Disney World removed a beloved character that had been a staple at the theme park for over 50 years because it was considered “insensitive and outdated” and could offend alcoholics.
Liver Lips McGrowl, one of the 18 animatronic bears from the “Country Bear Jamboree” at Magic Kingdom, will not make his grand return alongside the other robotic mammals when the attraction reopens on Wednesday after a seven-month hiatus.
Name associated with alcohol abuse
The term "liver lips", which is considered derogatory and offensive, is associated with alcohol abuse and the damage it causes to the liver, as stated by the Disney Inside the Magic blog.
The term is also considered a derogatory and offensive stereotype used against Black Americans to describe the shape of their lips as sickly or unhealthy, according to Street.com.
Will it have a replacement?
Instead, McGrowl will be replaced by Romeo McGrowl, a bear with the same last name and a facial appearance similar to Liver Lips, but with a James Dean-style hairstyle. Romeo joins the furry ensemble of Harry, Big Al, Wendell and Teddi Barra, Ernest the “Dude”, Terrence “Shaker” and Trixie along with the “Five Bear Rugs”.
The removal of Liver Lips McGrowl is part of a broader trend at Disney in which the park has taken on a "commitment to address and rectify outdated or culturally insensitive elements within its attractions," the blog post says.
The attraction, a fun moment to "pat your knee" inside the rustic Grizzly Hall theater, will reopen as the "Country Bear Musical Jamboree" attraction in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom.
Liver Lips’ Songs
Liver Lips is only attributed one song during his participation in the show from 1971 until January 2024, “My Woman Ain’t Pretty (But She Don’t Swear None)”.
A Reddit user recorded a video of himself singing the song on January 26, 2024, the last day the attraction was open before the renovations. The post mentioned that the attraction was filled with many fans who were there to say goodbye to the beloved musical show.
"The caption read, 'To say that the shows that day were amazing would be an understatement,' it said. 'The last show I saw him in was a few hours later, and one of the last ones before it broke. If you can imagine, the crowd was even louder and almost drowned out the bears when they sang.'"
Other changes
In addition to the change of character, a completely new script and soundtrack will be released, according to Variety. Mac McNally, a country singer-songwriter best known for his decades-long work with Jimmy Buffett, was in charge of producing and arranging the new soundtrack.
McNally's voice will also appear in country versions of Disney hits "Bear Necessities" and "Fixer-Upper."
In addition to the songs from "The Jungle Book" and "Frozen", the new soundtrack contains an original song, "Country Bear Musical Jamboree", and other interpretations of country music classics, including "The Little Mermaid", "Mary Poppins", and "Aladdin".
The only song that will remain from the original soundtrack after the renovation will be the closing number, “Come Again.”