Release Date:

September 2, 1950

Main Character(s):

Daffy Duck, Porky Pig

Summary:

Daffy Duck is the host of the sadistic radio quiz game program, “Truth or AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!” with Porky Pig as the unlucky contestant, who is forced to pay the penalty every time he either fails to answer a question correctly or in time.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1129 and was released as a Looney Tune.

The cartoon was given a Blue Ribbon reissue. In the reissue, the original title card is inexplicably replaced with a new one, but thankfully the credits and music are still intact.

“Truth or AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!” is parody of “Truth or Consequences”.

The title is a pun for the 1947 film, “The Hucksters”.

There is an educational history website called “Ducksters”, that I remember using when I was in 5th grade (2015-2016). Obviously, it made me think of this cartoon.

One of the penalties is Daffy tying Porky up and putting dynamite sticks in his ears and mouth where he must name all 48 states before the explosives go off. Obviously, this cartoon was released before Alaska and Hawaii had become states so afterwards, it would have been all 48 contiguous states.

When Daffy has Porky meet the famous celebrity, “Miss Shush”, Daffy confides that Miss Shush is actually, “Mamie, the 600-pound gorilla who appears in Obnoxious Pictures’ ‘Jungle Jitters’”. There actually WAS a Warner cartoon with that title, and is also one of the notorious Censored Eleven. However, Daffy is probably referring to a fictional picture with that name since the cartoon does not feature a gorilla.

The cartoon is notable for having a dark ending gag that leaves a character’s fate uncertain. Another instance of this occurring is in Freleng’s “Roman Legion Hare” (1955). MGM would also do this in the infamous Tom and Jerry cartoon, “Blue Cat Blues” (1956).

The cartoon also shows why one criticism of later cartoons is very illogical. People seem to complain about how Daffy was portrayed when he was the nemesis of Speedy Gonzales from 1965-1968 because they viewed him as being too cruel and out of character, but they don’t seem to mind him being cruel in this cartoon or in several other cartoons where he’s in his jerk persona, particularly when paired with Bugs. If Daffy was a mean guy ONLY in his pairings with Speedy, that criticism would make sense. As that’s not the case, I view it as an invalid criticism.

The cartoon was restored for the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 1 DVD set in 2003 in its normal pitch and with the correct end theme. The 2020 HBO Max re-restoration of the cartoon is inexplicably low-pitched and even more inexplicably uses the incorrect end theme (I seriously do not understand why for the 2020 re-restorations of cartoons originally restored for the first two Golden Collections, the HBO Max crew didn’t just simply re-scan the Golden Collection masters in HD with absolutely no alterations made whatsoever, apart from bumping up the picture quality. Even so, I still don’t think the HBO Max re-restorations look THAT much better than the Golden Collection restorations).

What I Like About This One:

The rendition of “I’m in Love” under the opening credits (the title is hilariously ironic for this cartoon considering its premise. Presumably, Carl Stalling must have thought that also when he chose this tune for the credits).

The cartoon begins with a tied up Porky heading towards a buzz saw as he desperately answers, “Th-th-th-th-the cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney!” Daffy shuts off the buzz saw just before Porky comes into contact with it and tells him, “You’re absolutely correct!” He then runs back to his microphone, “And let me remind you again, folks, that you’re listening to ‘Truth or AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!’, brought to you by the Eagle Hand Laundry. If your eagle’s hands are dirty, we’ll wash ‘em clean!” Daffy then points towards Porky in an evil tone, “Now back to our contestant” and does an evil laugh (animated by Phil Monroe).

Daffy asks Porky, “Who was the father of our country?” Porky begins to answer, “Eh, w-w-why that’s simple. G-George W-W-”, but his stuttering prevents him from answering in time as Daffy repeatedly mallets him on the head while an alarm clock loudly rings, “Oh, I’m sorry! Time’s up! You don’t get the Super Chief, but you’re still the winner of the Rocky Mountains, a 17-jewel Half-Nelson, and the La Brea Tar Pits!” “Eh, l-lucky me”, a dazed Porky says in a weary, unenthusiastic tone. Daffy then asks Porky, “Would you like to continue or, uh-?” to which Porky begins to hesitate: “Well, I-I don’t know. I ,uh-” Daffy whispers to him, “Don’t be a sucker, chum. The next question’s a snap!” An offscreen voice from the audience shouts out, “You’ll be sorry!” Irritated, Daffy pulls out a rifle and shoots the guy who said that! (animated by Monroe)

Daffy’s next question for Porky is, “What was Cleopatra’s aunt’s maiden name?” Porky asks if he means her maternal aunt or her paternal one to which Daffy warns, “Here, watch your language, bud. We’re on the air”. Before Porky can answer, Daffy cuts him short, claiming he didn’t answer and bangs a bell over Porky’s head before telling him he “must pay the penalty”. Said penalty is tying Porky up and sticking dynamite sticks in his ears and mouth and having to name all 48 contiguous states before they explode. As Porky nervously lists them out, “M-M-Montana, Ariz-z-zona, N-N-New Jersey….” (animated by Monroe) Daffy shouts in the microphone in an amused tone, “AREN’T WE GRUESOME!?” The explosion happens offscreen (animated by Emery Hawkins) as Porky lists out another state, dazed: “D-D-Delaware…” (animated by Ben Washam).

Running back towards him, Daffy tells Porky, “You’ve paid the penalty. Now would you like to continue?” Before Porky can answer (“Eh, w-well, uh, I..”) , Daffy interrupts him, “That’s the spirit! And for being such a good sport, I’m going to give you a crack at the super deluxe jackpot question!” (animated by Ben Washam) The question is “who, mind you, who was the referee in the New Zealand Heavyweight Championship fight in 1726?” Porky answers Arbuckle Dreen, to which Daffy looks at his paper in shock as to how Porky knew that. Figuring an audience member told him that, Daffy angrily informs, “No coaching please!” He then attempts to stump Porky again by asking him who Dreen’s second grade teacher was. Porky knows this also: Abigail Twinch. Daffy again gives a bewildered look at his paper and announces, “This program’s brought to you by the Eagle Hand Laundry. Does your eagle have dirty mitts?” (animated by Ken Harris)

Porky asks for his jackpot at having answered correctly so Daffy begrudgingly decides, “Oh well. Fair is fair” and upon handing it to him, says, “Here’s your pot, Jack”. Porky tells him, “B-b-but my name isn’t Jack”. Daffy asks, “It’s not? Oh, I’m sorry. This pot was made for Jack. Jackpot, get it?” After putting it away, Daffy gives an alternative, “Your name isn’t Jack, so you must pay the penalty”. He comes back with a device that has two buzzers for Porky to push. “Good, clean, wholesome fun!” Porky pushes one that causes a safe to land on his head. After Porky comes out of the safe, Daffy encourages, “You’re a great sport! A great sport!” Porky asks, “Eh, eh, could I please take my prizes and g-g-go home now? I-I’m not feelin’ too well”. Not listening, Daffy interrupts, “And for being such a great sport, I’m going to let you push the other button and win a prize”. After Porky pushes the other button, the Rock of Gilbraltar falls on his head (animated by Harris up to here). Daffy pulls him out from under the rock and also announces, “And that’s not all! The gentleman also wins 600 gallons of genuine Niagara Falls!” (animated by Washam)

After Porky gets drenched by the falls atop his head, he asks Daffy, “M-m-may I go home now W-W-WITHOUT my prizes?” Daffy retorts, “Shut up and don’t be such a spoilsport”. Daffy next plays a passage from an opera on a piano with Porky having to guess which opera it is. Daffy plays only one single note and has Porky guess. Porky guesses, “C-C-Cavalleria Rusticana?” On cue, Daffy asks, “Audience?”, to which the audience answers in unison, “Rigoletto!” “So you must pay the penalty” (animated by Washam).

Porky complains, “B-b-but I don’t want to pay the penalty. I wanna go home.” Daffy threatens, “Listen, mac. You’ve got 32 teeth. Would ya like to try for 16?” Irritated, Porky demands, “Are you th-th-threatening me, sir?” and grabs Daffy by the throat, “F-f-for if you ARE, by Gadfrey-” Daffy screams, “HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLP!” before calmly speaking into the microphone, “This call for help came to you through the courtesy of the Eagle Hand Laundry” (animated by Washam).

“Why bruise your little white hands on me?”, Daffy asks. “I’m going to give you a chance to win this genuine Little Crusher Brass Knuckles”. After getting down from Porky’s grasp, Daffy announces he has a surprise for him. If Porky can correctly guess who “Miss Shush” is, he’ll give him 26 million dollars and 3 cents. As a clue, he plays a record which he says is, “the sound of Miss Shush brushing her teeth on Wednesdays” (animated by Washam). After Porky guesses if Miss Shush is Lauren Bacall, Daffy replies, “Oh, I’m sorry. But don’t be discouraged. Miss Shush is right here in the studio, and I’m going to let you meet her”. Daffy has Porky walk up to Miss Shush’s movie star door, to which Porky is excited to have in his autograph collection. After shutting the door, Daffy snickers and confides, “Miss Shush is in there alright. But what I didn’t tell him was that Miss Shush is Mamie, the 600-pound gorilla who appears in Obnoxious Pictures’ ‘Jungle Jitters’”. After Porky is beat up by “Miss Shush” offscreen, an unconcerned Daffy announces, “Next contestant please” (animated by Lloyd Vaughan).

Coming out beaten up, Porky is fed up and is about to attack Daffy. To save himself, Daffy gives Porky the jackpot 26 million dollars and 3 cents. Porky immediately goes to the phone and asks to speak to the president of the Ajax Broadcasting Company. After the unseen president of the company is put on the line, Porky asks, “Eh, hello? How much will you take for your r-radio company?” He learns that they’re willing to sell it for the exact price as the jackpot: “Uh, uh, 26 million dollars and-and 3 cents? Eh, eh, sold!” and hangs up. Realizing he’s screwed, Daffy nervously says, “Hello, boss” when Porky walks up to him smirking. Porky then snatches the paper from him and asks, “In w-w-what Latitude and L-L-Longitude did the Wreck of the Hesperus occur?” Daffy begins to answer, “Well, I-” but the alarm clock immediately rings as Porky gleefully mallets Daffy on the head, “Oh, I-I’m sorry. T-t-times up. So, y-y-you must pay the penalty!” Dazed, Daffy asks, “Anyone for tennis?” before he is drenched by the 600 gallons of Niagara Falls, and then the safe falls on top of him, followed shortly by the Rock of Gilbraltar (animated by Vaughan up to here). In the final shot, Daffy is seen tied up and heading towards the buzz saw as he shouts, “Have you got a doctor in the balcony, lady!?” (animated by Monroe)

Where Can I Watch It?

At toontales.net!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕