Which Is Witch (1949)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Written by Tedd Pierce
Animation by Arthur Davis
Music by Carl Stalling
Like “All This and Rabbit Stew” and “Nips the Nips,” this one is strictly for hardcore Bugs Bunny completists. It’s not that “Which is Witch” is so unabashedly racist and filled with racial stereotypes. It’s that it’s so painfully unfunny. Even at his worst director Friz Freleng can pull out a few chuckles here and there, but “Which is Witch” trades good solid laughs and prime comedy in order to once again punch down and turn a gross racist caricature in for Bugs Bunny to use as a source of utter humiliation. When Cartoon Network was a big name in the animation medium, the network would hold annual weekend long marathons of Bugs Bunny shorts titled “June Bugs.”
Among the shorts named the “Twelve Missing Hares,” this was included among the short list of those that were barred from airing on Cartoon Network. Although it did air in a later slot with a lot of emphasis on explaining the context beforehand. Since then the short has yet to air on television again, and has not appeared on streaming or even on boxed sets, apparently. It would be only a matter of time before shorts like these would go out of style, but alas, the Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes library are filled with these terrible pokes at other races.
It being 1949 of course the main source of using low hanging fruit for laughs is an African witch doctor. The witch known as “I.C. Spots” would become something of an even more hideous version of Yosemite Sam. But you know, the animators got to “stick it” to “them,” I guess. Shorts like these only further serve to dehumanize these kinds of individuals and make them one dimensional monsters. It’s a shame that I.C. Spots is not even a memorable villain. Not even accidentally. Everything about “Which is Witch” is so awkward right down to the final “gag” where I.C. Spots is dressed in women’s shoes and skirt prompting Bugs to crack one final one liner and offer this awkward double take.
It’s just strange how everyone seems to be off their game with this one, zeroing in more on being as hideously racist as possible at the expense of good fun and chuckles. What were they thinking?
I.C. Spots isn’t presented as a pseudo-Yosemite Sam so much as he resembles a pro-Tazmanian Devil. Whereas Taz screamed, babbled incoherently and tried to eat Bugs it was because he was a predator. Whereas here the villain babbles in what’s supposed to be his native language, screams a lot and tries to eat Bugs because… those silly dark skinneded people and their voodoo!
Hell, in one brief scene, a pair of tribal women are even depicted as shuffling along in tandem. Bugs decides to hide among them by shuffling with them.
It’s Just. So. Bad
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