"Chip n Dale: Park Life": Is the Gay Subtext Embraced or Erased?

 Chip and Dale were an iconic gay-subtext couple who appeared in 24 Disney cartoons (1943-56).  They mostly spoke in chipmunk-gibberish, with maybe a word or two of English per cartoon, which was appropriate for the simple, simple, slapstick-prone plotlines: generally they bedeviled Donald Duck (and occasionally Mickey Mouse or Pluto) in their attempts to get food or protect their tree-home.   They were not often  differentiated, but sometimes they were divided into intellectual/sensible Chip (with a black nose) and foolhardy/dopey Dale (with a red nose). 

Comedy partners were often displayed living together and sleeping in the same bed in those days, so doubtless no one noticed the gay subtext apparent in the domesticity and permanence.  The two even compete over a girl named Clarice in the 1952 short "Two Chips and a Miss."

In the comic books that appeared under the Dell and Gold Key imprints during the 1950s and 1960s, the two were more obviously a couple.  Their hole-in-a-tree is drawn as a modern home, with chipmunk-sized furniture, even a television set.  They speak,  Chip in grammatically correct, complex sentences, Dale in baby-talk. 

This allows for more complex plots than "trying to find nuts."  They embark on Western, secret-agent, and science-fiction adventures. Here they are interacting with Gilbert, Goofy's genius nephew.

This time someone noticed, or maybe it was just part of the 1980s rush to heterosexualize everyone, but the tv series Chip n Dale: Rescue Rangers (1989-1990)  adds a girl-chipmunk named Gadget to the team for them to crush on and compete over. (They also get Magnum P.I. and Indiana Jones outfits befitting their new roles as adventure heroes).

In July 2021, the Disney Channel began airing a French-American co-production, Chip n Dale: Park Life (Les aventures au parc de Tic et Tac).  No way will major Disney characters ever be a canonical gay couple, but maybe the writers would embrace the gay subtext.  Or maybe they would erase it altogether.  I watched the two episodes that have appeared to date (six cartoons):

The boys have reverted to nonverbal chatterers, although they have voice artists listed, Kaycie Chase and Matthew Géczy, and they can communicate with other animals.  They live in a bare hole in a tree in a walled city park.  The only "humans" who have appeared to date are a pack of babies, but Donald Duck and the Beagle Boys are in the character lists of future episodes.

The gay subtext clues, in the order that they aired:

1. When Chip rides a baby like a horse, looking masculine and "tall in the saddle," Dale swoons with romantic ecstasy.  

2. Their romantic affection, riding in a boat together, licking the same acorn (like an ice cream cone), and hugging, makes three male-female animal pairs (frogs, dogs, and rabbits) say "aww."   When they break up, everyone is heartbroken; when they reconcile, everyone cheers.  Here they are portrayed as the exact equivalent of male-female couples.

3. They don't actually kiss, but they press noses.

4.  They don't compete for the affection of any lady chipmunks (although I see the name "Clarice" in a future episode).

5. They have a romantic candlelit dinner.

6. When everyone thinks that Chip has murdered their god, a giant peacock, he is banished from the park.  Dale goes with him.   

7.  They sleep in the same bed.

8. When Chip becomes possessed by a magical, glowing acorn, Dale sacrifices himself to save him.  

My verdict: The gay subtext is about as obvious as it can get, and maintain deniability.  If anyone inquires, the producers can still say  "We had no intention of portraying Chip n Dale as gay."