jun 2012 12:43 PM
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Apos    [TotalFark]  
MoronLessOff: Apos: Deadman Wonderland

Sounds like it could be good. Have you seen Now and Then: Here and There?


It's like a cross between "Blood Plus" and "The Running Man",believe it or not. I've never heard of this "Now and Then: Here and There". Sounds as if the afterlife is a dominant theme. True?

23 Jun 2012 12:46 PM
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Apos    [TotalFark]  
LoneWolf343: MoronLessOff: Apos: MoronLessOff: In Paranoia Agent, there is a small group of trying to commit suicide, but each of their attempts fails rather humorously...in a grim sort of fashion.

First, the building they try to give themselves CO poisoning is demolished and they run out. Then when they try to jump in front of a train, someone else had the same idea and beat them to the punch, leaving them in shock. Finally, the rope breaks on a noose.

It's a pretty dark series to begin with.

Indeed it is. It's also one of the most compelling anime series I've seen in a very long time. It was short compared to most productions(13 episodes) but damn was it riveting.

Thank you,Satoshi Kon.

/Lil Slugger FTFW!

I haven't been able to get into anything new aside from Death Note. Most newer shows are just not that great. I'll rewatch Trigun 100 times before I watch another episode of Bleach.

Skip Death Note, and watch Paranoia Agent. Death Note is just going to piss you off.


This x 1000.

23 Jun 2012 12:47 PM
Reply
Boatmech     

23 Jun 2012 01:01 PM
Reply
Boatmech     
i.ytimg.com
NSFChildren

23 Jun 2012 01:03 PM
Reply
MoronLessOff     
Apos: MoronLessOff: Apos: Deadman Wonderland

Sounds like it could be good. Have you seen Now and Then: Here and There?

It's like a cross between "Blood Plus" and "The Running Man",believe it or not. I've never heard of this "Now and Then: Here and There". Sounds as if the afterlife is a dominant theme. True?


Nope. A sci fi wasteland dominated by a single dictator that uses child soldiers to pillage and search for water. It deals with some pretty heavy stuff. It's probably the most depressing show I've ever seen even though it ends with a (relatively) happy ending.

23 Jun 2012 01:12 PM
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titwrench     
Does anyone else keep having problems withe their mobile site? I have not been able to scroll their site ever on my Droid.

23 Jun 2012 01:15 PM
Reply
Apos    [TotalFark]  
MoronLessOff: Apos: MoronLessOff: Apos: Deadman Wonderland

Sounds like it could be good. Have you seen Now and Then: Here and There?

It's like a cross between "Blood Plus" and "The Running Man",believe it or not. I've never heard of this "Now and Then: Here and There". Sounds as if the afterlife is a dominant theme. True?

Nope. A sci fi wasteland dominated by a single dictator that uses child soldiers to pillage and search for water. It deals with some pretty heavy stuff. It's probably the most depressing show I've ever seen even though it ends with a (relatively) happy ending.


Whoa....I'm sold. Thanks for the info.

23 Jun 2012 01:37 PM
Reply
Optimal_Illusion     
wyltoknow: MoronLessOff: In Paranoia Agent, there is a small group of trying to commit suicide, but each of their attempts fails rather humorously...in a grim sort of fashion.

First, the building they try to give themselves CO poisoning is demolished and they run out. Then when they try to jump in front of a train, someone else had the same idea and beat them to the punch, leaving them in shock. Finally, the rope breaks on a noose.

It's a pretty dark series to begin with.

Yeah that episode gets even darker when you consider the idea that all the people in that group are already dead. Not to mention fact that there's the eager little girl in their group. That's definitely one of the more morbid shows I've watched. But it's a bit of a different case, the Japanese definitely have a different "suicide culture" than we do.


I believe it was said that the episode starts out with them alive, but they do succeed with the carbon monoxide/demolition, or whenever they lose their shadows. That's why they spook Shounen Bat/LIttle Slugger when he shows up to El Ka-bong! someone else. They get comfortable with their new lifestyle, once it's figured out. "Happy Family Planning" indeed

23 Jun 2012 01:50 PM
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Diogenes Teufelsdrockh     
way south: In other news: Things that were funny in 1930 aren't funny today.

dl.dropbox.com



Well, not necessa...

alethonews.files.wordpress.com

Nevermind, you're absolutely correct right.

/Only racists, bigots and a-holes find black face type humor funny.

23 Jun 2012 03:29 PM
Reply
MoronLessOff     
Diogenes Teufelsdrockh: /Only racists, bigots and a-holes find black face type humor funny.

viewfrommiddleclass.files.wordpress.com

Not even Archie could go through with the black face bit.

23 Jun 2012 03:36 PM
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