The West Bank: A Magic Kingdom

Fox News reports on the most disturbing appropriation of a Disney icon since the heyday of Tijuana bibles:

A Mickey Mouse look-alike named Farfur is teaching Palestinian children the ABCs of terror on Hamas' official television station, Al-Aqsa TV.

On the weekly program "Tomorrow's Pioneers," Farfur and a young girl name Saraa' tell children to pray five times each day and drink their milk, while urging the children to "resist" the "oppressive invading Zionist occupation."

"Instead of being entertained, they're being indoctrinated," Itamar Marcus, the director of Palestinian Media Watch, told FOX News.

Bob Levin's classic 2004 Reason story about Disney's war on the counterculture -- on stuff that probably offends its honchos less than this -- is here. Jesse Walker interviewed Mickey in the aftermath of the Eldred decision.

UPDATE: Via Grand Chalupa, here's the awesome video.

Comments

[Grand Chalupa]

Here's the video...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lZEGsnWZKh8

[highnumber]

I ? that Mickey interview.

I don't get the reference to the Tijuana bibles. Google & Wikipedia lead me to believe it has something to do with cheap pornography. Is this right?

[R C Dean]

Al Aqsa TV can bend over and kiss its ass goodbye. The most savage pack of attorneys on the planet is dialing in the counterstrike right now.

[Grotius]

I gotta ask, how do kids even find that entertaining?

[Grotius]

Also, is Sharon dead?

[Jesse Walker]

I don't get the reference to the Tijuana bibles. Google & Wikipedia lead me to believe it has something to do with cheap pornography.

Cheap pornography starring American comic-strip and comic-book characters.

[highnumber]

IDNHASCAW (I do not have a sound card at work - please remember my shorthand), so I need some help:
Were they listening to Cheap Trick in the video?

[jimmydageek]

"Their message is of hatred toward Jews, hatred toward Israel, hatred to America as well," Marcus said. "They make fun of Condoleezza Rice, they make fun of Bush."

If making fun of Condi and Bush equals being a terrorist, then a good chunk of the U.S. population should be imprisoned.

[dhex]

"I gotta ask, how do kids even find that entertaining?"

maybe in the same way that gi joe's eternal battle against the terrorists was? or uh, captain america (not up on my comic books)

[Grotius]

dhex,

They need a better voice for the mouse.

[ed]

Davey and Goliath is waaay better.

[henry]

I've always hated that fucking rodent anyway.

That being said, this version probably hates the Jews no more than Walt did.

[Zundfolge]

Al Aqsa TV can bend over and kiss its ass goodbye. The most savage pack of attorneys on the planet is dialing in the counterstrike right now.

Nope. Too bad Disney are going to be good little leftist, PC, Dhimmi and not sue over this.

[Ayn Randian]

Clearly, this is Mousead plant. (oof...)

[Russ 2000]

The most savage pack of attorneys on the planet is dialing in the counterstrike right now.

But those attorneys are Zionists.

[Mo]

Isn't this just the Palestinian version of the Ducktators or Der Fuehrer's Face?

[Russ 2000]

Instead of being entertained, they're being indoctrinated

If it was a US television show spewing the current US propaganda, it wouldn't be called indoctrination. It would be called educational pogramming.

[Jennifer]

No worse than the old New Zoo Revue was.

[Pro Libertate]

I sense the machinations of Evil Bert.

[Other Matt]

But those attorneys are Zionists.

That'll be the best part!

No worse than the old New Zoo Revue was.

Yeah, but they had Chuck Woolery, and that makes all the difference.

[GI Yusef]

Knowing is half the battle!

[VM]

or...
Die Sendung mit der Maus (hier)

or

Pingu

[dhex]

"They need a better voice for the mouse."

production values tend to fall to the sword of truth, it seems.

[SeeingI]

"Instead of being entertained, they're being indoctrinated," Itamar Marcus, the director of Palestinian Media Watch, told FOX News.

Well, Disney certainly has experience in that arena.

Gosh, I loved the New Zoo Revue as a kid. It's on DVD now, but I'm afraid to watch it and spoil my fond memories. Maybe I'll just stick with The Muppet Show.

[de stijl]

"Instead of being entertained, they're being indoctrinated," ... FOX News.

Fun with ellipses!

[76]

I also remembered that the Middle-East's golden age came about because of its advances in science, mathematics (aljabre turned into algebra) and other higher callings. Which is why today it's funny they say they will return to the golden age then turn around and commit honor killings and other inanities.

And naturally it's America's fault, not sharia law holding back islamic modernization and innovation. It's also the fault of that one guy that made a cartoon.

[edna]

this has outraged the mouse street. they feel humiliated and furious. the mouse riots shall begin. "no blood for cheese! death to kraft! death to whiskers!"

[Cesar]

They still can't beat Abu Dhabi tv with their hit kids show, "Saddam and Osama" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9kJ5IBFZm)

[VM]

Maybe I'll just stick with The Muppet Show.

How about:
the Electric Company
Zoom
Villa Alegre

🙂

[Doc]

And I, for one, welcome our new Arab-Mickey costumed Palastinian overlords.

[swillfredo pareto]

Davey and Goliath is waaay better.

But nothing tops Gravey and Jobriath.

[ed]

Heh. Classic.

[Pro Libertate]

VM,

The Electric Company, with Oscar? winning regulars Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno?

[Mark Borok]

I have to say, isn't Hamas worried about acquiring an image as a Mickey Mouse operation?

[grumpy realist]

Considering the extensions in copyright lengths (also called the "Mickey Mouse protection act") I'm not sure which side of this I'm hoping will win out. The Palestinians are nuts, but it definitely serves Disney right.

[VM]

Terrific, ProGLib!

🙂

Yes, Mark - they are a bunch of Mickey Mice.

[NoStar]

Didn't the Mouse get the memo?

*By the will of Allah, Islam is a religion of peace*

[J. Goard]

maybe in the same way that gi joe's eternal battle against the terrorists was?

G.I. Joe characters didn't stand around delivering political lectures, let alone in a completely incongruous cartoony voice. Except for the veryspecialepisodes where Mad Dog's kid cousin got addicted to shiny green pills or whatever.

[Grand Chalupa]

They still can't beat Abu Dhabi tv with their hit kids show, "Saddam and Osama" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9kJ5IBFZm)

That link didn't work, but everybody go to youtube and type in Saddam and Osama.

Arabs sure are interesting people.

[Thomas Paine\'s Goiter]

I actually think that this might be less hateful of Jews than Walt was.

[Mo]

They still can't beat Abu Dhabi tv with their hit kids show, "Saddam and Osama" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9kJ5IBFZm)

That link didn't work, but everybody go to youtube and type in Saddam and Osama.

Arabs sure are interesting people.

Is it just me or was that an obvious joke rather than something glorifying the two? It looked to me like a MidEast version of TV Funhouse. Maybe it just loses something in translation or the laugh tracks didn't make it apparent enough.

[Thomas Paine\'s Goiter]

Bah - sorry Henry, didn't see that you made the joke already.

Good work.

[Grand Chalupa]

It obviously was a comedy show, but still, interesting to say the least...

[Mo]

Really? It seemed no more or less weird than half the shit on our TVs. Heck, that show could've been produced by Smigel and I'd never even notice it. I'd hate to be judged by Fear Factor, Dismissed or Drawn Together.

[Rick Barton]

I've got an idea. Let's get our government to stop mucking about in the Arab world, and stop funding the Israeli government's thieving and murderous occupation of the Palestinian's land.
.

[Cesar]

I knew "Saddam and Osama" was a joke. Sorry sarcasm doesn't come across well in text.

[Cesar]

Its also not from the Middle East, but from Saturday Night Live.

[Baylen]

Damn! SaveFarfur.org is already squatted on by some do-gooders.

[KyleG]

how poetic...taking one of America's largest icons, giving it down syndrome, and turning it against us.

[mike_twincites]

All joking aside, this has to be the most repugnant display of hateful ignorance I have seen yet.

The libertarian inside me says, "Live and let live."

The former soldier says, "Kill them all."

How do I reconcile? Cognitive dissonance, I think that's called. And this dissonance is what rules my thoughts on all recent, "Middle-Eastern" events.

Out here.

[Cesar]

"All joking aside, this has to be the most repugnant display of hateful ignorance I have seen yet.

The libertarian inside me says, "Live and let live."

The former soldier says, "Kill them all."
"

I say, get off of oil and disengage from the Middle East so we don't have to spend the blood and treasure of the United States trying to settle conflicts which couldn't be settled if we have one thousand years.

[dr. dog]

Dub this into English and broadcast it on Nickelodeon.

[Guy Montag]

Kind of amazing that the 2600 Magazine: The Hacker Quarterly did not make the article cut. Theyb were at an imagined war with Disney too, around 1996.

[mike_twincities]

"I say, get off of oil and disengage from the Middle East so we don't have to spend the blood and treasure of the United States trying to settle conflicts which couldn't be settled if we have one thousand years."

No blood for oil, eh? I may agree with that.

However, oil or not, this kind of religious ignorance will always rear its ugly head and force a nation's hand.

Out here.

[justme]

Buh-bye Al Aqsa TV. You thought the Mossad was bad? You thought the IDF was bad? Oh, not even.

Rule #1; Don't. Mess. With. The. Mouse.

[BakedPenguin]

I was wondering what Sid & Marty Krofft were up to...

[de stijl]

I was wondering what Sid & Marty Krofft were up to...

About eight bowls a day. Big bowls. Super-primo hydroponic.

[Zoomie Junior]

Instead of being entertained, they're being indoctrinated

If it was a US television show spewing the current US propaganda, it wouldn't be called indoctrination. It would be called Seseme Street or Barney... for leftist propaganda. I don't know what the neo-con kid shows are...

[dhex]

"G.I. Joe characters didn't stand around delivering political lectures, let alone in a completely incongruous cartoony voice."

wasn't the end of every episode like that?

mo, but you don't understand - they're muslims.

get it?

muslims.

see?

muslims.

[Doc]

Do you think she has a gob jabbar on her?

[joe]

What's up with the "Walt Disney hated Jews" thing?

[highnumber]

joe,

Walt Disney hated Jews.

[ChrisO]

Wonder what Evil Burt thinks about this?

[Evil Burt]

I approve of it.

[BakedPenguin]

About eight bowls a day. Big bowls. Super-primo hydroponic.

Mr. Show once did a parody of the Krofft's called something like "The state of Drugachusetts". Hilarious.