. . . in Warner Bros.' animated short, RABBIT ROMEO. Warner's Looney Tunes Futurists had a single night in mind as they labored over ROMEO. Strangely enough, it turned out to be the evening I watched this piece for the first time: May 3, 2016. That's the night Donald Trump--played by Elmer Fudd here--became the presumptive U.S. President-Elect. ROMEO begins with Elmer\Trump nuzzling up to a Frankenrabbit, Millicent (a.k.a., Trump's Long-Time Partner in Bromance, Vladimir "Mad Dog" Putin), despite the temperamental Slavic Goon's tendency to destroy everything and terrorize everyone within reach, whether in this cartoon (Millicent) or Real Life (Putin). Elmer forces Bugs Bunny to court Millicent at gunpoint, just as Trump's thugs have used their fists to force much of America to dance with Putin's Devil, Trump. But Bugs turns the tables on Fudd, forcing him to run for his life as Millicent chases him down. Obviously, Warner is reminding us that Hitler and Stalin were bosom buddies at the beginning of World War Two, before fighting to the Death, destroying most of Germany and Russia in the break-up. Warner is pleading here for America to annul Trump's attempt at a shotgun wedding with Putin.

Robert McKimson's 'Rabbit Romeo' is a decent little cartoon which is completely stolen by the wonderful June Foray, whose voice work as Millicent the Slobovian rabbit is the best thing in the cartoon. Elmer Fudd (who looks a little bit odd here) is promised $500 if he looks after his Uncle's pet rabbit until he arrives. The rabbit turns out to be an obese, overly familiar lady bunny who longs for company, preferably of the male variety. Elmer tricks Bugs into coming home with him, where Millicent proceeds to relentlessly pursue the terrified rabbit. It's a slightly thin premise which runs dry quite quickly but, despite never hitting the heights of hilarious comedy, 'Rabbit Romeo' is consistently amusing enough to never become dull. Still, the only thing that really sticks in the memory after it is over is June Foray's spot-on voice characterisation. The rest is fairly run-of-the-mill stuff and not especially conducive to repeated viewings.

One might assume that Bugs Bunny's resistance to Slavic rabbit Millicent is based on a previous negative experience that he had with a Slav (the Eastern European bear in "Big Top Bunny"). Anyway, the plot of Robert McKimson's "Rabbit Romeo" has Elmer Fudd receiving from his uncle Judd a an overweight Slobovian rabbit who gets violent when lonely. So, he captures Bugs and tries to give him to Millicent.If I may interject something. Clearly this Slavic character didn't please Bugs. However, if Uncle Judd had sent a Russian female rabbit, then Bugs's hormones would have gone through the roof! I know this, because while I was staying with a family in St. Petersburg, Russia - I spent the Fall 2005 college semester there - I developed a total crush on my host sister Marina (OK, I'll be totally candid: I still fantasize about her; it arouses me just to think about her as I write this). I like to describe her physically as a cross between Barbara Eden and Julie Christie. My point is that any female Russian rabbit/hare/bunny would have sent Bugs's sex drive into full throttle! Anyway, worth seeing. June Foray does a pretty good Eastern European accent, and the Slobovian clothes actually looked Greek.

June Foray's voice work with "Millicent" in this cartoon is flat-out hilarious. You have to hear this, to believe it. Working with regulars Mel Blanc (Bugs) and Arthur Q. Bryan (Elmer Fudd) makes this a terrific trio of voices. All three of these people are legends in this business. Look at Foray's resume and biography here at IMDb. It is extensive, to say the least.Foray makes this one of the best Bugs Bunny cartoons I have ever watched, and I've seen a lot of them.This story all starts when Elmer receives a huge crate from "Slobovia.""Slobovia? Who do I know from there," he wonders. Then he reads the attached note: "Dear Nephew, Take care of this rare and valuable Slobovian Rabbit until I arrive. Signed, Uncle Judd Fudd. P.S. I will pay you $500 for your trouble."The rabbit is not Bugs - it's "Millicent," and she's big and not very attractive. "Well," Elmer tells us, "Looks aren't everything, you know."Well, it isn't looks that make Millicent unattractive; it's her attitude (although she is pretty funny with that Russian accent and the expressions she uses.) Who becomes the victim of this nightmarish female hare? Yup, poor Bugs Bunny, and this gal has Bugs literally shaking in fear.How that came to be, and what happens, I'll leave it up to you to catch it, if you can get hold of one of fourth volume of Golden or Spotlight Looney Tunes Collection DVDs. All of them have plenty of offer.....like "Millicent."One note: the comedy bit with the goldfish is hilarious, an excellent of dark humor.