Country Bear Jamboree Controversy Explained — Why Disney Changed The Name Of A Popular Theme Park Character

The Country Bear Jamboree avoided a tricky controversy in September 2023 when it rebranded and changed the name of a well-known character in the animatronic band. The Country Bear Jamboree is an animatronic musical exhibit found in Magic Kingdom at both the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Tokyo Disneyland at Tokyo Disney Resort, though called Country Bear Theater in Japan. Country Bear Jamboree first opened in Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971, and was so well received, plans were immediately made for a similar attraction in Disneyland (via WDWMagazine).

That Disneyland location was eventually taken down, but Disney World's has been going strong since. One of the last attractions Walt Disney himself helped design, the Country Bear Jamboree is the brainchild of legendary Imagineer Marc Davis. Disney wanted an audio-animatronic concert attraction for a ski resort he planned to build, but the resort was scrapped and Davis instead built it for Walt Disney World. The show features a band of animatronic bears singing country songs as they move around the stage. A recent update to the attraction saw a notable character revamped.

Disney Replaced "Liver Lips McGrowl" In The Country Jamboree Attraction After For Being Offensive

Liver Lips Is Considered A Derogatory Term In Some Circles

In September 2023, it was announced that the "original" Country Bear Jamboree would be replaced with the "Country Bear Musical Jamboree" in 2024 (via WDWNT). The new show is similar to the old one but with the bears singing country-inspired versions of classic Disney songs. Most of the bears are unaltered, but Disney did quietly change one bear. Liver Lips McGrowl was one of the original Country Bears, but he was replaced with Romeo McGrowl in the updated version. Disney did not give an official reason for the change.

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However, considering Disney's previous efforts to remove "potentially problematic" characters from its park, it's likely the company found Liver Lips McGrowl a possible problem (via TheTimes). "Liver lips" is a slang term used to describe large, swollen lips, which are often linked with excessive alcohol consumption and liver damage. It has also been historically used as a racist term to stereotype Black people in America.

It's likely Disney didn't want to risk courting controversy with a name that could be considered insensitive and outdated.

It's likely Disney didn't want to risk courting controversy with a name that could be considered insensitive and outdated. Instead, they replaced Liver Lips McGrowl with Romeo McGrowl, who has the same recognizable pout as Liver Lips, but now sports a sky-blue jumpsuit and blonde hair. He looks a little more like a Hank Williams-Rhinstone Cowboy-type but plays the same part in the band.

Other Major Disney Parks Controversies Explained

Disney Rides And Attractions Are Frequently Updated And Reimagined

The Conutry Bear Jamboree playing a song.

There have been many Disney Park controversies over the years. With multiple theme parks, inevitably, something is going to go wrong or is not going to age well in the decades since they were constructed and opened to the public. In 2023, Disney World closed the famous Splash Mountain ride after it was criticized for having racist roots thanks to its association with Song of the South (via NBCNews). It was reimagined as The Princess and the Frog ride called Tiana's Bayou Adventure.

In 2021, the Imagineering team at Disney updated the Jungle Cruise ride to remove negative depictions of natives (via Time). In 2018, Disney updated the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. The auction scene of the attraction originally had pirates selling off women for marriage. Now the pirates are selling off stolen goods (via Variety). Those aren't the only issues that Disney has had to deal with at its parks, and it will likely have to keep dealing with them. Like the Country Bear Jamboree change, any alterations are sure to be met with controversy.