Tag Archives: be the bear

Are You Still Here?

Are you still here?…That’s what Mehitabel must be saying to herself about now. Why didn’t I hold auditions? Why did I say okay, when Mei Xiang called me and asked if I could give Pinky a job, just a little something to help her through her transition to big girl panda?

But she didn’t, and now she is paying the price, of having a co-host with a big personality. Maybe Bob could come back early…I’m sure he’s learned his lesson by now, don’t you think?

Archie, is that you?

Archie, is that you?

This story is also courtesy of Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me. What would I do without them?

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

The Panda Voice

In my attempt to be not just a visual artist, but also a writer, one of the crucial concepts I have learned about, whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, is that of voice. Everybody has one, apparently. I think maybe it’s a little like listening to your own outgoing message on your answering machine. Is that me? Boy do I sound dorky!

In these pages and in my cartoons, I strive for the panda voice, of each individual panda (and cat!) character that I invent as I sit in my studio, drawing and chortling to myself, (quietly, or sometimes not so quietly.) I think I should give myself a big, furry paw pat on the back for achieving this goal, because of some of the comments that people share with me here and on Fezbook. You get me! You really get me!

Huzzah!

Mehitabel did NOT approve this cartoon.

Mehitabel did NOT approve this cartoon. I really did hear the story on Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me

Let me also add that some of my faithful readers must be looking into their crystal binky balls, because some of their suggestions, fears, and suppositions are not far from some of the upcoming cartoons, which I have been working on ahead of my usual last minute schedule! You have been paying attention, so give yourselves a big, furry paw pat on the back, and then go have a cuppycake. You have embraced your inner panda!

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda!

BTW I don’t want anyone to forget that today ends daylight losing time, and so I must include the panda kindergarten salute to Daylight savings time!

Fabulous Furry Friday KNOWS that this is one of your favorites!

Fabulous Furry Friday KNOWS that this is one of your favorites!

Fabulous Furry Friday Presents Great News!

OK, unlike most of what we talk about here, this is totally serious and we are not making this up! The most recent panda census results are in and the wild panda population is up, possibly by as much as 17%. This is great news, because, well…pandas!

Not that we don’t make fun of serious things like the panda census. Of course, some people (and you know who you are, bro) might point out that China’s relationship to statistics is not um…entirely unlike that of the panda kindergarten.

Do we have to count panda adoption fees?

Do we have to count panda adoption fees?

Is it any wonder Bob has a sharp pain behind his ears?

And here is more panda fun…because…um…pandas!

Always read the directions...

Always read the directions…

And because our heads are filled with thoughts of cuppycakes….

I have extra frosting!

I smell frosting!

And because it’s that time of year….

Will Bob ever learn?  will Mehitabel ever get the better of the panda kindergarten?

Will Bob ever learn? will Mehitabel ever get the better of the panda kindergarten?

Let’s put pandas to work!
Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

We proudly support Pandas International, because without pandas, there could be no panda satire!

Journalistic Follies part 2

You didn’t think we would just abandon Bob without resolving his attempt to revise history, claiming he was the unsung hero of Pinky’s infamous “Occupy Hemlock” sit-in, did you?

You did?

Ha!

We leave no journalistic follies unheralded, especially not those of Bob T. Panda! Did you miss Sunday’s episode? You can read it here.

And look who Bob's suspension replacement is! Huzzah!

And look who Bob’s suspension replacement is! Huzzah!

Huzzah! It is her own Princess self, Princess Pinky! Will Mehitabel come to regret this choice?

What do you think?

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

Journalistic Follies

A couple of weeks ago, a story hit the news: an anchorman misremembered or misspoke or what ever you want to call it, but anyway, he claimed he did something that didn’t happen. Since then a few other news show hosts and politicians have joined in with their own versions of revisionist histories. Here at the Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire, we are hardly in a position to cast the first (if any) stones, as our memory is hardly what it used to be.

Bob has his own journalistic follies to contend with.

Oh, Bob, you didn't really say that, did you?

Oh, Bob, you didn’t really say that, did you?

Leave it to Mehitabel to keep things on track!

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

Fabulous Furry Friday Salutes International Polar Bear Day

Yes, there really is an International Polar Bear Day. There is also Take Your Cat to Work Day, Intergalactic Cuppycake Day, and Panda Awareness Day. Okay, some of those I’m a little fuzzy on, but today really is International Polar Bear Day.

Therefore, we thought it was high time we shared as many of the polar bear cartoons we could find in our archives! Huzzah!

Oh those polar bears! What jokers they are!

Oh those polar bears! What jokers they are!

Mr Polar Bear! It's not time for lunch yet!

Mr Polar Bear! It’s not time for lunch yet!

Bob still likes to get out in the field once in a while.

Polar Bears are really, really, REALLY big, compared to pandas!

Pandas using performance enhancing substances? Say it isn't so!

Pandas using performance enhancing substances? Say it isn’t so!

Have a happy International Polar Bear Day! Where being the bear REALLY  means something!
Bob T. Panda

 

Parting is such sweet sorrow…

…between moms and baby pandas, especially for all of us watching Bao Bao and her mom Mei Xiang. Let’s be clear here: Pandas do not live in family units, and after cubs reach the point where they can eat bamboo like a big bear, it’s time for them to seek their fortune in the real world.

It is rather disconcerting for the folks watching at home on their panda cams, especially because the relationship between cubs and their mom is so sweet…at least, just before the time mom turns around and runs them off, sometimes quite aggressively. Parting is such sweet sorrow, only in the movies, not among bears.

But that’s in real life, and this is Panda Satire!

Just a reminder: repeat after me: this is fiction.

Just a reminder: repeat after me: this is fiction.

Does Pinky have a new friend and confidant? Stay tuned, oh panda satire fans!

BTW: I was just interviewed on The Inspokes blog, a blog for writers and illustrators of books for children. I hope you’ll pop over and give my interview about Pandamorphosis a read.

Huzzah!

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

Who you calling fat (Tuesday)?

Yes, it’s Fabulous Furry friday, where we look back at our favorite examples from the Panda Chronicles archives! Huzzah!

This week holds several occasions of note, the first being Fat Tuesday (or as we like to call it around here, Extra Fluffy Tuesday), The Chinese Lunar New Year, and coming up on Sunday, The Academy Awards.

A note about the discrepancy as to whether this is the Year of the Sheep, Goat, or Ram: our friend over at Vsomethingspeaks wrote an excellent essay on just why there is no absolute agreement on this year’s designation. You can read all about it here, as well as get a new delicious sounding recipe! We stand our portrayal of the Year of the Sheep…because…um…pandas in sheep costumes, right?

Here’s our salute to Fat Tuesday!

We call it "extra Fluffy Tuesday" around here.

We call it “extra Fluffy Tuesday” around here.

Thank you for that interesting and yet wildly inaccurate history, Bob!

And here’s our nod to the Academy Awards:

What will Christopher Robin say about this?

What will Christopher Robin say about this?

After this weeks guest appearance of Richard Parker, how could we not celebrate both The Life of Pooh as well as The Life of Pie?

The Life of PIE....get it? *chortle chortle*

The Life of PIE….get it? *chortle chortle*

Have a fun filled weekend, everyone!

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

More Selfies with Tigers; an update

We recently received an update on the question of the wisdom of taking selfies with tigers, thanks to alert reader, mystery writer, and panda satire fan Sandra Parshall. It seems that there is a “thing” about posing for selfies with wild animals. Maybe people think it makes them look cool, or sexy, but one wonders how sexy you would look with a bear or a tiger clamped onto your arm. Or your head.

Really, just don’t do it.

New York state has decided that they needed legislation to protect people from their own…um…oh heck, I’m just going to say it…stupidity. Sigh.

Here’s our original tribute to selfies with tigers:

Much better to take a selfie with pandas!

Much better to take a selfie with pandas!

You know we're just kidding about this, right?

You know we’re just kidding about this, right?

There was a bright side to this story, and that was Mehitabel got to be in a cartoon with one of her “peers” with no pandas! Huzzah! Not to worry, the pandas will be back on Friday.

Be the bear,
Bob T. Panda

 

Salute! To the Year of the Sheep

Once again, the panda kindergarten stages their annual Chinese New Year’s pageant, this year we salute the Year of the Sheep! I know! I know! Are you already picturing little chubby panda kindergarteners dressed up as fluffy little sheep? I know I am.

Of course, in some interpretations, it is The Year of the Ram or the Year of the Goat.

Just saying.

Look out!!!! Oh, those triplets!

Look out!!!! Oh, those triplets!

Really, there is nothing cuter than an upside down panda. Except maybe an upside down panda in a sheep costume.

Be the Bear
Bob T. Panda