Slowpoke Rodriguez Rocks!
Today I am thinking about how much I love Slowpoke Rodriguez - lesser known cousin of Speedy Gonzales. I find Speedy a mildly irritating character, and yet he has appeared in a whole series of cartoons, as well as films and video games. Slowpoke, on the other hand, got just two cartoons. Two! What gives?! Slowpoke talks in a lazy monotone, seems completely unafraid (or perhaps unaware) of the dangers around him, carries a gun and, very probably, has a marijuana habit. What’s not to love? I can’t believe Warner Bros didn’t do more with him.
Nowadays, of course, you have the whole “politically incorrect” minefield. The problem is that most cartoons are at least a little bit politically incorrect (if they’re any good). But I far prefer the cartoons from the 1930′s and 40′s to the God-awful modern day creations like the teletubbies. A lot of kids’ TV now seems like bland, sickeningly sugary fluff. I can’t bear to watch modern Winnie the Pooh when the old ones were so much better - sometimes even scary (especially the one where they got sucked under the bed). Some of the stuff I’ve seen my little cousin watch on TV is actually quite horrifying. The animation is cheap, the story is nonexistent, the characterisation is so dire that I almost feel she should be forbidden from watching such tripe on principle. It’s not even clear what species the main character is supposed to be half the time. Is it a bunny? Is it a child? Is it a talking scarecrow? Who can tell? Better to stick with DVDs of the old classics instead. Or, better yet, watch a few episodes of Mr Ed (it’s fun watching how enthralled a seven year old is at the sight of a talking horse).
But even DVD box sets of the old classics aren’t free of political-incorrectness-phobia. The complete Donald Duck box set we have is peppered with constant assurances from a bespectacled, anxious looking Disney spokesman that Disney does not - not - approve or condone the use of guns in the cartoons. Well, duh! Still, I suppose it’s better than editing the gun out altogether, as often happens to Slowpoke in Mexicali Shmoes.
But whether he’s politically correct or not, I love that little stoned mouse. I really, really love him. And I want a soft toy of him to put on my desk. But though I have scoured the internet, I have been unable to find one. Maybe none were ever made. But I’m going to keep checking Ebay at regular intervals - just in case.
Tags: Cartoons
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Alex, I’m ashamed to say I don’t know of this cartoon. *hides*
May 7th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
I’m equally ashamed to admit I have a video of the above mentioned Winnie-the-Pooh episode. I have vivid memories of this actually, especially of the song where all of Christopher Robin’s shit gets stuffed under the bed, and he seemingly kills a living mountain of slime with a bar of soap. Would A.A. Milne approve I wonder?
May 7th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
The giant evil crayons are what I remember most about that cartoon. As crayons go, they were extremely scary.
Don’t remember the living slime. Clearly it’s been too long since I last watched it. Where’s that VHS? And how do I get my DVD player to play it . . . ?
September 22nd, 2010 at 6:46 am
“He may be slow in the feet, but he is not slow in the cabeza…”
August 25th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Thank god I’m not the only one who thinks that Slowpoke Rodriguez over powers Speedy in an instant… Too bad he doesn’t have a song…
October 19th, 2011 at 12:28 am
Needless to say Slowpoke Rodriguez is the best! I remember him despite the small amount of air time he actually got. Of course being a Rodriguez and being known for taking forever to do anything helped keep my live for this character alive. Viva el rato!
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:54 am
I for one was and still is , Slowpoke biggest fan even to this day. To those new fans of Slowpoke Rodriguez who wonder why he was pulled-off the air completely after 2 episodes is for one reason only . Slowpoke pulled out his gun in this episode and the way he acted and behaved in that particular show was sending the kind of message that , it was perfectly ok and normal tu use his gun in that fashion and, by doing so ,most likely any child would believe this is a normal way to do things… ,… and what if a serious accident would occur in real life in relation of this cartoon character so to avoid direct or indirect subliminal messages , the cartoon was completely removed from television , for serious ethics reasons, as because so many complaints were beeing filed , and i agree because in those days i was still a child and i could feel even then that his behaviour was way out of line , Now as a parent i still approve the removal of those two episodes. ANY PARENTS in their right mind would never go for that, that is ok for a child to get high and carry a gun , As we all know that ALL CHILDREN are like ; MONKEY SEE MONKEY DO !!!!
September 4th, 2012 at 7:45 pm
I just referred to Slow Poke Rodriguez and realized there was age gap…thanks for the homage!