The title and bound character refer to the 1991 movie Silence of the Lambs. The cover picture itself is an editorial comment about Warner Bros. legal department.A distraught Daffy Duck is in a straightjacket, strapped down with three big straps each marked 'Property of Warner Bros. Legal Dept.' with buckles carrying the WB shield logo. Daffy's beak is tied shut with a rope. In plain letters above the picture is the title, 'The Silence of the Ham.'
The title and bound character refer to the 1991 movie Silence of the Lambs. The cover picture itself is an editorial comment about Warner Bros. legal department.
A crowd of tourists is gathered around Elmer Fudd, who is a chauffeur to a mystery star. Questioned about who, he keeps up the mystery, revealing only that Warners is getting ready to film his life story. A question about what kind of roles this person normally plays is answered when Daffy Duck is booted from the studio office.
Daffy tries to relax at the nearby Speedy's Burbank Cantina but is fed up with the clientele, all toons. He reveals that his contract gives him no rights whatsoever. He has no rights to his work, to himself, or to his image, so the studio can whatever they want. They want to film Daffy's life story without having Daffy as the star of the picture. Right after this, Porky enters and tells of his new job as assistant director on the "The Daffy Duck Story." Porky makes the mistake of letting it slip that they'll be having open auditions for the starring role. He no more than says it and the cantina is empty, save for Speedy, Petunia, Porky, and a trampled Daffy.
First up for the audition is Sylvester, trying out as "Robin Hood Daffy." Tweety is there as motivation for the cat. Sylvester swings into trees, as expected. Daffy, having sneaked in, then shows what he can do, only to get clobbered by Tweety, and sent flying out by a blow from Granny's umbrella.
The next auditioner is Wile E. Coyote, taking Daffy's role in "Duck Amuck." Daffy again enters and shows a shocked Wile E. what the role involves. This is from being painted, erased, and repainted, to pounding on a live artillery shell. A realization dawns and the duck suspects Bugs is again holding the brush. This time though, it isn't Bugs, but Road Runner who has been in control of things.
Daffy now sets off to find Bugs, sure that he's behind all the difficulty. The duck gets back into the studio where Foghorn Leghorn is trying out for "Rabbit Seasoning." An odd three way argument between Foghorn, Henery Hawk, and Daffy ends when Yosemite Sam hears his cue and fires. Foghorn decides he'll stick to being a chicken, while the director wants to see Daffy. The duck is stunned when he discovers that Elmer is no longer his chauffeur but the director.
The duck demands to star in his own film, but Elmer tells him it isn't his decision as casting is done at higher levels. Daffy grabs a jet pack, proclaiming himself the real "Duck Dodgers" and rockets away, landing in Bugs Bunny's office. Bugs tells him the film has been cancelled, but Daffy isn't concerned. He's had enough of Warner Bros. and storms out saying he'll try another studio in town. Bugs asides to the reader that that studio already has a duck.
The title is a play on the This is Your Life show which started on radio and moved to TV.Just about the as many Looney Tunes characters are in this story as one could ever hope to fit into a single story that did not take up the entire issue. Besides the major characters in the story, on page one are the Goofy Gophers, Mac and Tosh. Page two shows Marc Antony, Pussyfoot, two of the three little pigs, Rocky and Mugsy, Charlie Dog, Hippety Hopper, Witch Hazel, Slowpoke Rodriguez, and a mechanical wind-up rabbit (probably the one Bugs chases after in Hair Raising Hare, Jones, 1946). Page three adds Junyer Bear, and page four the mice Hubie and Bertie. On page eight are Taz and Playboy Penguin, while page thirteen adds Beaky Buzzard, page fifteen adds Marvin Martian, and page sixteen has Pepe Le Pew and Penelope, and Michigan J. Frog.Page 13: Daffy's line about ducks "...and you sir are no duck." echoes 1988 vice presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen's line to Dan Quayle about Jack Kennedy, "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."Page 15: The Jones referred to is of course Chuck Jones, who directed several Daffy shorts.
Page 8: Playboy Penguin's beak isn't colored in.Page 16: Bugs' line "..you could of used the door." really should be "...you could've used the door."Bugs Bunny is relaxing at a resort, having travelled under the name of Horace T. Hare to avoid being found out by fans. When someone asks for an autograph he slips and says "Doc" convincing a crowd that he is indeed Bugs. The rabbit runs and finds refuge, he hopes, in the resort building. Figuring he's about to be discovered, Bugs hides.
Just then Yosemite Sam bursts in and hides a couple bags of money and hopes to disguise himself. Bugs decides to do something, but keep his own identity hidden in the process. Bugs quickly dresses as an employee and responds to Sam's demand for service.
After a discussion about Sam's clothing, of which he keeps his underwear on as always, Bugs gives Yosemite a very rough massage. When Sam has had enough of that, meditation is suggested. Objecting to the style of sitting, Sam asks for something else and is shown hot coals to walk over. Deciding meditation isn't so bad, Sam is given the "Fuzzy Wuzzy" rhyme to use as mantra, but it's too much for him and he gets rather angry.
Sam is even angrier when he finds he can't get out of the position for sitting meditation. Bugs helps him, but only into a more complicated knot. Figuring it best to get away from being hurt, Sam starts to leave, but police officers arrive just as he is about to depart. Quick hiding, and others being engrossed in their meditations, allow Sam to remain undetected until the officers leave.
Sam, still upset, blows his own cover, and Bugs' as well. The result is a chase, over the hot coals, of Bugs by his fans and Sam by the police. Soon both are caught, though Bugs naturally takes it better since he isn't going to jail, just signing autographs.
The final panel, after the story has ended, is a puzzle. The panel is a picture of the resort and the puzzle is to find Yosemite Sam, now "one with nature" in the picture. He isn't very hard to find.
Page 24: The line about rubbing stress right out of that back refers to the song I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair, from the play South Pacific.Page 26: Bugs' foot pads aren't colored in fifth panel.There are two one-page fillers.
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Last updated 19 July 2004