The latest version of Toy Story 2, first released in 1999, is missing a beloved fake blooper scene at the end. Fans noticed that when the 4K edition came out earlier this year, there was something missing: Stinky Pete’s casting couch.
Take a Walk Stinky Pete, You’re Not Welcome in Post-#MeToo Toy Story
All four installments of Toy Story have featured made-up “bloopers” at the end of the movie. A blooper is an outtake or a mistake in the filming of a movie, usually comedic in nature.
Toy Story 2 originally featured a blooper with Stinky Pete hitting on a pair of identical twin Barbie dolls. As seen below, when he notices the camera is around, he snaps back to good behavior.
The #MeToo era has made such casual joking about things like sexual harassment a no-no, and Disney doesn’t seem to mind changing history.
Here’s the original complete reel:
Without taking away from the merits of #MeToo, the prospect of changing everything in the past seems daunting.
For example, when we learn about spousal abuse, we learn that it was once rampant, but then it decreased with law enforcement and cultural awareness.
We learn the same thing about workplace injuries and OSHA.
Is Revisionism Good For Society?
Why shouldn’t we learn the same with the way women are treated? In old movies, you can see women being treated differently than in modern times. That’s because women stood up for themselves over the years, and society began to hold men accountable for misogynist behavior.
But consider what could happen if old movies are increasingly edited to fit modern political narratives, without regard for the art or the views of the times.
It’s not hard to see why this might be problematic. If it can be done for one political reason, it can be done for another.
Before you know it, we’re inserting political propaganda into old movies. Or something along those lines.
In the case of Toy Story 2, it only makes sense that Disney was bound to do something. Its director was accused of misconduct, part of a long line of Hollywood men who’ve gotten themselves into trouble. John Lasseter left Disney in 2018.
People have long held Disney under a microscope for the potentially sexual nature of its content.
Since the dawn of the Internet, people have talked about the hidden sexual agenda of Disney movies. Look at this gallery as an example.
It’s only fair that Disney should face heightened scrutiny. The powerhouse is one of the most popular film companies in history, making billions annually from its films. It owns some of the largest brands, including Marvel. Disney is large enough that, by itself, it’s going to challenge Netflix and Amazon in the streaming market – and likely do alright.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not represent those of, nor should they be attributed to, CCN.