Tar Baby

The Tar Baby is an object from the 1946 Disney film, Song of the South, the animated segments of which are based on the Uncle Remus stories compiled by Joel Chandler Harris. The term "tar baby" is viewed as having a negative connotation towards African Americans. This "controversy", among other racial issues, has, thus far, prevented the release Song of the South on home video or DVD in the United States.

Song of the South
In the second animated segment of Song of the South, Brer Fox is determined to catch Brer Rabbit. Using tar and items from Brer Bear such as buttons from his jacket (for the eyes), the bowl of a corn-cob pipe (for the nose), and hair from his tail (for hair), he makes the Tar Baby. He and Brer Bear take it to the road. After putting Brer Bear's hat on the Tar Baby, they hear Brer Rabbit coming and hide behind a tree and nearby bush.

As Brer Rabbit sees the Tar Baby, he greets it with, "How do you do?", but receives no response. He tries again and still, naturally, receives no reply. Then Brer Rabbit, perceiving the inanimate Tar Baby's unresponsiveness as rudeness, to punches it. He gets his fist stuck in the tar. He hits it again with his remaining hand then kicks it, but the more he fights, the more stuck he gets. He becomes so entrapped in the tar that "he could scarcely move his eyeballs." Then Brer Fox and Brer Bear come out of hiding and dance around Brer Rabbit with glee.

Brer Fox prepares to cook Brer Rabbit "right there and now". Then Brer Bear walks up with the intention of knocking Brer Rabbit's head off. As Brer Fox pulls Brer Rabbit out of the tar, Brer Rabbit sees a briar patch. He begs Brer Fox to not throw him in the briar patch, prompting him to do just that. When he does, Brer Rabbit pretends to yelp in pain, as Brer Fox and Brer Bear take off their hats in respectful silence. Then Brer Rabbit appears and reveals that he was born and raised in a briar patch, which causes Brer Fox to feel humiliated for being tricked again.

Splash Mountain
In the Splash Mountain rides, located at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, and Tokyo Disneyland, Brer Fox catches Brer Rabbit in a beehive. Originally, the Tar Baby was to be used, but it was changed, possibly to avoid the same controversy which has plagued the public release of the film in the U.S.