{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-blog-post-js","path":"/EN/7/d020a3c487fad5d203a0847f4b873b07_t/","result":{"data":{"site":{"siteMetadata":{"title":"Leonids"}},"markdownRemark":{"id":"00937554-d9fc-5bd7-9bbb-9d322c4f788e","excerpt":"","html":"<div class=\"gatsby-highlight\" data-language=\"text\"><pre class=\"language-text\"><code class=\"language-text\">     &lt;i&gt;&lt;/i&gt;   &lt;i&gt;&lt;/i&gt;   &lt;i&gt;&lt;/i&gt; 1&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/12/c-users-mahad-downloads-4-12-2989-jpg.jpeg&quot;/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Cartoons are universally thought of as fun and entertaining pastimes for children. We all have fond memories of watching animated cartoons when growing up. The characters seem to form a part of us as kids and this trend continues with the coming generations.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;However, a little bit of knowledge would tell us that these cartoon characters are inspired by some tragic or disturbing events. If not that, some sort of tragedy or questionable background is related to the cartoons themselves. Read on to find out more:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;7. The Bully Angelica in Rugrats&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;img src=&quot;https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/12/word-image-28.jpeg&quot;/&gt;wikipedia &lt;p&gt;Many of us saw Rugrats growing up, as well as the sequel named “All Grown Up”. The closest thing to a villain in that warm and entertaining cartoon was the oldest child. This was a girl named Angelica who tried to get the younger babies in trouble whenever possible.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Almost every cartoon has its own fan theories. Some of them are far-fetched, but some are actually rooted in reality. However, the actual origin story behind the character of Angelica is one of a real-life bully. The mind behind Rugrats, Paul Geiman, had one bully with this name when he was in school.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In some way, the naming of this character was a way for Geiman to get back at his childhood torturer. We’ll glad that he found a positive outlet for his frustration and anger. Otherwise, childhood bullying can lead to a lot of bad things in everyone’s future.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;6. Evil Walt Disney&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;img src=&quot;https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/12/word-image-29.jpeg&quot;/&gt;wikipedia &lt;p&gt;Walt Disney’s creations are beloved by children all over the world, but the man behind them was no angel. The first full-length animation film he produced was Snow White. Disney was all for making this movie an artistic creation and therefore refute the critics of that time.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The voice of the famous princess was done by one Adriana Caselotti. Her total payment was $970, which is no more than $16,000 today. What’s more, Walt Disney made her sign a contract stating that she would never use her voice for any other work. Snow White, as we all know, was a huge success. Sadly, her voice was never heard in any film, song, or play ever again.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;No doubt, this is a blatant violation of basic human rights. It came about all because one main wanted to maintain the illusion of a character. A character, incidentally, which he didn’t even create in the first place. As a result, the voice actress for the first princess of Disney remained unaccredited and unsuccessful despite her talent.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;5. The Sad Case of Winnie&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;img src=&quot;https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/12/word-image-30.jpeg&quot;/&gt;wikimedia &lt;p&gt;Winnie the Pooh is the name of a bear who has many animal friends just as beloved as he is. However, as the name suggests, the bear was actually modeled on a female bear.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;First off, the creator of the characters and his friends was not happy with the success they brought him. A. A Milne was a proper playwright and writer but was unable to get recognition for any of his other work. Still, the tragedy of the bear herself is beyond this aspect of the situation.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The cartoon bear was based on a real bear whose name was Winnie. She was sold to a Canadian soldier for a mere twenty dollars. Not much more than a cub, she had lost her mother to a cruel hunter. This Bambi-like story continues with Winnie’s captivity. She was, in effect, little more than a children’s attraction. She lived in a zoo, providing rides to children and playing with them.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;One of the children here was named Christopher Robin. He adored Winnie and possessed a stuffed bear to remind him of her. His father was the one who wrote the stories based on the bear and the son.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;4. The Inspiration for Betty Boop&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;img src=&quot;https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/12/word-image-1.png&quot;/&gt;wikipedia &lt;p&gt;Betty Boop is a classic cartoon character who created waves with her launch in the early days of cartoons. Her inspiration is usually credited to Helen Kane and Clara Now. However, her name and the majority of her mannerisms were copied from yet another woman. Conveniently and unforgivably, this woman was a black entertainer and singer.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p&gt;In those times, the color of one’s skin was enough to have them ignored and sidelined. Of course, things are not so perfect now, but people are trying to become politically correct at least. This woman was named Esther Jones, and known as Baby Esther. She usually said ‘boop-boop-a-doop’ when on stage, which is where the name Betty Bopp came from.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;However, Helen Kane blatantly stole these mannerisms and even had the audacity to sue Fleischer Studios when they created Betty Boop. This action, however, is where Kane’s problems started. It became evident that the character was not really inspired by her, but the original performer.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The lawsuit never came into being, but Baby Esther never got much recognition either. Many assumed she had died by the time this drama rolled around. However, she still lived a good few years after the whole hullaballoo. The character became iconic, but she was never given any financial compensation for her inspiring role.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;3. Racism with Crows&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;img src=&quot;https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/12/word-image-31.jpeg&quot;/&gt;wikipedia &lt;p&gt;Along with unfair payments and contracts, the Disney legacy is not unprepared with racist incidents. There have been traces of this concept in its early works, and the struggle is still ongoing now.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;When the singer of “Song of the South” received an Academy Award nomination, he wasn’t even allowed into the ceremony. This was in 1947, so it’s not surprising that the 1941 Dumbo movie has several racist slurs as well. The crows in that movie are meant as a mockery of black people.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The leader of the crows in Dumbo is named “Jim Crow” which was a term for “Negro”. The Jim Crow laws, in fact, were the ones that called for racial segregation at the state and local level. These incidents are hence highly disturbing and will remain so for people who have any civic sense.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;2. The Cash Cow Princess&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;img src=&quot;https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/12/word-image-32.jpeg&quot;/&gt;wikipedia &lt;p&gt;There is no doubt that Disney princesses have been among the highest money makers for the corporation. In the late 90’s Disney was noticing that their classic princesses weren’t pulling in enough cash. Hence, they made the animated movie based on the Russian princess/duchess Anastasia.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Many believed in the legend of Anastasia, who they said may have survived the rest of their family. In real life, Anastasia does not have such as happy ending as the cartoon version. She was widely searched for, but all claims have been proven false to date. DNA tests could not find the real Anastasia anywhere. The Bolshevik secret police had actually killed her along with her parents and siblings.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hence, this cartoon actually puts a gloss on a huge tragedy and rakes in the profits through a heartbreaking myth. We may have loved the cartoon itself, but the idea behind it could have been in better taste.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;1. Shrek the Wrestler&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;img src=&quot;https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/12/word-image-33.jpeg&quot;/&gt;wikipedia &lt;p&gt;The animated series of Shrek movies is yet another huge cash cow for Disney. However, it also has its roots in a quite depressing story. Shrek may seem like a non-human ogre, but he is actually based on a real-life wrestler by the name of Maurice Tillet.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This professional wrestler was subbed The French Angel. He was also called the Ugliest Man and compared to an ogre. He had a somewhat different appearance, which resulted from a condition that causes his head and limbs to swell up. This condition is called acromegaly, and causes bones to thicken and the body to grow abnormally.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Originally, the wrestler wished to become a lawyer, but his condition did not allow this. He hence first worked as an engineer in the French Navy and then moved on to wrestling. However, he died a premature death at the age of 50. On the upside, however, he did have a successful career as a wrestler.&lt;/p&gt;     &lt;p&gt;You may be tempted to stop watching these cartoons after learning about their disturbing connections. It may be better, however, to spread the word about the unforgivable aspects of such popular works. This would hopefully go a long way in ensuring that future cartoons are unsullied by such ugliness.&lt;/p&gt;   &lt;i&gt;&lt;/i&gt;</code></pre></div>","frontmatter":{"mitle":"7 Cartoon Characters with Tragic Origins","description":"We all love cartoons, but they don’t always come from sunshine and rainbows."}}},"pageContext":{"slug":"/EN/7/d020a3c487fad5d203a0847f4b873b07_t/","previous":{"fields":{"slug":"/EN/7/e4b4c2a396a71ba4e3eb069f90fc0c67_t/"},"frontmatter":{"mitle":"19 Surprising Personality Traits Your Pinky May Reveal About You"}},"next":{"fields":{"slug":"/EN/7/cd3848ee2b9afeaf9bc2fd78a1eea417_t/"},"frontmatter":{"mitle":"Holocaust Survivor: I'm Giving $1 Million to Help Wounded American Veterans, to Express My Thanks"}}}},"staticQueryHashes":["2841359383"]}