reynardo | Essential Education in a Mad World.

Last night I contributed greatly to the education of my family.

I obtained, from the library of the University, a videotape of "Red Hot Riding Hood", a Tex Avery cartoon classic. Both

lederhosen and my son were tired after a long day, and my husband had the added stress of preparing to travel to Melbourne for his aunt's funeral. There was absolutely nothing on the box (gee, thanks, Big Brother, for taking over from the Simpsons) so I told them to brace themselves, then started the tape up.

Riding Hood as a nightclub singer, Grandma as a mature female in a gorgeous red dress and stunning figure. The wolf doing his utmost to get away from Grandma who would have been all too happy to share her bed with him.

And the rest of the tape had a variety of Very Silly Cartoons. Classic Rule-Of-Three gags. Early "Droopy" and a pig that actually sounded a little like Elmer Fudd.

I'm hitting the tapes again next week, to see if I can find a copy of "The Three Little Bops" (Three Pigs as jazz-playing nightclub owners and the wolf wants to join them). And the cat, the dog and "You Forgot the Gravy" - a cartoon made as a hidden analogy for prostitution and I never realised for years. And other classics.