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From the 1960’s to the 1990’s, Saturday mornings were all about millions of kids waking up and watching children’s programming and cartoons. Kid shows weren’t exclusive to Saturdays but that was the day where the ratings were through the roof. The first kid shows appeared in the late 1940’s, such as Captain Kangaroo, Howdy Doody, and Kukla, Fran and Ollie. Most children’s programming was educational but later, non-educational programs became very popular. Since kid shows first appeared, there have always been some controversy revolving the programming. Often, they have been accused of injecting adult humor and situations into the shows. Of course, they deny such allegations but there are some instances that are a bit tough to overlook.
Several of the most iconic characters on kids shows have been accused of using illegal substances. Some characters were bouncing off the walls while other characters were just chillin’ out, man. Various characters displayed symptoms often associated with drug use, which caused parents all over the world to lose their minds. Many popular shows had to endure a severe backlash over the depictions of numerous characters. In other cases, there was no backlash. But for years, there has been speculation that some characters had to be on “something.”
Animal
The Muppets Animal is the out of control and insane drummer of Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem. Animal is like any other drummer—he has wild hair, destroys his instruments, and is a party animal. Several famous drummers are also known for their enjoyment of using illegal substances. It’s highly possible the Animal shares those feelings. Animal made his first appearance in The Muppet Show pilot, which aired on March 19, 1975. He has appeared in subsequent Muppet movies and the animated series Muppet Babies. Animal loves to sleep, eat, and drum like a mad man. His musical outburst is so violent and unpredictable that he has to be chained to his drums. It’s very probable that Animal is addicted to PCP. Violent outbursts are often a sign of PCP use. His erratic and odd behaviors as well as inaudible speech are also symptoms of use. The most obvious sign is that he lives the wild lifestyle of an intoxicated Rockstar.
Pepe Le Pew
MDMA users often have intense feelings of euphoria and heightened sensations. They love everyone they meet and are obsessed with touching all kinds of objects. Coincidentally, Pepe Le Pew sometimes displays these symptoms. The French skunk Pepe Le Pew is best known for his appearances in Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes. Le Pew first appeared in the 1945 short Odor-able Kitty as Stinky. The narcissistic skunk is a hopeless romantic often chasing after love. However, his disgusting odor drives everyone away, although he’s unaware of this. There is a slight chance he might have been feeling the effects of MDMA or ecstasy, as it’s also known. He instantly falls in love and loved touching people and objects. The only thing he was missing were a glow stick and intense dancing. He would enjoy every minute of chasing down love even when he’d get rejected. Only the effects of MDMA could give someone the courage to keep pursuing love after being harshly turned down.
Underdog
There’s no need to fear, Underdog is here! All he needs to do is quickly change and pop an “Underdog Energy Pill.” The animated series, Underdog, premiered on October 3, 1964 and concluded in 1974. Underdog’s alter ego Shoeshine boy was unassuming and timid. However, Underdog is fearless and invincible. He often changed into Underdog when the love of his life, Sweet Polly Purebred, is threatened. All he had to do was jump into a phone booth and pop one of his magic pills. This would give him the power and super strength to defeat his enemies. Underdog’s use of pills has created some suspicions about their true nature. He’s been accused of using PCP, which several animated characters have been accused of. Coincidentally, Underdog happens to shows signs of PCP use. Popping “Underdog Energy Pills” could be interpreted several ways but it seems to lean towards narcotics.
Speedy Gonzales
Perhaps Speedy Gonzales was simply an incredibly quick mouse that truly was the fastest mouse in the world. It’s also possible that his speed had a little help from some speed. Speedy Gonzales became a breakout star after appearing in both Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. A version of Speedy first appeared in the 1953 short, Cat Tails For Two. The Speedy that we all love and know today made his first appearance in the 1955 short, Speedy Gonzales. In addition to being fast, Speedy is intensely energetic and talks as fast as he can run. Maybe he’s just fast or maybe he’s popping pills before a run to get an added advantage. One of the effects of taking speed is increased energy. It can also elevate the mood and create an increase in physical activity. Speedy appears to show some signs of using this illegal substance.
Goofy
To some, Goofy is just the happy and silly best friend of Mickey Mouse. He has difficulty with balance, often falls and injures himself. He’s simply just Goofy. On the other hand, speculation has swirled for years that Goofy partakes in illegal narcotics that make him…well...goofy. In 1932, Goofy made his first appearance under the name Dippy Dawg. He first appeared in the animated short film, The Whoopee Party. He often joined Mickey and Donald Duck before getting his own solo series. Over time, he evolved into the character he’s now and became one of Disney’s biggest stars. He’s had his own theatrical films and TV series. There is a possibility that his over-the-top happy attitude is because he’s using PCP. This would explain why he can be very dimwitted and sometimes make hasty decisions. Others believe he’s not on narcotics but simply sniffing glue. This might be the reason he’s so goofy all the time.
Care Bears
LSD can cause the user to experience vibrant colors with surfaces and objects appearing to wave or ripple. It makes sensations and images appear real despite not existing. The Care Bears were plush teddy bears that later received their own TV series. Each Care Bear comes in a different color and has a unique insignia on their tummy. The Care Bears animated series ran from 1985 to 1988. They were known for having intense feelings of love and joy. Their special talent was the “Care Bear Stare.” The Care Bears would stand together and a bright light would radiate from their bellies creating a ray of love and happiness. It’s been noted that the Care Bears are possibly tripping on LSD, which is why they see bright colors, feel intense caring, and a ray of love shoots from their tummies. If not the characters, it’s highly probable that at least the creators were tripping on “something.”
Puff The Magic Dragon
For decades, there has been speculation that the song “Puff The Magic Dragon” and character are references to cannabis use. These theories have been largely debunked but that hasn’t stopped the debate. In 1963, the folk band Peter, Paul and Mary originally recorded the iconic song. It quickly became an instant hit and reached the number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Puff was then adapted into a 30-minute television film, Puff The Magic Dragon, which aired in 1978. The evidence many pointed to as the last name of the human child, Jackie Paper, was an alleged reference to rolling papers. Additionally, many suspected that Puff was a reference to taking a “puff” and Dragon a reference to “draggin.” Some then assumed that the character, Puff, was smoking cannabis as well. However, the writers, Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow, have vehemently denied that the song is about illegal substances and is actually about the loss of innocence.
Road Runner
On September 17, 1949, the Road Runner burst onto the screen at an incredible speed. The Road Runner is often associated with his arch nemesis, Wile E. Coyote. They first appeared together in Fast and Furry-ous. It was established then that no matter what plan or contraption the Coyote laid out, Road Runner would always foil his plans. They have since appeared in roughly 48 cartoons together. The Road Runner is full of excessive energy, runs lighting fast, and lives in the Deseret. All this evidence has led some fans to believe that the Road Runner is on Crystal Meth. Road Runner displays many of the effects associated with Crystal Meth, including increased energy, concentration, and alertness. This would help explain why Road Runner is always able to thwart the Coyote’s plans in mere seconds. It’s also possible that the Road Runner is just fast and the Coyote can never catch him because ACME makes faulty products.
The Smurfs
Little blue people living in mushroom houses while feuding with an evil villain that wants to turn them into gold. That is either the hallucination of someone on magic mushrooms or the description of The Smurfs. It’s probably both. In 1958, Belgian artist Peyo introduced the world to the tiny blue society of The Smurfs. They first started off as comics but later appeared in their own animated series. The series ran from September 12, 1981 to December 2, 1989 to rave reviews. The Smurfs might have not only been living in mushrooms homes; there is a slight chance they might have also been ingesting some magic mushrooms. With mushrooms being so readily available, it would make sense. Some of the effects include intense visuals that may not be real, alerted thinking, and deep euphoria. Maybe The Smurfs were just innocently living in mushrooms, and maybe Peyo once hallucinated little blue men.
Mighty Mouse
In 1942, Mighty Mouse made his film debut in the theatrical short film Mouse of Tomorrow. Paul Terry created him as a parody of Superman. In 1987, Ralph Bakshi revived the series as Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures. Bakshi is best known for the controversial animated 1972 film Fritz The Cat, which is the first animated film to receive an X Rating. It was during this run that Mighty Mouse was accused of using cocaine. In the episode “The Littlest Tramp,” Mighty Mouse is shown snorting a pink powder, which are actually crushed flowers. The American Family Association accused the series of purposely inserting a scene with drug use. Bakshi denied the allegations and noted that Mighty Mouse innocently smelled the crushed flowers and fondly remembered the lady that gave them to him. He said, “I despise drugs. I would be out of my mind to show a cartoon character snorting cocaine in a cartoon.”
Popeye
On January 17, 1929, the iconic character, Popeye, made his debut in the comic strip Thimble Theatre. He quickly became one of the most recognizable and popular cartoon characters. Popeye has been featured in comic books, television series, and a live-action film. Popeye is known for his big muscles and impressive physique. He is also known for his love of spinach. In fact, he became the face of spinach. Once he ate his spinach, it would give him super strength, making him invincible and filled with rage. His muscles would also double in size instantly. His use of spinach actually boosted spinach sales and motivated children to eat their vegetables. However, rumors have spread that it wasn’t spinach giving him his super strength but in fact steroids. Steroid use causes an increase in muscle and strength. It also creates violent mood swings and feelings of invincibility. However, others believe he was simply smoking cannabis as spinach was its slang term during that time.
The Seven Dwarfs
This theory was first proposed by iconic stand-up comedian George Carlin in one of his best bits. The Seven Dwarfs are often associated with the Snow White fairy tale. They’ve appeared in several different mediums, most famously in the 1937 full-length feature film Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs. For years, there has been speculation that Snow White is a reference to cocaine use and the Seven Dwarfs are the seven stages of drug use, although this has been largely disproved. In his stand-up, Carlin noted that each Dwarf was likely on a different substance, which correlated with their name and personality. According to his bit, Happy enjoyed smoking cannabis, Sleepy was into reds, and Grumpy abused speed. Sneezy was into cocaine, and Dopey did every single substance. Of course, it’s not easy to attain all these different “medications.” Luckily for them, they lived with their connection, Doc.
Woody Woodpecker
In 1940, Walter Lantz and Ben Hardaway first created the iconic screwball character, Woody Woodpecker. The first Woody Woodpecker theatrical cartoon was Knock Knock. Woody was known for being full of frantic energy, bouncing off the walls, and his maniacal laugh. His off-the-walls energy resulted in many fans and critics assuming Woody used cocaine. When Woody first appeared, he became an instant success in part because he was rebelling against cartoon standards. While most cartoons were trying to be educational, Woody was causing mischief, getting into fights and stealing. Early Woody cartoons often included alcohol and Tobacco use. It also contained adult humor and innuendos. In 1945, Woody appeared in his 15th animated short, The Dippy Diplomat. In the episode, Woody ends up receiving a lengthy bill from a hotel. One of the items on the bill he’s paying for is “cocaine.” This was later edited out of future broadcasts. However, rumors of Woody and his use of illegal substances continue to swirl.
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob Squarepants first premiered on May 1, 1999 and instantly became a critical and commercial success. The series revolves around SpongeBob and the many adventures and misadventures he gets into with his friends in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The series became a massive international success. However, some fans online have some pretty interesting theories regarding the series. Some believe that the entire series is a reference to illegal substance use and that each character is on “something.” Some fans have proposed the theory that SpongeBob is on Meth. This is because of his excessively happy demeanor, paranoia, and the ability to go from insanely happy to intensely angry in seconds. They also speculate that Mr. Krabs is on cocaine, Sandy Cheeks is an alcoholic, and Squidward is on heroin. It’s also believed that because Patrick enjoys eating a lot and laughs at the most random things, he’s likely smoking cannabis.
Shaggy And Scooby Doo
According to Web MD, some of the symptoms of cannabis use include feeling happy, paranoia, short-term forgetfulness, slowed reaction time, and increased appetite. This also happens to be the character description for Shaggy and Scooby Doo. Scooby Doo was first created in 1969 and has since appeared on TV. Since the very beginning, there has been intense speculation that Shaggy and Scooby are on “something,” most likely cannabis. The evidence that most fans point to is that both were constantly hungry, which most fans believe indicates having the munchies. They were also both very paranoid and terrified of the slightest sound until they had a Scooby snack that suddenly gave them courage. There has been speculation that Scooby snacks are cannabis edibles. Additionally, every time the Mystery Van was seen driving away, there was a ton of smoke coming from the back. Creators Joe Ruby and Ken Spears deny that there was any use of illegal substances.
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