Why did they choose to have Pumbaa fart?

[BrianGriffinFan]

It's was a disgusting, and doesn't help a character who, along with Timon, was already pretty hated by some people. Heck, there are at least some people who like Timon since he has some more characterization in the midquel and TV series (in the case of the latter, I think it's implied he honestly hated Pumbaa, but since it's not part of the films' universe, it doesn't matter).

[Gaze]

probably because kids like fart jokes. Pumbaa's gas problem is maybe the only part of the film that is really explicitly geared towards children (with the rest being significantly more fit for appealing to a wider range of ages). i'm cool with letting the fart-joke-lovin' kids get one tiny aspect of the film that was presumably put in especially for them, yknow?

plus, I honestly think it makes the relationship btwn Timon and Pumbaa a little sweeter. Pumbaa has a very embarrassing issue but Timon sticks right by his side anyway. yeah, I'd prefer for there to be no fart jokes at all, but hey....farts are part of life, man

[BrianGriffinFan]

The first half of the film has cub Simba and Nala, so it feels like a generic kid film

[Gaze]

I don't think that Simba and Nala being cubs necessarily makes that portion of the movie strictly a 'kid zone'. the dialogue and antics btwn Simba and Nala are very entertaining in their own right, plus quite a bit of the scenes with cub characters are very serious in nature (Mufasa's 'circle of life' lesson, Simba and Nala's near-death by hyena, Mufasa's talk with Simba, and of course Mufasa's death).

the way in which cub Simba and Nala's scenes are meant to entertain vs. the way Pumbaa's farts are meant to entertain are just pretty different imo.

gotta say I'm a little surprised to see you on a TLK fan forum if the whole first half of the film feels like a "generic kid film" to you, hahaa

[Carl]

Well, the fart jokes were added as comedic relief following heavy stuff, and besides amusing kids (and some older viewers as well), they give Pumbaa a character flaw instead of just being a nice guy. Personally, because of their personalities, I prefer Pumbaa to Timon, and the fart jokes had no bearing at all on this. I've never been bothered by them and don't get why anyone would make a big deal about them, yet, people do...

[BrianGriffinFan]

Isn't Pumbaa's flaw that he's dimwitted?

[Carl]

If he's so dimwitted then why is he the one who comes up with the plans that Timon then takes credit for?

[BrianGriffinFan]

[quote="Killjoy Dixon"]If he's so dimwitted then why is he the one who comes up with the plans that Timon then takes credit for?[/quote]

Well, I guess. But I'd rather he be dimwitted than the source of the bathroom jokes LK just had to have.

[Captain Cupcake]

To the film's credit, they stayed away from executing the gas joke too blatantly. Instead of actually throwing in a grating farting sound, they implied it through the instrumentation of the music, so the focal point was more to do with Pumbaa's shame and the ridiculousness of it all. It wasn't there to be some childish noise that could get a cheap laugh from the dodo brained kids.

Funny enough, the joke that I think falls flat is the part afterwards, where Timon stops Pumbaa from saying the word "farted" in front of the "kids." Not only is it insanely dated, since the word really isn't considered that vulgar(heck, even back in the film's time, it REALLY wasn't considered that bad, nor did other movies aimed at the same demographic have trouble using it), but the fourth-wall joke doesn't even work right, because it requires a specific audience that isn't always going to be there. It would have been wiser to just said "kid," in reference to Simba himself.

[Amadi_the_Guard]

I've always liked him more then Timon, to be honest. Pumba seems to be much more kind and understanding, and also he's the first one to suggest taking Simba in, as well as going to Pridelands after him. He is often the voice of reason for Timon, even though he's too... I dunno, dependant on him, to speak his opinions loudly.


He is physically strong, and that's also helpful on several occassions, like when he drags Simba after he is hurt after Zira ambushed him. Kiara and Timon couldn't have done that!

As for him being stupid. Well, I personally disagree - if anything he felt somewhat naive and childish to me, and a little selfless.
His fart jokes don't bother me - and I don't think it's his sole purpose either, because if we take them out we'd still have a lot of Pumba left.