. . . though such an exercise is extremely taxing with things like the Rump-Scents Administration's POTUS, or THE OLYMPIC CHAMP. The number of people seeing a Silver Lining in the former bloated bozo of a storm cloud (as in, "At least he's showing us how NOT to be President") is growing smaller by the day now. Similarly, the faction excusing the animated offerings of the notoriously lazy bunch churning out eyesores such as THE OLYMPIC CHAMP by saying, "We'd probably never realize how GREAT the Looney Tunes are were it not for these rodent droppings!" is down to a slim few as well. THE OLYMPIC CHAMP is populated by a sole boring "Goofy" figure, coupled with a droning narrator. By way of contrast, despite the fact that "Bugs Bunny" has more humor in his little finger than Goofy harbors within his entire lanky frame, Warner Bros. usually provides Bugs with at least two or three top-notch co-stars, including Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and Yosemite Sam (each of them funnier in turn than anything spewing out of the over-rated Mouse House). It's no wonder that the latter cartoon cartel has bribed the U.S. Congress to pervert America's copyright laws: In the Free Society of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt, "Steamboat Willy" would have been permanently eradicated by Free-Thinking Exterminators through their ample supply of rat poison 75 years ago!

"The Olympic Champ" is a 7-minute color cartoon from 1942. Olympics 1940 and 1944 were cancelled because of World War II, but this did not keep Disney from coming-up with a Goofy cartoon about the Olympic Games. The difference between this one all the other sports-themed Goofy cartoons with narration voiceover is that in here several sports are covered, basically all of them belonging to athletics as initially as the introduction we take a journey several centuries back to Athens where it all began. Okay that part was only mildly funny I must admit, but it gave us the looks of a Goofy sphinx and that was a true highlight. It gets more entertaining afterward peaking comedy-wise during the hammer throw sequence in which the narrator unluckily won't tell Goofy he needs to let go of the hammer. Or maybe luckily because knowing Goofy, God knows whom he might have hit. Anyway, the result is that he manages to build an oil rig. Don't ask me why or how. Just watch. Funny stuff. The pole vault sequence before that wasn't shabby either. Actually I was surprised how long he managed to stay up there and also how high he got. He may not have succeeded with the key goal for pole vault, but he kinda succeeded in his own way. So i think this was an okay watch overall, not one of my most or least favorite Goofy cartoons, but I like the dog and also George Johnson is not really known too well today anymore for Goofy despite speaking for the character on several occasions in several short films. everybody nowadays thinks of Pinto Colvig. Anyway, as for this one here, it is a thumbs-up, just not a too enthusiastic one.

Disney movies, shows and shorts have always had a large place in my heart, and I have always considered Goofy one of their best, funniest and most unique characters. It is very easy to see why in The Olympic Champ. The animation is beautifully done, it is crisp and colourful and the colours really do have a sense of life to them. The music has often been one of the best things about the Disney shorts, the rousing and texturally rich feel that the music has in The Olympic Champ ensures that it is not an exception here. It also does a fine job of enhancing the action and humour. The slyly written and thoughtfully voiced commentary/narration occurring throughout is just another strong asset, and how the running track is demonstrated and Goofy running around with a torch were fun, uplifting scenes. The gags are similarly clever, the one with the oil derrick especially is hilarious. Maybe there are more tighter paced Disney shorts around, but there is still great energy and I didn't find it dull really for a second. Goofy this time doesn't take on different characters and personalities, he is here just his appealing everyman persona demonstrating all the Olympic tactics to the audience. To decide which of those personas he's better at is difficult, as he is so great at both and at no point does it feel out of character when he does either, and he certainly excels here. Overall, beautifully animated and very funny with a likable and perfectly placed lead character. 10/10 Bethany Cox