Birds Anonymous

Birds Anonymous is a 1957 Merrie Melodies short directed by Friz Freleng.
== Plot ==
Sylvester catches Tweety and is about to eat him, but he is interrupted by another cat named Clarence. Clarence claims that eating birds can become a serious addiction, and hands Sylvester a business card for a support group called Birds Anonymous. Sylvester goes to a meeting and hears the testimony of several cats and decides to kick the habit. Back home, he turns on the television, but a cooking program featuring a roast bird tempts him. He turns on the radio to distract himself, but it plays "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob-bob-bobbin' Along". He handcuffs himself to the radiator so he can't reach Tweety, but desire overcomes him, and he pulls it right out of its fittings. He grabs the bird, but just as he is about to pop it in his mouth, Clarence shoots a plunger in Sylvester's face to stop him.
That night, Sylvester can't sleep because he is in withdrawals. "Just one," he rants, "I'll quit after just one more." He grabs Tweety, and Clarence stops him again by pouring alum in his mouth, which makes him pucker so much that he physically cannot fit Tweety inside. Sylvester attempts to use a straw to pull Tweety into his puckered mouth, but to no avail as the straw breaks. Sylvester finally breaks down sobbing, admitting he can't help himself. Clarence demonstrates how to love birds without eating them. He plants a kiss on Tweety's head, but the taste of the bird overcomes him, and he starts chasing Tweety himself. Shocked and angry, Sylvester intervenes and tries to restrain him. Tweety remarks, "Wike I said before, once a bad ol' puddy tat, awways a bad ol' puddy tat!".
== Television ==
* The Merrie Melodies Show (1972–1978)
* Sylvester and Tweety (1976–1977)
* The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show (1979–1981; 1983–1985)
* The Daffy/Speedy Show [CBS] (1982–1983)
* The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show (1986–1990; 1995–2000)
* Looney Tunes on Nickelodeon (1990–1995)
* Acme Hour [Cartoon Network] (1999–2003)
* The Bugs and Daffy Show [Cartoon Network] (1999–2004)
* The Looney Tunes Show [Cartoon Network] (2001–2004)
* Looney Tunes on Boomerang (2003–2005; 2013–present)
* Looney Tunes on Cartoon Network (2009–2015)
* Bugs Bunny and Friends [MeTV] (2021–present)
* Toon In with Me [MeTV] (2021–present)
== Availability ==
W UK10562 LooneyTunesVideoShowNo9The.jpg|(1984) VHS The Looney Tunes Video Show Volume 9
24Karat-FrizFreleng.jpg|(1985) VHS A Salute to Friz Freleng
Stark Raving Looneys cover 1998.jpg|(1993) VHS Stark Raving Looneys
lt bodyguard ukr.jpg|(1993) VHS The Bodyguard (UK rental only)
SYLVESTER AND TWEETY'S BAD OL' PUTTY TAT BLUES.jpg|(1994) LaserDisc Sylvester and Tweety's Bad Ol' Putty Tat Blues
Bumper01.jpg|(1994) VHS Special Bumper Collection (Vol. 1)
TweetAndLovelyVHS.jpg|(1998) VHS Looney Tunes Presents Tweety: Tweet and Lovely
LTCE VOL 13 COMIC CAT-TASTROPHIES.jpg|(1999) VHS Looney Tunes: The Collectors Edition Volume 13: Comic Cat-Tastrophies
A1L-oj097sL. AC SL1500 .jpg|(2003) VHS Tweety & Sylvester (2003)
Golden Collection box 3.jpg|(2005) DVD Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3, Disc Four
lt cas4.jpg|(2006) DVD Looney Tunes Collection All Stars Volume 4
Lt academy award animation collection.jpg|(2008) DVD Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Academy Awards Animation Collection, Disc 1
lt spotlight 7.jpg|(2009) DVD Looney Tunes Spotlight Collection: Volume 7, Disc 2
SuperStars SylvesterAndTweety.jpg|(2010) DVD Looney Tunes Super Stars' Tweety & Sylvester: Feline Fwenzy
lt bbot s.jpg|(2011) DVD Sylvester
Best of Warner Bros. 50 Cartoon Collection- Looney Tunes.jpg|(2013) DVD Best of Warner Bros. 50 Cartoon Collection: Looney Tunes
LTPC Volume 3 Cover.png|(2014) Blu-ray Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 3, Disc Two
LT Platinum Collection VOL 3 DVD Cover.png|(2014) DVD Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 3, Disc Two
lt ssfm2.jpg|(2017) DVD Looney Tunes Super Stars Family Multi-Feature Vol. 2, Disc 2
lt cv3.jpg|(2018) DVD Looney Tunes Collection Volume 3
=== Streaming ===
Lt boomerang.jpg|Boomerang App ( - )
Lt hbo max.jpg|HBO Max (2020 - 2022)
Lt max.jpg|Max (2024 - )
Lt itunes.jpg|iTunes ( - ) (restored)
== Notes ==
* This cartoon won the 1957 Academy Award for best animated short subject. Before producer Eddie Selzer died, he gave the Oscar to Mel Blanc. The Oscar is now with Mel Blanc's family.
* This cartoon was included in Bugs Bunny's Easter Special, Bugs Bunny's Thanksgiving Diet, and Friz Freleng's Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie (edited for time), which names the unnamed cat Clarence.
* The working title was "Twee-Teetotaler".As heard in the music-only track on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 3 and Looney Tunes Platinum Collection Volume 3
* Unlike most Warner Bros. cartoons reissued during the 1959–64 season, the original closing title is kept.
== Gallery ==
BirdsAnonymousCredits1.png
BirdsAnonymousCredits2.png
l.sku1334.jpg
Birds-anonymous.jpg|Lobby card
BirdsAnonymousLobbyCard2.jpg|Lobby card
=== TV Title Cards ===
30.png|The Merrie Melodies Show
== References ==
== External links ==
* "Birds Anonymous" at the SFX Resource
 
Category:Sylvester Cartoons
Category:Tweety Cartoons
Category:Academy Award winners
Category:1957
Category:Shorts
Category:Merrie Melodies Shorts
Category:Cartoons directed by Friz Freleng
Category:Blue Ribbon reissues
Category:Re-released cartoons whose original titles are known to exist
Category:Cartoons written by Warren Foster
Category:Cartoons with music by Milt Franklyn
Category:Cartoons with layouts by Hawley Pratt
Category:Cartoons with backgrounds by Boris Gorelick
Category:Cartoons with film editing by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons with sound effects edited by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons with orchestrations by Milt Franklyn
Category:Cartoons produced by Eddie Selzer
Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Mel Blanc