Kids Movie "Show Dogs" Edited Due To Outcry About "Child Grooming"

The people responsible for the children's film Show Dogs have apologized for a scene that appears to normalize an aspect of child grooming. We actually broke this several days ago before the filmmakers agreed to edit the film due to the outcry. The film will be edited to remove the two scenes involving unwanted genital touching. The movie is about a police dog who is infiltrating a dog show to uncover a kidnapping ring. One issue he has is having his genitals inspected. He is encouraged to dissociate and find his "zen place" while it's going on. Besides, if he doesn't submit to the unwanted touching then he won't be able to "crack the case."

https://thegoldwater.com/news/26921-Is-Kid-s-Movie-Show-Dogs-A-How-To-For-Child-Grooming

This sort of encouragement to "find a happy place" and ignore what is going on to await a reward later is common in cases of child grooming and molestation. Dawn Hawkins of the group National Center on Sexual Exploitation released a statement regarding the "multiple scenes where a dog character must have its private parts inspected, in the course of which the dog is uncomfortable and wants to stop but is told to go to a 'zen place.' The dog is rewarded with advancing to the final round of the dog show after passing this barrier. Disturbingly, these are similar tactics child abusers use when grooming children – telling them to pretend they are somewhere else, and that they will get a reward for withstanding their discomfort. Children's movies must be held to a higher standard, and must teach children bodily autonomy, the ability to say 'no' and safety, not confusing messages endorsing unwanted genital touching."

https://thegoldwater.com/news/24547-Ren-And-Stimpy-Grooming-Scandal-Overshadows-Dan-Schneider-Story

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Is the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Metoo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Metoo</a> movement going to have rallies and call for a boycott of <a href="https://twitter.com/ShowDogsMov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShowDogsMov</a>? Do they not care about children who are victims of pedophilia, or children who could be because <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShowDogs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShowDogs</a> tells kids to accept being inappropriately touched?</p>&mdash; Michelle Sabrosky (@3xthreatmomma) <a href="https://twitter.com/3xthreatmomma/status/998587089225629698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2018</a></blockquote>

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The production company, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/show-dogs-scenes-cut-genital-touching-sexual-abuse-message-complaints-kids-movie-a8366726.html">Global Road Entertainment has apologized</a> "to anybody who feels the original version of 'Show Dogs' sent an inappropriate message." If you'll notice, it's not much an admission of culpability. They even tried to justify the scene noting that such examinations are common practice at dog shows. The primary screenwriter of the film, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/23/entertainment/show-dogs-controversy/index.html">Max Botkin, has distanced himself</a> from the scene claiming it was not in his initial script and that he was uninvolved in te rewriting process which involved 12 uncredited writers in addition to a co-writer credited.

https://thegoldwater.com/news/21631-Nickelodeon-Finally-Parts-Ways-With-Top-Producer-And-Long-Suspected-Pedophile

Botkin's statement read as follows: "I absolutely condemn any suggestion or act of non-consensual touching in any form, as well as disassociation as a coping mechanism for abuse of any kind. I understand and empathize with the parents' and groups' concerns regarding the message the movie may impart."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">THREAD: The SHOW DOGS scandal is worth a MUCH deeper dive. Scores of human beings consider and look at a movie from the concept to distribution. Dozens worked on the shoot. And it didn&#39;t OCCUR to ANYONE that this movie was normalizing abuse? BULLSHIT.</p>&mdash; Joe Gross))) (@joegross) <a href="https://twitter.com/joegross/status/999713488657317888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2018</a></blockquote>

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The blame being placed on "one of 12 uncredited writers" seems like a game of pass the buck to me, but on the bright side, the outrage of parents, child abuse victims and advocacy groups resulted in the film being recut. Normalizing grooming scenarios in a kid's film is incredibly perverse and considering the "grooming camps" for wannabe showbiz kids that exist in Hollywood it wouldn't be a far stretch to consider the possibility that this scene was appended specifically to advance an agenda.