Disney's (DIS) classic 1989 film "The Little Mermaid" has already stirred up major controversy after announcing the casting of Black actress Halle Bailey in the lead role for a live action remake.
But now Disney is making another major change for the upcoming film -- and conservatives are already upset about it.
Oscar-winning songwriter Alan Menken announced during a Vanity Fair interview that the lyrics of "Kiss the Girl" and "Poor Unfortunate Souls" will both be changed, although the specific changes have not been announced yet.
“There are some lyric changes in ‘Kiss the Girl’ because people have gotten very sensitive about the idea that [Prince Eric] would, in any way, force himself on [Ariel],” Menken said.
The original "Kiss the Girl" scene in question takes place on a scene where Ariel and Eric are alone on a boat. The original lyrics are, "Yes, you want her. Look at her, you know you do. Possible she wants you, too. There is one way to ask her. It don’t take a word. Not a single word. Go on and kiss the girl.”
As for "Poor Unfortunate Souls," Menken said, the original song contained "lines that might make young girls somehow feel that they shouldn’t speak out of turn, even though Ursula is clearly manipulating Ariel to give up her voice.”
Some people that are angry about the change are taking to social media to air out
their grievances, predictably bringing up "wokeness."
When The View's Whoopi Goldberg got to weigh in on it with her co-hosts, however, she seemed to be all for it.
