The Politics of ZIM
Posted by Eliza Gauger
A few brief seconds of footage deleted from an episode of Invader ZIM in which a door-to-door candy-selling competition turns into an arms race. The footage was from a simulated reel of destruction projected into the holo-goggles worn by potential candy buyers, to show them exactly what would happen, were they not to purchase chocolate treats. ZIM himself is narrating, of course. The shot was removed, at the cost of broadcast punctuality, because a flaming New York City was considered too 9-11ish.
The show was plagued by the political ramifications of current events. The pilot episode had to have parts re-drawn when a fight in a cafeteria was adjudged too like the Columbine shootings.
Categories: Politics, Artists, Censorship, America, Animation, Aliens, Clips, Art
Posted at 4:02 am on October 11, 2007
6 Comments -
Wow, I’d never seen this before. I have to study my DVD’s more closely.
I remember a rumor that ‘Walk for your lives!’, where a bomb is exploding at an extremely slow rate was scheduled to come out the week after 9/11. I’m not sure if it’s true or not, but the thought makes me chuckle.
What makes Zim great is that it is always inappropriate regardless of current events.
Comment by Shon — October 11, 2007 @ 7:06 am
heh heh… Zim is awesome. i still thing that Mortos der Soulstealer is the best episode.
that, plus a “SAMMICH!” equals legendary lulz.
Comment by zanbowser — October 11, 2007 @ 9:15 am
Same episode has a great depiction of American children consuming a disturbingly large mound of what I can only imagine to be cocktail franks, tv blaring in the background.
And lasers.
Nice catch.
Comment by Narkalant — October 11, 2007 @ 9:31 am
This is so cool. Zim was so misplaced, so mistreated.
My favorite line ever, the one that makes me laugh just thinking about it:
DIB: (licks arm) I’m delicious!
Comment by zoembie — October 11, 2007 @ 5:49 pm
I could have sworn that they said in the commentary that they changed it because it had the Statue of Liberty and they didn’t want the location of the show to be tied to any specific city, much less New York.
Comment by arsnof — October 11, 2007 @ 6:39 pm
@zoembie:
DIB: What will we do now, Zim?
ZIM: Let’s run screaming.
Comment by Jesse — October 12, 2007 @ 12:30 am