# Did Roadrunner ever get caught? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 14, 2001, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928 "2001-03-14T10:35:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/21 "2001-03-14T21:12:39Z")
Other times Bugs Bunny doesn’t “win”: The Tortoise vs. The Hare – he loses at least twice in these. vs. the monster in the castle with the mad scientist, he ends up being baited by a mechanical female rabbit. He kisses it, gets the shock of his life, which of course he interprets in a good way, looks at the camera and sez “OK, so she’s mechanical!” and then robo-walks after her, presumably to be yet again led into the clutches of the bad guys. ---
**Author:** ![BigStar303](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@BigStar303](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigStar303)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/22 "2001-03-14T21:36:14Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by yabob \* > \ > There was a whole series of crude posters of that ilk then, like the “Fly United” slogan with a drawing of a couple of screwing ducks in midair. One company circulated a lot of them. I believe the Girl Scouts actually sued over the one that said “Be Prepared” and showed a pregnant little girl in a Girl Scout uniform._\* I also had a great poster in my college dorm room that depicted Popeye, with his sailor pants down around his ankles, happily bonking Olive Oyl. Meanwhile, Bluto looks through one window with a pissed off expression, while Swea’ Pea looks through another with a quizzical one. My little brother, who was about 11 at the time, came down for Siblings Weekend that year, and to this day (some 30 years later) he still remembers that poster! One more “of that ilk” that springs to mind: a pregnant and more-than-usually-crabby Lucy shouting “Damn you, Charlie Brown!” ---
**Author:** ![dr\_hermes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@dr\_hermes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dr_hermes)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/23 "2001-03-15T04:39:12Z")
There was a widely believed story in the Vietnam days that troops being sent overseas were shown a special cartoon at the last minute, made by Warner Brothers, that did show the Coyote catching, cooking, eating the Road Runner and enjoying every bite. ``` Is there **anyone** out there who has actually seen this cartoon? Please speak up. By the way..could Bugs Bunny catch the Road Runner? (Not that he would eat the bird, but just as speculation in WB theology) ``` ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/24 "2001-03-15T05:31:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dr hermes \* > \*\*By the way…could Bugs Bunny catch the Road Runner? (Not that he would eat the bird, but just as speculation in WB theology) \*\* Probably not. Bugs is an incarnation of the Trickster, and the Trickster doesn’t always win, as has been noted in several of the earlier messages in this thread. The Roadrunner seems to me to be another aspect of the Trickster, but one that, even when he loses, he wins. Since Bugs can lose, but the Roadrunner can’t, I don’t think Bugs could catch him. What is interesting is the most common form of the Trickster in Native American theology is the coyote. But in the WB universe, the Coyote is the most put upon character. ---
**Author:** ![absimia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bbe5ce/32.png) [@absimia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/absimia)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/25 "2001-03-15T14:53:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dr hermes \* > \*\* > By the way…could Bugs Bunny catch the Road Runner? (Not that he would eat the bird, but just as speculation in WB theology) \*\* I seem to recall a cartoon where Bugs took over the job of the Coyote. I don’t believe he caught Road Runner (RR). A further question, I remember where the Coyote became tiny and caught RR and I remember him explaining why he wanted to eat him. Were both those incidents from the latter-day (I believe) cartoon where the two kids are watching RR on TV and talking about it? One kid was rooting for Coyote, the other for RR (“Beep! Beep! ZipTang!” was the phrase of the RR booster). ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/26 "2001-03-15T20:22:51Z")
To get beyond the humor and look at the methodology of the shows a little bit. Consider the situation of the Coyote and the Roadrunner. Each of these episodes starts with the Roadrunner minding his own business, and simply running down roads. The Coyote initiates all actions against the Roadrunner. Thus his karma, if you will, is what defeats him. We must, of course, overlook the explanation that the Coyote is merely doing what coyotes do, and trying to catch dinner. Thus even when the Roadrunner takes overt action against the Coyote, it is in self defense. Ergo, the Coyote gets his just desserts, and the Roadrunner escapes. However, there is a certain sense of perhaps the Roadrunner enjoying it a little too much, and some empathy for the Coyote for always loosing, driving some to wish for the Coyote’s victory over the seemingly smug Roadrunner. Looking at the Bugs Bunny architecture, he mostly begins each episode in a similar manner - he is minding his own business and someone begins messing with him. This is often in the form of a hunter (Elmer) or hothead (Yosemite Sam), with the frequent juxtaposition of Daffy as the counterfoil. In fact, the times Bugs loses (at least a little) in the end are the times that he gets too heavy handed with his own retribution, and thus must get taken down a notch, so to speak. Whereas the Foghorn Leghorn vs. yard dog combat is a different type of competition, more of a Tom and Jerry or Spy vs. Spy situation. They are equal nemeses, and as such it balances out who wins each time. Thus the cycle continues. These episodes often start with Foghorn Leghorn initiating the confrontations with the old “dog on a leash” trick. Thus the dog usually wins in the end. The Sylvester/Tweety pairing is a similar situation to RR and Coyote. Sylvester initiates the acts, so even though sometimes Tweety is not so innocent, he doesn’t go out of his way to provoke Sylvester. Sylvester is sometimes paired against Speedy Gonzales for the same reason - with Speedy serving as a talking Roadrunner. Another pair of characters with a different version of the same game - the cat and Pepe Le Pew. Again, Pepe is the instigator, and the cat the innocent. Often Pepe’s end is to have the tables turned, and the innocent becomes the instigator, much to Pepe’s chagrin. As you can see, there is a pattern underlying the behavior. All of this is of course draped in comedy and masked under the guise of silly humor, so the message is hidden. * * * Okay, did I throw enough BS for you? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/27 "2001-03-15T21:20:56Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by absimia \* \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dr hermes \* > **Were both those incidents from the latter-day (I believe) cartoon where the two kids are watching RR on TV and talking about it?** The first one was (based on the description in Jerry Beck’s book, most likely 1965’s “Zip Zip Hooray,” one of the two cartoons made from the pilot “Adventures of the Road Runner”). The second one was from “Soup or Sonic,” from the 1980 special “Bugs Bunny’s Bustin’ Out All Over.” ---
**Author:** ![cerebrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3da27b/32.png) [@cerebrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerebrum)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/28 "2001-03-20T23:16:27Z")
The Roadrunner in fact got KILLED by the coyote and the Family Guy(father) in the first episode of the first season. Personally that was the funniest piece of animated cartoon humour I have EVER seen. I was finally happy that the damn bird got what he deserved after 50 odd years of getting the better of the coyote. Coyote 1 Roadrunner 0 Go Coyote! ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/29 "2001-03-21T09:04:46Z")
I seem to recall an episode where the Coyote actually caught the RR and then because that’s all he knew how to do let him go. I believe there was some sort of piano involved, not the one with the bomb under a key but another one. These could be just a haze induced memory from childhood but maybe not. another note it really p\*\*\*\*s me off that the one network that owns the right to them plays only edited versions of these cartoon and doesn’t play others at all because of childrens sensibilities. More adults have watched these Looney Toones then there are kids today and we are denied watching them again. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/30 "2001-03-21T11:51:52Z")
The answer is “Yes”. The cartoon “Soup or Sonic” was released in 1980 as part of a TV special (Bugs Bunny Busts Out All Over), and since Chuck Jones did it for Warner Brothers, it’s no doubt at all that it’s an official cartoon (as opposed to a "Bambi meets Godzilla parody). I’ve got it on video tape and the Cartoon Networks shows it fairly regularly. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s certainly better than most of Jones’ later work (the vile “Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24 1/2 Century” for instance) :yuk smiley here: **Glitch’s** description of the cartoon, above, explains it perfectly. For anyone who cares, [Jerry Beck’s](http://www.cartoonresearch.com/) book: Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons is the _ultimate_ reference to WB cart00ns. The only comparison I can make is that Beck’s as good in his field as Cecil is in EVERY field. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![AKAmame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aca169/32.png) [@AKAmame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AKAmame)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/31 "2001-03-21T11:53:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lyllyan \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by enolancooper \* > > \*\*Riddle me this… > > If Wile E. sends away for all these ACME gizmos, why can’t he just send out for a pizza? \*\* > > This very thing was addressed. Each part of the Roadrunner has a different delectable taste, a veritable cornucopia of epicurian delight. \*\* Now, lets all imagine Sylvester saying that. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/32 "2001-03-21T12:01:36Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by brother rat \* > \*\*another note it really p_\*\*\*s me off that the one network that owns the right to them plays only edited versions of these cartoon and doesn’t play others at all because of childrens sensibilities. More adults have watched these Looney Toones then there are kids today and we are denied watching them again. \*\* Actually, to give some credit where credit’s due, from what I’ve seen, the Cartoon Network has been pretty good about restoring the WB cartoons to something like their original state, with a few exceptions. They’re cutting suicide references and they’re cutting the racist stuff, but they ARE putting most of the violence back. I’ve seen “Rabbit Seasoning” on a local network which _cut all the gunshots_ “R.S.” is the cartoon where you get the famous routine: Bugs: You got me dead to rights, doc. You wanna shoot me now or wait 'till you get home. Daffy (screaming): Shoot him now! Shoot him now! Bugs: You keep out of this. He doesn’t have to shoot you now! Daffy: He does so have to shoot me now! So shoot me now! Elmer: \ Daffy’s bill spins around and ends up backwards. repeat with variations about 8 times. One of the 10 best WB cartoons ever. As you can imagine, without the “gun violence” (my local channel’s excuse) :rolleyes: the cartoon isn’t comprehensible, let alone funny. The Cartoon Network has restored it. I’m not thrilled with everything the CN has done, but they seem to be keeping the censoring of the WB cartoons to the barest minimum. I’d prefer no censoring at all, but it’s unlikely to happen. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2001, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/33 "2001-03-29T22:30:38Z")
Cecil tackles this topic in this week’s column (not yet posted online). The question is credited to one “Keith Nielsen”, and Cecil’s experts come to the same conclusion reached in this thread–the only WB cartoon was the 1980 _Soup or Sonic_, wherein the mini-Coyote does nothing more than grab the full-sized Road Runner by the leg. Thus, there has never been a WB cartoon depicting the Coyote feasting on the Bird. However, Slug provides a very graphic artist’s rendition of what such an event would look like. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928/34 "2001-03-30T13:26:14Z")
In terms of the crediting of the question, it is not uncommon that Cecil gets several different people asking the same question within a fairly narrow time frame. I don’t know whether it’s a psychic-subconscious thing or whether they might be some external event (a joke on Leno, frinstance) that prompts the same question in several different inquiring minds. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-roadrunner-ever-get-caught/57928.md?page=1)