Unofficial Guide Error?

[Mcmouse]

I just bought my first UG this year and I have to admit I thought parts of it were quite funny. I wasn't offended but then I don't think I am as PC as I should be because something like this makes me laugh.

I wan't offended by what was printed. I got a good laugh out of it. I was just wondering if it was printed without the Publisher's knowledge. Like maybe a practical joke on the Author/Publisher. I see by all of your responses that it has been in there for a while, so I guess they know it's there.

Mike

 

[bunnysmum]

I own two versions of "The Unofficial Guide" (from two different years), and although I understand comments regarding the author's presumed intent at lightening up the "fun is serious business" attitude, I was still sorry to see this reference in the book.

I'm still trying to pinpoint why I feel that way. I appreciate the absurd humor in attributing a completely unexpected and uncharacteristic comment to anything that "speaks" for Disney (as Pal Mickey certainly does!). But I guess I just felt this was a little over the top. I didn't think it was funny (though I thought many other comments in the book were) and it left me feeling somewhat alienated and disappointed. I fully recognize this is my perspective only, and I'm aware that my opinion is not likely to be wildly popular. That's okay. I'm kinda used to that.

I debated about even posting on this issue, b/c I do feel that I'm sort of in the minority here and I really don't want to start any arguments. I typically avoid confrontation of any kind...even cyber-confrontation, so that's not what I was aiming for here. I guess I just wanted to try to respectfully say, "I disagree". Maybe there's someone else out there who feels the same way I do, and maybe they'll be encouraged to know that they aren't alone. Isn't that an important part of what community is all about?

Thanks for listening!

(An aside...it's kind of funny to me how many people are making references to Mickey's "baked" comment being "PC" or "not PC". I've felt for much of my life that I am *NOT* PC because of my own discomfort with (and non-use of) drugs and alcohol when they appear to be so mainstream.)

 

[lark]

I own two versions of "The Unofficial Guide" (from two different years), and although I understand comments regarding the author's presumed intent at lightening up the "fun is serious business" attitude, I was still sorry to see this reference in the book.

I'm still trying to pinpoint why I feel that way. I appreciate the absurd humor in attributing a completely unexpected and uncharacteristic comment to anything that "speaks" for Disney (as Pal Mickey certainly does!). But I guess I just felt this was a little over the top. I didn't think it was funny (though I thought many other comments in the book were) and it left me feeling somewhat alienated and disappointed. I fully recognize this is my perspective only, and I'm aware that my opinion is not likely to be wildly popular. That's okay. I'm kinda used to that.

I debated about even posting on this issue, b/c I do feel that I'm sort of in the minority here and I really don't want to start any arguments. I typically avoid confrontation of any kind...even cyber-confrontation, so that's not what I was aiming for here. I guess I just wanted to try to respectfully say, "I disagree". Maybe there's someone else out there who feels the same way I do, and maybe they'll be encouraged to know that they aren't alone. Isn't that an important part of what community is all about?

Thanks for listening!

(An aside...it's kind of funny to me how many people are making references to Mickey's "baked" comment being "PC" or "not PC". I've felt for much of my life that I am *NOT* PC because of my own discomfort with (and non-use of) drugs and alcohol when they appear to be so mainstream.)

The bottom line is this. Drug use can be serious business and can have profound implications in people's lives. One doesn't buy a disney guide book expecting to find someone condoning or making light of drug use. Perhaps this is the reason for your discomfort?

If so, I guess I would respond by saying that, if you think about it, the book is neither condoning nor making light of drug use. In fact, the reason the joke is funny is precisely the opposite.

Now, you may disagree with that point. And if you did, I don't think that view would be unreasonable -- reasonable minds certainly can differ. Maybe I'm making a technical point and, really, what's happening here is that the author is making a joke about a stuffed children's toy making light of smoking pot. I don't think that's what the intended joke was, but I can certainly respect that view. And I also can certainly respect anyone having that view being bothered by the comment in the book.

On the other hand, there are some who may be bothered by the joke not because of the drug reference per se, but because the joke is actually poking fun at disney. That's a criticism that would be, IMHO, too fussy and a little too serious.

But these are two very different things, and I don't think it's inappropriate at all to be bothered for the first reason.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well-the UG is certainly funny, if nothing else