Unfortunately, the people who DO complain about these sort of issues continue to make cartoons more watered down every several years. We are not allowed to ANYTHING without thinking ahead of who it may or may not offend. It's a CARTOON, and me like MANY others grew up with violence and humour and it didn't affect our outcome growing up. *sigh*
It makes me want to leave the biz sometimes because we're not allowed to be wacky and funny anymore. I don't mind being clever in humour, but sometimes slapstick is just where it's at.
It makes me want to leave the biz sometimes because we're not allowed to be wacky and funny anymore. I don't mind being clever in humour, but sometimes slapstick is just where it's at.
I feel your pain, but don't let it drive you away. It is people like you who can find the right opportunities to bring back some of the magic, even if it can't be on every project. I think MLP:FiM is one of those rare opportunities, so make the most of it.
Does anyone actually listen to our reasons, or do they complain that we're being too sensitive? Derpy is an offensive term. It was not a funny cameo, it was MEAN.
I addressed listening to your reasons in a previous post. I think open discussion is the right way to handle this. I also addressed the comedic nature of the cameo, but it is perfectly fine to not find it funny. In both posts, I am expressing my opinions as a cartoonist and follower of animation. I tried to make it clear that I have no intention of attacking the people who didn't like Derpy, so I am sorry if it seems that way. I am told that "Derp" is message board slang for a silly mistake, so I don't find it offensive. Perhaps South Park is to blame for it's rise in use as an offensive term?
I don't know about South Park. Besides, it hardly the kind of thing to emulate for a kids' show! 
I'm not blaming the South Park team though--they had nothing to do with THIS. It may have been internet idiots and bratty kids smashing the word around to give it cruel implications. But it's stuck with them now so it would be best (in my opinion) to drop the word and not name ponies it.
Gah, hope that makes sense.
I'm not blaming the South Park team though--they had nothing to do with THIS. It may have been internet idiots and bratty kids smashing the word around to give it cruel implications. But it's stuck with them now so it would be best (in my opinion) to drop the word and not name ponies it. Gah, hope that makes sense.
The name Derpy was fan-created...?
Yep. She appeared wall-eyed in a background shot in the first or second episode. Fans started calling her Derpy Hooves.
So you can't blame the creators of the show for giving Derpy an "offensive" name. Can you?
No but the idiot fans should have never perpetuated that name. I blame the fandom on this stupid cameo--it was just pandering to them. I wonder if they would have done so if they knew how awful Bronies can be.
I don't know where you normally hang out, but the vast majority of fans who saw her appearance found it to be amazing and hilarious. Very few, if any, automatically assumed she was mentally handicapped. The few who apparently did felt strongly enough about the "issue" to e-mail Amy Keating Rogers and ask her for an apology.
I didn't find it amazing, I found it insulting.
You find "Derpy" offensive? 
I.. what?
The word "Derp" is not supposed to refer to mentally challenged people but to when you make a silly mistake or accidentally do something wrong.
Also, It seems pretty silly to me for you to assume that she was supposed to be mentally challenged simply because she was a bit clutzy...
I.. what? The word "Derp" is not supposed to refer to mentally challenged people but to when you make a silly mistake or accidentally do something wrong.
Also, It seems pretty silly to me for you to assume that she was supposed to be mentally challenged simply because she was a bit clutzy...
I'm sure the higher ups have heard your voices...and in turn, I'm sure you'll never hear from Derpy ever again.
Oh, I really hope that doesn't happen. Derpy's been one of the most amazing nods from the crew to the show's fans, and it would be just tragic to have her be erased from the show due to a handful of people who overreacted to her one spoken appearance. Based on e-mail correspondance to DHX and Amy Keating Rogers, we're talking about roughly 5 angry e-mails; DHX wasn't even aware of any sort of backlash until they started getting e-mails about it.
I have a feeling some of the outcry is due to Derpy being a female; where's all the outcry over such similar characters like Patrick Star or Dopey of the Seven Dwarves, or even Snails from this very show? Any male character who's a bit of a klutz is played for laughs, but Derpy is suddenly an offensive stereotype.
I have a feeling some of the outcry is due to Derpy being a female; where's all the outcry over such similar characters like Patrick Star or Dopey of the Seven Dwarves, or even Snails from this very show? Any male character who's a bit of a klutz is played for laughs, but Derpy is suddenly an offensive stereotype.
is that something they'd do over a few people, even though a huge majority love Derpy?
yep! why do you think we don't have drinking or smoking or guns or even any slapstick anymore in cartoons? same reason.
certainly those have a wider base of objectors than the couple who don't like Derpy, for what ever reason. I hope this whole nonissue just dies, it's bad enough that it got your attention. You should have to worry about crap like this. You know what kind of product you're putting out, and you should be and probably are proud of it. There's nothing offensive about Derpy, so let's hope if it does come down to it, Jayson stands up for Derpy.
you shoudn't* have to worry about crap like this.
I think you just need to stop getting mad at cartoons