Bugs Bunny was asleep in his rabbit-hole quarters when a rumbling ruckus from above disturbed his sleep. He ventured up to find he’d been resting under a basketball court being used four rowdy bullies. After asking the reason for all the noise the bullies assaulted Bugs. To the famously attitudinal bunny their actions meant war.
Bugs straps on his custom Nike basketball sneakers, introducing himself to his adversaries as Hare Jordan. And he wasn’t about to play them alone. To their surprise Bugs’ teammate was Chicago Bulls’ 6’6” All-Star Michael Jordan aka Air Jordan.
The duo of Hare and Air quickly made a mockery of the foul quartet, perplexing them with blurring speed, fruit pies to their faces, an anvil, and an array of slam dunks. Hare Jordan even disguised himself as a women to create a diversion for Air Jordan to score an easy bucket. Needless to say, the Jordans were decisively victorious.
His official creation credited to late sketch master Tex Avery, Bugs Bunny’s first appearance was a 1938 animated short. The mascot of Warner Bros. and face of their Loony Tunes cartoon brand, WB’s fictional gray rabbit was as famous as any real-life television or movie star.
Bugs bested hunters, out pirated pirates, and even won a seemingly unwinnable baseball game singlehandedly. Audiences cheered his antics and wisecracks, making him a universally loved character for generations.
By the mid to late 80s, however, the overall popularity of Looney Tunes had faded. Things swung back in their favor, especially for Bugs Bunny, after cameos in 1988’s Oscar-winning hit, Who Framed Roger Rabbit; its mix of animation and live action gave Warner Bros. a brilliant idea. During Super Bowl XXVI in ‘92 they teamed Bugs with the most popular and marketable athlete in the world, Jordan, for what’s become an iconic Nike commercial. |THIS.
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
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