In August 2020, the ABC temporarily removed Bluey episodes “Teasing” and “Flat Pack” from ABC iview after a complaint about the phrase “ooga booga.” The broadcaster said the phrase had been used as children’s irreverent rhyming slang, but it had not known of its potentially derogatory meaning. ABC changed the dialogue before the episodes returned; the reported schedule was for 2020 and does not establish whether either episode is available on iview now.
Why did ABC remove the episodes?
ABC News reported that the corporation received a complaint on June 28, 2020, initially about “Teasing,” a first-season episode. ABC found the same phrase in “Flat Pack,” from season two, and temporarily removed both episodes while their dialogue was edited. The complaint raised concerns about racial connotations and a problematic history for Indigenous Australians, according to ABC’s account.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Bluey: Seasons 1-3 (DVD) | $14.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Bluey: Complete Seasons One and Two (DVD) | $15.96 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Bluey: Season Three (DVD) | $13.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Bluey: Season One | $11.25 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Bluey: Season Two (DVD) | $11.25 | Buy on Amazon |
A spokesperson speaking for ABC and Brisbane-based production company Ludo Studio said neither the broadcaster nor the producers knew the phrase’s potentially derogatory meaning. The spokesperson described the intended use as “irreverent rhyming slang often made up by children.” ABC apologized to the complainant for the distress and called the language inadvertent. That is the broadcaster’s explanation of the circumstances, not an independently established finding about intent. ABC News’ account, published August 20, 2020.
Which Bluey episodes were affected?
- “Teasing” — a season-one episode and the subject of the original complaint.
- “Flat Pack” — a season-two episode in which ABC said the same phrase also appeared.
ABC reported that an edited “Flat Pack” was already available on iview when its August 20 report was published. “Teasing” was scheduled to be replaced on September 8, 2020. Those dates describe the historical edit rollout; they do not confirm either episode’s current availability on iview or on other services.
#1 Best Overall
What did “ooga booga” mean in the dispute?
The dispute involved a difference between the phrase’s intended use, as described by the producers, and its racialized meaning. ABC’s report quoted the Macquarie Dictionary’s definition as: “A stereotypical rendering of what the speaker regards to be the language of those deemed by them to be African savages.” ABC News attributed that wording to the Macquarie Dictionary.
ABC described the complainant’s concern as involving racial connotations and a problematic history for Indigenous Australians. That is distinct from the dictionary definition quoted in the report, which describes a stereotype associated with African people; the two descriptions should not be conflated.
Rank #2
What changed, and what is known about the return?
ABC said both episodes were temporarily removed while dialogue was changed. Its contemporaneous report gave the 2020 return schedule, and 7NEWS also reported that the episodes had been reworked and described the expected timing. Neither historical schedule verifies today’s catalog listings or whether dialogue is the same across platforms and territories. 7NEWS’ contemporaneous report.
In its statement reproduced by ABC News, the broadcaster said: “The ABC has a strong record for giving voice to Indigenous Australians and an ongoing commitment to helping reduce discrimination and prejudice and in this case, the language used was inadvertent.” ABC identified the speaker as an ABC spokesperson; the statement was not attributed to a named individual.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteQuick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
Rank #3
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
