Disney Is Axing "Culturally Insensitive" Character From Park After 50 Years
Country Bear Jamboree is the latest Disney ride to get an updated makeover.
In recent history, Disney has taken notable strides in creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for parkgoers. The beloved ride It's a Small World now features dolls in wheelchairs, and racially insensitive illustrations of Indigenous people have been removed from the Jungle Cruise attraction. Just last month, Walt Disney's World Magic Kingdom unveiled the brand-new Tiana's Bayou Adventure to replace the controversial Splash Mountain log ride at both parks. And now, Disney is continuing its efforts by issuing an eviction notice to one of its contentious longtime characters.
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After 50 years, Liver Lips McGrowl is hanging up his microphone. The "culturally insensitive" bear will no longer be part of the vibrant animatronic cast in the Country Bear Jamboree attraction at Magic Kingdom, reports Disney blog Inside the Magic.
Country Bear Jamboree reopens to the public today following a seven-month overhaul. Eagle-eyed guests will notice several key changes, the most recognizable of which might be the absence of Liver Lips McGrowl.
According to Inside the Magic, Liver Lips McGrowl is no longer part of the band because his name is "considered derogatory and offensive, as it is associated with excessive alcohol consumption and the resulting liver damage."
TheStreet also reports that the term "liver lips" is a "derogatory and offensive racial slur" that was once used against Black communities to "describe the color or shape of their lips as sickly or unhealthy."
Taking Liver Lips McGrowl's place is Romeo McGrowl. He will be joined by all the original 17 bandmates, including Big Al, Henry, Trixie, Wendell, Teddi Barra, and Ernest.
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The reimagined attraction will also debut brand-new music produced and arranged by country singer-songwriter Mac McAnally.
According to Variety, the Country Bear Jamboree will perform hits from Disney classics like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Mary Poppins, Frozen, Toy Story, The Jungle Book, and Coco. McAnally will also lend his vocals to the voice cast.
"I first saw the Country Bears as a teenage musician and it bolstered my pride in the acoustic musical heritage of the rural South. I next saw the show with my own kids and sat amongst multiple generations of families from all over and felt that common bond that lasts a lifetime. It is my great blessing to get to be a part of the continuation of the tradition and I have done my best to honor the spirit of the Bears and the great Disney songbook as well as the heart and soul that runs through the veins of country music. And just maybe it explains why I've been singing in a Bear voice for several decades before this opportunity came up," he said in a statement to Variety.
The attraction's original closing number, "Come Again," will also be featured, confirmed McAnally.
