Birds Anonymous

Sylvester is once again attempting to catch and eat Tweety, this time very nearly succeeding, only to be stopped by an erudite, mild-mannered cat (retroactively named Clarence in modern Looney Tunes comics), who explains that Sylvester's constant cravings for birds can only lead to self-destruction, and knows that the only way to overcome this weakness is to kick the bird habit for good. Clarence invites Sylvester to a meeting of "Birds Anonymous" ("B.A."), a support group of cats, who have resolved to help one another overcome their bird addictions. Sylvester agrees to attend and hears other cats briefly tell of their own struggles and that B.A. was able to help them. Empowered by their stories, Sylvester adopts a new motto for himself: "Birds is strictly for the birds!"

Back at home, it does not take long for Sylvester's new-found will power to falter, due in large part to ubiquitous temptation as he and Tweety live together. Sylvester's temptations are only exacerbated after watching a TV chef preparing a turkey, and then hearing a disc jockey on the radio mention bird-themed songs. Sylvester valiantly makes many attempts to control his urges, even handcuffing himself to an iron radiator out of the reach of Tweety, but when Tweety asks him, "Don't you like me anymore?", Sylvester finally caves, and makes another grab for the bird, but is stopped again by Clarence, who reluctantly shoots a plunger at Sylvester's mouth. When he has expressed the fear that Sylvester might be weakening, he gratefully confirms Clarence's suspicion.

That night, Sylvester tries to sleep, but is tormented by insomnia and withdrawal symptoms before he completely succumbs to his basic instincts, reasoning that he can quit after just "one little bird" and that "no one will know the difference", but is stopped yet again when Clarence arrives and pours alum in his mouth causing it to shrink, after which Sylvester attempts to literally suck Tweety into his mouth through a straw to no avail. Sylvester collapses into sobs on the floor tearfully admitting weakness, and that since he is a pussycat he doesn't care and that it can't be helped, but is calmed by Clarence, who orders Sylvester to cheer up, tells him there is no need for this demonstration, and consoles him saying that birds and cats can coexist peacefully. To prove his point, Clarence asks Tweety to come here, and as Tweety does so and flies into Clarence's hand, Clarence looks at Sylvester, and tells him that he really loves birds, before he kisses Tweety's head. Unfortunately, yielding to his own long-suppressed temptation, he changes his expression, backslides, and attempts to devour Tweety himself, but misses, and goes in hot pursuit of Tweety, who flies away from him. Clarence starts laughing uncontrollably, much to Sylvester's nasty surprise. Sylvester is angry with Clarence asking him to let him go and trying to have Tweety and having to restrain him and telling him to stop it and control himself. The cartoon ends with Tweety telling the audience "Like I said before, once a bad ol' puddy tat, always a bad ol' puddy tat."

Birds Anonymous is a reference to the self-help movement Alcoholics Anonymous. [5] The voice of Clarence the cat is similar to that of Marvin the Martian, the creation of Chuck Jones. The voice of the B.A. Cat was used by Blanc for the love-bird in Life With Feathers, among other places.

The premise was later adapted into The Last Hungry Cat, again with Sylvester struggling against his conscience over Tweety.

Shannon K. Garrity writes, "Mel Blanc's amazing vocal performances — it was reputedly the Warner Bros. short of which he was proudest — rank high among the many joys of this lovingly crafted, hilariously self-aware cartoon. Freleng and his team went all out to give Birds Anonymous a film noir look, with dramatic camera angles drawn by layout artist Hawley Pratt and moody backgrounds by Boris Gorelick... Above all, Birds Anoymous satirizes Warner Bros. cartoons themselves. The structure of the standard Sylvester and Tweety cartoon — and all chase cartoons — is threatened by Sylvester's resolution to walk away from the conflict and be a better cat. In the Looney Tunes world, of course, this can't be allowed."[6]

Birds Anonymous won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film[7] in 1958,[8] beating Tabasco Road starring Speedy Gonzales;[9] both shorts were eventually given Blue Ribbon reissues in 1961. When Eddie Selzer died, the statuette was passed on to Mel Blanc, who said that this was his favorite cartoon to do voices for, especially when it came to Sylvester.[10]

This film appeared in The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie's third act "The Oswalds" where Sylvester and Clarence fight over Tweety again with Granny intervening.

As of 2005, Birds Anonymous can also be found, uncut and restored, on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3 and on Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Academy Awards Animation Collection. It can also be found on the former UK rental VHS tape of The Bodyguard from 1993. A music/effects only track is also available.

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