Following a much-discussed New York Times piece which criticized Looney Tunes character Pepé Le Pew for perpetuating rape culture, it’s been revealed that Warner Bros. will no longer feature the amorous skunk in future movies and TV shows in the beloved cartoon franchise. This unexpected development has led to much discussion online, and now that iconic childhood characters are being cancelled, folks are wondering… is Miss Piggy next?
Ever since the 1970s, Miss Piggy has been lashing out at her green beau Kermit whenever he says the wrong thing, as well as generally acting aggressively to get the good-natured frog’s attention, even though Kermit is often depicted as not being as into her as she is him. With Le Pew getting cancelled for less violent behavior, Twitter users are arguing that maybe Miss Piggy should be held accountable, too, with some people being more serious about it than others.
Pepe Le Pew: *gets fired*
Miss Piggy: pic.twitter.com/KkWMl2xfIG
— DUNCAN RALSTON (@userbits) March 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/braiden_28/status/1369334961564770308
So can we cancel that abusive pig , Miss Piggy?
Violence against muppet frogs must stop!
— Adrian Monroy (@notadrianmonroy) March 9, 2021
Ok! I'm holding Miss Piggy accountable since we're going down this route. Exessive violence towards guests and a variety of Muppets PLUS various examples of sexual harassment toward Kermit the frog.
— DESPOP (Des Taylor) (@DESPOPART) March 9, 2021
Never thought I'd see the day when Pepe Le Pew would get cancelled. Can't wait to see Miss Piggy cancelled for physical and emotional abuse toward Kermit. She's been karate chopping him since the 70's, poor little bastard. pic.twitter.com/A6BLDjmU0P
— Kage (@000Kage000) March 9, 2021
#CancelCulture time to cancel miss piggy, all she did was harass Kermit the frog, and cuz she was a pig and nobody liked that bitch
— Michaelhayes (@mikehayes313) March 9, 2021
I'd cancel miss piggy if I could. #cancelamuppet
— loner 🧍🏻♀️ (@c_lphillips) March 9, 2021
🐷 🤜 🐸
My man Kermit the Frog has been in an abusive relationship with Miss Piggy for over 5 decades now. If they can cancel Pepé, should they not cancel her too?
🤔
— André Gonsalves (@theironspartan) March 9, 2021
In the wake of Le Pew’s removal, #CancelACartoonCharacter has been trending online, with fans offering (mostly) tongue-in-cheek suggestions for children’s characters who have likewise crossed the line. And Miss Piggy is being mentioned a lot.
Cancel Miss Piggy also, for abusing and harassing Kermit Frog . He repeatedly rejected her but she kept advancing 🤷🏾♂️ also beat him up more than once.
#cancelmisspiggy #CancelACartoonCharacter— Cheff Goldblum 👻 (@_miked) March 9, 2021
Domestic abuse is never ok. Miss Piggy should have been canceled long ago. pic.twitter.com/ZYu5MXMSJc
— Trick or Tretinoin (@shops_she) March 9, 2021
But if Miss Piggy’s going, why doesn’t she take some other Muppets with her?
#CancelACartoonCharacter . If they cancel miss piggy they need to cancel gonzo and animal.too. gonzo has been harassing miss piggy for ages and chickens. Also animal has been chasing female guests for ages.
— BeckyR (@freetobanditome) March 9, 2021
All five seasons of The Muppet Show recently debuted on Disney Plus, so fans have been able to revisit the Muppets’ early days and see how the characters started out, with some of the humor certainly being a bit dated. Over time, Miss Piggy‘s personality was toned down, though, and she’s far less likely to harass Kermit in modern media. The porcine icon will probably be able to escape cancellation, then, as long as she behaves herself.
Pepé Le Pew, meanwhile, will not have a role in Space Jam: A New Legacy. A scene where he learns the importance of consent from star LeBron James was filmed, but ultimately removed.