Who Takes More Punishment — Elmer Fudd or Wile E. Coyote?

Cartoon casualties come in different forms.

Photo by Ganapathy Kumar on Unsplash

Elmer Fudd may take lots of psychological abuse, but in terms of physical punishment, Wile E. Coyote endures much more, mostly due to his own ineptitude. Both self-proclaimed hunters attempt devious pursuit or trickery, but the similarities end there.

Wile goes to greater lengths to ensnare or kill the Road Runner, while Elmer depends on his trusty-rusty shotgun when chasing Bugs Bunny. Add that to Elmer’s penchant for initially falling for every one of the “wascally wabbit” disguises, and you have ironclad proof he’s more cranially challenged than Wile.

Fudd Sucker

Chuck Jones was a master animator, businessman, and director. He and his team ensured that Bugs gained the upper hand in almost every situation, one of the most notable reasons being Elmer’s gullibility. Yes, he’s determined, yes, he’s wielding a rifle, but once Bugs dons a dress or engages in some other confusing activity, all bets are off for Elmer catching his prey. For a good example, catch the famous Rabbit of Seville on your favorite website or media.

“Kill the Wabbit!” is not only an amusing cartoon line, but it also seems to be Elmer’s life mantra. We might speculate that he hunts not for…