Donald Duck a racist...?

Factual Questions
1

Reading the Hudson Hawk thread the other day got me thinking about a scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit in which Donald Duck and Daffy Duck a get in an argument and it sounds like Donald calls Daffy a stubborn nigger!

I managed to find an article on snopes in which they debunk this notion and claim he says “Goddurn stubborn nitwit”. However, at the bottom of the page, the article provides a sound clip from the scene and tells readers to judge for themselves.

After listening to this clip, though, I can’t imagine he’s saying anything other than “Doggone stubborn/stupid nigger”. Is my mind just hearing what it expects to hear or did snopes goof on this one?

2

ROFL - :smiley: I’ve seen Who Framed Roger Rabbit over a Dozen times and I’ve never…not even once … heard anyone mention anything like that :smiley: * Although each time I watched it I was too busy watching Jessica to pay attention to anyone else :eek:

3

Snopes is your friend

4

And I’m completely brain dead for not fully reading the OP. :smack:

My guess is that once the phrase is put it your head, you are more likely to hear it.

5

That’s my guess. It’s also why people cannot NOT hear Stewie sing “effin’ cry” on ‘Family Guy’ once they think that’s what he says.

6

I have no idea what is actually being said. I will say, though, that when I first saw the movie in a theatre in the 80’s, with no preconceptions, I heard “nigger”.

7

If you listen to the Snopes clip, to me it sounds like they are using the word nigger but it also sounds like it has been cut-and-pasted. Before and after it, absolutely fine, but the word in question just seems too clearly emphasised.

8

I agree 100% with Snopes’ own take: It’s definitely “little”.

I have been able to do the Donald Duck voice since childhood. The “tt” in the middle comes up sounding like “dd” in most words. “gg” would sound very different- raspier (even by DD standards).

9

Sounds like “Doggone stupid little…” to me.

10

I concur. “Blah blah blah blah blah” became “Paul is dead” the instant someone told me what to hear.

11

I happen to know Donald (Don, to friends) personally, and I can tell you that off-camera he’s a virulent racist and a hopeless drunk.

When this controversy first came out, I asked him about it. He laughed – trust me, you don’t want to hear Don laugh when he’s drunk – and admitted he deliberately flubbed the line. He does indeed say “nigger”, but the studio (and Daffy as well) naturally heard what they expected to hear, which was the line as written. Now, of course, they can’t do anything about it without admitting that “the n-word” was actually being said, so they’re stuck, and shall forever deny.

So much for Don reviving his career, however. But to hell with him, damn Nazi lush.