Over on Gawker, a new article has popped up about our little Derpy extravaganza. They acutally did a pretty good job of digging through the piles of information that has been flooding every aspect of the fandom for the past few days, as well as bugging Cereal for an interview. It is Gawker though, so expect some snide remarks buried in there.
One key point to focus on is the Hasbro PR rep's response:
"The 'My Little Pony Friendship is Magic' series has always been about acceptance and inclusion, and the series strives to convey that through the playful antics of a diverse cast of characters," Hasbro spokeswoman Nicole Angello told us over email. "Some viewers felt that aspects of the episode 'The Last Roundup' did not stay true to the core message of friendship which is the heart and soul of the series. Hasbro Studios decided to make slight audio alterations to this single episode."So there you have it!
You can find the entire article here!
573 comments:
Am I going crazy or has a sentence been deleted from the OP? I didn't doubt the legitimacy of this statement because Seth said that it's the response he had received or was expected to go with by the hub or something. I don't see that line anymore...
ReplyDeletePossible fake statement?
Either way I am disappointed with the way Hasbro and the fans of the show have handled this. I'm strongly in favor of returning the original scene and giving Derpy a bigger part in the show, but it's not the end of the world (or the show) if that doesn't happen. People just need to chill and lets thing play out.
Also as I understand it, Derpy was never a mentally challenged character, but that is suddenly how everyone is taking it... just because they change it to PREEMPTIVELY avoid some conflict or further anger, does not mean that they suddenly have some thing against mentally handicapped people. The way the world is they had to cover their asses.
ReplyDeletePapa Prinny: Basic training technique. Encourage good behavior, discourage bad behavior. Also because it'll help Hasbro to see how much of the customer base is in support of these side characters, which in turn lends strength to the pro-Derpy voices. Not that hard to figure out if you think about it.
ReplyDelete@OatmealCookie
ReplyDeleteYou're right, there was another line about that being the statement the Hub was using too, or something similar to that.
@Zachary If by "accept that businesses are not going to do what is right for that masses" you mean "let a business tell my children its okay to 'fix' people they as a business have determined to be mentally retarded" then yeah, I am totally okay with that. NOT.
ReplyDelete@Feather Gem
ReplyDeleteThis. None of this would've happened if nothing was done to the episode. Hell, the tension regarding Derpy was almost gone, and then the edited episode showed up and everything went straight to the slaughterhouse.
If Hasbro had just maintained their stoic and neutral stance that they'd been maintaining up until when they authorised the edit, and have since CONVENIENTLY returned to, none of this would've happened. It wouldn't have even mattered after another week.
This shit here is gonna stick with everyone involved for a very, very long time.
@OatmealCookie
ReplyDeleteI can confirm that there was a line stating that the Hub Network had confirmed that the quote was also the same thing they were going to say to EqD
So, they changed a single episode... and didn't say they weren't changing any other single episodes. As per the AOD panel there are usually half a dozen episodes in the pipe, and when those are done, who's to say Hasbro won't tell Studio B to stop putting Derpy in the background? Well, consumers, fans, people who can make their voices heard without totally flipping out. Love and Tolerance is great, but at what point does it become "don't stand up for yourself?" Every other fandom I've ever observed is generally allowed to get offended by how content creators treat content. Look at Star Wars, or any comic book, Star Trek... heck! Once I accidentally attended a Ducktales comic panel and was witness to someone savaging a writer based on their understanding of German Ducktales comics canon and how it integrates with American canon. But for Bronies it's "shut up it's only a cartoon!" That's just silly.
ReplyDeleteThe Comic Book Legal Defense fund exists because there are people out there who set out to censor comics using "It's only a comic" as an excuse. I absolutely understand where Hasbro is coming from, and I absolutely understand where people who are genuinely concerned, like Yamino, are coming from, and I understand and side with Derpy's fans. Everyone has valid points and concerns, and the Derpy issue shouldn't be swept under the rug because it's inconvenient.
There are a lot of important things to say and this problem could be an opportunity for everyone involved.
Even though I don't subscribe to it, let's run with the premise that Derpy is either developmentally retarded (That is she is not developing neurologically at what is accepted to be the normal rate) or that she's developmentally different. Derpy isn't a token, she's not the wheelchair guy in "Extreme Ghostbusters" that somehow manages to get into basements made before the days of wheelchair compliance regulation. Derpy is treated as an equal, a regular member of society, and someone people may get frustrated with. How do you deal with that?
I find the current solution condescending. How about giving Derpy an episode that isn't "extra special"? Portray her with fairness and equality, just as valuable and loved as any other character and show that her differences don't factor into that without forcing the lesson. Let her be a bigger part of the community and be different from almost every previous attempt in that she's not portrayed with either tokenism or abuse. Mr. Rogers managed to talk about "inappropriate" issues like anger and death in a way that wasn't condescending, worked out pretty well for him. Could you imagine a show where characters are shown love and friendship and whatever differences they have don't get in the way of that? And that show making a point of showing and hopefully teaching that? It's called My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic; it's a great show. It'd be nice if they kept it that way.
Entirely incidentally: I am actually a person who has the so called "derp" eyes. Not enough to be easily noticeable, but enough to require a special treatment on my glasses to correct for it, and it is difficult for me to focus on drastically different depths of field. I love Derpy, she represents me.
@Adrian Brony
ReplyDeleteYou are officially my new favorite person on this site.
can't derpy be called ditsy and everyone stop fighting? I like the new voice, but i just hope that hasbro keeps the original version as a special feature on DVDs.
ReplyDeletethank you hasbro for derpy/ditsy do.
plus they could always have an episode dedicated to LOVE and ACCEPTANCE! with derpy as the main focus.
They resent us so much they took pr time to tell us why the decision was made and stress just one episode. If anything they are like fluttershy when trying to be assertive. except when the they back down some "friends attacked them" Though not representative of the community. We should be kindly encouraging lol
ReplyDelete@Zachary It is within their right to watch their bottom line but the grotesque flagrancy with which they did it in this case is basically a rape of the innocence of any children who saw the original and then the edit and asked their parents why Derpy was made different all of the sudden with no reason they could see in the show. No company has the right to place their bottom line above certain basic social standards. And no individual should accept such activities from a company nor from a person for the sake of any fandom. I have never done anything but praise both versions of Derpy because I accept to become EVERYBODY'S special pony in the public show, she can no longer be just MY special pony with only the traits I alone had given her. But I hate the method Hasbro used to change her and I will never accept it as justified for any reason.
ReplyDeleteUrm... first gawker _is_ a tabloid.. i dont take anything they say for serious even if my life would depend on it.. .. but despite the facts about hasbros reaction... derpy still remains derpy. the derpy that was created by the fandom itself. for me personally nothing changes. Sure i was giddy all over when derpy appeared for real with her real name in the show.. but i dont think that turning into a raging mob that directs its hate towards the people that fund the show in the end is gonna help at all. Spamming hasbro employees to death with pleading mails is _not_ the right reaction. Blaming or even worse bashing/mobbing people who didnt agree to how derpy was portrayed isnt right either. And honestly? this shitstorm that was created here in the last weeks is actually a lot more disappointing than the changes to derpy.. If i look at all the fanfics / artworks that are out there about derpy.. does the changes to this single episode change anything? not really. She was fan-created, and she always will be. so what happened? we got a shout-out from the series creators and it was taken away for .. questionable reasons, a lot of people still have the original video. near everyone has seen it when it aired. so i can only say.. its rather difficult to take something "away" that is a memory... even less so when you have still digital copies of the original version.
ReplyDeletei think all this rage is far too less important to let the Brony fandom get spoiled over.
i'm happy to be part of this community.. and i'm looking forward to a lot more MLP episodes and fan-created media. This fandom still rocks! ;)
@Anadu Kune
ReplyDeleteGreat thing you did there, but it is also sad at the same time. As how many other little girls and mothers are out there experiencing that exact same situation, without the benefit of a 3rd party in the know to clear up the whole issue, and the kid keep getting told they are making something up instead.
The changes themselves don't bother me, but the message kids like that girl might take away from the whole incident. As now that mother might have some very difficult questions to answer about why the changes had to be made at all. And that is not accounting for the message the kids that keep getting told they are making something up take from the whole incident as well.
Letter to Hasbro PR:
ReplyDeleteSo, according to the Gawker article that just went up (found here: http://gawker.com/5889084/bronies-furious-after-minor-my-little-pony-character-is-changed-to-seem-less-mentally-disabled), Hasbro's response to Derpy's eyes and voice being changed, as well as her name being removed, is thus:
"The 'My Little Pony Friendship is Magic' series has always been about acceptance and inclusion, and the series strives to convey that through the playful antics of a diverse cast of characters," Hasbro spokeswoman Nicole Angello told us over email. "Some viewers felt that aspects of the episode 'The Last Roundup' did not stay true to the core message of friendship which is the heart and soul of the series. Hasbro Studios decided to make slight audio alterations to this single episode."
Excuse me, but this seems ABSOLUTELY counter to acceptance and friendship. This tells me that Hasbro does not want to acknowledge that mentally challenged people exist and, furthermore, have a voice. This has left me very, very deeply offended. The character Derpy has long been acknowledged to be mentally handicapped, and all her fans are unironically endeared to her BECAUSE of these characteristics. It is a part of the character's identity. That it would be changed so as to appear "less offensive" is extremely insensitive to mentally handicapped people the world over.
That being said, since you do not seem to want to acknowledge that mentally handicapped people can be endearing and that, in fact, they do indeed sometimes sound like Derpy sounded in the original audio in The Last Roundup, then I choose not to acknowledge that you have products to sell to me across any of your brands. I will not support a company that makes such poor, unpopular, and insensitive decisions in the interest of appeasing a bigoted minority that is more concerned about denying the mentally handicapped a voice than they are concerned for raising awareness- and advancement- of the mentally handicapped.
Respectfully,
(name withheld)
Acceptance and Inclusion by Exclusion of Any Hint Of Disability.
ReplyDeletePeace Is War.
Strength Is Weakness.
Knowledge Is Ignorance.
Gawker posting Hasbro's "response" is about as legit as the Weekly World News doing so.
ReplyDeleteYeah, not buying it.
You know what. I'm not even mad anymore.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
Because I found out my Copy of the DVD is coming and I'm content with that.
Also, How funny it is that The Last Round Up turned out to be some Controversy Episode all because of this ONE character.
ReplyDeletei cant believe actually that some of you people really going to spam Hasbro now with "disappoint" mails.. seriously WTF?.. does the concept of "pouring oil into the fire" spark any idea in your heads?.. stating your opinion is one thing.. if its in the open and to a free group.. doing so with a company that is bound to legal-rights is counterproductive. the outcome of this is never something good, sorry.
ReplyDeletei am stunned how much rage people get over a simple small edit to a show... is there any logic behind those decisions anymore?
So what happens if someone who has strabismus or a disability says "I identified with Derpy Hooves because she's like me and was a positive role model for me. And censoring her has caused me emotional damage so I'm suing the fuck out of Hasbro"?
ReplyDeleteCompanies have been sued for less.
Hasbro could learn something from South Park. I know the two shows are aimed at completely different audiences but I'll just leave this, edited to apply to Derpy.
ReplyDelete"portraying other ponies as treating her as an equal, while stressing the importance of both including a physically disabled character who is "happy to be herself", and representing her "as part of the community and not as the subject of cruel humor"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timmy_%28South_Park%29#Timmy_Burch
No way I'm wading through 400+ comments of butthurt. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteDear Princess Celestia, I learned something today... people who do not look perfect, speak perfectly, or are born with differences must be "fixed" or removed from life.
ReplyDelete@Yellow 13
ReplyDeleteAnd to add to that, something said about a show that is aimed at the same age group.
"This is made even more clear by the arrival of Erlanger. Today, this wheelchair bound wonder would be splashed across talk TV like an inspiration no one asked for. He'd be touted for his bravery and courage when all he really wants is to be treated like a normal kid. Rogers does just that, letting him speak in his own halting manner, never interrupting to add some contrite comment or corroboration. Instead, as he sings in the song, he likes this little boy "just the way he is." It's not about feeling sorry or a mandated amount of empathy. Instead, Rogers was (and still is) teaching kids that they are people too - individuals with a lot of growing to do and yet still capable of critically holding their own." (from an article on DVDtalk about the episode "A boy in a wheelchair"
sounds like Hasbro's in for some deep shit this time. Here comes the flying penises and personal emails, the picket lines and guy fawkes masks.
ReplyDeleteWe are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.
this is easy, Hasbro need to know we all are angry, how?
ReplyDeleteDONT BUY ANY PONY I know its hard, but thats is the why to show we bronys are the real public of MLP, they dont understand felling, ok lets use they language MONEY
@orangearithmetic
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! A racist firstie! *waves*
How are you, Racist? Is your black friend doing well?
Further, there is no evidence to be found that this "Nicole Angello" even exists. This is FAKE.
ReplyDelete@Adrian Brony
ReplyDeleteNo offense... But seriously, please stop reading or replying to Derpy related news. Your reasoning and complete biased opinion are duly noted. Verdict? Not a single fuck was given. I read the debates and quite honestly believe people love to be controversial for the hell of it.
You believe in your stance on the situation? FINE. Leave us be with ours. And by ours, I mean the Political Correctness affair... not some sort of pity agenda some fans think their entitled from Hasbro. Thats reasoning I think we both can agree is just absurd.
I'll agree to disagree on your opinion though. It's deeper than what Gawker lets out. She's the embodiment of danger? Ok. And NONE of the other characters in the MLP universe do the same in their own unique ways? How quickly we forget Snails misadventures with an Aursa Minor.
Look, it's just a sugar coated answer and an easy escape goat for the time being. Period. I'll keep waiting, which is possibly never since this will just blow over into obscurity in due time.
How can they exclude her for being mentally disabled if they never intended her to be?
ReplyDeleteThey just clarified their intentions as they were unprepared for how people were viewing her. I assume that depicting these things is typically done with some forethought, and as they did not intend to do any such thing they went back to remove it.
As I said, she wasn't excluded for a disability, she was never intended to be disabled and due to circumstance had to make this clearer.
Every example that's ever brought up is typically that of a character that was created to be disabled. Thus they are never comparable, she was not created with a disability in mind and only possessed the appearance of such through a voice actors error and a name that could be perceived as an insult if one was unaware that it was a name.
So what really is their crime? Saying disabilities aren't allowed to exist or removing the false appearance of a disability that was never supposed to be there?
Oh wow, butthurt continues...
ReplyDeleteWell, if this article isn't fake, case closed.
In the end, sloppy scene received even more sloppy editing. Moral of the story? Think before including possibly controversial material, saves a lot of rage and derp.
Wait, that pun is horrible.
"Some viewers felt that aspects of the episode 'The Last Roundup' did not stay true to the core message of friendship"
ReplyDeleteBecause, apparently, one cannot be friends with somepony who has a voice and eyes like that. Since that is, in fact, all they changed.
@Tovler
ReplyDeleteHasbro doesn't resent us. They have done a few things such as add an easter egg on their site to reach out to us and come out with better toys.
The whole situation is depressing, yes, but it's not like they don't want us around.
I think this move from Hasbro set a bad precedence. Even though I can be understand changing the voice, any more than that is unnecessary and bad taste. What is to stop further changes and editing whenever a few viewers complain about something being offensive. What if some people complain about Applejack being offensive to farmers, or Granny Smith being offensive to senior citizens. Honestly, I find Snails and Snips are more likely to be offensive than Derpy
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmm... I read the article and found there answer to be HALF ass... Let me ask you all this, if you take offense to something wouldn't it be better to make people understand it instead of putting it under the rug (Example If someone insult you for no reason, wouldn’t you want to know why). Ignorance is bliss it is said and people only call people RETARDS if they don't understand them, knowing there pain and feeling changes that. But no they went down the root of the cowards...
ReplyDeleteAs the article said “Some viewers felt that aspects of the episode 'The Last Roundup' did not stay true to the core message of friendship which is the heart and soul of the series.”
They could have made an entire episode explain what’s wrong, if anything with Derpy, making the ‘kids show’ show people with disabilities (if they wanted to spin it that way) are just like you and me, they have feelings, they need love and MOST importantly they need friends to help them through it, ISN’T THAT WHAT THE SHOW IS ABOUT.
Remember people WE give words power, if I was ignorant I would say “Fucking retards” which only FOOLS and IGNORANT people well say to those that are really suffering (My cousin has a mental disability and like hell I’ll talk him that), but if I understand what they were going through I would say “I don’t care if he is a retard, he’s human right” the word lost its power in this sentience. That’s the message HASBRO should have sent, instead they turned Derpy into the DUMB blond, and sent the message to all that saw the original version that slightly suggestive of a disability is BAD and should not exist (but it does, there is a spoon).
So now that Hasbro has said that THEY changed the video in support of the notion that mental disabilities are not to exist in any shape or form (don’t tell me I am wrong since they change the god damn video to prove it) and they should be locked in a hospital where no one can see them (the barking pony). There haven’t been any cartoons that have made a point to teach kids about disabilities at all (and not the one who are disable and can put their hands through steel). You had the chance to change that and make Derpy a figure head for it if you wanted.
Cereal Velocity, of Equestria Daily, takes the long view: "This whole situation has been sort of depressing for most of us, but I think the best thing people can remember is that Derpy isn't the reason the show is awesome.
"The show," he explained, "is just awesome."
No she is not but she put smiles on many people’s face just by existing. Pinkie Pie would be ashamed of you for your choice Hasbro, you took away another small reason to SMILE. The key point is you could found another way… but as always people take the easier choices... Just kill it, and that’s how wars and intolerance started. Way to go Hasbro.
@Flutteryay
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Hasbro's statement doesn't make sense. Sounds like damage control doublespeak to me.
Whether Derpy is disabled, stupid, or merely clumsy...removing her, or "fixing" her over these qualities suggests that they perceive her as broken. She isn't.
We accept her limitations and we love her.
...I smell trolls at work here. I pre ordered the DVD and can enjoy Derpy in her original glory. As long as she is still in the show, I suppose I can live with that. But maybe Hasbro will take note of this and see that the Brony community is larger than they thought.
ReplyDeleteI'd just like to know who these "some viewers" are and why they have say over what Hasbro does and not the thousands of screaming bronies.
ReplyDeleteThe fact Derpy ever became an issue at all is what's truly sad. Kids would not have known to look at her as disabled if it hadn't been pointed out so sharply. But this letter may still be totally fake so whatever. I'll just file this under B for bullshit like I have so many other things I've dealt with in life.
@Nostalgia Schmaltz
ReplyDeleteEyup, and if they think she's offensive, they best to have a look at http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/259/300/3a1.jpg - this, or better yet, maybe not since they'd more then likely complain about that as well.
Has anyone stopped and thought about how the comment from Hasbro may well be fake? I mean really; failure of common sense in an explain is one thing, but to send it to GAWKER? Personally,I think this ass just made up the line himself to fuck with us.
ReplyDelete@Zachary
ReplyDelete"You people do realize that this stuff is the exact same thing that caused this, don't you?"
That's how I feel about it. There are far too many people here who seem to think that Hasbro should consider nothing but their own wishes. It's like this is the first time in their lives that they haven't had their own way.
I can understand that some people may be offended by Derpy's removal, but it's also true that some people may be offended by her inclusion. In my last job I was responsible for dealing with disability issues (relating to blindness) and I encountered both sorts of attitude: some people preferred pointed inclusion of blind people in things, while others found the special treatment offensive. Nobody here has the right to say that one type of taking offence is The One True Offence, while the other is just "butthurt whiners". Even the disabled people who have posted are speaking for themselves, not for everyone disabled. There are two sides to this. Being on one side doesn't mean the other side is intrinsically wrong about everything, and assuming that your own side is the only one with any justification for its opinions is the logic of the playground.
@the-matthew
ReplyDeleteI'm offended by the edits, but then political correctness has always offended me. To the sun it should go.
"Some viewers felt that aspects of the episode 'The Last Roundup' did not stay true to the core message of friendship which is the heart and soul of the series."
ReplyDeleteSo by changing Derpy's true self to make her acceptable to a minority of audience is considered a message of friendship? Why not just accept Derpy for who she is and not force the poor pony to change just to "fit in". What will that teach the viewers? That we should force ourselves to change just so others will accept us as friends? It sounds like those viewers who complained were discriminating Derpy because of the way she is.
Just remember what Twilight have said in a previous episode "Never judge a book by its cover. Someone may look unusual, or funny, or scary. But you have to look past that and learn who they are inside. Real friends don't care what your "cover" is; It's the contents of a pony that count. And a good friend, like a good book, is something that will last forever."
Those who complained should listen to Twilight Sparkle and accept Derpy for being her true self.
What Hasbro needs to do is have an episode that focuses on Derpy and how she tries to change herself just so she can be accepted. Then at the end, the ponies can tell her that they love her the way she is and she shouldn't force herself to be somepony who she isn't just to have friends. True friends will accept you no matter how derpy you are.
@Kagusaki
ReplyDeleteThat would be quite awesome. Shame after this whole dibocle they won't though.
@Nightmare Moon
ReplyDeleteIs it political correctness?
I hate political correctness. My mother was disabled near the end of her life and it always annoyed me when people would say that it was wrong to call her "disabled"; she was "differently abled". As far as I could see the only different ability she had was the ability to suck oxygen down a pipe.
But to me political correctness is specifically the kind of whiny giving-the-impression-of-doing-something-without-actually-having-to-do-anything-at-all that allows people to feel good about themselves while not lifting a finger to make any actual changes to the world. Changing something in response to people who are genuinely offended is not political correctness.
Right now we don't know what happened or why Hasbro chose the option they did. But in the absence of facts you can't just make stuff up to fill the gap and treat it as facts. It may be Political Correctness Gone Mad, or it may be a disabled child who'd been made fun of at school and was upset to see the same happen in MLP. We don't know, and never will. So where's the justification for assuming that the changes were unjustified?
It sickens me when I hear some of you acting like bronies own MLP when in fact it also belongs to the little girls. That's probably the only thing I hate about our fandom. But at the same time I am a bit neutral to this whole Derpy fiasco. But I hope things don't end up too ugly. I'll still enjoy the show and the fandom nonetheless.
ReplyDelete@the-matthew
ReplyDeleteTo me, the entire thing just screams political correctness. Granted, I could be wrong, but that's the vibe that I'm getting here.
I still don't think it's right, and think that what they did gives the exact opposite of their intended effect, but at least we have official word and an explanation. Understandable.
ReplyDeleteSo, we can lynch them now? Cause if you want an episode where it really didn't follow the friendship values, I'll show you "Sweet and Elite" in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful we all can see that this is horseshit.
CURRENT TALLY
ReplyDeleteAnti-Derpy petition: 122 signatures
Pro-Derpy petition: 40,648 signatures
Comparing a stampeding herd to a destructive force of nature... I can see that.
ReplyDeleteWhile many of us probably aren't happy with that canned PR response and want more details, at least we're starting to hear from the higher-ups. I just wish they hadn't botched the editing so much. The done-over voicework for dash sounded phoned in and didn't match her expressions. And if calling her derpy was such an issue, they could've at least left her name as ditzy.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteditzy
ReplyDeletealso ditsy, "stupid, scatterbrained" (esp. of women), late 1970s U.S. slang, of unknown origin, perhaps related to earlier slang dicty (1926) "conceited, snobbish," also of unknown origin. The noun ditz (1984) is a back-formation.
Yeah, Ditzy is a MUCH better name.
@Darkchylde Eeyup. I can't find her anywhere either.
ReplyDeleteFor those of you just joining us, it seems that this "Nicole Angello" doesn't exist. Try finding her...on Facebook, LinkedIn, Jigsaw, Google, anywhere. Outside of Gawker's article, she doesn't exist. She may very well not exist.
Humorously, her name is an anagram for "Online Ego Call." ...I'm going to bed before I take this any further.
@Nightmare Moon
ReplyDeleteThat's always a possibility. I'm assuming that Hasbro cleared the episode first and are responding to genuine complaints after it was shown, but it could also be some upper executive at Hasbro with a "thing" about being Seen To Care and enough clout within the company to get their own way.
But we don't know, and I wish some of the more strident complainers here would acknowledge that.
I find this article highly suspicious. I wouldn't bank on anything said here.
ReplyDelete@Nightmare Moon
ReplyDeleteIt can happen and if it did, I wonder if those anti Derpy people will react to it. They can't tell Hasbro to remove the episode otherwise they will be discriminating against the disabled (since they were the ones who claims Derpy is disabled) and if they don't do anything, they'll still loose because Derpy is still her true self. Can someone say catch 22?
"slight audio alterations to this single episode"
ReplyDeleteSlight? I wonder what would be "huge audio aliterations" by Hasbro.
So Hasbro confirmed: minority >>>> majority.
So... next "corrections" would be a matter of time. Because why stopped only on Derpy?
Is it just me or are the days of writing from an unbiased point of veiw dead and gone?
ReplyDelete@Kris
ReplyDeleteHeh, long ago, if ever it was.
@Niklas
ReplyDeleteThey'll probably make RD more feminine because of her tomboyism, Twilight more ignorant because of the egghead stereotype, Fluttershy more open because of her social anxiety disorder, Pinkypie more normal because she's Pinky.. the list goes on my friend.
OK at the start of the day I was convinced that it was just Apple doing another thing that pisses me off, now I don't know what the reason is but I'm not trusting this article at all in fact from what I've seen Gawker is little more than internet Tabloids and tabloids are the worst kind of people who will destroy anyone they want just for the evulz.
ReplyDeleteAnyone here ever heard of Fatty Arbuckle?
He was a famous beyond famous silent comedien, but one night he attended a hollywood party where a young actress became sick, possibly after consuming too much alchohol only to die later of a ruptured bladder. Someone made a claim that the actress was sexually assaulted by Fatty Arbuckle and while the trial was eventually ruled in Fatty's favor, due to the lack of any evidence and the fact that everyone testifying against Fatty was revealed to have ulterios motives up to and including blackmail, the tabloids obsessed over the lurid and minor details and completely destroyed Arbuckle's career and social life, his films were stricken from public view and his marriage ended all because of fuckwit sensationalist journalists feeding people's misconceptions.
Tabloids are full of evil monstrous people who seek to destroy anyone they can just for fun.
I won't trust a thing this article says until we get som official statement, until then I'm going to assume it was Apple all along because they've been messing with me since grade school.
I'll only change my mind if the Frienship Express DvDs that made it to Canada have the "edited" track for the opener of "the Last roundup", if they have Derpy in them then yes I'll just say it was Apple, because I've never liked them even before this incident.
"Of all the ponies in My Little Pony's fantasy kingdom of Celestia" .......ummmmm so Celestia is a kingdom now.....okaaaay
ReplyDeleteI don't approve of the change, but things happen and we still have the original version available.
ReplyDeleteI find the reason Hasbro states to be quite contra-dictionary. But then again, the only source we have so far is Gawkers, a site known for negativity and "Ass Pulls"
Someone should bake them a cake. PR is hell and they can't please everyone no matter what they do.
ReplyDeleteMan, this article was horribly biased. Still interesting, though.
ReplyDeleteMan, this article was horribly biased. Still interesting, though.
ReplyDelete@GumballCrash
ReplyDelete>it seems that this "Nicole Angello" doesn't exist. Try finding her on Facebook...
Eh, my google is stronger than yours, apparently:
http://www.facebook.com/nicole.angello
Whoopie.
Boycott Yamino
ReplyDeleteLet me get this straight... The ICON of our culture, which REVOLVES around friendship, does not represent friendship and should be changed? OH OKAY SEEMS LEGIT HASBRO.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, I don't care what excuses you spout out, the fact stands that the complaints of a few outweighed the support of thousands (check the "kee derpys name petition" with what, 30k votes at this point?), and not a lot of us are happy about this.
It looks like everypony needs a bit of cake. The day will be nicer once you chill out.
ReplyDeleteFinally I manged to read the article itself, it refused to load for some reason.
ReplyDeleteIt's actually very restrained in terms of bashing bronies, and fuck it, this time bashing is completely justified, you reap that you sow.
I'm officially depressed now.
ReplyDeleteDear Hasbro
ReplyDeleteI find your editing of the My Little Pony Freindship is Magic episode:The Last Roundup very cruel to mentaly disabled friends. I have a more than a few mentaly disabled friends and have interacted with many more. Rainbow Dash's reaction to Derpy was a mostly positive one. She was trying her best not to be mean to Derpy despite the damge Derpy was doing. It is often infuriating to be around mentaly disable people but Rainbow Dash shows how to properly control her frustration. Because of this I find you reason for editing the scene baseless.
Some of my mentaly disabled friends like to watch My Little Pony and where very happy when they found a character they could relate two. I have yet to work up the courage to tell them the character has been changed from being disabled to just clumsy. I fear that their reaction to that news will be to reinforce the views many of them already have that they are not fit for normal society or real freindship.
Your's sincerly
a concerned veiwer
Does that seem like a good email to send?
@GumballCrash
ReplyDeleteCheck Nicole Agnello. The Gawker article has a typo.
Less inclined to believe now due to copypasta fail. DO NOT send hatemail to Ms. Agnello on this, this word may not have even come from her.
I usually just lurk around but I need to drop my 2 cents since this is something affects the image of all bronies.
ReplyDeleteHaving something taken away from us, the community, that was given to us by our creators in acknowledgement of what we've all done is a low blow. It sucks. This was supposed to be something that we enjoyed and we did only to have it snatched away by a few people who felt like it stepped on their toes.
However it was partially our fault that it happened. If instead we had responded to those people in a calm and collected manner, like the show asks us to do, then we would have painted ourselves the good guys and shown how much good a character like Derpy could be, eyes and all. Instead we showed teeth and thus the public associated us with angry basement dwelling nerds.
It's easy to get carried away on the web, hell, most of the time it's fun. But let's try to recover what we lost and show the public that even though Hasbro changed something we will still watch the show. I know I'm reiterating what a lot of other bronies have said already it doesn't make it any less true.
We can't go biting the hand that feeds us, even when it decides to take our treat away. We still have the show, the characters, and even Derpy will remain back where she was. Let's try to show a little class shall we?
@Xron
ReplyDeleteSeems like a good one to me, but don't take my word for it
@burntfish44
ReplyDeleteExcuse me, but the Derpy they showed in the first place is not even necessarily the same Derpy as the fandoms. It was their personal interpretation which they unintentionally made suggestive of certain issues they obviously had no desire to approach.
As such they backed away from the issue as any of us would if we realized we had inadvertently stepped into something we would rather avoid.
To compare her to "other" disabled characters who were intended as such is flawed, their creators knew that their creation would be viewed a certain way and were fully prepared. Hasbro stumbled blindly into the issue through a series of errors and so hurriedly backed off.
Their actions make complete sense and are in no way hypocritical. They removed an implication they had never meant to convey.
It would be an issue if they altered somepony who was intentionally seen that way, like the barking pony suddenly becoming very eloquent in an edit. But she was meant to appear barking mad. Derpy on the other hand was not meant to imply any such thing and only did so by accident.
@A Voice in the Dark
ReplyDeleteTell me, at what point does "love and tolerate" become "they keep kicking us down because we don't fight back"?
@Corkscrew
ReplyDelete^THIS times a million
Derpy was NEVER mentally handicapped to the real fans, she was a hard working marepony who was a loving mother of at least one child,maybe two(sparkler and Dinky), and even though she had derpy eyes, as it were, it never got to her and she refused to let it get in her way. AT what point was she EVER retarded in the fandom, apart from a FEW trolls who like to laugh at EVERYONE ont he net?
Xron:
ReplyDelete>implying Derpy's retarded
A Voice In The Dark:
If you want to keep groveling for the opportunity to give Hasbro your money, go right ahead. I'll continue to see it as customers being the hands that feed Hasbro.
"The words "derp" and "derpy" are under the loose legal ownership by Matt Stone and Trey Parker, who not only created the word in their 1998 film Baseketball, but have been the predominant mainstream users of the word since then."
ReplyDeleteWait, what? o_0
What email address to I send my formal complaint to?
ReplyDelete@Xron
ReplyDeleteThe only issue with it is...
Derpy was never meant to be mentally disabled! She wasn't supposed to be a character mentally disabled people could relate to. That was not an issue Hasbro was prepared to handle and the fact your mentally disabled friends could relate to her proves the issue they accidentally brought up was there.
They removed accidental implications, they did not makes a mentally disabled pony less so. That would imply her intentional portrayal was as a mentally disabled pony, when she was merely a mis-voiced clumsy pony.
Cutting out something never intended is not much of a crime when you actually turn to see it from their perspective. If it was an intended implication then you would have a point.
@DCJoeDog
ReplyDeleteI'm not advocating that we remain quiet on an issue that we take to heart but that we show them we are who we say we are: adult, educated, understanding people that have a genuine love for the show.
We can fight back but we fought the wrong way. Sites like Gawker and their quips about the stereotype image of us only make our case worse but only b/c we gave them the ammunition. If they can see that we can be a respectable fan base and enjoy the small rewards they give us then they are likely to keep doing that.
We have an image/stereotype to break and that's why I'm saying that we needed to fight differently b/c until we do leave the shadow, much like Star Wars fans have, we will only be seen as how we react.
This is what you get for pushing for fandom in the show.
ReplyDelete@FuckYouGoogle
ReplyDeleteCall it what you will, your view is yours. But you have to recognize that you can't have one without the other, suppliers need buyers and vice versa. Yes we're buying so long as they can deliver what it is we want but we still need them to make the show and stay in business. The media ran with the negative coverage and used us as a catalyst to amplify the voices of those that objected to Derpy's character.
For the refrence mentaly disabled and retarded are two very different things. A retarded person is one who is mentaly disabled to the point that they are, or atleast appear to be, incapable of intellegent thought and act almost entirly on a mixed up set of base instincts.
ReplyDeleteHere's how I think they could fix the problem and not offend anyone:
ReplyDelete1. Put her in more episodes as a slapstick comedy character, even if she never talks again.
2. Have somepony call her "Miss Hooves" or show a mailbox near her house that says "D. Hooves" or something to say, essentially, "You know what the name is, we know what the name is. We can't say it, but we all know."
If they did those it would show that we're really on the same side here.
@pjabrony
ReplyDeleteThat's actually pretty good. Let that take hold then build from there. After this has calmed down a bit of course.
Ok, now I do believe its a troll - for no other reason than how well it worked. We are the friendliest community there is, we rock on charity events, and it is scary for me to see us like this.
ReplyDelete"Fans are clingy complaining dipshits who will never ever be grateful for any concession you make."
ReplyDeleteI normally take Yahtzee's words as comedic quips, but he is so right on this.
@DCJoeDog
ReplyDeleteI would say be rational and understanding is probably better advice then "Love and Tolerate".
"Love and Tolerate" is vague and easily misinterpretable. Rationality is in understanding how anger will be perceived, as well as knowing how far a calm sympathetic perspective can go even while disagreeing.
When you appear to understand anothers argument completely yet still disagree and do so in a respectful manner it grants your argument a weight no amount of outrage can match.
If you can get the other side to like you even when your opinions differ, that's when they will actually care to listen. A billion mouth foaming trolls are nothing compared to that one person who apologizes for them even while he advocates the very same opinion.
And in my mind that's "Love and Tolerate" done right. Just being reasonable, respectful and sympathetic even when you disagree.
There is never need to stand down, but there is always need to understand how ones actions will be perceived or why another chose the actions they did.
One can be heavily disappointed and express this fact, but anger is going too far. Anger makes you look angry, and angry people will most often appear irrational.
I hope I've written something down that makes sense, and I wish you luck even if I personally don't give a damn about how this turns out so long as we as a fanbase collect ourselves, calm down without ostracizing anyone and come out of this mess with a positive reputation.
So the TL;DR is...
Do what you like so long as you don't make an ass of yourself or anyone else by association. The rest just defines how I view not being an ass as.
There's so much rage here... I'm dissapointed that the change had to be made like everyone but this show has a very limit on what is and isn't acceptable.
ReplyDeleteI'm also dissapointed at the amount of venom thrown around here. I'm a responsible adult and acting that way is shameful.
I'm just glad that Studio B put it in to begin with.
I do feel sorry for the kid with lazy eye that saw her eyes get changed and took it as his eyes aren't good enough though. That must suck.
A Voice in the Dark:
ReplyDeleteSo your preference is to politely bend over and let them know anything they do will blow over in a couple days, and let the show turn into micromanaged ultra-sanitized tripe that nobody enjoys anymore. Good for you. I'd rather risk it being cancelled by nipping this sort of thing in the bud than let that happen.
And good god, your blog is a mindnumbing wall of self-indulgent drivel.
Zay-el:
You do know what "fan" is short for, yes?
Hawkeye92:
Welcome to the Internet. Here's your complimentary shit sandwich.
I'm not exactly happy with their explanation, but I do feel it could have addressed this a bit better.
ReplyDeleteI still think that no matter how Derpy was originally depicted there would have been a shitstorm. People see her in so many different ways.
Moreover, this may not even be the fandom's fault. There might have been complaints from parents. Even if the fandom had been on its best behavior, if parents had complained Hasbro still would have taken action.
I don't think there was anything offensive about Derpy. We love her despite her clumsy nature! We love who she is and wouldn't have it any other way. What is more accepting than loving someone for who they are? I think changing the episode sends the entirely wrong message.
I'm not mad, though. Just really tired of this whole Derpy fiasco. More than anything I just want to enjoy the rest of Season 2 in peace...
Hasbro, I have no problem changing her name to Ditzy Doo. The internet will always call her Derpy. I dont care if you change the voice, I for one liked the old voice, but hey we dealed with many different voice changes from stuff long before MLP. But changing her EYES?! You literally just shot a bullet through all your fans right through the heart and outside our backs while stabbing a knife through our skulls. So what, are you going to do worse? Are you going to go back through all the episodes from season 1 and change her eyes there. Are you going to submit to every little offensive rebel? Will you change Read it and Weep and remove the Mentally Disabled Pony (The ACTUAL Mental patient pony that no one was offended to) Or are you just going to keep shattering our hopes in you with your lies. You said Derpy was there to stay, and what happens you bash that statement by removing her name and changing her eyes. You might as well just call her a background pony now. Hasbro, I may think of you just being subtle and not wanting to offend people, but seriously have you seen the smut and offensive nature to the cartoons like Regular Show, Total Drama Island, and Amazing World of Gumball? Those cartoons are directed towards kids on Cartoon Network. They contain offensive jokes, and crude to profanity behavior. Why don't they get shut down for that? Are you just going to sit by while actual offensive shows go free while a innocent show like MLP gets shattered for just one little hint of offensiveness, even though it wasn't directed to make one of people. Hasbro, you better respond with a ACTUAL ANSWER this time, I trusted you when I read that email Equestria Daily attempted and you shattered that trust with this blasphemy you created. It's not even the change you made to Derpy that made me angry. You even warped Rainbow Dash's personality when she talked to Derpy. It didnt even sound like Rainbow Dash. (Almost like Ashleigh Ball was shocked you would change something soooo small) The dullness in the voice of her made me shake my head in shame. Knowing you dont only have to change Derpy, you had to change Rainbow Dash's responses to make her also sound less offensive.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me Hasbro, if you submit to the offenders and start changing MLP Friendship is Magic to be more "FAMILY and SOCCER MOM Friendly" You will pay, not in threats, but Im sure your precious brony fandom will refuse to buy your products. Remember Hasbro, it is us that keeps you alive, I dont think you want to anger that bloodline that keeps you going.
Take my words for advice Hasbro, sometimes change isnt always a good thing.
Jerrid_120
[email protected]
PS: If this is considered old, then disregard for everything I said, but my trust in Hasbro is still broken. It will take awhile for them to get it back.
Take out her name, and take out her voice but for the love of all that is muffins DON'T underp her eyes. I'd rather her go back to the Derpy she was before she spoke than the new, underped speaking Derpy. Her eyes are one of her most defining features, in fact its why shes called Derpy in the first place.
ReplyDeleteLock away the torches and pitchforks, people. We aren't about to get Derpy back by redoubling our efforts, and I'd hate to see our relationship with Hasbro suffer as a result of the bad PR.
ReplyDelete@the-matthew
ReplyDeleteThank you. I love Derpy and I'm disappointed that she's gone, but I won't tell anyone who was offended by her that they are wrong and I hope they do the same for me.
@Vinyl Scratch
ReplyDeleteI don't really understand why they changed the eyes either. I suppose they were being extra-cautious their and went a bit too far with it even if it was more a toning down then an outright removal.
Usually things easily make sense when I try to examine the perspective behind it. I actually do not get this, especially as they don't seem to plan to do so anywhere else.
Did anyone even take issue with her eyes? Anyone at all?
/shrug
I'll just say that this one was the weakest motivated change out of a group of others that honestly made complete sense when viewed from the proper perspective. The eye change just feels thrown in for little to no reason.
Right...This is going a bit too far. I agree in signing petitions to Save Derpy and all...I support this, but why are some bronies spamming and harassing people on the Internet? All I did was sign the petition, there's no need to start wars just complain about and that's it. There was no reason for anyone to have been insulted like that. They told a woman to go die and go f*ck herself, this is not what bronies stand for. Love and tolerance...Oh my god I feel so upset about this. But it isn't too shocking it is the Internet after all. As for Hasbro/iTunes, they could have prevented this a long time ago, if they didn't alter Derpy. (Just saying)
ReplyDeleteI don't believe Hasbro anymore. They've lost my confidence. So they can shove this "response" back to their throats.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, so you lost your trust in Hasbro, they're evil people who stomp on us poor bronies, who make sure to ruin their own franchise in our eyes and kick our dogs/cats/misc. pets whenever possible.
ReplyDeleteExcept this is a great amount of ponyfeathers. After more than 30 episodes of an admittedly great show, a great deal of people are ready to stand up over a minute-long scene and act like the whole world is out to get them. They changed Derpy. Boom. The original is up on YT, watch it, download it and make love to it, I honestly don't care. Sure, it was a great sign Hasbro cares about us, but you should have known better than to assume that some wouldn't raise their voices about it.
If Hasbro hated us, you wouldn't have seen Derpy outside the first episode, we never would have gotten Equestria Girls, EVERY YouTube video would have been taken down and there'd be DMCAs flying around like no tomorrow. And that's not the case. I liked the original scene as well, but I can see the point behind the change. People love to outrage over everything and a lot of bronies here are also a great example of that. Love and tolerate? Really? Like the kind you showed for the Mare-Do-Well episode?
Ok Everypony on this sight that like this has gone far enough lets just weep it under the rug mentality, I will not just lay down and accept this...
ReplyDeleteHasbro made a big mistake when ignoring us Bronies, When they took away Derpy...I will not just sit here and let this atrocity go unnoticed...
We are the fans, we just as any other fandom should allowed to criticize and hopefully be a part of the creation of the product that we are such huge fans of...
and when they disregard us just to cover their asses, OH IT IS ON!!!
The only i and many of us here will be satisfied is with a formal apology from hasbro, derpy changed back to being Derpy and she possibly getting a bigger role in the show...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWow, ok, they actually responded. I'm surprised.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it is one of those half-assed corporate speak explanations, figures.
Oh, and they lied in it too. "Hasbro Studios decided to make slight audio alterations"
They not only extensively changed the scene's audio, but they also mostly underped Derpy's eyes, and changed some of Rainbow Dash's expressions.
So ya, way to go Hasbro. /sarcasm
Fun fact - that PR statement is made by someone who has no clue about what happened.
ReplyDeleteRemember kids, acceptance and inclusion. But only if you are normal. If you look or sound like a mentally disabled you are out, of course.
My Little Normal Pony - Friendship is not for Mentally Disabled.
ReplyDeleteI'm now fully convinced that I hate Hasbro.
ReplyDeleteBecause, let's be frank here. Hasbro caved-in to, what, 20 people? THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF US, AND 20 PEOPLE CHANE AN EPISODE?
...Yeah, I'm not biting.
Hasbro, say hello to fanbase hatred.
@Miauricio
ReplyDeleteDon't buy Pony stuff? That sounds like a job for me, Bender!
I tried to think of something deep and meaningful since I read this article last night. Alas, the only thing that still crosses my mind even now is "Hasbro can go buck themselves".
ReplyDeleteYou know what, okay. Be angry at Hasbro. Claim they're evil, claim they're lying, claim everything bad about them. And you know what I'll be hoping for?
ReplyDeleteI hope we won't ever get Whooves, Lyra, Bon-Bon, Vinyl or ANY OTHER already well-loved background pony again.
I hope NONE of the VAs, NO ONE from the production team or anyone even vaguely related from the show every goes to BroNYcons again.
I hope Hasbro will start aggressively taking down YT videos of episodes, ban streams and file cease-&-desist on Fighting is Magic, WeLoveFine shirts, custom pony plushies and EVERYTHING made by third parties.
And I hope they will drastically lower the quality of the series as a whole, with no regards to bronies ever again, ever for a tiny moment.
Maybe THAT will finally get all of you buttmad ungrateful dumbflanks to appreciate what you've already gotten before, instead of acting like spoiled entitled shits.
@Zay-el
ReplyDeleteOverreaction is fine for you, but not for anyone who disagrees with you. Got it.
I haven't been following this controversy all too closely, but at the end of the day, I think some bronies need to take a chill pill and understand that while we have the luxury to complain about minor changes made to a cartoon episode, there are people who are being slaughtered by their own government in Syria, there are people who are starving in Somalia as a result of 20+ years of civil war, and there are people being stoned to death in Saudi Arabia just because they are gay.
ReplyDeleteIt's really sad how low this fandom can be. I am ashamed to be associated with bronies at this point. I love the show, but I don't make it my life unlike some of you guys. Death threats? Come on. Grow up. This show is all about acceptance of others and tolerating other viewpoints, and a failure by bronies to embrace that outside of a simple meme is very, very sad.
Bronies, you let me down today.
Bronies, were you saying something about being better than Transformers' fanbase?
ReplyDeleteYeah, TOTALLY.
To all knights out there ready to go on crusade against Hasbro, I would like to remind you that you guys own nothing but two things - Jack&shit, and Jack left town. So you might wanna, y'know, tone it down a tiny bit and get a reality check.
@IkkouSoryu
ReplyDeleteIts true that Hasbro owes us nothing, anyone who disagrees with this is clueless.
But it is also true that we owe them nothing. This show was not given to us for free. At the very minimum, it is necessary to pay for a tv package that carries the Hub, and/or the internet, to watch the episodes.
So it quite legitimate to complain when a product we pay for is handled in a way that we don't like. Some people may think this would go so far as to totally avoid purchasing any of the offending company's products. Before Ponies, I was avoiding purchasing any of Hasbro's products, for my own reasons. I am as yet undecided as to whether or not I will return to that status.
@Yu Kigono
ReplyDeleteSo I, as a European fan of the show am entitled to voice my concern about a product I paid for with what, my bandwith? Wut?
@DCJoeDog
ReplyDeleteWhy? The only thing she did was not like how Derpy was characterized.
What is with people expecting Derpy to represent all handicapped people? She doesn't. She represents one pony: Ms. Derpy Hooves. That'd be like calling a black villain racist because you infer that all black people must be evil.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people are assuming things about mentally handicapped people. Again, nowhere was it said that Derpy was handicapped. Furthermore, a lot of TV shows have been edited after the fact. If they felt they needed to do it to avoid some sort of legal action, so be it. It is THEIR show... Keep complaining and the uncertain future of this franchise becomes weaker and weaker
ReplyDeleteI don't know why anybody would take this as a positive sign towards Derpy. Yeah, they said they only EDITED her for the SINGLE episode. That in absolutely no way means that they aren't going to change/remove her from future episodes, people!
ReplyDeleteWe're probably going to see more of her un-derped eyes and hear more of that horrid new voice in the future.
Yes, MLP is still awesome, even Derpy-less, but that doesn't change the fact that it's upsetting and a stab in the back. Not to mention this ridiculous trend of politically correct bullcrap.
I mean, I'm from the South, and Applejack is like a combination of every Southern stereotype ever. And yet, you don't hear me getting offended, in fact, Applejack is my favorite pony. Sure, I was a little offended at first (because Southerners sound nothing like that, not that anybody would care about my offense, seeing as I'm a Southerner) but guess what I did? I got over it, and came to love her very much.
I was told that the original guy who named Derpy on 4chan was threatening to sue Hasbro for using the name "Derpy" in the show. If that's why they had to not mention her name in the episode, then how come they make up this junk in place for the real reason they had to make changes?
ReplyDelete@Cronslane
ReplyDeleteYou seriously need to get off the internet if you're ready to believe someone on 4chan about stuff like this.
@Zachary
ReplyDeleteLegal action for what? I've seen several people make that argument, but it makes no sense. Derpy being a copyright issue was the only plausible grounds for lawsuit, and that's neither the stated reason, nor is it ever going to happen.
I see many of you complaining about the complaints around here, and I don't see how that makes any sense either. Are we not allowed to share our opinion of the situation?
At first I was surprised that this is still going but we seem to be getting more and more interesting opinnions as some people have now had the time to ponder the issue.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSo much fandumb in here...
ReplyDeleteEveryone here chill and listen:
1. Her name is NOT being changed to Ditzy Doo. Just because Hasbro censored Derpy does not mean that they change her Name, or if they do it is still not evidence enough to say that it is being changed to Ditzy Doo.
2. This has been confirmed to be a ONE TIME indecent, around only ONE EPISODE. An Animator has confirmed that Derpy will not be altered in future episodes, animation-wise. And lets be honest, this speaking role was supped to be a one time thing anyways. Believing otherwise is silly.
3. Leave Yamino alone. Please, for gods sake, just leave her alone. It is not her fault. Just because she has a very strong opinion on Derpy, that differs from yours and the majority of the fandom, does NOT give you the right to insult her, or to spam her deviantArt page. She is not your personal punching bag or scapegoat.
most the haters and people that are offended instantly flock to the rule34 content online about ponies and say its what we are all about as Bronies they have no clue and never will you can't educate an idiot they will always be stupid.
ReplyDeleteas for the Hasbro response yes they said it was only for that one episode edit because they plan to NEVER let Derpy speak or be in the foreground ever again shes back to a nameless background character and will never have 1 line or ever be called her name again. that's how they plan to deal with the issue and that's giving in to the haters. I'm sorry but that's not a solution, now that 1 character has been axed by the haters they will not stop there and they will get all they can done to get the show ruined. they will work on all the non essential background characters first and get only the mane 6 as speaking ponies then they will find something offensive about one of the mane 6 until they get the show taken off the air that's how haters do it. This is comparable to actual racial hate they have no knowledge or understanding of the culture they just hate because they were taught to hate.
@comickid
ReplyDeleteNow THAT was painful to read. Ever heard of punctuation?
@Corkscrew
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I meant, you cant sensor something for being something it isn't. They were trying to preclude any possibility of this happening by editing it. Its not hasbro's job to educate children on mental disabilities- in a perfect world.maybe, but as it stands that is the job of parents mainly. But I digress, because no matter what by not just dropping it and letting it go, it is rapidly inflating and hasbro will very quickly be done with the fans. I don't know about you all, but this didn't change the show we all like. Bitching and sending more mail and anger and depression will only make things worse. Most people on /r/mylittlepony can see that, but it seems a large number here cannot get overthemselves
Oh god, that Gawker article with Derpy. Instead of shredding the whole article apart; I'll just elaborate on this small but important tidbit:
ReplyDelete"The 'My Little Pony Friendship is Magic' series has always been about acceptance and inclusion, and the series strives to convey that through the playful antics of a diverse cast of characters," Hasbro spokeswoman Nicole Angello told us over email."
Good! Diverse characters run from the spectrum of shy types, to gregarious athletic personalities. This also includes slow witted or clumsy ponies (like Screw Loose, Snails, Snips, and Derpy) to intellectual or wise ponies - like Twilight or Celestia.
"Some viewers felt that aspects of the episode 'The Last Roundup' did not stay true to the core message of friendship which is the heart and soul of the series. Hasbro Studios decided to make slight audio alterations to this single episode."
Some feel that anyone over the age of 11 shouldn't watch this show either. Are you going to tell that to every man that enjoys the show? What a complete contradiction this is to the previous statement. It is not what is said in this passage, but rather was acted out in the censorship of Derpy. The name and eyes were edited out NOT because of outcry (which a big company like Hasbro usually ignores) but was because of the potential loss of sales through politically correct iTunes. Just call it like it is and stop making f***ing excuses through generalized PR statements, like saying "we're considerate of other people's opinions and made the change to not offend anyone."
Bulls***.
@Zachary
ReplyDeleteOnce again, people are free to complain if they like, just as you are doing right now.
You're right about the fact that she was never meant to be portrayed as mentally disabled. So why change it? Because a few people chose to see something that wasn't there? I disagree with that, but I am not sending hate mail to anyone. I believe you're blowing that part out of proportion a bit. Signing a petition is not an attack, it's just being proactive.
THE ARTICLE IS A FAKE
ReplyDelete"Nicole Angello" is not part of Hasbro PR. People have searched her name and come up with nothing that would relate her to Hasbro, however, upon searching other Hasbro PR names, they found connections instantly.
So basically, the entire Gawker article is a fake. GG EQD for posting something without checking to make sure it's real. What is this, the 5th time in two months?
@Zachary
ReplyDeleteTrue, Hasbro doesn't have to give us anything at all, which is why I'm definitely not going to harass them or anything.
And yeah, it's a shame that we have such a lawsuit-happy culture these days, but I'm not convinced anyone would have a decent case against them for anything.
On an only somewhat related note, I find myself really wishing it was Saturday right now.
Meh, saying that and saying nothing is basically the same... Hasbro, I'm disappointed :(
ReplyDeleteone question? if there were only going to change the dialog for one episode.... then why change the voice actor in that scene? and un-derp her for one episode? and not say her name?
ReplyDeletewait if it was for one episode then why un-derp her eyes, change the voice actor and not say her name? ....i will believe them but i do have a few doubts...
ReplyDeleteThe more I look at this the more it does look fake. Seth, could you check the source of this? We really have to make sure this is real. An statement from Hasbro is important stuff, and faking one is considered an offense, isn't it? I'm not sure, but it does seem it's not legit.
ReplyDeleteuntil hasbro doesnt put up a real official statement that is readable on one of THEIR sites.. or EQD is not recieving a real statement directed at the brony community.. i will not believe anything a as***le tabloid like gawker will put up for information.. since i know that tabloids are the trolls of the media. they want people to be enraged.. i bet they are now sitting on their computers and giggle madly about the reactions of our community going on a blind rage..
ReplyDelete@Nostalgia Schmaltz Read @Darkchylde above, it's a typo. Searching for Nicole Agnello gave me the LinkedIn page of Hasbro's Global Brand Publicity Manager as the top result.
ReplyDeleteI'd been hoping it was fake, too.
@Xanaeth I don't know about the community having any "blind rage", but if this turns out to be a false report, no one's going to be happy, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteThough on second thought, I suppose that doesn't actually say anything on whether the quote is fake or not.
ReplyDelete@DerpGarde
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. Too many people are willing to try and sue these days. And even if the case is iffy, I know they still will- I am aspiring doctor and you would be surprised at some of the ridiculous things doctors try and get sued for. And I completely agree, I wish it was Saturday. I also kind of wish people would just let this blow over, and go back to the way things were when Derpy was just an easter egg and people were not going crazy.
No, you read it again. There is no such line in the OP eihr now or when i first read it. Other. Comments are already helping prove this is fake BS. Seth must be covering his ass again by deleting that line.
ReplyDeleteHow does changing a character's voice and a name support the idea that Hasbro cares about acceptance and inclusion? How did the voice and name get in the way of the "core message of friendship"? What bunk.
ReplyDelete"Some viewers felt that aspects of the episode 'The Last Roundup' did not stay true to the core message of friendship which is the heart and soul of the series. So they're saying that the heart and soul is this:
ReplyDelete"Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned that somepony who looks a little different, and may be a little clumsy at times (despite always doing their best), is *unquestionably* mentally challenged.
Instead of 'loving', 'tolerating', or more importantly, 'accepting' these ponies, and then teaching our young fillies to do the same, we should just fix these undesirable imperfections and hope that they will bring less attention to themselves.
Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."
Are you shitting my dick? Fucking Yamino.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how getting mad at people who don't support Derpy's character helps. It also doesn't follow with the whole 'love and tolerance' ideal of the community.
ReplyDeleteIf you have an opinion and it's got you really emotional look to Hasbro and constructively share your thoughts with them.
I think it's more offensive changing her. Hasbro doesn't seem to care about Bronies much even though we could make them TONNES of money.
ReplyDelete...So they they helped convey a message of acceptance and inclusion... by removing Derpy's individual traits.
ReplyDelete...Does anyone else see anything WRONG with this?! >:(
@Wicksend
ReplyDeleteShe's still just as clumsy. Use another argument.
@The_Owl
ReplyDeleteWhy? Do any of you people that keep attacking Yamino even know why? She had nothing to do with Hasbro's decision. Why would she or more accurately, how could she? She didn't start any petition or anything people keep accusing them for.
@faehl That's basically the right idea.
ReplyDelete@jaws Seems so.
@Smashmatt202 Eeyup.
@Yellow 13
ReplyDeleteI don't Believe it... South Park had the same problem with a character and they handle it great (i didn't even know they had that problem)... A CARTOON LIKE SOUTH PARK (its not for kids)... Are you kidding me Hasbro, are you saying that a cartoon with more swears (cursing) than you can count has more integrity than you? And by integrity I mean they pushed to keep their character, while you (Hasbro) turn over and took it in the ass.
MLP: FiM is sending a way different message (way WAYYYY different) than South Park in contain, but they stand by their choices and back them up, that’s why they have 16 seasons. They challenging preconceptions of what the world thinks about stuff that happens. Hasbro you just covered it up proving that you are spinless to show the world what it SHOULD know, and help them deal with it.
Derpy Whooves (MLP) vs Timmy Burch (South Park) who was more offensive...
@comickid
ReplyDeleteUh...ever heard of what's called a "slippery slope" argument? Because you just made one.
Mind you, you have the right to your opinion, but reasoning like that isn't going to help people take you seriously.
Anyway, if this DOES end up being a fake story, I think it's official that Sethisto really needs to start checking out sources to make sure any information he gets is actually accurate.
@jaws
ReplyDeleteTonnes of money? I don't think so...
One of the fallacies of fandom is the belief that a relationship is more reciprocal than it really is. Something - a TV show, or perhaps a musical - is really important to the fans, so they convince themselves that they are really important to the thing they love. But when you look at the financial situation you see a different story. In the general marketplace organised fandom makes up such a tiny proportion of a typical company's income that it might as well be completely ignored. Even if 20,000 bronies spent $200 each on merchandise it wouldn't make one tenth of 1% of Hasbro's annual revenue. (A quick check reveals that their expected income for 2012 is in the region of $4.2 billion.) And most bronies have spent almost nothing on the product. Outside the US there's almost nothing available for us to buy.
With that in mind, it's surprising how much Hasbro engages with the unanticipated fans of My Little Pony. We get more from them than financial considerations would suggest we're entitled to expect.
@Uther
ReplyDeleteI assume Timmy's portrayal was fully intended and implied what they wanted it to imply?
Well, by that measure it's a completely different situation.
@RanYakumo
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing though. Something like this could very well start a slippery slope.
@Corkscrew
ReplyDeleteI notice you have many times brought up the idea that since Derpy was never intended to seem mentally disabled, the edit was somehow justified. I tend to think quite the opposite should be true; her portrayal was misconstrued by some viewers, so if anything, the best course of action would have been for Hasbro to politely inform those viewers that no harm was intended. With a character like Screwloose, she was intentionally insane. So what? Her portrayal made insane people look weird, but if the audience has any maturity at all, they'll realize that no slight against those who are handicapped was meant to be conveyed.
If people wish to see her in an incorrect manner, that's their call, but why call it offensive when it obviously wasn't any more offensive than Screwloose or Snails? If I said, "Hey Hasbro, Snails mocks retarded folks!", would they really be okay by saying, "It's alright, we meant to do that."?
@Miauricio
ReplyDeleteNope~!! Won't work~!! Guess why?
KIDS. PARENTS AND KIDS.
Kid wants a pony? Mommy or daddy buys a pony. Or two. Or a whole set.
Christmas/Birthdays/Easter/any gift giving holidays? Kids will get a pony, if that's what they want.
Also? Collectors. Who are mainly WOMEN. They've been collecting ponies since they first showed up in 80s and they will still collect them now, unless some just don't really like the G4 style.
Also, SANE FANS of the show will still buy the merch.
And, since Hasbro ALSO sells other merch (Transformers, MlP, various board games, NERF, Playskool toys, etc etc etc), they'll STILL be raking in tons of money.
Your little scheme of making them go bankrupt to get them to change Ditzy back will NOT work. :P
The people doing the actual stereotyping (i.e. the complainers) got what they wanted. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteI'm not upset about the character change, I'm upset about the political correctness that those people are trying to force on everyone. Don't limit the creative freedom of the writers by making them afraid to push something, be it a joke, conflict, or any kind of story element in general.
@FuckYouGoogle
ReplyDeleteI can see that there is no reaching you on this issue, rage seems to be your primary function. It's a shame that people can't calm themselves down and take a look at things from a different perspective before screaming for blood. I'll let you be in this case.
*shrug* Never said you had to read it. Your own time was lost there.
@otakugal15
ReplyDeleteYour comment made me think of something interesting; even though it may be true that a Brony boycott of merchandise is nowhere near enough to cripple an organization like Hasbro, they do have a financial interest in us. Think about it, not only do we buy the toys (by the case!), but we also buy apparel, talk to our friends about the show, and have already spread the fame of the show far and wide on the web. Point being, we do an enormous amount of advertising for them, which represents a significant portion of any company's budget. That advertising drives interest in the other Hub TV shows and Hasbro's toy lines. They definitely have at least that to lose, though I don't believe this incident alone is enough to make many of us drop the show altogether.
I disapprove of the edit, obviously, but I'll only quit if Hasbro's sanitization becomes a habit. I suspect there are many others who feel similarly.
@Nightmare Moon
ReplyDeleteProblem is, it's a logical fallacy. Each of those contingencies needs to actually be factually established before you can draw such a conclusion. It's like saying that once a person has one foot in the door, he's guaranteed to go into the house proper. It takes a series of clearly observable movements for the rest of the person's body to go through the doorway fully into the house, movements that could be interrupted at any time by the person deciding to not go in, or the door closing on him.
As is, we've got only one incident of Hasbro doing editing like this, and absolutely no evidence to suggest that it's going to lead to the "end of the show", or even any more editings by Hasbro.
When it comes to matters like this, I tend to follow a "rule of three" persay. Something like this happening once is just an unfortunate incident. If it happens twice, then it's bad luck. If it happens three times however, then we've got a pattern, and then we can start wondering if the haters could very well "destroy the show."
I AM NIGGERTRON
ReplyDeleteI AM NIGGERTRON
ReplyDeleteEven if Derpy was disabled how is altering her sending a message of all inclusivness? It does the opposite by saying disabled people need to be changed to become acceptible. Shame on you Hasbro
ReplyDeleteDouble niggers.
ReplyDelete@Dr_Vulpine
ReplyDeleteActually, I think things have significantly slowed down on this post, probably because everyone moved on to one of the more recent updates on the situation. Beside that, many people have been somewhat calmed by the letter from Amy Keating Rogers, not to mention Derpy Day. It was fun, I must say.
@Dr_Vulpine
ReplyDeletelol
^.^
You have to understand that Hollywood's words about "tolerance and compassion" were never meant to apply to people with disability.
ReplyDeleteHollywood only cares about minority groups when it is either popular or profitable and nothing more.
Hollywood and the people who run it would gladly see people with disabilities as nothing more as freaks to be gawked at or as objects of abuse instead of fellow human beings.
This is why dear Derpy Hooves was censored.