Bugs Made His First Appearance In 1938 Bugs Bunny appeared kind of by accident. Warner Bros. had success with Daffy Duck and wanted to reuse some of his jokes in a new short. Someone suggested they “dress the duck in a rabbit suit” and Bugs was born.
On April 30, 1938, Bugs appeared with Porky Pig in Porky’s Hare Hunt, and the rest is history.
Warner Bros. created Bugs Bunny in the 1930s, and the slick rabbit has been dominating TV screens around the world ever since. Bugs Bunny is fast-talking, smart, and always getting into trouble. But there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the legendary rabbit.
Who would ever think that a cartoon character would have so much scandal and history behind them? Lean up against a fence, pull out a carrot, and enjoy these entertaining facts about Bugs Bunny. From his humble origins to a possible clothesless scene (yes, it’s possible), there is more to Bugs than just two big ears and a fluffy tail.
He Got His Name From His Animator
Chuck Jones is the longtime animator of all things Looney Tunes, but Bugs Bunny’s original designer was Ben “Bugs” Hardaway.
When Hardaway was tinkering with the original design of Bugs, fellow employees would refer to the new cartoon character as “Bug’s Bunny.” The name caught on, and Warner Bros. changed the cartoon from Happy Rabbit to Bugs Bunny.
The Creators Had To Make Sure Bugs Didn’t Look Like A Bully
The creators were really worried about making sure that Bugs didn’t come off looking like a bully. It was an unwritten rule that Bugs didn’t start the fights, but that he would only be defending himself against people who were bothering him.
That’s why many of the shorts start with Bugs minding his own business before Elmer Fudd or Daffy Duck begins to pick a fight.
He Has Only “Lost” A Fight Four Times
Bugs doesn’t pick the fights, and he rarely loses them either. Cecil Turtle always beats Bugs because the two are supposed to be like the Tortoise and the Hare. A Gremlin and a nameless mouse are the other two to win against Bugs.
He’s also only lost once to his arch-nemesis Elmer Fudd, in What’s Opera, Doc.
Clark Gable Inspired Bugs’ Carrot Eating Habit
Quite a few actors inspired Bugs’ mannerisms, but one of the easiest to compare is Clark Gable in It Happened One Night.
In the film, Gable plays a fast-talking, city slicker reporter. For one scene, he is shown leaning on a fence and chomping away on carrots. Sound familiar?
He’s The First TV Drag Queen
Step aside Ru Paul, the original queen is here. Many have noted over the years how Bugs Bunny was way ahead of his time with his gender-fluidity.
Bugs will often change into female clothing and adopt a female personality. Then he will switch right back to being a male bunny.
Not all drag queens are gay, but that doesn’t stop fans from creating fan theories about Bugs.
Is It Possible That He’s Gay? Theories Swirl
His ability to dress in drag with no problem supports many fan theories that Bugs might be gay. In 2007, creator Mel Blanc’s son Steve said that Bugs “had a long and unrequited love” with Elmer Fudd. The catchphrase “What’s Up, Doc?” was even used as the password to get into the Hammer Club on the Sunset Strip.
Despite the theory, Bugs only has two official love interests: Honey Bunny and Lola Bunny.
Bugs Saved His Creator From A Coma
Okay, Bugs Bunny himself didn’t come to life and perform CPR. But In 1961, Mel Blanc was in a car accident that left him unconscious in a coma.
Doctors couldn’t wake him up for weeks until on surgeon, as a joke, said “Bugs! Bugs Bunny! How are you doing today?” and Blanc replied, “Eeee, what’s up Doc?”
He Doesn’t Wear Clothes, But Bugs Bunny Still Has A Nude Scene
Every scene is a nude scene for a rabbit, but during The Wabbit Who Came To Supper, there is a little more than meets the eye. In the cartoon, Bugs gets out of the shower — with his rumored lover Elmer Fudd waiting outside — and wraps a towel around himself.
For a split second, there appears to be something slip out the front of the towel that doesn’t look like his usually fluffy tail. Children, avert your eyes.
WW2 Turned Bugs Into A Propaganda Machine
Just like Mickey Mouse, Warner Bros. and the Looney Tunes cast were a big part of the American propaganda machine during WW2. Here, Bugs is pictured pretending to be Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.
In Bugs Bunny Nips The Nips, Bugs is at war against Japanese soldiers. The short only aired briefly but was pulled from the Looney Tunes collection because of its racist portrayal of the Japanese.
He Has A Star On The Walk Of Fame
Bugs Bunny is one of the first two cartoon characters to land a coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Bugs got his star in 1985, just seven years after his rival cartoon character Mickey Mouse.
Now, he is one of seventeen cartoon characters with a star, and the only character from Warner Bros. entertainment.
The Term “Nimrod” Means “Idiot” Thanks To Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is so influential in American culture that he is the sole reason why America uses the term “nimrod” to mean idiot. Before Bugs, nimrod referred to a mighty hunter, named after the Biblical figure Nimrod.
Bugs would sarcastically compare Elmer Fudd to Nimrod, and America picked up the phrase.
Bugs Is An Honorary Member Of The US Marines
During Super Rabbit, of his many WW2 propaganda shorts, Bugs Bunny appears to be wearing the dress blues of the US Marines. Because of this, the Marines named him an honorary Marine Master Sergeant.
Bugs also served as the mascot to several divisions of the US Marines for years following WW2. He’s a true patriot!
Mel Blanc Would Eat Carrots While Recording
One rumor that seems never to go away is that the creator and voice of Bugs Bunny, Mel Blanc, was ironically allergic to carrots. Well, the rumor isn’t true.
In fact, Blanc was known to get so into character that he would chomp on carrots during recording sessions to make the sound more realistic.
Mickey Mouse might be one of the most iconic cartoon characters, but Bugs Bunny holds some impressive records over Mickey.
Bugs Bunny Is Officially A Rabbit, Not A Hare
Even though Bugs debuted in A Wild Hare, he is most definitely not a hare. A hare doesn’t live in a burrow, and their fur color will change over time.
Even though biologist rule that Bugs is most definitely not a hare, the cartoon uses the terms interchangeably because there are no rules in the Looney Tunes universe.
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