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Author
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Topic: Is outing Vanity really necessary?
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PrinterSmurf
Smurfling
Member # 2139
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posted 02-14-2008 04:25 PM
I've read elsewhere on this forum that the Culliford famil is considering making Vanity Smurf officially gay.
I, for one, disagree with this idea. I think something like that should be left for each fan to decide for themselves. For example, I think Vanity is just a narcissitic dandy.
If others think Vanity IS gay, that's their opinion and I respect it even if I don't agree with it. Which is why the Culliford should just leave Vanity just as he is and let us decide for ourselves.
Any other opinions?
Posts: 10 | From: Milwaukee, WI | Registered: Feb 2008
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Shane J
Super Smurf
Member # 1345
Member Rated:
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posted 02-14-2008 04:39 PM
I agree with you. I'm a stickler and I don't like the idea of changing a character after all these years. I think they should just keep the old characters the way they have been.
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~Shane
My videos: http://www.youtube.com/shanejensen
Posts: 383 | From: NY, USA | Registered: Mar 2006
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swarlock
Smurf
Member # 746
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posted 02-14-2008 07:12 PM
I've always thought he was just a egomaniac looking at his mirror way too much.
I'll continue to think of him like that because that's who he is.
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Every day in every way I am smurfy!
Posts: 192 | From: Kissimmee, Florida | Registered: Jan 2005
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VicGeorge2010
Smurf
Member # 300
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posted 02-14-2008 07:31 PM
I'm still toying with whether or not to bother writing "Vanity & The Ugly Duckling", even with a totally different ending than how I originally conceived this idea years ago. Right now, it's just a fragment where Vanity gets chased around because everyone thinks he's turned purple, but in reality he's turned lavender for some unknown reason.
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VIC GEORGE -- Westfield, MA, USA
Posts: 930 | From: Westfield, MA | Registered: Mar 2003
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VicGeorge2010
Smurf
Member # 300
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posted 02-15-2008 07:03 AM
Narcisisstic is right. I just don't know how "sexual" Vanity is, though. In the EMPATH short story "Papa's Big Crush", Empath crashes into Vanity's house after getting backhanded by a Hulk-ified Papa Smurf, while Vanity's busy taking a bath and looking at his reflection, and all Vanity can say is (in that Alan Oppenheimer-type voice) "Empath, how shameful for you to smurf in here without knocking! Can't you see I want to be alone in here?" And also in the short story "Smurphony Of The Night", Vanity is presumably the one asking about his song, which is a Smurf version of the Right Said Fred song "I'm Too Sexy", being included somewhere in Brainy's proposed musical program.
Well, anyway, here's the story fragment of "Vanity & The Ugly Duckling":
quote:
Papa Smurf and Empath heard a commotion up ahead. "What the smurf is going on?" Papa Smurf wondered.
"Sounds like a group of Smurfs is chasing somebody," Empath surmised. "We better get close to the scene to find out."
As Papa Smurf and Empath headed in the direction of the commotion, another Smurf was approaching them from the opposite way. "Papa Smurf, thank smurfness you're here! We need to get some tuberose pollen right away because Vanity's turned purple!"
"He turned purple?" Papa Smurf asked, not believing what he heard. "Great Smurfs Of Fire! And I thought we had the purple virus smurfed dead in its tracks!"
"The purple virus?" Empath asked, a bit curious.
"Five years ago," Papa Smurf explained, "a fly carrying a purple virus infected Lazy by smurfing his tail, and that caused him to turn purple. From there he started infecting other Smurfs by smurfing their tails, and we were up to our smurfs in Purple Smurfs. Eventually I found the cure in a tuberose blossom, and from there we gathered as much pollen as we can to cure our infected Smurfs before we all became purple. Needless to say, that's how we all ended up, with me being the last Smurf infected, but an explosion in my lab released enough pollen to blanket the entire village, curing every Smurf simultaneously."
"Hearing that story alone would make this smurf's tail hurt," Empath said with a slight shudder. "But this smurf can only wonder what this has to do with Vanity now."
"That's what we're going to smurf out, Empath," Papa Smurf answered.
Finally, they found Vanity running toward them, with a bunch of frightened and angry Smurfs chasing him. Somehow, Papa Smurf observed that Vanity wasn't acting like he had been infected by the purple virus -- if he did, he would be hopping around and saying "Gnapp gnapp!" -- but it still was puzzling to figure out how he got that way.
"Papa Smurf," Vanity gasped, "all these Smurfs have gone mad. It's bad enough that I smurfed myself in the mirror to see myself being turned purple, but now the other Smurfs think I have been smurfed by the purple virus!"
"He's dangerous, Papa Smurf!" one of the Smurfs shouted. "Don't let him smurf near you or Empath if he's got the purple virus!"
Empath sensed that there wasn't any sign of a virus in Vanity. "It's all right, my fellow Smurfs -- Vanity doesn't seem to be carrying any virus at all!" he said, trying to sound reassuring.
"Maybe not now, but wait until he starts saying 'Gnapp gnapp'!" another Smurf warned Empath.
That was when Painter showed up and saw Vanity. "Sacre bleu -- or should I say, sacre lavender! What's happened to M'sieu Vanity?" he asked.
"Lavender?" all the other Smurfs asked, not really seeing where Painter was getting at.
"Painter is correct," Empath explained. "This smurf also notices that Vanity is neither blue nor purple, but a light shade of lavender."
That got Papa Smurf scratching his beard in thought as he looked at Vanity.
It reminded him of something, if only he could remember what.
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VIC GEORGE -- Westfield, MA, USA
Posts: 930 | From: Westfield, MA | Registered: Mar 2003
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swarlock
Smurf
Member # 746
Member Rated:
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posted 02-15-2008 04:28 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Raven Child:
quote:
Originally posted by PrinterSmurf:
For example, I think Vanity is just a narcissitic dandy.
I was thinking the same thing. To me I felt Vanity a Metro-sexual narcisiss, lol.
It's true the smurfs did appear overly 'cheerful' and 'affectionate' towards each other, but hey, when you don't live in a society like today's your not stressed and repressed from expressing loving/caring emotions. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
You know I agree with that.
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Every day in every way I am smurfy!
Posts: 192 | From: Kissimmee, Florida | Registered: Jan 2005
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Shane J
Super Smurf
Member # 1345
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posted 02-15-2008 04:47 PM
quote:
Originally posted by swarlock:
quote:
Originally posted by Raven Child:
quote:
Originally posted by PrinterSmurf:
For example, I think Vanity is just a narcissitic dandy.
I was thinking the same thing. To me I felt Vanity a Metro-sexual narcisiss, lol.
It's true the smurfs did appear overly 'cheerful' and 'affectionate' towards each other, but hey, when you don't live in a society like today's your not stressed and repressed from expressing loving/caring emotions.
You know I agree with that.
I agree with that as well. It's a shame that today's society has to go and sexualize everything. The Smurfs are supposed to be a children's or family geared show. Such things shouldn't be addressed or brought up in lighthearted entertainment. I doubt Peyo himself would have authorized this idea.
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~Shane
My videos: http://www.youtube.com/shanejensen
Posts: 383 | From: NY, USA | Registered: Mar 2006
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VicGeorge2010
Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 02-15-2008 05:24 PM
Peyo himself created a rather controversial situation, however comical it was originally intended to be, when in "Romeo And Smurfette" (the original series of vignettes that became the genesis of the cartoon episode version) he had Papa Smurf wanting Smurfette to marry him, as if that was really appropriate for a children's book. Of course, in another series of vignettes that appeared in the same book as "Romeo And Smurfette" (but along the same type of storyline), the other Smurfs razz Papa Smurf (and rightfully so) for making such a request.
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VIC GEORGE -- Westfield, MA, USA
Posts: 930 | From: Westfield, MA | Registered: Mar 2003
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Marianamersmurf
Smurf
Member # 1985
Member Rated:
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posted 02-23-2008 07:15 PM
This is a tricky topic. Although I strongly respect the gay community very much, I don't see why the Cullifords should change Vanity and potray him gay. For one, like you said Shane, the Smurfs is a family cartoon. Homosexuality is a very strong, heavy topic that it's hard for little kids to understand it. Second of all (in response to what you were saying earlier) the people who grew up around the Smurfs remember Vanity for being metrosexual. Usually people are comfortable with a fictional character by how the cartoonists originally created it.
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Marianamersmurf
Posts: 116 | From: Good ol' USA | Registered: Nov 2007
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VicGeorge2010
Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 02-23-2008 07:49 PM
The only thing that ever seems "sexual" about a Smurf is that a male Smurf typically goes ga-ga over the sight of a female Smurf, much like a Tex Avery cartoon wolf gets all excited over seeing a beautiful human female.
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VIC GEORGE -- Westfield, MA, USA
Posts: 930 | From: Westfield, MA | Registered: Mar 2003
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Raven Child
Moderator
Member # 795
Member Rated:
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posted 02-23-2008 09:43 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Vic George 2K8:
The only thing that ever seems "sexual" about a Smurf is that a male Smurf typically goes ga-ga over the sight of a female Smurf, much like a Tex Avery cartoon wolf gets all excited over seeing a beautiful human female.
Vic, I'm getting impression you may not have a full understanding what Metrosexual is. It is a term used when men (or in this case, Male Smurfs, lol) are obsessed with their appearance. They hate getting dirty so they always keep themselves clean and admire their reflextion any chance they get. Vanity Smurf certianly falls in that catigory.
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"The Raven Child"
http://www.theravenchild.com/
Egroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fanficsandfanart/
Smurf Egroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_smurf_village/
Posts: 1110 | From: Canada | Registered: Jan 2005
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Binky
Smurf
Member # 2693
Member Rated:
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posted 02-28-2009 02:45 AM
What an interesting question. For me, Vanity has always represented the epitome of a foppish dandy.
If Vanity is attracted to anyone, it is himself. As swarlock says, he stares at his own reflection most of the time. He doesn't pay particular attention to any of the other Smurfs, whether male or female, in the village.
Vanity is an autosexual. He seems to be in love with himself more than anyone else.
![[Vanity Smurf]](graemlins/Vanity_Smurf.gif)
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I smurf, therefore I smurf.
Posts: 61 | From: Schlumpftopia | Registered: Jan 2009
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DivineSheep
Smurf
Member # 1953
Member Rated:
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posted 02-28-2009 09:56 AM
WHAT?! why in the great wide world would such a detail be changed, when the originaly designated audience for the Smurfs are young children?
Other then the fact that children are not particularily aware of such things in the...sexual department...it wouldn't make any difference to them which way Vanity's "swings", seeing as it would be absolutely illogical and sick to insert- for example- a scene where Vanity (or any other smurf) engages in sexual activity, be it with a male or female.
It is just wrong on so many levels to imply- or rather simply portray- sexuality in a cartoon for toddlers.
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"Ohhh! we're the pepper pirates, we sail the seven seas, spices are our business, so pass the pepper please!"
Posts: 146 | From: Israel | Registered: Oct 2007
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Squeaky Smurf
Hering Smurf
Member # 2416
Member Rated:
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posted 03-09-2009 12:02 PM
I think I can understand Culliford family's attitude. After all, children of today are not the same of 20, 30 or 40 years ago. They have been used to receiving several adult messages through the media and are more accessible to several facts than other generations (I don't mean porn!). Still, all of this doesn't justify what they intend to do, since that's not originally an adult comic strip. It might "scramble" many little children's minds.
I'm totally against declaring Vanity as a homosexual. My opinion is the same of Printer Smurf's and Raven's: he's just a narcissistic guy. The flower on his cap - which might have made Peyo's family think about a possible sexual option (and some people in Brazil who used to watch the Smurfs cartoons told me so!) - is just an emphasis on his love for himself.
Posts: 1223 | From: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Registered: Jul 2008
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Squeaky Smurf
Hering Smurf
Member # 2416
Member Rated:
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posted 09-28-2009 08:05 PM
Now this topic reminded me an incident that happened to me last week. As you all know, one can't expect that all people on YouTube are polite. Unfortunately, once there, we all are subject to both friendly replies and others... not so much. So this happened to me! ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
On a YouTube page, where a Smurf cartoon was exhibited, a person declared Brainy (!) was gay. I replied I didn't think he was like that, but simply a toady guy. There! He (or she) called me 'homophobe' (is it right?), among other things. Of course I answered, adding that nobody is compelled to agree with each other...
I'd never imagine that a simple opinion could set off some problem. And just because some people have insisted on that some Smurfs are gay!
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
Posts: 1223 | From: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Registered: Jul 2008
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Smurfy1For2
Smurf
Member # 1224
Member Rated:
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posted 09-28-2009 10:54 PM
Hi Squeaky!
Don't listen to those jerks on youtube they're just trolling for trouble. Some people are cruel for the sake of being cruel. I would just ignore them!! They are not worth giving a second thought to.
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u wished u rocked as i
Posts: 875 | From: Fairfield, VA | Registered: Nov 2005
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Brainy Smurf Snaeha
Smurf
Member # 2823
Member Rated:
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posted 09-29-2009 03:07 AM
why don't you ask someone who have the
brainy smurf personality,squeaky?
without a doubt i really disagree with that "gay"
forum about smurfs! ![[Mad]](mad.gif)
i'm joined youtube just for a month and i just
noticed this a minute ago.
you know i'm was the children from 90s
less than 20 years so i admit i can handle the
offensive materials from today's world but
i'm was the type of guy that know exactly was is
do and don't and have some kind of mature's perspective than children's
but other teenagers or children don't so
in case of some guy from youtube declared smurfs to being gay "just plainly one track brain"
children of whatever they born from any era
still not allowed to watch this sexual issues!
not even with the smurfs!
vanity just narcissitic guy who likes to admire
himself in front of mirror.
everyone of us once do something like that before!
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Also known as Lil' smurf.
My personality is half-greedy
and half-brainy smurf.
Who knows? maybe i'll reveal
my true identity?
It's all about time to prove that
we're all the same family in this
village!
Posts: 163 | From: Bangkok,Thailand | Registered: May 2009
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Squeaky Smurf
Hering Smurf
Member # 2416
Member Rated:
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posted 09-29-2009 02:03 PM
Thank you, Smurfy! In fact what most surprised me wasn't really the impolite talk on YouTube or even the belief of some people in gay Smurfs. After all, as I had told before in this topic, many people who watched Smurf cartoons here in Brazil really thought so! The thing that put me astonished was seeing that some people are so presumed to be 'owners of truth', that doesn't allow others' opinion. Even about a cartoon character!
Brainy Snaeha, I'm sure you must have gotten amazed at seeing several comments on Youtube regarding Smurfs such as Vanity. You also must have read all of our comments above. Of course we think Vanity is simply someone who cares for his own appearance, I think the flower on his cap makes many people find he's homosexual, but in my opinion it's just an emphasis - as I said before. Peyo himself wouldn't imagine Vanity as a gay, even because the Smurfs stories were comics created specially for children. Yet Brainy, well, he's not gay at all, but just a pedantic wise-guy and toady, what didn't prevent him to be one of my favs - perhaps because I was a bit like him at my teens, hehehe... ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posts: 1223 | From: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Registered: Jul 2008
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VicGeorge2010
Smurf
Member # 300
Member Rated:
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posted 09-29-2009 04:02 PM
In a few words: very bad idea.
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VIC GEORGE -- Westfield, MA, USA
Posts: 930 | From: Westfield, MA | Registered: Mar 2003
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