# What Is The Worst Representation Of A Cartoon Animal **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 29, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885 "2010-08-29T15:42:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/1 "2010-08-29T15:42:55Z")
I was watching “Rocky & Bullwinkle” and I was looking at the crude drawings and noting how that works for the series and that fact that Bullwinkle still is identifable as a moose and Rocky as a squirrel. But I got to thinking what other cartoons have been, through the years, where you have looked at the cartoon character and said “What animal is that supposed to be.” To me Arthur of the show “Arthur” looks nothing like an aardvark. Someone explained to me in the original books he looked like one but that later on changed. I remember once when I worked in Florida, someone asked me “What is Goofy? A cow?” I remember thinking “A COW???” I also realize this is subjective ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/2 "2010-08-29T15:56:18Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I remember once when I worked in Florida, someone asked me “What is Goofy? A cow?” I remember thinking “A COW???” I can see where there would be confusion. Compare [Goofy](http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2010-07-30-goofy.gif) to [Clarabelle](http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/77/907998-clara_large.jpg) or, for that matter, [Horace](http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/77/907988-orazio_large.jpg). There are a lot of simularities between what are supposedly three different species. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/3 "2010-08-29T16:35:34Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > To me Arthur of the show “Arthur” looks nothing like an aardvark. Someone explained to me in the original books he looked like one but that later on changed. That’s an _aardvark_? I always thought he was supposed to be a mouse! ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/4 "2010-08-29T16:43:16Z")
[this includes an image of the original Arthur](http://bookmineset.blogspot.com/2006/02/arthurs-nose-job-nightmare.html) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/5 "2010-08-29T16:50:24Z")
Jessica Rabbit is by far the worst representation of a rabbit. ---
**Author:** ![TurboNuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@TurboNuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TurboNuke)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/6 "2010-08-29T16:54:35Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Jessica Rabbit is by far the worst representation of a rabbit. An awesome representation of a beaver though. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/7 "2010-08-29T16:57:13Z")
Stimpy of _Ren & Stimpy_ ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/8 "2010-08-29T17:00:38Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Jessica Rabbit is by far the worst representation of a rabbit. No - her \*last name \*was Rabbit, 'cause she was married to Roger. Sheesh… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/9 "2010-08-29T17:14:02Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I can see where there would be confusion. Compare [Goofy](http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2010-07-30-goofy.gif) to [Clarabelle](http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/77/907998-clara_large.jpg) or, for that matter, [Horace](http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/77/907988-orazio_large.jpg). There are a lot of simularities between what are supposedly three different species. It’s particularly confusing when he’s out walking Pluto. > [@FairyChatMom](#): > > No - her \*last name \*was Rabbit, 'cause she was married to Roger. Sheesh… Née “Harlot.” ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/10 "2010-08-29T17:20:00Z")
My mom likes to point out that Sonic doesn’t look the least bit like a hedgehog. I know she’s right but I can’t help feeling that she’s missing the point. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/11 "2010-08-29T17:25:23Z")
Another vote for “Whatever the hell Goofy is.” Actually, I kind of got straight in my head when I read “Wicked.” In Oz, it seems, there are animals and Animals. The capitalized version are sentient and can communicate. So I figure Pluto is a dog and Goofy is a Dog. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/12 "2010-08-29T17:45:42Z")
The first thing I thought of was Goofy and, even more, Disney’s [Beagle Boys](http://sethf.com/infothought/blog/archives/beagle-boys.gif). ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/13 "2010-08-29T17:57:16Z")
I remember a comedy bit where the guy says, “I asked a friend, ‘How come Goofy owns a dog named Pluto when Goofy is a dog?’ and he said, ‘Dude, Goofy isn’t a dog, he’s a COW!’, and I’m like ‘Wow! That makes so much more sense!’” ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/14 "2010-08-29T17:57:48Z")
Conversation about Goofy in the movie _Stand by Me_: > **[Stand by Me (1986) - Quotes - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092005/quotes/)** > > Stand by Me: Directed by Rob Reiner. With Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell. After the death of one of his friends, a writer recounts a childhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing boy. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/15 "2010-08-29T18:57:05Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > I remember a comedy bit where the guy says, “I asked a friend, ‘How come Goofy owns a dog named Pluto when Goofy is a dog?’ and he said, ‘Dude, Goofy isn’t a dog, he’s a COW!’, and I’m like ‘Wow! That makes so much more sense!’” I asked my two-year-old what Mickey was; he’s a mouse, she replied. I then asked her about Donald; he’s a duck. Pluto, she assured me, is a dog. I asked her about Goofy. “Goofy’s a goofy.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/16 "2010-08-29T21:17:33Z")
Mickey wouldn’t be recognizable, either, if he weren’t so ingrained into our consciousness. Seriously, no animal has ears like that. Even more than Goofy, though, I’m going to have to nominate [Taz](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wiids.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/taz.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wiids.co.uk/2010/03/04/looney-tunes-taz-heading-to-ds-in-galactic-taz-ball/&usg=__dK7Q-MdxBn8piaWQyvmhNXL3mrY=&h=360&w=440&sz=33&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=Ma929rpM2q4muM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=174&prev=/images%3Fq%3DTaz%26hl%3Den%26c2coff%3D1%26biw%3D1199%26bih%3D889%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=234&vpy=113&dur=2221&hovh=203&hovw=248&tx=120&ty=120&ei=zc16TOzxI4XQsAP-0rzsCg&oei=zc16TOzxI4XQsAP-0rzsCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0), who looks nothing at all like a real [Tasmanian devil](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://alangalvancapps2.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/tasmanian-devil.jpg&imgrefurl=http://alangalvancapps2.wordpress.com/page/2/&usg=__LvITkHHoVSRfvP3wY8N49wiIQxQ=&h=1282&w=1348&sz=766&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=xErBp4bYOnO4RM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=142&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtazmanian%2Bdevil%26hl%3Den%26c2coff%3D1%26biw%3D1199%26bih%3D889%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=498&vpy=102&dur=7788&hovh=219&hovw=230&tx=106&ty=135&ei=_816TPGePIL6swO7k-nsCg&oei=_816TPGePIL6swO7k-nsCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0). My understanding is that they designed the character first, and then went looking for an exotic real-world animal that eats rabbits. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/17 "2010-08-29T21:19:35Z")
Oh, and according to [Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/978/if-pluto-is-a-dog-what-is-goofy), Goofy is a dawg, while Pluto is a dog. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/18 "2010-08-29T21:30:17Z")
Taz the Tasmanian Devil. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/19 "2010-08-29T21:56:58Z")
Well, since Tangent stole my answer, I gotta go with Disney’s Black Pete. Every DISNEY couldn’t decide if he’s supposed to be a cat or a dog. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885/20 "2010-08-29T22:23:31Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > Née “Harlot.” She’s not bad - she’s just drawn that way. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-representation-of-a-cartoon-animal/551885.md?page=2)