Bugs Bunny accidentally transformed the word nimrod into a synonym for idiot because nobody got a joke where he sarcastically compared Elmer Fudd to the Biblical figure Nimrod, a mighty hunter.
Etymology is ridiculous and terrifying sometimes
Bugs Bunny is more powerful than God
He also solidified the idea of rabbits loving carrots when carrots actually carry very little nutritional value for rabbits. The funniest part of that is that the original joke was a reference to a Clark Gable film where Gable munches on a carrot, it was never meant to imply that rabbits love carrots. The Clark Gable reference would’ve been obvious to audiences in the 40s but it has been pretty much lost to time.
Bugs Bunny has too much power and should be feared.
More good examples that media and fiction actually do impact reality and social perceptions
Many long-lasting cartoon characters have significantly outlasted the cultural icons they parodied. I’d wager the Flintstones get more recognition than the Honeymooners by a good margin, and everyone knows Shaggy Rogers, but nobody knows Maynard G. Krebs. I never heard of Phil Silvers, but i grew up watching reruns of Top Cat.
