This is Just Wrong

Giving in to the pleading of my youngest son, we went to see the movie "Barnyard" this fall. The film is based on the premise that there is more to farm animals than outward appearances, and we poor humans are just not privvy to the secret lives of our barnyard dwellers (although we seem to be the object of their ridicule).

Ok, so the movie was fun to watch, but as a person who is up close and personal with bovine anatomy, it was disturbing to see the male characters of Otis and his father, Ben (king of the barnyard) sporting udders.

Hello!!! Who did the research for this movie? I know for a fact they knew the difference between cows and bulls from spying a definitely male bovine sporting a nose ring in the background of the crowd shots. Apparently I'm not alone. Thousands have voiced the same question only to be answered by writer/producer/director Steve Oedekerk that udders are simply 'funny'.

He goes on to say that he spent a nanosecond thinking about the dangling anatomy and said udders on the male characters weren't meant to define gender. (Oh, thank goodness. Imagine trying to sort animals by voice alone at milking time?) In the movie, Oedekerk said his lead characters Otis and Ben are clearly men and the women (chickens and cows) are clearly women. "There's no weird stuff that's going on. It just looks funny," said Oedekerk in an interview with Reel Reviews.

Sam Elliot who plays the masculine (although udder-bedecked) male cow leader, Ben, said he also struggled with the anatomical correctness before taking on the role. I guess he said it best. "what else are they going to put down there (Otis and Ben) and still maintain the family friendly rating? Hmmmmmm. Definitely got a point there!