There is nothing like a TV cartoon for some good, harmless fun.
Eh, apart from all the racist, sexist disgusting stuff that goes on. What do you mean you never noticed? The following are some of the most controversial film and television cartoons ever made.
South Park
Of course, South Park is a cartoon that sets out to shock and offend. It does a good job and regularly gets righteous folks up in arms and foaming at the mouth. There is even a Wikipedia page for South Park Controversies, with interesting sections covering Racism, Vulgarity, Mexican Flag and Scientology. Mexicans and scientologists might not agree but the show´s biggest controversy was probably triggered by their depiction of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad.
Bugs Bunny
From South Park to Bugs Bunny is a mighty leap but how could our loveable buck toothed rabbit buddy possibly have upset anyone other than Elmer Fudd? Perhaps the most famously controversial episode was Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips, in which the racist rabbit insults Japanese soldiers before killing them in hilariously comedic ways. There is also a group of Loony Tunes and Merrie Melodies episodes known as the Censored Eleven which includes All This And Rabbit Stew. This episode is banned because of its racial stereotyping of an African American hunter outwitted by Bugs.
Coal White and de Sebben Dwarfs
Another controversial cartoon on the Censored Eleven list is this weird jazz version of Snow White. Some critics think that it is a classic while others are deeply offended at what they see as racist undertones. The long term controversy means that relatively few people have seen it.
Donald Duck
How the Donald Duck can this be controversial when you can´t understand a bloody word he says? Well, the episode called Der Fuhrer´s Face did a good job of upsetting a lot of people. It features the cheeky duck making fun of Hitler but also featured racial stereotyping of the Japanese and a bit of gay-bashing. Der Fuhrer´s Face has been voted as one of the best cartoons of all time but it is definitely one that splits opinions.
Ren and Stimpy
Perhaps the most blatant and disturbing act of cartoon violence came in the infamous boat oar beating episode of Ren and Stimpy. The violence on show in the episode was so brutal and over the top that the bastions of decency at Nickelodeon refused to air it and sacked the sick dude who created it.
Song of the South
You almost certainly know the song zip-a-dee-doo-dah. Feel free to sing it merrily for a few seconds while I gently tap my fingers on the keyboard. Ok, now that´s out of your system let´s ponder why you are probably a sick racist beast for singing it. Song of the South was probably Disney´s most controversial film, with a ridiculously stereotyped and casually racist approach to the question of slavery. It has never been aired on television and that is unlikely to chance any time soon.
Scooby Doo
Sure, those Scooby snacks look like drugs to me but that´s not the controversy in question today. Instead, we will look at how the delightful Daphne was cursed into becoming a – gasp! – size 8. This happens in the Frankencreepy episode which I assume takes place in an abandoned fairground or spooky castle. The fat shaming scandal it caused has overshadowed the real controversy about Scooby Doo; who the Hell ever thought that adding Scrappy Doo was a good idea?