Shrek 2 banned in Israel over its cutting humour

Key points

• Hollywood blockbuster banned

• Crude insinuations about singer to blame

Key quote

"This film intends to present me, in perpetuity, as a eunuch, a man with no testicles, and turn me into a laughing stock." - David Daor

Story in full AN ISRAELI singer famed for his falsetto succeeded in getting the Hollywood cartoon blockbuster Shrek 2 banned in his country yesterday over a joke that implied he had been castrated.

The original version of the animated comedy had one character threaten to emasculate another by saying, "let’s Bobbitt him" - a reference to the infamous 1993 case in which Lorena Bobbitt cut off her husband’s penis with a pair of scissors after a row.

For the version dubbed into Hebrew, the comment was replaced by, "let’s do a David Daor on him" - referring to the singer who represented Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest.

"This film intends to present me, in perpetuity, as a eunuch, a man with no testicles, and turn me into a laughing stock," Mr Daor said before his lawsuit was heard.

Tel Aviv District Court ruled in the singer’s favour, and ordered Shrek 2 to be withdrawn from 20 cinemas until it is redubbed.

The film’s Israeli distributor was not available to comment on what phrase would be used instead.

Shrek 2 has become one of the top-ten highest-grossing films since its launch in the United States on 19 May.