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A salute to Tex Avery

Date published: 2/26/2008

WHEN Dave Chappelle, a red- hot young comedian, was asked to name his all-time comic hero, he replied, "Bugs Bunny."

The formative experiences of most living Americans involving humor as entertainment come courtesy of cartoons. So credit legendary animator Tex Avery for much of what our society now thinks hilarious. Avery, born 100 years ago today, is our collective crazy uncle, who tells racy and unrefined jokes while our parents are out of earshot.

Avery introduced Bugs Bunny as we know him today. Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Droopy Dog are all Avery "children." With his cohorts at the "Termite Terrace" studio at Warner Bros., Avery created the Loony Tunes cartoon shorts that would tickle the funny bones of American children (and adults) for more than 70 years. Largely because of him, cartoons went from dancing anthropomorphic forest creatures to full-featured personalities on a par with Groucho Marx and Humphrey Bogart.

Packaged as kids' fare, the medium was pliable enough to find favor across generational, ethnic, and economic lines. Not only did TV Guide in 2002 name Bugs Bunny the greatest cartoon character of all time, the Wascally Wabbit won an Oscar in 1958.

Dismiss Avery's creations as childish amusement at your own risk. At worst, his cartoons echoed regrettable racial stereotypes of the mid-20th century. Yet, at best, they were celluloid operas rife with absurdist violence, dark humor, scathing social commentary, and high art.

Influential beyond awards, Avery's characters have become comedic icons rivaling Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden. It's hard to imagine Fonzie or Bart Simpson without Bugs Bunny, and you don't have to look hard to find Avery's influence in everything from TV ads to such films as "Pulp Fiction."

So the next time you find yourself laughing at something you see on television or in a movie, be honest with your inner child and thank Tex Avery.

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Date published: 2/26/2008