The underpants scandal.

The latest victim of cancel culture is the great superhero Captain Underpants, or rather, Captain Underpants's co-creation by the same author and illustrator, Dav Pilkey. I'm not surprised at anyone being attacked by the woke mokes, but was confused about what happened in this case. The problem is supposed to be "passive racism" in a spinoff book. The New York Post reports:

The publisher announced it will no longer distribute Dav Pilkey’s 2010 graphic novel, The Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future, saying in a statement released last week that the decision had been made with the “full support” of the author.

The author, of course, issued a groveling apology: “But this week it was brought to my attention that this book also contains harmful racial stereotypes and passively racist imagery. I wanted to take this opportunity to publicly apologize for this. It was and is wrong and harmful to my Asian readers, friends, and family, and to all Asian people.”

So what the hell was in this book?

The credited George Beard and Harold Hutchins are the child protagonists from the Captain Underpants books, and let's be very clear that they are not supposed to possess genius intellects. I've only seen a couple of illustrations from Ook and Gluk, and nothing seems too shocking -- just appropriately dumb for a book by a couple of little boys.

[sic] their village

I found it hard to believe that any were published in 2010. It's not like this guy was doing cartoons about the Japanese during World War II, like Dr. Seuss; this was eleven years ago. What's the issue? 

Amazon and Barnes & Noble have already pulled it, and Scholastic has told libraries to burn it. To the fire! You are not of the body! But my library system allows digital downloads, so I borrowed one quickly before they got the word -- and discovered Mr. Wong of the kung fu school, who teaches the heroes martial arts and saves the day. 

So Mr. Wong in the Mr. Miyagi part is bad, but geez, everyone looks goofy in this book. That's the point. It's a funny adventure as told by two knuckleheaded boys. But there's your passive racism. Meh, I call BS -- Mr. Wong is a hero of the story; all the bad people and stupid people are white. Who cares?

I wondered also if the depiction of kung fu, or the use of the term itself, was, as they say, "problematic." Merriam-Webster defines kung fu as "any of various Chinese martial arts and related disciplines that are practiced especially for self-defense, exercise, and spiritual growth," so perhaps the spiritual aspect that makes it turn up in a kids' gag book also made it offensive. I mean, I don't think this is the equivalent of Ook and Gluk traveling to the future, being ordained as Catholic priests, and then defeating the enemies of "there villege" by consecrating the bread and wine.  

Hard to believe, but it was almost ten years ago now that Simon Ledger was arrested on the Isle of Wight for singing the 1974 #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit "Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas. "A man of Chinese origin" who was strolling by the karaoke bar took offense, reported the offensive disco classic to the police, and Ledger was hauled out by the bobbies. Ultimately he was not charged, but the point was made. In response, the irrepressible Mark Steyn has been singing the song at appearances ever since. 

I guess we know who's next on the chopsocky block:

Could be!

Never mind that Phooey is a non-racially-aligned dog. And being voiced by a black performer and being the "Number One Super Guy" will not save Hong Kong Phooey's hash. So far he's safe, but that won't last long. 

I have to wonder who really got under Scholastic's skin about this Ook and Gluk book. Was it the Communist Chinese Party, which has been throwing its weight around all over the place, in matters grave and pesky? Was it a group of Asian children, more concerned about stupid books than attacks on Asians in cities or denial of college admittances to Asian students? Was it a genuine kung fu master, offended by the slight? Or was it a bunch of white women who make it their focus to be offended all day, every day, even by things that don't offend them?

If it's the last, they ought to be careful -- I hear a lot of them like yoga, which Merriam-Webster defines as "a Hindu theistic philosophy teaching the suppression of all activity of body, mind, and will in order that the self may realize its distinction from them and attain liberation". Their flippant abuse of this spiritual philosophy sounds pretty offensive to the Hindus, you ask me. I would hate for the perpetually outraged Karens and their yoga mats to be cast into the outer darkness like Ook and Gluk.