Author Archives: Panda in Chief

About Panda in Chief

Anne Belov paints, writes, makes prints, and is the founder of The Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire. You can find her paintings at the Rob Schouten Gallery and Fountainhead Gallery, her cartoons on The Panda Chronicles, and her new book here. She also writes regularly for The Whidbey Life Magazine, a free journal of art and culture on Whidbey Island. Her main regret in life is that there is no MacArthur Grant for Panda Satire.

Open Late Gate 3

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Yes, I had promised to conclude our story about the change in the National Zoo opening times, but several things got in the way, like Bubba’s debut and whoever it was that broke the Cute-o-Meter.

And then there was Snomaggedon 2016 known on twidder as #Snozilla. The video of Tian Tian, the paterfamilias of the National Zoo Panda clan has been going wildly viral on the interwebs, which I know because at least 6 separate people either tagged me in the video or posted it on my FB page. My sympathy goes out to all of you who are stuck at home with nothing to do while the storm rages on outside, and the snow drifts reach your upper story windows, other than watch panda videos, curl up on the couch and read and eat microwave popcorn. You did remember to stock up on that, didn’t you?

So, without any further ado about nothing, here is the final episode of Open Late Gate

How many times do we have to tell you…Don’t make pinky mad!!!!

What can we say?

Starting this week, we will be exploring the potential for pandas in the Pacific Northwest! Could it happen? We don’t know, but people who know people are talking about it. And by that, I mean, “people other than me!”

Be the Bear
Bob T. Panda

Snow Day Revisited

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I know those of you in the DC area are dreading it, but early this week, there were predictions of a major snowfall in and around Washington DC. I am in total agreement with those of you who hate driving in it, dealing with other drivers driving in it, and shoveling yourself out of your houses and driveways.

But pandas love it!

And it was ever thus….

Meihem, not Mayhem.

Well, they did hang their coats up.

And for the weather in the Pacific Northwest….
40 degrees and raining….at least we don’t have to shovel it.

Have a Fabulous Furry Friday Snow Day

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

The Cute-o-Meter

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The other evening, I was sitting around regaling my friend, Mr. Badger about Bubba’s debut at the National Zoo and he asked if Bubba broke the Cute-o-Meter which of course gave me the idea for todays’s ‘toon.

All kidding aside, Bubba has been wowing his fans in the Panda House and in the media around the world ever since he first stepped on the stage last week. He was recently the subject of this article in the New Yorker, by Robin Wright. I’m telling you people, panda fans are everywhere!

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen just who broke the Cute-o-Meter.

See? I told you it was broken!

And back at the 2016 Presidential race, it seems that Pinky has been given yet another assist from one of her loyal fans who took Pinky on a White House tour, introduced her to the Secret Service, and allowed Pinky to take measurements for curtains and furniture. I wouldn’t be surprised if Pinky didn’t make a visit to the White House kitchen to see what kind of bamboo they keep in stock. (Answer: none!)

The following photographs have been leaked by our intrepid Washington DC correspondent!

Is Pinky headed for an off limits area of the white House?

Could this be Pinky’s future office?

I do not have a good feeling about this….

Many thanks to intrepid correspondent, Anna Lisa, who shared her trip to the White House with Pinky, and her pictures with us!

Now if I could just get ahead in the polls…..

Till next time,
Be the Bear
Bob T. Panda!

Pinky Shares The Spotlight

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Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

Excuse me. I think that the title of today’s post is really funny. As we all know, or at least those of us who have been following Princess Pinky since her earliest days know, that “share” is not a word she uses. But of course I could not resist. You might say that the phrase Pinky shares the spotlight is, in fact, not…um…true.

If you want the truth, read National Geographic or The Nature Magazine, not The Panda Chronicles.

But here is what you’ve all been waiting for! Live coverage of Bubba’s Debut at the National Zoo!

I didn’t THINK that Pinky knew the “share” word.

In all of the excitement about Bubba’s debut, we kind of left you hanging about Pinky’s view of the change in the National Zoo opening time. Don’t worry, we will resume our exclusive coverage of this issue, according to the view from the panda house, this coming Wednesday.

In other bear related news, tomorrow is Winnie the Pooh day (in my opinion it would be the Ernest H. Shepard illustrated version) and I for one, tip my hat to the great Pooh Bear. Everyone might have something with honey to celebrate this bear of little brain’s day. And remember, most of the great philosophical questions can be answered by reading the wise words of this simple bear. Huzzah!

Till then, be the bear!
Bob T. Panda

And Speaking of Baby Pandas…

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What? Weren’t we speaking of baby pandas…? Well, with all these incredibly cute pictures of the adorable baby Bubba (aka Bei Bei) at the national Zoo this week, it is most difficult NOT to have baby pandas on the brain.

THIS is your brain on pandas. Any questions?

If there was a cute-o-meter installed at the exit to the panda house at The National Zoo in Washington DC, it would have broken under the strain of so much cuteness.

But Bubba is not the only American Panda to have ever trod the trail towards the bright lights of stardom. This week, Fabulous Furry Friday brings you highlights of some of our other favorite panda cubs!

“Howdy do! I’m Mr. Wu! Who are you?”

For some reason, panda cubs are fascinated by fallen leaves…

“Wu calls his dance, ‘Ode to a Weaf’ “

And Pinky became her…um…pinkitudinal self very early…

Such a little darling! How could her big brother resist spoiling her?

And then there was the gender reclassification of the Meihem twins of Cublanta…

downloadable paper panda upgrade

Ready for panda kindergarten!

So remember to check in with us on Sunday, when we bring you live coverage of Bubba’s debut to the public, which will actually be occurring the day before. Okay, okay, so it’s really not live. What can I say? We are a low budget operation here.

Keep being the bear, and buy stuff with pandas on it!
Bob T Panda

I’m Ready For My Close Up

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Is Bubba ready for his close up? We will see! Out in the real world, he has already met many of his most adoring fans during Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) special debut. Membership does have its privileges!

But what does Pinky think about all this? Is she ready to share the spotlight with her younger, extremely adorable brother?

I’m ready for my close up

Poor Bubba. He just wants to do everything that Pinky does. I’m glad he got his wardrobe issues resolved. :o) It is just exhausting being a public panda!

And speaking about public pandas in Washington State (were we?) I am closely following the news about the effort to bring pandas to the Pacific Northwest. Bamboo grows really easily here. Ask anyone whose neighbors have planted it! No big news as of yet, but I am monitoring the situation closely. Never fear!

Don’t forget to tune in again on Friday for another encore presentation of Fabulous Furry Friday and again on Sunday for Bubba’s debut cartoon. (This has all been the behind the scenes scoop, that for some strange reason, the zoo does not share with us. Aren’t you glad I bring you the REAL story?)

Till then,
Be the Bear,
Buy stuff with pandas!
Bob T. Panda

Bei Bei Panda Debuts to Acclaim!

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There is one more cartoon about Princess Pinky and her “views” of the change in hours for the National Zoo in Washington DC, but there are events that take precedent! I am, of course, referring to our latest national treasure, Bei Bei Panda, known to the readers of The Panda Chronicles as Bubba. (Pinky’s note: or boo boo!)

This past Friday marked the first day that members of the Friends of the National Zoo got to be up close and personal with him, and he did not disappoint. But what was going on behind the scenes? How did Bei Bei prepare for his role as a national icon? (Pinky’s note: excuse me. i am the only icon around here. Get in line, boo boo.) Rumor has it, he even waved to the crowd.

But let’s peek behind the scenes, shall we?

006 bubba debut 1 100res

Stay tuned for our next look behind the scene of bei Bei’s…um I mean bubba’s big debut!

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

Fabulous Furry Friday presents:

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Fabulous Furry Friday wanted to celebrate Bubba’s debut to the public, but we have…um…been busy with other stuff. we promise we will get right on it, but in the meantime, here are some of The Panda Chronicles’ favorite panda cubs in their own debuts!

Oh, and if you happen to be descending on Washington DC’s most celebrated pandas for today’s opening, be courteous to your fellow panda fans. #Don’tBehaveLike Pinky

Thank you all for coming! Buy my book here!

Pinky answers difficult questions from the press in her own way.

Sweet dreams, little bears!

Atlanta twin panda cubs Mei Lun and Mei Huan and older prother Po

Huzzah! a guest appearance by little Po!

Stay tuned for more from the saga at #OpenLateGate and exciting coverage of Bubba’s debut to the public! I’m sure Pinky would never consider using this as an opportunity to put forth her own agenda!

(psst! hey! why not vote for bob?)

Be the bear!
Bob T Panda

Open Late Gate #2

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We thought that since all political scandals have been dubbed some sort of “Gate” thingie, since the days of Watergate, We decided to name this debacle Open Late Gate, or if you want to use the hashtag version, #OpenLateGate.

As we saw just a few days ago, Princess Pinky was not amused at the reduction in hours when her most faithful fans can visit her. We won’t even talk about all the joggers that use the zoo for their early morning runs, or the cars that rely on North Road as a commuting alternative.

Far be it from me to jump on a pony that is not tethered in my own paddock, (ha!) but as a promoter of panda satire, I have a close relationship, not only with pandas, but also with the people who visit them regularly, if not incessantly. While the national zoo is free to walk in by anyone with no admission charge (huzzah!) many of the panda faithful, and I’m guessing fans of other animals as well, (wait! There are other animals at the zoo besides pandas?) buy zoo memberships in order to support this beloved institution. At the higher levels of membership, you can also park your car there, which is an added benefit. (Did I mention they have PANDAS???)

An article I read recently added up the lost hours, which amounts to being closed for 7.5 days each month.

As Pinky is inclined to say…

“Dis. Will. Not. Stand!!!!!”

…or as Bubba says, “dis. not. stan!”

I hope you noted Mei Xiang’s masterful attempt at censoring Pinky’s comment. Sigh…what’s a mother to do?

So, if you have an opinion about all this, and would like to weigh in (more respectfully than Pinky, of course) here’s the link to the contact page at the Smithsonian National Zoo. After all, if they don’t know what the people think, they’ll just think we don’t care. After all, it is the people’s zoo!

Be the Bear
Bob T. Panda

National Zoo Opening Time

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You would think that the director of the Smithsonian National Zoo would know better than to mess with Pinky, not to mention Pinky’s fans. And this is not even taking into account the number of cars that use the zoo route to speed their morning commute. Looks like with the changes for the National Zoo opening time, gridlock will not only be happening in Congress.

Washington DC luminaries, such as DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, have weighed in on the controversy as well. This is going to be one big mess, come six AM tomorrow morning.

Well, they ain’t heard nothin’, until they’ve heard from Pinky!

I think we’ll call this little debacle: Open Late Gate

As I mentioned on Friday, I’m not really one to make New Year’s resolutions, but I will say this: 2016 is going to be a rip roaring year, politically speaking. There will be lots of rhetoric ripping the air, and The Panda Chronicles will be no exception. Cartooning has a long history in politics, in fact, most of the earliest cartoons were political in nature. Last year I visited the Cartoon Museum in Brussels, Belgium, and saw several exhibits that brought that fact home.

So.

Yes, I have my own point of view, and it may or may not agree with yours, so let’s agree now that if we disagree, we will still be civil about the whole thing and listen to each other’s point of view. And let’s check our facts before we get our panties in a twist, okay?

That said, I can’t be responsible for Pinky’s opinions. Pinky’s opinions have always been her own.

Stay tuned in right here, to hear more from Pinky later this week about her views on the Zoo’s change of opening time. It is a matter of earthshaking importance. (At least as far as Pinky is concerned.)

And keep Being the Bear, Okay?
Bob T. Panda

By the by, Vicky Vladic and I just had another cuppycake recipe posted on They Draw and Cook’s website! You can find it here