Tag Archives: National Zoo

Sorry, You Are Not on the List.

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Sometimes inspiration hits when you are least expecting it, and in today’s cartoon, I was inspired to give the 2013 born triplets (now heretofore in these pages to be known collectively as “the minions”) a very important job as part of Pinky’s campaign team.

If you’d like to see Pinky, you need to be on the list.

And Mommee, sorry, you are not on the list.

Minion security: you can't be too careful.

Minion security: you can’t be too careful.

I think maybe the little girl minion is still too star struck by Princess Pinky to really be taking her job seriously, but hey, who isn’t? Pinky Money, anyone?

Meanwhile, I am starting to think about the next book in the Panda Chronicle series….Huzzah! Stay tuned.

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

 

Pinky Money, Part 2

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Pinky’s campaign to be President is rocketing on, despite the little set back of not being able to sell Tiger selfies at the Zoo. Some people are so unreasonable!!!!

In concert with Pinky’s recently discovered popularity, her plan to print her own money is working out nicely, at least for Pinky.

For Bob T., not so much.

Butter wouldn't melt in her adorable little mouth....

Butter wouldn’t melt in her adorable little mouth….

And yes, there really is Pinky Money.Don’t spend it all in one place.

I wanted to add a special thanks thanks to writer Jane Steen, who gave me a lovely write up in her newsletter this week. A few weeks ago, she wrote a post about how she had written a chapter that contained references to some early John Singer Sargent paintings that didn’t exist. Being a huge Sargent fan, I wrote to her, telling her of my…um…penchant for forging Sargent.  Thanks again for your kind and complimentary words, Jane. Not to mention the plug for pandas. Did I mention I have books for sale?

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

It’s Official! Pinky is More Popular Than…

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We now have absolute proof that Pinky is more popular than…

Any. Other. Animal. At. The. Smithsonian. Zoo. I bet you thought I was going to quote John Lennon.

At least any that have their own animal cam. The elephants were the closest contenders, with over 600,000 views. Pah! Chicken feed!!!! Do you want to guess how many views the panda cam had in 2014? Oh…you already looked. Well, if you were waiting for me to tell you, the panda cam had in excess of 38,000,000 views. Rumor has it, the panda cam takes more than 60% of the zoo’s bandwidth (whatever that is). Well… do you really want to watch anyone other than Pinky?

editors note: We just received a clarification from a reader who actually knows this for a fact (because she works for the Smithsonian) that the panda cam actually takes up 60% of the ENTIRE SMITHSONIAN bandwidth (19 museums and 9 research centers), not just the Zoo. Ahem.  Pinky IS an icon. Just sayin’

I thought not.

Proof positive of Pinky's persuasive popularity!

Proof positive of Pinky’s persuasive popularity!

Which leads to me to my other “truth is weirder than fiction but provides great inspiration for panda satire” news story: Pinky Money! Okay, it’s really just a commemorative coin, but a small bear can dream, can’t she? (Note: this is NOT an endorsement for Pinky Money.)

BTW, we apologize for not adding any more of the WeREndangered mug series that we promised. We were “away” (no, not in prison!) for a few weeks and then got sick on our return, so the new mug program is set back a bit. I’m going to get right on it though! Bee the Bear and Mr. Wu are not waiting very patiently, and neither are the Meihems. Stay tuned to the Panda Channel and we will let you know when they are on the shelf.

Be the Bear and vote Pinky Pinky Pinky in 2016!
Bob T Panda

I’m Just Drawn That Way

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Poor, poor, adorable little Pinky. She is so misunderstood. What is a small panda with visions of grandeur to do, but to run for president? And what can that poor panda do when her mommee thwarts her at every turn?

As Pinky likes to remind me, I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way.

Mei Xiang and the Zoo Director have gotten their panties in a knot, it seems.

Mei Xiang and the Zoo Director have gotten their panties in a knot, it seems.

Ha ha! Sorree, mommee.

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

Money for Pinky!

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I know you want to just cut to the chase and go see what Pinky has up her paws to raise money for Pinky and her presidential campaign, but just bear with me a minute.

Oh. You can’t wait…read a few of my thoughts, it’s just but what is Pinky up to NOW, you want to know!

Oh, all right. Go ahead a look. I’ll be right here.

Are you back?
Good.
So I was listening the National Panda Radio the other day, and I heard a story about how paper is making a comeback. And it’s not just about books. There are recent studies that suggest that students retain more relevant information by writing, rather than typing on a laptop or tablet. Artist and writer Lynda Barry (now Dr. Lynda, thanks to a honorary doctorate from my alma mater The University of the Arts in Philadelphia) suggests that ideas and memories can be triggered and stimulated by the actual act of putting pencil to paper.

This is encouraging and validating for a luddite such as myself, who refuses to get a Waccom tablet to draw and paint digitally, and insists on drawing with pencil and india ink with a dip pen (a dip pen, for crying out loud!!!!) to bring you all the panda satire you can stand. Many is the day when  I started a cartoon without an idea, but I would draw a nose, and then some ears, and before I knew it, pandas were doing stuff and it was funny!

Okay… Well, I thought it was funny.

Just in case you were wondering how Pinky came up with the idea to do this:

I really had no idea what she was up to.

I really had no idea what she was up to.

I’m sure there will be some consequences both for Pinky and myself.
See you next time!

Be the Bear!
Bob T. Panda

Sneaky Bob

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Well, that was a dramatic announcement last week, wasn’t it? Pinky has informed her mother that she will be running for president! But….I got three whole (very sincere) votes in the last election! Doesn’t that count for anything?

Bob wouldn't try anything sneaky, would he? Would he???????

Bob wouldn’t try anything sneaky, would he? Would he???????

We Need to Talk

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Has there ever been a phrase that strikes terror into a …um…panda’s heart like we need to talk?Just when mama Mei Xiang thought that things would be calming down, and she could think about whether it was time to start knitting some panda booties…..

Pinky for what??????

Pinky for what??????

Pinky has a surprise up her sleeve for mommee and daddee, I think. Well, at least it will distract her from the prospect of having a sibling (or two!) to contend with. Oh my…the fur may fly this summer.

Be the bear!
Bob T. Panda

Attention Must Be Paid

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Attention must be paid…to Pinky’s mommee, if no one else. Watch as Pinky plays a round of Evade the Question!  (Thank you Jasper Fforde!) ( I excelled at this game as a teenager.)

Cause and effects are very complicated concepts for baby pandas, don't you think?

Cause and effects are very complicated concepts for baby pandas, don’t you think?

But don’t try to pin this on your minions, Pinky. You are going to need them later when you…um…make your big announcement. Every politician needs some minions who are willing to do their bidding, don’t you think?

Maybe no one will be able to trace the outage back to the panda house.

Maybe.

Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

More Email Scandals

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It was bad enough when Bob used his private email account for his official campaign communications, but I had no idea (I’m shocked, I tell you!) that Princess Pinky was doing the same thing. Who knew that zoo panda communications were considered official documents?

What could Pinky be up to...?

What could Pinky be up to…?

Who would have thought that this would cause more email scandals ….

Triple Trouble Part 1

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I think it’s high time that Princess Pinky developed a little bit of responsibility, don’t you? Her mother has a job for her, but perhaps it’s not quite the one she has in mind…

AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

Oh No! Triple trouble for Pinky!

Well, it’s really poetic justice, isn’t it? Not that I would want to be the one to mention it to her….

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda