Someone suggested I was over-reacting in this case by allowing myself to be terrified by European bureaucrats. Maybe, who knows. So to try and be more balanced, allow me to terrify ALL OF YOU with atrocious (and extremely detailed) accounts of something even worse that’s happening to “our” society – right here in North America. Warning: This may be too much for some readers.
Are you ready? You sure?
OK.
One of the most popular television shows in history contains a “large number” of tobacco-related scenes, say researchers who watched 400 episodes of the cartoon for science.
“We recorded 795 instances of smoking or references to smoking,” says Dr Guy Eslick, a fellow of the International Union Against Cancer and honorary associate of the University of Sydney’s School of Public Health.
“The most notable characters who smoked were Marge Simpson’s sisters Patty and Selma, Krusty the Clown and Bart’s school teacher Mrs Krabappel.”
Dr Eslick assessed the first 18 seasons of the program and found the number of smoking references per season ranged from just over 10 to more than 60.
Smoking was presented in a “positive way” in just two percent of these cases, in a negative way in 35 percent of cases and neutrally in 63 percent.
Can you imagine? Exposing the nation’s children to the sight of animated morally neutral tobacco smoking? Run for the hills, I tell you. RUN!
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Holy cow, I have been traumatised by the Simpsons and didn’t even know it.
What they fail to mention is that the characters who smoke are not exactly portrayed in a positive light doing so a lot of the time. I mean, just look at the state of Patty and Selma! That’s enough to put a person off smoking!
What about the terrible example of son-throttling displayed with such reckless abandon? I wonder how much child abuse has been committed because of the foul example set by Homer.
And all that sexual innuendo between Homer and Marge!
Deborah, at least Homer and Marge are married! 😉
That may be true, but still, it’s on the TV! 😮 haha