The Politics of Smurfing
By Heather Poyhonen
Mon, October 23, 2006, 12:01 am PDT
Smurfs have been smurfing quite a stir since Belgian artist Peyo introduced them to the world on October 23, 1958. When Hanna-Barbera brought them to U.S. television sets in the early '80s, folks started accusing the sky-blue critters of being card-smurfing communists. They smurfed together in a commune-like setting, protecting themselves from Gargamel, a wretched capitalist who plotted to eat them or turn them into gold, depending on the episode. Some even believe that Karl Marx and Papa Smurf were separated at birth. (Nevermind that Papa's eternally 542 years old.) If the gossip wasn't about the Smurfs being commies, it was about their anti-feminist tendencies. Gargamel, after all, created the brunette Smurfette to wreak havoc on the village boys. Luckily, Papa smurfed a spell to pacify the lass. (Blonde locks and long lashes were just part of the makeover). The village smurfed over the blonde bombshell. And so did we. We couldn't get enough of Smurfette or the jolly Smurf dudes trying to impress her. We begged mom for Smurfberry Crunch, and us gals smurfed our hair obsessively to achieve our own Smurfette pompadour. Today, we suggest smurfing the politics in favor of singing: Happy Smurfday to you, enchanting village of blue.
