People Claim ‘Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer’ Is ‘Seriously Problematic’ Due To Its Bullying

Dec 03, 2019

Around the holiday time, there is a litany of activities that many families and friends find themselves partaking in. While many find pleasure in wearing their favorite holiday sweaters, buying gifts for their loved ones, and baking cookies, nothing quite compares to sitting together to watch a holiday film.

Whenever people think about their favorite holiday films, it’s understandable that “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is one that many would put at the top of their list. It’s an incredibly enjoyable film, and no doubt considered one of the classics at this point in time.

The story has been around for several decades, with many people having grown more familiar with the film than the books that feature Rudolph. Still, it’s safe to say that he’s a well-known Christmas character.

However, despite being arguably one of the most iconic Christmas films of all time, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” has apparently sparked controversy, with some claiming that the plot is so problematic that the movie should even be banned. Critics have been vocal about the problematic plotline, claiming that Rudolph was bullied by Santa Claus and the rest of the reindeer because of Rudolph’s staple bright red nose.

This all changed, however, when Santa realized that he would need Rudolph’s help in order to distribute gifts to children around the world in time for Christmas. This, some say, underlines the awful treatment Rudolph previously endured from his peers.

The debate has since sparked a huge conversation on social media, with many saying that the movie is just an innocent Christmas movie that should not be taken so seriously. 

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” first aired back in 1964. The movie was digitally remastered in 2005. Generations and generations of people have grown to love the holiday film for its eclectic characters and the cheeriness it typically brings.

But back in 2018, many people started noticing some potential problems in the movie “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” While many still saw it as a cheery, wholesome Christmas film, others couldn’t help but notice that it seemed like some of the content matter may be darker than they originally noticed.

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” has been called “seriously problematic,” according to HuffPost. Fox News elaborated on the other outlet’s perspective, saying, “Viewers are noticing the tale may not be so jolly after all. And they’re sharing their observations online.”

According to HuffPost, many people took to Twitter to share some of their thoughts on the film. Some tweets were quite sarcastic, while others were downright hilarious. And while many of them were poking fun at some of the movie’s dramatics, others said that this film might need to be re-examined more closely.

One Twitter user said, “Oh no. It’s #RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer. I don’t have strength to watch this again. Those poor elves. That bully with the whip. Abusive deer. Dentist shaming. Unloved toys. It’s too much.”

Another user pointed out, “And speaking of #RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer, what the ultimate bully comeback. Those reindeer and their games.. very, very mean. We know Rudolph saves the day in the end, but it hurts to watch. Little, dear Rudolph.”

A third person added, “My saddest takeaway in #RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer is how dismissive & mean #santa is when they first the red nose. Really Santa?!?!”

It’s a topic of conversation that even made it to various television talk shows. During a 2019 episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” comedian John Mulaney spoke with host Jimmy Fallon about Rudolph. Mulaney said:

“First off, you don’t just erase the abuse. Secondly, ‘You’ll go down in history’, that’s a claim. And fame and love, I hate to say it, but fame is not love.”

Some people even suggested that the movie be banned.

However, others argued that the movie is meant to be looked at in a more lighthearted way. According to PEOPLE, Whoopi Goldberg said, “People accused Santa of being a bully. Don’t they know the song?” The talented women gave a dramatic reading of the famous song before continuing:

“Where is the problem? He’s a kid that nobody believed in and suddenly they realized he is special, he is who he is for a reason. And he becomes the hero. Where’s the problem?”

People have even gone so far as to do studies on why Rudolph’s nose was red in the first place. The BMJ came to these conclusions:

“The nasal microcirculation of reindeer is richly vascularised, with a vascular density 25% higher than that in humans. These results highlight the intrinsic physiological properties of Rudolph’s legendary luminous red nose, which help to protect it from freezing during sleigh rides and to regulate the temperature of the reindeer’s brain, factors essential for flying reindeer pulling Santa Claus’s sleigh under extreme temperatures.”

No matter what your take on this holiday film is, it’s safe to say that Rudolph certainly will go down in history.

Do you think Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is problematic? Let us know in the, and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family.