Like the old lecher who doesn’t get what he did wrong (here’s looking at you, Andrew Cuomo), Pepé Le Pew’s “cancellation” is likely more painful to the patriarchy than it even realizes. For it was once considered merely “common practice” to possess such an indefatigable threshold for rejection. Or rather, ignoring it entirely. Indeed, Pepé seems to have no concept of his offending odeur, or even any awareness that his aggression is just that.
Originally “conceived” in 1945, it bears noting that Pepé’s post-war appearance onto the pop culture scene seemed to be a carry-over mentality from WWII itself. A “magical” period for men in some ways, while at the same time being a horrific, nonstop life-threatening bloodbath. In other words, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” That “GI culture” (one of those unlikely oxymorons) was prone to worshipping the pinup (which is, in part, how Marilyn Monroe–then Norma Jeane Baker–got her start) served as only a cursory indication of how sex-hungry these soldiers were. And they would pay to get it, too (that is, when they weren’t just raping–but of course, only the Black soldiers would be blamed for that kind of “unsavory” behavior).
With this confluence of the war and its encouragement of devil-may-care male attitudes (already so devil-may-care to begin with), it could only make sense that a cartoon character (literally an animal) like Pepé should be born. Ironically, of course, his American creator, Chuck Jones (in conjunction with Michael Maltese), seemed to be deflecting a lot of the average American soldier’s behavior onto the French. For it was the lechery of the American GIs in France (among other countries, including Germany and Italy) that made prostitution such a booming industry. And venereal disease such an epidemic. Of course, these were not the sort of topics addressed in newsreels touting the bravery and prowess of U.S. soldiers. In truth, this aspect was swept under the rug, save for the telltale pamphlets distributed among soldiers, warning the troops not to fraternize with “a certain kind of girl.” But if they had to, it was strongly suggested they use a condom to do it. After all, they didn’t want a repeat of the “Great War.” For at one time during WWI, upwards of 18,000 American soldiers were rendered “incapacitated” or, let’s say, “useless” by improperly treated STDs.
One supposes, in many respects, the soldiers that were allowed such “free rein” in a wartime setting to take full advantage of being away from any “ball and chain” like a wife or girlfriend led many men to believe that such behavior would be tolerated long after the war. And, yes, the truth is, it was. With men for so long believing they would never go checked by any force other than the brute one behind the barrel of a gun. Yet lo and behold, along came this period of unrest rallying for civil rights and women’s rights that theoretically changed the game forever. But the game goes on being rigged. Regardless, men are still convinced that they are the ones who have somehow been wronged in all this. Mainly because they feel the slow but steady erosion of their own once secured dominance.
This, in part, is what breeds the incel. Pepé Le Pew can best be described as a “jolly” incel, mainly because he is so unaware and uncaring about a woman’s disdain for and uncomfortableness with his behavior, that he doesn’t bother to process anything like “rage” or “revulsion” because, to him, Penelope Pussycat is an inevitable conquest. And, in his mind, it only adds to the so-called “thrill of the hunt.” He’s of the “no means yes” and “yes means harder” school of male thought. Even so, there is something inherently pitiable about the incel qualities of Pepé Le Pew (yet not so pitiable as to warrant a pity fuck). Constantly rejected, yet worse still, coming off as willfully oblivious to the fact that no woman is interested. That maybe if he didn’t act in a manner so disgusting and off-putting, he might have a better chance at receiving something like “affection.” Instead, the more he is ignored, the more he seems to believe coming on even stronger is the way to go. Or as Morrissey seemed to believe, “The more you ignore me, the closer I get.” There are, in fact, still many out there who seem to bear an odd sympathy for Le Pew, whose recent erasure from a Space Jam sequel called Space Jam 2: A New Legacy came on the heels of a New York Times article confirming what a large majority already believed, that Le Pew was a key emblem of “normalizing rape culture.”
Unfortunately, his peak cancellation was not met favorably by the actress who did a scene with him in the movie, Greice Santo. Believing that this was the one opportunity to show Le Pew being put in his place, Santo’s spokesperson stated of the now cut scene, “This was such a big deal for Greice to be in this movie. Even though Pepé is a cartoon character, if anyone was going to slap a sexual harasser like him, Greice wished it would be her. Now the scene is cut, and she doesn’t have that power to influence the world through younger generations who’ll be watching Space Jam 2, to let younger girls and younger boys know that Pepe’s behavior is unacceptable.”
Of course, when you’re a narcissist (read: garden variety male), it’s difficult to let it sink in that any woman could ever be capable of denying you, or that your behavior is now societally deemed “unacceptable.” Which is why Pepé is the prime example of a post-war incel as opposed to a modern, post-internet one. And, talking of the war again, with women depicted as Circe-type temptresses in posters cautioning servicemen against giving in to the temptation and “loneliness” of being “on tour,” there was a “usual” form of objectification at play. And since women of Pepé Le Pew’s time were merely “objects” to be chosen from, it can be no wonder that Pepé is convinced he can have the one who doesn’t want him. Or rather, have the false myth emphasized to him that all a woman wants and needs is to be “worn down.” Keep pestering and she’s bound to “come around.”
Thus, is it any coincidence that when Penelope flips the script on Pepé and does start acting the rapey part herself, he suddenly loses all interest and infinitely regrets his decision over pursuing her? That’s the thing about men: they always want what they can’t have–like credibility.
In this era of “castration” (what men see as their “muzzling” in media), it would be rather surprising if we ever saw the likes of Le Pew onscreen again. And while many are grateful for that, just because the censors that be “erase” a male trope, does not mean it isn’t very much still out there.
