It was only a couple of days ago that we were writing about how Generation Z were watching ‘American Pie’ for the first time and calling it deeply problematic because of its attitude to sex and women and now they’re picking on another classic 00s comedy in ‘Dude Where’s My Car?”

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I’ll be honest and say that I don’t really remember too much about ‘Dude Where’s My Car’ aside from the part where Ashton Kutcher gets into a fight with the radio at a Chinese takeaway, but I do remember enjoying and thinking it was pretty funny when I saw it at the cinema back in 2000. Sadly, the same can’t be said of today’s teenagers watching it at home on Netflix, as they’ve labelled the movie as majorly racist, sexist and transphobic.

Here are a couple of comments, courtesy of VICE – who are apparently still on the cutting edge of journalism:

I seriously can’t imagine this movie being made today for so many reasons. I hated how practically every woman they meet in the film seems to just exist for the two main characters’ sexual pleasure, from their girlfriends to the girls they meet at the party and the ones in the strip club. Obviously the whole movie is completely ridiculous, but it still annoyed me because the main characters are sexist losers and don’t deserve any female attention.

I didn’t make it to the end of this film and I genuinely don’t get how anyone could actually sit there and watch the whole thing let alone find any of it funny. There was so much not ok stuff in it, especially the scene where they go to get a drive-thru Chinese takeaway and the lady taking the order keeps saying ‘and then’ to Ashton Kutcher’s character. I didn’t get if the joke was supposed to be that she doesn’t understand them or that she wants them to order more, but either way it’s not remotely funny and pretty racist.

I hated all of it but the worst part is when Jesse gets a lap-dance from a stripper who turns out to be trans woman, or as they joke in the film ‘a gender-challenged male’, and then Jesse freaks out and starts wiping his tongue because he kissed her, and lifts up her skirt to see her bulge. It plays on stereotypes of trans people as sex workers and thieves and legitimises cis male transphobia. It’s so disgusting and I hope it wouldn’t have gotten made if it was written today.

Geez Geneartion Z are so serious aren’t they? In fairness though, I do think that some of the transphobia and sexism in movies like ‘Dude Where’s My Car?’ probably wouldn’t be accepted or allowed to happen now in 2023, but back in the 00s that was just how things were so you could get away with it. It’s a relic of a time and a place and I feel like we should be able to look back and enjoy it, whilst simultaneously not doing anything like it ever again. Don’t @me Gen Z.

I do kind of wish that those guys could have more fun and not spend all their time moaning about old people and their habits. Life’s too short guys.

Also if they’re saying ‘Dude Where’s My Car?’ is bad I dread to think what they’re gonna think when they watch other 00s screwball classics like ‘Eurotrip’ and ‘Harold And Kumar Get The Munchies’. Looking forward to the 2000 word thinkpieces on those ones.

For more of  the same, check out Generation Z refusing to teach their kids about Santa because it’s too traumatic. These guys really need to get a clue don’t they?