Lucky Luke and the Smoke Nazis
Last updated: Sunday, January 29, 2012 Print
I cheered the loudest when the tobacco ads were banned.
I chuckled when smokers were banished outside to hunker on street corners.
I nodded approvingly, if a little sadly, when the candy cigarettes of my youth became no more than a sweet memory.
But when I heard they'd confiscated Lucky Luke's smokes I was outraged.
I may be an environmental health advocate and something of a smoke Nazi myself, but you just don't mess with the classics.
For those unacquainted with the good-natured, lonesome cowboy a long way from home, here he is:
At least, that's what he looked like when I first befriended him as a kid.
This is what he looks like now:
The original Lucky was an inveterate chain smoker; the only time he didn't have a cigarette between his lips was when he was rolling a new one from pouch tobacco, a process drawn over several frames in loving, humorous detail. It was intrinsic to his appeal, no question.
As his creator Morris said of Lucky's habit: “The cigarette is part of the character's profile, just like the pipe of Popeye.”
So much for that. You'll struggle to find the famous hand-rolled item in a new copy of Lucky Luke now: it's been airbrushed out and replaced with a dull, wholesome grass stalk. He did get to keep his gun, oddly enough.
The rationale for such censorship is that it protects tender minds from developing positive associations with smoking that could encourage them to adopt the habit later on. Popular culture depictions of smoking can glamorise it, or contribute to what anti-tobacco activists term “normalising” – we get used to seeing the cigarette as an ordinary everyday item, familiar and fairly innocuous.
We're all vulnerable to this form of brainwashing, the young especially. Research into the impact of tobacco depiction, which has focused mainly on movies but on comics and picture books too, shows it significantly raises smoking rates among young adults, adolescents and even children as young as 10.
Pressure is brought to bear on film-makers and authors these days to keep youth-targeted material tobacco-free, however untruthfully that may reflect the reality of over a billion smokers world-wide.
But there's something disturbingly Orwellian about reaching back into the past to tinker with history, even if it is only a comic book character's, and even if it is for the supposed greater good. Are we trying to pretend to kids that cowboys in the old West – or those in 1946 for that matter, when Lucky Luke first appeared – didn't smoke?
Long before my young nephews could talk, let alone read, I happily mused how I'd introduce them to all my best-beloved children's books. Many of these, however, date from the ideologically dodgy mid-20th century or earlier, which poses a dilemma to the liberally-minded aunt.
Most of literature, including children's, is racist, sexist, and largely written by and about white males, much like human history.
The famous favourites abound with unhealthy examples. Captain Haddock is an alcoholic, let's face it. Winnie-the-Pooh and Obelix are unrepentently overweight, and who knows what exactly that caterpillar with the hookah was smoking in Alice. But they were all inspired creations of their times and we should cherish them as such, admonish them for their foolish ways now that we know better perhaps, but otherwise let them be.
We're meant to use the past to learn to stop repeating mistakes, not retrospectively censor it into some tidy, distorted version of the truth that won't offend politically correct 21st century sensibilities.
I'm going to keep my nephews' reading diet varied with plenty of modern books espousing enlightened values. But I'm not going to stop giving them those rich, imperfect, wonderful classics either, including my vintage copy about a mythical cowboy who could shoot faster than his own shadow, and didn't know, in his innocence, that cigarettes weren't cool.
- Olivia Rose-Innes, EnviroHealth Editor, January 2012, Health24
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Your Comments
Too PC
If we take political correctness back in time, we'd have to santise Shakespeare and Dickens too. I agree with you, let's leave Lucky to his smokes.
history
history is not about white males
@xx
No of course it's not just about white males in reality, but written history has been recorded mainly by them, so they tend to feature an awful lot!
Great column
Just loved this column. Even though I also hate smoking and can't wait for the day it's banned off this planet, I would never take Lucky Luke's smokes away from him - you can't change history.
Influence?
The fact that Obelix and Winnie-the-Pooh were overweight never normalised the idea of being obese for me, and I certainly never thought the caterpillar was smoking something illegal!
I firmly believe that we've gone way too far over the side when it comes to political correctness. Yes, racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination should be stamped out. But arguing that a light spanking causes emotional damage to a child is ridiculous. So is removing smoking from old cartoons!
Bowdlerised Beatles
You could also have referred to the Beatles' Abbey Road album cover. On the original cover, Paul McCartney is holding a cigarette in his hand as they walk across the street. On many newer versions and even on posters, the cigarette has been digitally removed from the picture.
Crazy stuff, but this type of thing has been going on for a long time. Look up " Bowdlerism" to read more.
@John
Huh, I didn't know that about the Abbey Road cover - great example, thanks.
It's also been used as a form of historical propaganda. In the Stalinist era I think several people deemed undesirable by the authorities were 'vanished' from photographs. And of course that's even easier to do today.
Good Golly
Wasnt there a Golliwog in Noddy. I dont think he's around any more................................................................................
obelix
Besides Obelix was not fat, just well covered, he just was not skinny that’ s all and WHO SAID FAT!!!!
What a crock!
“ … Admonish them for their foolish ways now that we know better perhaps… ”
What a crock!!! I would like to act outrageously in opposition with these “ so called” activists that does not have anything better to do with their time than capitalising on other people’ s supposed vices and lack of supposed virtues! In the old days everyone smoked, heel, even our Great-Grandmothers had a nose Snuff in their bags, and the guys would chow some tobacco before spitting it out. However, these people ....
Politically Correct
When humanity finally reaches the Utopian politically correct world where everyone is the same, will we look back with regret and longing to a time when free thought, freedom and fun were the norm and colour abounded. But no your thoughts will be as regulated as your dress, everyone an individual, exactly the same as the next individual. Mediocrity will be extolled as the greatest virtue of all. A world without colour, all is grey
What a crock2!
(even though they might have been supposedly less educated in general) in my opinion showed greater signs of true character, virtues like patriotism and loyalty was in the order of the day! How can we in our minds think we are better!!!??? We are the losers of History we fight against Tabaco and pipe characters, which never made sexual and promiscuous references! It’ s ridiculous how idiotic the so called liberal human race have become!!! We slam a perfectly well behaved character because.....
What a crock3!
because of a puff, but promote sexual promiscuity we protect the criminals and slaughter the victims by abolishing death penalties. We encourage lawlessness in general through our everyday morals, we protect our children from a cigarette because it is supposedly socially unacceptable, but support those, or forget to oppose them who make money from pornography open to our children everywhere where there is a communication medium – And you dare talking about “ brainwashing” – Like I said, ...
What a crock4!
what a crock! P.S. I am an ex-smoker, and still think this is ridiculous!
We have become idiots with a Doctoral hat !
In addition...
I heard a rumour that there is a famous painting of the great evangelist, Charles Spurgeon in England. This painting was altered recently by removing his pipe and replacing it with a Bible, because obviously, the extraordinary selflessness of this person cannot be comprehended in our " political correct" ideas of the nature of person... Shame!
Well said Rumsour!
*** Applause !!! ***
Smoking
I hate smoking - not smokers, but I absolutely despise those who drink and drive.
I believe that we are targeting the wrong " sin" here. Ban alchohol from restaurants, close down pubs (or introduce a 1 drink limit) and lock up idiots who drink and drive.
Most of the harm that a smoker does is to himself, the same can not be said about drunk drivers. I don't care if people lose their jobs when pubs and restaurants close down, there will be enough jobs available if we lock up drunk drivers.
nice one
great column, i loved lucky luke. And Jolly Jumper of course.
@ Jacques
Nou praat jy my taal!
This nonsense of " hammering" on small " sins" is typical of political correctness and lack of intellect or rather self image! i am convinced the activist who have time to " sweat" these minor issues have personal problems or some form of serious " sin" thy are trying to hide... Similar to our politicians, hiding the " big" immoral acts in their life, by making a noise about the small sh*t!
Banned ad's
Considering the target audience of Lucky Luke, it would definetly give them the impression that smoking is cool. However, if they do give Lucky Luke his smokes back, then i say we should allow cigarette ads once again as the audience of the adverts are probably all already smokers!
@Pieter
Agreed, we're not necessarily morally better than people in the past. But when we know better surely shouldn't we try to do better, otherwise what hope is there for H.Sapiens? Smoking in the 19th C was a totally different activity to smoking in the 21st given the knowledge we have the benefit of now.
Let's just ban everything why don't we...
This is what you get with the insanity that is going on in the world. There is a lunacy in our society - an obsession with making laws. The world is not a better place now than it has ever been, but still we have people encouraging further lawmaking. Laws seldom (if ever) achieve their intentions. Why are young people smoking more now even though society frowns on it? Because they are sick and tired of being dictated to. That's our future brave new world, and it isn't the world of the lawmakers.
Utter CR@P
Listen lady open your bl00dy eyes your liberal self important views are the reason that this cartoon has been changed you admonish smoking which goes hand in hand with advertising, and where you will come across smoking, so carry on being a nazi " I may be an environmental health advocate and something of a smoke Nazi myself" but remember you can't have the best of both worlds take the good with the bad, then you have the right to complain otherwise SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE !
Disagree, but why not be civil about it?
Jason, are you sure you're not angry about something else? Why so abusive? I'm sure that you wouldn't act this way when speaking to someone face-to-face, so why do it on the internet?
@Jason
Actually everyone has the right to express themselves and complain if they feel the need, that's why we have forums like this. One of the points I'm making is that it IS a liberal dilemma that needs considering - the balance between freedom of expression and protecting society nearly always is. (And it's because I'm a nice free-thinking liberal that I'm not going to delete your post, which I have the power to do by the way, so be polite.....)
100% with you.
I am a smoker, I have no problem going outside, in fact I don't smoke in my own house. I also sincerely wish I had never started, and have turned into something of a serial quitter. Despite all this I agree 100%, the lack of ads never bothered me, but by removing cigarettes from clasics they are going WAY too far. We all know smoking used to be a way of life. Why try to hide it? There are far more important things for us to focus on, like the continuing domestic abuse in allot of homes...
Airbrushing history
and engaging in politically correct nonsense is not dissimilar to what
Stalin and other dictators did when they removed associates murdered on their orders from pictures, case in point the photo of Stalin and Yezhov. Smoking sucks (I smoke) but does help one cope with the large amounts of B.S. coming our way these days. Heck, advertising and peer pressure had stuff-all to do with my starting- it was stress. " Normalisation" is just a made-up word to hide the fact that
Airbrushing history 2
just like The Force, advertising and peer pressure only influence weak minds (room temperature IQ). People complain about smoking in movies, yet do nothing about child porn, decapitations, genocide and other lovely human pastimes portrayed on the screen, never mind the real-life ones. History is nothing more than a massive collection of human follies, whose purpose is to warn dumb Homo Sapiens not to repeat them again, or face the consequences. Wipe it out at own risk.
@Jason = chop
Sheez Jazza, go outside and sneak another smoke, dude. Clearly you have issues.
M
Smoke or not some things are here to stay. I say if you give Lucky Luke back his smokes, why not let me smoke back in the office again, don't complain about how things sums up... You have got to lose somethings in order to gain some things..Period
kickbacks for hollywood
great column, I'm becoming a regular visitor since we met at " science meets the media" . Just the other day I almost grabbed a pack of ciggies after watching a hollywood classic. I suspect directors/producers get kickbacks from tobacco companies?
Hi Dane!
A lot of deliberate product placement in movies is legal (if surreptitious), but in the 1990s tobacco companies promised not to pay to have their brands placed. They say their brands are used in films without permission. It's very suspicious though that it's mainly big studo movies that feature tobacco brands, and competing brands usually don't appear in the same movie!
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