US streaming service Disney+ has “reevaluated” its decision to ban an episode of Bluey in which the cartoon dog’s dad Bandit is accused of farting in Bluey’s face.
The Family Meeting episode from series three of the hit children’s show features a faux trial with mum Chilli as the judge to determine whether Bandit did “fluffy” or “make a brownie” on Bluey’s face.
The episode opens with the six-year-old blue heeler pup saying “Dad blew off right in my face” and Bandit denying it. Later he admits: “Her face is at bum level – it’s hard not to.”
Two Blueys?! You can't be cereal...
— Official Bluey TV (@OfficialBlueyTV) August 13, 2022
Watch 25 brand-new episodes on @disneyplus!#Bluey pic.twitter.com/5T5jTr80CL
Fans of the Emmy-award winning Australian series, which screens on Disney+ in the US, noticed that the episode was missing when it dropped last week and complained on social media.
Disney banned the episode family meeting of Bluey when it’s just about farts as if almost every (or every) kid show nowadays has fart jokes in it I don’t get it 💀 (ps: pirate that episode bc it’s actually so funny, Disney is insane)
— irl Peepaw Gearloose™ (@gyroscope420) August 11, 2022
Initially, Disney Branded Television was silent on the reasons for holding back the episode but has now confirmed it did so because it breached Disney Junior’s “standards and practices”.
Fellow Bluey friends. The first half of Season 3 is now on Disney+. Minus the one episode - Family Meeting - because cartoon dogs talking about farting upsets the ratings somehow. pic.twitter.com/8GMmh9b3Y5
— Autobot Kíli @ TFN 2022 (@jobot935) August 10, 2022
“Family Meeting will roll out on US platforms soon,” a spokesperson told a US kids entertainment blog. “Some of the Bluey content did not meet Disney Junior broadcast S&P in place at the time the series was acquired. Now that it is rolling out on other platforms, it is a great opportunity to reevaluate which is what we plan to do.”
It’s not the only episode of the irreverent series from Brisbane’s Ludo Studio to be subjected to censorship in the US. A season two episode called Dad Baby, in which Bandit acts as if he’s going through childbirth, has never been available on Disney+ or Disney Junior.
Another Disney+ censoring incident for #Bluey Season 3, Perfect was redubbed to having a discussion about removing teeth, instead of the vasectomy. pic.twitter.com/8fBilIDwhB
— 🎨子羊 (@Einsamkeitus) August 10, 2022
In 2020 two episodes of Bluey were temporarily removed from ABC iView and edited after a complaint the term “ooga booga” had racial connotations.
The Macquarie Dictionary defines “ooga booga” as a derogatory noun, meaning: “A stereotypical rendering of what the speaker regards to be the language of those deemed by them to be African savages.”
Bluey producers and the ABC said was it was only intended as “irreverent rhyming slang often made up by children” and it was taken down “as soon as the ABC and external producers became aware of the potentially offensive meaning of the term”.
The ABC also said it “sincerely apologised to the complainant for any distress caused”.
The most popular ABC TV show, Bluey is a cult international show which has inspired children and parents alike since it launched in 2018, and now has a hit album, a touring play, an Emmy and a podcast that dissects each episode.
Bluey won another Logie for most outstanding children’s program earlier this year.
Guardian Australia has approached Disney for comment.
