Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo was so excited Tuesday morning for her big segment on the Looney Tunes character Pepé Le Pew, declaring, “Cancel culture takes on cartoons!”
But that excitement quickly turned to visual frustration when her guest refused to echo her outrage.
As Bartiromo explained to viewers, the upcoming Space Jam sequel decided to cut out a scene featuring the sexually assaulting skunk. She laughed off the notion that the animated character could be “promoting rape culture” and joked, “Bugs Bunny better watch out, they’re coming for him!”
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Wall Street Journal writer Jon Hilsenrath, who seemed to not quite believe this is what he was on the Fox Business Network to discuss, decided to shut her down instead of playing along.
“You know, Maria, I’m watching those videos that you have of this and I always used to think that cartoon was funny, but he is kind of grabbing and groping in ways that are just totally unacceptable today,” he said in the segment first spotted by Mediaite. “So, you know, I kind of think norms change over time. And maybe it’s time for Pepé Le Pew to beat it.”
“But I mean, is there—are we going overboard here?” Bartiromo stammered in response, grasping for cancel culture straws. “I mean, Dr. Seuss, Mr. Potato Head, come on, Jon.”
“Yeah, I mean, I think we can go overboard,” Hilsenrath replied. “But watch that video! I mean, he’s grabbing that poor little cat in ways that you could never get away with right now.”
The scene that was cut from Space Jam 2 reportedly included star LeBron James schooling the skunk about consent.
