From: schwae@marcus.its.rpi.edu (Eric A. Schwartz)
Subject: Re: Fifi Ramblings
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 05:55:43 GMT

In article <1992Apr15.000659.21401@wam.umd.edu> vgriscep@wam.umd.edu (VGR (Craig Pell)) writes:
>In article <1992Apr10.230611.27749@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu> tswingle@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (Tom Swingle) writes:
>>This was from a story in Reader's Digest about a woman who had a skunk for many
>>years as a pet, and the skunk never had any odor except for one time when it
>>got trapped under the covers of her bed and sprayed in panic... it was really 
>>funny because the end result was the skunk had sprayed itself and as it turns
>>out they don't like the smell either... the skunk was frantically trying to 
>>wash itself to get rid of the smell afterwards.  (Tell it to try some tomato
>>juice :-) ).
>
>Nowwwwww we're getting somewhere.
>You're totally correct, of course;  except that I've never seen a skunk or
>any mustelid exhibit revulsion at its own spray.  Most just clean themselves
>casually after spraying, as necessary.
>
My ferrets seem to like their own scent, as do my otters.  As I understand
it, though, skunks don't.  I think mink like their own smell, though
it is generally considered much more nauseating than skunk.  Skunk is
somewhat of an irritant on skin and eyes (more than somewhat so in
eyes), while mink isn't, so it may not be entirely a dislike for the scent
that makes skunks reluctant to spray themselves.

>However ... Fifi is a toon skunk.  The way I see it, toon skunks are meant
>to smell nearly all the time, if only because it's funny.  Aren't all animal
>toons based on half-truths?  Do rabbits burrow with their ears?  You get the
>idea.  And for goodness' sake, Fifi doesn't even look like a skunk.  Not only
>is she purple, she's built like a squirrel (which always bugs me some).  So

If squirrels were built like that I'd lie in my back yard covered in
penut butter!  Being a biped, she isn't typically skunklike, but she
is most certainly recognizably a skunk.  And while purple isn't the
most common color for skunks, I think it is just an exaggeration of
the natural irridescence of fine fur.  Johnny Pew is blue, and that
bimbo he gave Fifi's picture to was red.  My otters' normally brown
fur looks green and blue in some light.
    
>I think it's fair to assume not everything that applies to *Mephitis* can be
>applied to Fifi.  If Pepe smelled of spray of continuously, it's likely (I
>didn't say certain) Fifi does, no?

She isn't Mephitis, she's Sexius.  Actually, I've heard that the reason
Pepe smelled (yes, it is because he's a skunk) was because he was French.
It is a common stereotype that the French don't bathe much, and so
stink.  So they drew a French skunk as a joke about it.  Don't take that
as cannonical, it's just a rumor I heard.  But one that makes sense.
 
>Oh ... and real female skunks don't wear skirts.  :-}   :-}
>
Fifi doesn't wear a skirt.  She wears nothing but a bow in her (lovely)
hair.  Babs looks good well dressed, but rabbit fur is several grades
below that of mustelids, so Fifi is well dressed naturally.

Though she did wear clothes in a few episodes and scenes.
 
>>Sorry... a little off the subject, but good news to all the Fifi fans out 
>>there!  (I'm included in that group, BTW.)
>
>...We love her for these flaws, don't we?  Sure....
>
Flaws?  You mean that she lives in Acme Acres and not Troy, NY?

E.S.