15 Impossibly Dated Lines from Looney Tunes Cartoons
The Looney Tunes characters may be timeless, but there are some parts of the classic shorts that are very clearly from another era. And yes, there are plenty of ugly, racist jokes from the early cartoons. But there are also the then-topical jokes and turns of phrase we’d never use today, which can be quite charming to hear now. Like, when’s the last time you used the word “varmint”?
Here are 15 Looney Tunes lines that you might otherwise need translated by Wikipedia (or a grandparent) to understand — and none of the shitty racist ones that obviously don’t need repeating…
“What’s Errol Flynn got that I haven’t?” — Porky Pig
The romantic, swashbuckling leading man Flynn was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars when Porky asked this question in You Out to Be in Pictures in 1940. Flynn died in 1959, making this joke at least 65 years out-of-touch. And, to answer Porky’s question: muscles, good looks and a handful of statutory rape charges.
“Say, boy, you cover about as much as a flapper skirt in a high wind” — Foghorn Leghorn
Flapper skirts were a low-cut, sexy skirt popularized in the 1920s. (Although they may be considered fairly conservative by today’s standards.)
“I don’t see no man from the draft board” — Daffy Duck
Draftee Daffy came out in early 1945, when World War II was still ongoing. However, the draft ended in 1973, so people (and ducks) don’t really have to worry about the draft board anymore.
“Any one of you lily-livered bow-legged varmints care to slap leather with me?” — Yosemite Sam
Yosemite Sam’s Old West-style phraseology was dated even when these Looney Tunes shorts were new, but this one really deserves an explanation. The phrase “slap leather” sounds rather scandalous for a children’s cartoon. Alas, “to slap leather” was actually an invitation to a duel, and specifically referenced leather holsters. So get your head out of that gutter already.
“I know where you can get a job in features, as Bette Davis’ leading man” — Daffy Duck
When Daffy Duck said this line to trick Porky Pig into giving up his Warner Bros. contract in You Out to Be in Pictures, leading lady Bette Davis was a big star. That was in 1940; she continued to be a public figure until her death in 1989 — still almost 40 years ago now.
“Seig Heil, boy, I’m from South Germany!” — Daffy Duck
Now this is a quote you’d only find in a World War II-era Looney Tunes cartoon (specifically The Ducktators from 1942). Don’t worry though: Daffy doesn’t have a secret Nazi past; The Ducktators was just one of many propaganda cartoons that used Hitler as the butt of the joke.
“I say, bare as a cooch dancer’s midriff” — Foghorn Leghorn
Many of Foghorn Leghorn’s references point to him spending a lot of his free time watching barely-clothed women dance. And a cooch dancer was basically an exotic dancer.
“It ain't Wendell Willkie!” — the Gremlin
Wendell Willkie was the 1940 Republican nominee for president. He also happened to have a pretty funny name, which is likely why the mischievous little gremlin gave Willkie an entirely random shoutout in the 1943 short Falling Hare.
“Could you spare a cup of blackstrap molasses?” — Daffy Duck
Sure, they still make blackstrap molasses, but the days of asking your neighbor for a cup of anything is long gone. I don’t even know my neighbors’ names.
“I got this boy as fidgety as a bubble dancer with a slow leak” — Foghorn Leghorn
A bubble dancer was yet another kind of exotic dancer. See what I mean about this guy?
”Watch the WB!” — Michigan J. Frog
This line’s from the 1990s, but it’s just as dated as the rest of the stuff here.
“I’ll just ask this gent in the fancy knickerbockers” — Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny said this before speaking to a matador in one of his great shorts, Bully for Bugs. Knickerbockers are pants, by the way.
“Dear Milkman, gone on vacation, no milk for two weeks” — Sylvester
In 1951, when Canned Feud came out, the milkman was such an important part of your life that you had to write him a letter when you went away on vacation.
“Now, you must name all of the 48 states, or else” — Daffy Duck
Daffy said this in 1950 — when this was a true statement. By today’s standards, he’s off by two, but likely more by the time this is published.
“This is gonna cause more confusion than a mouse at a burlesque show” — Foghorn Leghorn
This doesn’t need much translating, but man Foghorn Leghorn is one horny cock.
