13 Comments

Thank you for this! I believe I had a Porky Pig dining set as a young child; such an iconic cartoon character.

Expand full comment

Now that is merch' of a high level. Thank you for reading.

Expand full comment

It’s so interesting they originally cast a man with a natural stutter. Perhaps even though it was supposed to be humorous, it had the effect of normalising it? Not sure, but it’s hard to find other examples in television. Thanks Jon!

Expand full comment

Indeed, you could be on to something there. Thanks for reading, Kathleen. You are so right; it is hard to find other examples.

Expand full comment

I love Porky's sarcasm in "Deduce, You Say!". Awesome chemistry with Daffy.

Expand full comment

How interesting that Porky was a star before Bugs and Daffy! Paving the way 😄 I never saw Petunia, would have been fun to see how he plays against a love interest

Expand full comment

Thanks for reading. It’s always good to have a bit of a dive and realise that things aren’t how we thought.

Expand full comment

Thanks so much for reading this. It was good fun to research and write too. 🥳

Expand full comment

My favorite Porky cartoon (a Daffy/Porky pairing) is Daffy Doodles, in which Porky is a cop (sans trousers of course) and Daffy is The Mad Mustache Painter). They play off each other so well!

Expand full comment

Great choice. He is the perfect straight man in a comedy duo. Thanks for reading as ever.

Expand full comment

Porky Pig is an iconic cartoon character that everyone recognises! This is a great look at the history and background of the cartoon - it's so interesting that an actor with a stutter was first used for the character's voice. Thanks for sharing :)

Expand full comment

He is the best kind of animated character- unique physical and verbal characteristics, and the ability to both be a source of humor and a straight man for other sources. That's why he's still around when most of the other cartoon characters introduced in 1935 have been forgotten.

Expand full comment

That is so true. Porky Pig's enduring appeal lies in his unique characteristics and versatility. His ability to be both humorous and a straight man makes him timeless. It's fascinating how he stands out among his 1935 peers. Thanks for sharing your insights!

Expand full comment