Kermit better watch what he says. Disney’s in charge now.
The company slapped The Muppet Show, an age-old classic that was around before most millennials were born, with a disclaimer warning viewers on its streaming service this week that certain episodes could contain “offensive content.” It does not specify which episodes are controversial, nor does it say which scenes are offensive. All the disclaimer says is “this program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures.”
“These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now,” the disclaimer continues. “Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it, and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together.”
Disney deserves at least a little bit of credit for not pulling the show altogether. Viewers hankering to watch squealing puppets run around in scenes from the 1970s can still do so if they please. But Disney’s decision to warn viewers about the Muppets is almost as ridiculous as the show itself. (I say this as a true millennial, born and raised on Disney “classics” such as Even Stevens, High School Musical, and Hannah Montana, so take no offense. I guess I should have added a disclaimer up top.)
Critics have pointed to a few episodes that could come across as insensitive today. In season five, singer Johnny Cash performs with a Confederate flag in view. In other episodes, the puppets portray different cultures, including Native Americans and Middle Easterners, by relying on various “stereotypes.” Ironically, The Muppet Show was once praised for teaching children about different ethnic groups.
But not anymore. Now, children need a trigger warning just in case puppets dressed up as Middle Eastern oil tycoons come across as offensive by drilling for oil in Kenny Rogers’s dressing room.
The disclaimer is little more than a 30-second inconvenience before each episode. But it also tells us something about the way our moral betters over at Disney think. They also slapped Peter Pan, The Aristocats, and Dumbo with disclaimers over trivial disputes that most children would not even pick up on. It’s almost as if this disclaimer is just another way for Disney to pay lip service to the iconoclastic culture it worships.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for canceling The Muppet Show — not because it’s offensive, but because it’s obnoxious. Sorry, Muppets fans, but it’s true. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. TV networks have been trying to revive this show for years, and almost every time, the reboot is a spectacular flop. But maybe this time, Disney’s “offensive” disclaimer will make sure the show succeeds. After all, the forbidden fruit always tastes sweeter.
