20 April 2025

Wabbit Time


Elmer Fudd – Shhh
Bugs Bunny – uh oh!

The celebrated actor with the most unusual command of the English language never stepped into the Globe Theatre or on any other London stage, nor Broadway for that matter. His enunciation of Shakespeare brought down the house. Consider these famous lines from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet:

“A wose by any other name…”
and
“Woemeo, Woemeo, wherefwore art thou?”

Yes, this is the megastar who uttered arguably the cleverest, wittiest, most famous applause-winning line in any theatre:

“My twusty wifle 
  is a twifle wusty.”

You nailed it, we’re talking Elmer Fudd, the thespian who put the ‘warning’ in Warner Bros.

A Fudd by Any Other Name

Bugs Bunny – crawling
Elmer Fudd

Unbeknownst to many fans, shotgun-toting big ‘El’ had his name appropriated by outside forces. Nay, not those words of conspiracy theorists: FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) or its variant, FUDD (fear, uncertainty, disinformation, doubt).

Instead, dictionaries define fudd as an old-fashioned person. More narrowly, NRA fans derisively refer to non-militant gun owners who use rifles made of wood and steel exclusively for hunting rather than weapons of war fabricated from carbon fiber, and esoteric ceramics and polymers.

Bugs Bunny – running

Generally, fudds of this sense don’t see the necessity of tactical weaponry. They are thought to side with more restrictive pre-Clarence Thomas interpretations of the Second Amendment. Personally, I thought they missed a bet by not using fuddite. Luddite… Fuddite… Never mind.

The above are North American denotations. Among British definitions of fud is a Collins entry of Scottish root meaning tail of a rabbit or hare. Which brings us to today’s terrible Easter crime. No, not the terrifying Skeezicks or Pipsisewah weirdly nibbling the souse off Uncle Wiggily’s ears, but handling an over-population of Beatrix Potter bunnies.

Oops. Sowwy

One childhood Easter my young brothers, friends, and I thought abusing the Peter Rabbit song would be hilarious. I’m not sure if the real crime was the homicide of Peter or that we drove parents nuts singing it to the saturation point. So on behalf of disturbed third graders everywhere…

Elmer Fudd – bang!
Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hopping down the bunny trail.
★BANG!★
Thud. Thud.
Bugs Bunny – bang

{sigh} Children can be horrible little delinquents. And along with millions of children everywhere, we bit the ears off chocolate bunnies! (although I preferred giant coconut eggs.)

9 comments:

  1. Thanks for the great big smile, Leigh! Elmer Fudd is still a favourite. Boy, I am dating myself - grin. Also a favourite - the chicken hawk. What was his name?? "I say...I say, boy"" I also learned something today, re fudd. Wishing you lots of bunny ears today!

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    1. I barely remember the little characters of the chick and the woefully undersized chickenhawk, but Forghorn's voice– that I recall. I haven't checked, but the words and pompous Southern drawl sounded like Senator Claghorn on Fred Allen's radio show. I say there, I say Melodie, I can't help but think Foghorn deliberately mimicked Claghorn.

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  2. Leigh! You never sang this one? "I-I-I-I love a wabbit/ a cwazy little wabbit/ Hop hop bunnyee bunnyee/ hop hop bunnyee bunnyee/ little wabbit/ hop hop." I'll spare you the second verse. Now I'm going to read your post to my husband. He'll wuv it!

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    Replies
    1. Liz! I don't think I ever heard that ditty. I can hear Elmer's voice in your lyrics. Thanks for enlightening me, Liz.

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    2. It wasn't Elmer Fudd. I didn't know who it was, but You Tube came through with the original recording by Dick Two Ton Baker, which I'd never heard in full to my knowledge. I do remember the failed attempts to hit the high note at the end. We always did that part.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SN6J4K-VsM

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    3. Liz, you teased out the faintest, faintest memory of Don Baker. I don't recall the song, but Mom must have tuned in Don Baker on the radio from time to time syndicated in Indianapolis. I can't believe how long ago I heard that name. Thanks, Liz.

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  3. Melodie, that's Foghorn Leghorn, I believe. Let's hear it for Elmer Fudd, Foghorn, and all the cast in Bugs Bunny Land!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Eve!! I will write that down so I don't forget it. He was my fave.

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    2. Thanks, Eve. Good memory.

      Speaking of Warner Bros, apparently they have agreed to release (Wile E) Coyote vs. Acme after a public outcry. They had shelved the film for tax purposes, but after criticisms and complaints, sold rights to another company that will bring it to theatres.

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