Augustus Gloop Is No Longer Fat

[outofplace]

The publishers of Roald Dahl's books is releasing edited versions of novels such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to make them less offensive. For example, Augustus Gloop will no longer be "enormously fat." He will just be "enormous."

Critics reject changes to Roald Dahl books as censorship

Penguin Random House even found a way to monetize the controversy, agreeing to publish what it is calling "classic" versions of the books with the original language.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/ente...sic-versions-censorship-backlash/11337687002/

I read something about the same thing being done to some of Ian Fleming's James Bond books. No more ***** Galore!

Don't get me wrong. There are some words and phrases in there that are genuinely inappropriate, but censoring the work of people who aren't alive to speak up for their writing is a problem even if we may not like those people. (Dahl apparently had a history 0f anti-Jewish comments, so it's not like he was innocent.)

I'm not sure if this was published somewhere else, but I thought we should have a thread about this sort of censorship.

 

[Azrael]

We've been at this a while.

Never works.

'Huckleberry Finn' re-write: Political correctness or censorship?

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

The publishers of Roald Dahl's books is releasing edited versions of novels such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to make them less offensive. For example, Augustus Gloop will no longer be "enormously fat." He will just be "enormous."

Good, because enormously fat is redundant.

 

[bumpy mcgee]

Good, because enormously fat is redundant.

Wicked Witch no longer really most sincerely dead, just dead.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Wicked Witch no longer really most sincerely dead, just dead.

The Wild, Wild West is now just the Wild West.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

Augustus Olive Oil?

I do occasionally like spinach on my pizza, so the ultimate Popeye mashup isn't crazy.

(ADD: Absolutely not an intended crossthread from elsewhere. But it works, so I can still giggle.)

 

[The Big Ragu]

I feel very sorry for Wonka. This nonsense is gonna cost him a fortune in fudge.

 

[outofplace]

Good, because enormously fat is redundant.

Perhaps, but a person can be enormous without being fat, whether they be extremely tall, muscular, or both.

 

[bigpern23]

As a fat guy, I have to say this is the kind of thing that makes people think liberals are assholes.

 

[The Big Ragu]

As a fat guy, I have to say this is the kind of thing that makes people think liberals are assholes.

Sorry, you are not allowed to be a fat guy anymore. Lose weight.

 

[bigpern23]

Sorry, you are not allowed to be a fat guy anymore. Lose weight.

I’ve been canceled!

 

[Pilot]

As a fat guy, I have to say this is the kind of thing that makes people think liberals are assholes.

I can't believe this is how the vote went at the Big Liberals Meeting To Vote On ****. I didn't expect Biden and AOC to both give such passionate speeches about the topic. But they did, and the Big Liberal voters were obviously influenced. What can ya do?

 

[Big Circus]

We'll get two new versions of the Dahl bibliography from this - the new version and the "original version." Only marks will buy either one.

 

[User 4332]

Always amusing to me when a business decides to tweak its product in order to protect its ability to keep making gobs of money off that product and people cry "censorship."

Dahl himself re-wrote the Oompa Loompas in Charlie & The Chocolate Factory between the first edition and later editions in response to comparable concerns raised while he was alive. I don't feel the slightest bit cheated that the version I read as a kid did not describe them as African or depict them as essentially being slaves.

 

[outofplace]

Always amusing to me when a business decides to tweak its product in order to protect its ability to keep making gobs of money off that product and people cry "censorship."

Dahl himself re-wrote the Oompa Loompas in Charlie & The Chocolate Factory between the first edition and later editions in response to comparable concerns raised while he was alive. I don't feel the slightest bit cheated that the version I read as a kid did not describe them as African or depict them as essentially being slaves.

Dahl making changes is not the same thing as a publishing company doing it.

 

[bumpy mcgee]

We'll get two new versions of the Dahl bibliography from this - the new version and the "original version." Only marks will buy either one.

It worked for Taylor Swift.

 

[User 4332]

Dahl making changes is not the same thing as a publishing company doing it.

The Roald Dahl Story Company is the rights holder and was owned by his children and grandchildren at the time they started this process. They subsequently sold the company to Netflix, but his grandson remains its top executive.

Dahl made the changes, which were significantly more substantive than anything done now, for similar reasons. I see little difference.

 

[outofplace]

The Roald Dahl Story Company is the rights holder and was owned by his children and grandchildren at the time they started this process. They subsequently sold the company to Netflix, but his grandson remains its top executive.

Dahl made the changes, which were significantly more substantive than anything done now, for similar reasons. I see little difference.

They may own it now, but they are not the creators of the material. They have every right to make the changes, but I understand the backlash.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

It worked for Taylor Swift.

That is some funny, funny ****.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Perhaps, but a person can be enormous without being fat, whether they be extremely tall, muscular, or both.

That's a fair point. For instance, you're an enormous jerk and salary caps are enormously stupid! #SJClassics