# anti-semitic smurfs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 1, 2007, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336 "2007-06-01T13:38:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mberow2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mberow2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mberow2)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/1 "2007-06-01T13:38:55Z")
I never watched or read the cxartoon, so I can’t say whether anti-semitism is present or not. I can say that the argument you presented against it is weak and invalid. Your statement was, “But Peyo couldn’t have intended to vilify Jews when he created the Smurfs. Remember, he only intended to do one episode with the Schtroumpfs/Smurfs, and Gargamel wasn’t in it.” It isn’t Smurfs as characters that are being accused of anti-semitism, it is the Smurfs as a cartoon/comic book. The question is in the imagery of the evil nemesis. The portrait of the hook-nose Jew, arising in Middle Ages Europe and continuing in Middle-East political cartoons to this day, has so traumatized Jews and racially aware people that they are extremely sensitive to anything approaching that image. See what happens to you if you draw a picture that resembles the original Aunt Jemima. When the Smurfs were spun off to be become lead characters Peyo had to introduce side characters to support his narrative. I suspect that to create a villain he reached into the undercurrent of European civilization to find a image that would be immediately identified as evil by his audience. Gargamel looks to me to be a mixture of the arch-images of Jews, priests and capitalists: a typically French definition. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/2 "2007-06-01T13:45:37Z")
Link? ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/3 "2007-06-01T14:27:21Z")
[Here](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/msmurfs.htm). This said, I must say that there isn’t anything in Gargamel that says “Jew”. He’s got a hooked nose because he’s a sorcerer, and sorcerers/witches have hooked noses with pustules on it. 😃 Anyway, congratulations to **Gfactor** and **Valteron** for a very good staff report about heroes of my childhood that I still like today (the graphic novel more than the cartoon). I’ll have more comments later. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/4 "2007-06-01T14:44:46Z")
Of course, the bigger complaint with the Staff Report is that it says (about Peyo worrying about the Smurfs being “Americanized” for American TV) > [@](#): > > That may indicate some contempt for American popular culture, making Peyo quintessentially French, but it hardly qualifies him as a Communist. Peyo, of course, was Belgian. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/5 "2007-06-01T14:55:03Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] Peyo, of course, was Belgian. [/QUOTE] Good catch. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/6 "2007-06-01T19:54:33Z")
I always assumed Gargamel’s nose assumed its present shape due to being broken in an explosion or other mishap. Note how his alchemical experiments are prone to failure and that his cat, Azrael, also has a disfiguring injury. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@Mike\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Fun)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/7 "2007-06-01T23:40:53Z")
I thought Gargamel was Armenian… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/8 "2007-06-01T23:43:20Z")
[QUOTE=Mike Fun] I thought Gargamel was Armenian… [/QUOTE] Let’s not start _ **that** _ again!!! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/9 "2007-06-02T04:01:25Z")
[QUOTE=mberow2] The portrait of the hook-nose Jew, arising in Middle Ages Europe and continuing in Middle-East political cartoons to this day, has so traumatized Jews and racially aware people that they are extremely sensitive to anything approaching that image. See what happens to you if you draw a picture that resembles the original Aunt Jemima. [/QUOTE] Wait a minute, wasn’t Disney’s _Aladdin_ vilified for perpetuating the hook-nosed \*Arab \* stereotype? And weren’t the hook-nosed Indians in Disney’s _Peter Pan_ were also cast as racially insensitive? Are hook noses really a uniquely Jewish stereotype? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/10 "2007-06-02T04:11:33Z")
Hooknoses are a _semitic_ stereotype. Arabs are also semites. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/11 "2007-06-02T04:23:11Z")
[QUOTE=DocCathode] Hooknoses are a _semitic_ stereotype. Arabs are also semites. [/QUOTE] But anti-semitism refers to Jews alone. Arabs can be anti-semitic, no? ---
**Author:** ![balok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@balok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/balok)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/12 "2007-06-05T17:05:10Z")
I always thought that they were called “Smurfs” because that’s the sound they make when you step on them. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/13 "2007-06-05T17:12:16Z")
Peyo’s version of how he came up with schtroumpf: > [@](#): > > There is a legendary anecdote about the creation of the name of these dwarves. Peyo and Franquin were having diner in a restaurant, when one them asked the other for the salt. Instead of asking ‘Passez-moi le sel’, he asked ‘Passez-moi le schtroumpf’ and the name was born! > **[Peyo](https://www.lambiek.net/artists/p/peyo.htm)** > > Peyo was a Belgian comic artist, famous worldwide as the creator of 'The Smurfs' (1958-   ). These funny blue dwarfs, known in French as 'Les Schtroumpfs', first appeared as secondary characters in Peyo's medieval adventure comic 'Johan et... Smurf in other languages: [http://www.timelesstrinkets.com/Smurfs/CollectorPages/Languages.html](http://www.timelesstrinkets.com/Smurfs/CollectorPages/Languages.html) ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/14 "2007-06-07T00:31:18Z")
It’s written Peewit? Odd, since the character’s name is pronounced PeeWee. It’s what he yelled as he charged ineffectually into battle. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/15 "2007-06-08T18:00:56Z")
Ah, smurfs The comic books helped me a lot when I was learning French. Do I recall correctly that there’s some quite biting satire in there too? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/16 "2007-06-08T18:31:03Z")
This is a good fansite: [Smurfs Cartoon Episode Guide & Theme Song Lyrics - BlueBuddies.com](http://bluebuddies.com/help/smurfs_cartoon_episode_guide.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/17 "2007-06-08T18:59:01Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] But anti-semitism refers to Jews alone. Arabs can be anti-semitic, no? [/QUOTE] Sure, but Jews can be anti-semitic, too. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/18 "2007-06-08T21:37:01Z")
I _hate_ to bring this up, but…Smurfette Pron. It exists. ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/19 "2007-06-08T22:33:50Z")
Damn you. Now I know that I’m going to \*have \* to go search some out. My eyes are cringing in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336/20 "2007-06-08T23:12:05Z")
Law of the Internet; - Think of something. - There’s porn of it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-semitic-smurfs/406336.md?page=2)