Bad Tuesday: The BANNED Chapter of Mary Poppins

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▼ Timestamps ▼
» 0:00 - Text is Forever
» 3:23 - Sponsored by Raycon
» 4:42 - Bad Tuesday
» 14:49 - Revisions

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▼ Credits ▼
» Researched by: Jon Solo
» Written & Directed by: Jon Solo

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#messeduporigins #disney #marypoppins

[cmariedesign]

I read Mary Poppins around 1959, when I was 8. By that age, I had a good grasp on the difference between fiction and reality, and all I remember from that chapter is the pictures — I recognized them immediately! As someone raised by Dr. Seuss (a person’s a person no matter how small), I believe what I recognized was that Mary Poppins liked and respected these people, and they liked and respected her. As an American child, the entire book was fantasy, starting with the concept of a “nanny.” What an idea! 😊

[AnimaMandala]

A similar thing actually happened in the Mary Poppins stage musical, for the song "Temper Temper". Jane and Michael are portrayed as unlikable brats because of their lack of proper nurturing. Mary eventually takes note of their frequent temper tantrums and how it causes them to be rough with their toys. After she leaves their bedroom, their toys start coming to life and become human sized, and begin chastising the children about how their tantrums end up hurting others, even putting them on a full on trial. The later half of the song becomes more aggressive and terrifying for the two, and they are given a guilty verdict, but before a sentence can be carried out, they all disappear and Mary reenters the room. I was lucky enough to see this with my grandmother, but this number gained some notoriety for frightening younger audiences. So later productions replaced it with a more tame song called "Playing the Game." It tries to basically teach the same lesson, but I don't think it really delivers in the same way. But that's just me.

[toyotatacoma]

The thing here is that it genuinely doesn’t feel malicious, just cartoonishly out of touch. It also helps that it wasn’t actively censored, but rather the original creator decided to do a revision based on her own sensibilities. Really no offense to take from any possible approach here.

The book banning however was awful, no book should be removed from a library. To do so is to miss the point of a library entirely.

[moondoor]

I think these ban of chapters of words in old books are a way of censorchip... Because it will give the impression that literature in the past were all perfect and politically correct, this is a way of changing the past and the problems that people at that time had in a society. So by reading some offensive thing from a book of the past we can compare with how things had changed with the literature we have now.

[ZeoViolet]

Oh, I remember that original chapter. My local library had several versions of the original _Mary Poppins, _ and a few of the books were older and thus, contained the older chapter version. Reading it again as an adult, I found it quite distasteful. The author was asked to rewrite it when times caught up to more modern values, and she willingly did so, just like how _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_ changed the little people in the book from African Pygmies to Oompa-Loompas in future editions.

I like history, and you have to accept the bad with the good. There is a lot to be said by reading or viewing material that reflects the thinking and values of the time, no matter how upsetting or distasteful you find it, doing so for a better view of those times. Preservation and understanding the past might help prevent that sort of thinking again in the future. The same goes for contemporary material that aims for historical accuracy in depicting historic events. Nothing worse than whitewashing history. The thing I do support, however, is perhaps waiting until children are older and are able to better grasp concepts such as values dissonance before having them exploring such examples of how people viewed things in the past.

[dingodawg]

Hey Jon, could you please make an episode about the origins of John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt?

[kandipiatkowski]

Your search for the Mary Poppins book sounds about like my search for the 1932 movie Freaks. I just got it today, after finding a copy on ebay that no one had bid on yet. I got it for .99 plus $4 shipping. I can't wait to watch it!

[nellywilliams]

I wish they wouldn’t change these things. It’s gives us insight into people’s feelings and frame of mind and attitudes!!!

[JennyRose]

I suffer from FIMS... Foot In Mouth Syndrome.

[Dr.Mlieko]

Honestly, I'd be angry too if some bratty kid summoned me without warning from my home to be part of their temper tantrum, I'd be pulling out my valaška as well

also, replacing all the people with animals kinda feels worse
feels like some sort of cultural erasure

[KatieAliceGamer]

Honestly I think that Helen Goff/P.L. Travers changed the stereotypes begrudgingly because it would have affected her sales. I doubt she cared that much about her readers.
As seen in Saving Mr. Banks, she was very difficult to work with. Not only that, but one of the Sherman brothers actually called her a witch in a documentary about them making the music for Disney 😂
They didn’t show this in the movie, which I’m glad of, but in 1939 she suddenly decided she wanted to be a mother and adopted an Irish twin (actual twins not the cheeky phrase) separating him from his brother. And when motherhood wasn’t exactly how she pictured it, she sent him off to boarding school. She was not exactly the nicest person despite writing an iconic character.

[bug]

I feel like them attacking him was to teach him a lesson for the way he was acting in the story

[yolman]

Judging works from decades ago under a modern lense is never gonna be a good idea. Every piece of work is a product of its era

[icaliver]

Now we have the opposite problem, TOO much information that can’t be simplified and even if one details is left out the world becomes uncomfortable to a group who can’t take things with a grain of salt.

[Clodsire_lover]

“Like the time I pushed my grandma down the stairs”

*“…What-“*

[Phoenix]

Thank you for doing the research and this review. I find the peculiarities of history, especially literature, and "scandalous", "banned", or otherwise revised literature fascinating. Anytime anyone is banning something, I like to see for myself. If I get the chance, I'll probably one day acquire these different versions to see for myself. I'm sure books like this are not 100% politically correct, by today's standards, but when compared to actual racism, and other actual societal problems, it's beyond absurd. Kind of like the people who get all upset about the foul language you're using, but can't be concerned at all about the homeless, people starving to death, endless futile wars where millions are killed, rigged economy, millions going without health care, lack of affordable housing, etc., etc., etc.

[kaiumeda]

13:20 nice effects you sound like Alastor ( the demon who always talks like an old timey radio)

[Eddieavina]

Love your video, Jon Solo, and keep up the great work you are awesome

[EBThisThat]

Given the time in which she revised her work, it completely makes sense, but honestly, I really love old books just to see how perceptions have changed over time.

[brantjustilian]

I’ve already been to powwow‘s in Florida and Indian reservations in both North Carolina and Alabama. The time in Alabama was just a New Year’s Eve celebration. While powwows today are a lot similar to other vegetables and fairs just minus the rides and replace the usual bands with ceremonial dances. As a Cajun I respect natives because all they’re doing is trying to keep the culture alive.