Fashion Sense Comments on Mad Tea Parties

Huffington Post called them faux populism; Paul Krugman described them as astroturf events; Fashion Sense thinks it's sad that the mad tea parties wasted so much tea and got more media attention than Earth Day events. [Click on the image for a larger version of this cartoon. The text reads: 'On Earth Day the dog and I went to the Save the Planet rally organized by our environmental group L.O.V.E., and afterward Marissa invited us to her house for tea, and she made a big pot of organic green, and then she said, "I'm drinking a lot of tea these days as a protest against those tax revolt teabaggers because they're not a real movement no matter what Fox News says," and I said, "Paul Krugman called those tea parties astroturf events -- as in fake grassroots," and she said, "A grassroots group like ours has to work hard to get any publicity, whereas those tea protestors just let Fox News do it for them," and I said, "What difference does it make? No matter what they do at their mad tea parties, it'll always be the 'Obama is the Antichrist' t-shirts that we'll remember them by," and she said, "And all the tea they wasted!" and I said, "I doubt if any of it was organic. Tonight after dinner the dog and I will watch the news to see how they cover the rally. We don't usually get much of a mention unless the anarchists show up and make some trouble, or a Hollywood star puts in a cameo," and she said, "Well, that’s at least one consolation: The environmental movement always gets lots of great celebrities, but all the teabaggers could come up with was Ted Nugent and Glenn Beck."']

Fashion Sense Comments on Obama's Visit to Prague

Fashion Sense is still in Prague, and President Obama was here last weekend. He made a historic speech about the necessity of eliminating nuclear weapons, which was well received. However, the proposed U.S. radar installation is still under consideration here, despite the fact that most Czechs oppose it. In the meantime, Prime Minister Topolanek, who recently called Obama's economic policies the road to hell, was forced to resign. [Click on the image for a larger version of this cartoon. The text reads: 'It’s a nice spring morning, so I’m out birding, and I heard beautiful and unfamiliar birdsong, so when I came over to get a better look at the singer, he was, like, "You're right, I'm a song thrush, and I don't belong here," and I said, "You're a European bird, right? Were you blown off course during spring migration?" and he was, like, "Not exactly. I usually winter in Italy and summer in a town named Brdy near Prague, but the U.S. is planning a radar installation there, so I don't want to live there any more," and I said, "On television I saw that our president was in Prague a few days ago, and people there seemed really enthusiastic about him," and the thrush was, like, They do like Obama, but just about all the people and other creatures there are opposed to the radar except Topolanek -- the Prime Minister, and I said, "Isn't he the guy that called Obama's stimulus plan the road to hell?" and the thrush was, like, Most Czechs know the real road to hell is paved with weapons of war, and I said, "Obama said in his speech that he wants to eliminate nuclear weapons," and the thrush was, like, Good. That would make a nice roadblock on the road to hell, and I said, "Speaking of which, does Topolanek always use such rude language?" and the thrush was, like, He's usually pretty dull, but he said he picked up the phrase when AC/DC sang 'Highway to Hell' in Prague, and I said, "I don't know that song. I'm not a fan," and the thrush was, like, Neither am I, but Topolanek's government got a recent no confidence vote, and he was forced to resign, so I'd say right now he's on the Road to Nowhere, and I said, "I AM a Talking Heads fan, and you're very good at these pop culture references," and the thrush was, like, Well, I AM a song thrush after all, and I said, "So are you planning to try out for American Idol?" and the thrush was, like, No, thanks. The auditions, the mean judges, the fickle audiences: that really does sound like the road to hell.']

An Organic Garden at the White House

There have been so many stories about Michelle Obama's preference for fresh organic foods that we just have to comment (meanwhile, Prague readies itself for a visit from President Obama next weekend). It was nice to read that Ms. Obama helped serve wholesome food in a soup kitchen and that she helped to plant an organic garden at the White House. But right wing commentators have criticized her elitism, showing themselves to be hopelessly muddled hypocrites. [Click on the image for a larger version of this cartoon. The text reads: 'I'm looking for a job again, so when I ran into Madison, who has a lot of contacts, I offered to buy her a cup of coffee, and as soon as we sat down, she said, "That outfit is so Michelle; you seem to be quite a follower of the First Lady," and I didn't want to argue so I said, "It's just something I got from that new thrift shop, Trash and Treasure," and she said, "Speaking of trash, did you hear what Tammy Bruce said when she was guest hosting Laura Ingraham's show," and I said, "I believe she called the Obamas trash, which I think was very vulgar," and she said, "Michelle is a poser," and I said, "If she's posing as First Lady, she's doing a good job of it; she's a fashion icon like Jackie Kennedy, and she just started a White House garden like Eleanor Roosevelt did, but the Obamas' garden will be organic," and she said, "Only an elitist loves expensive clothes and trendy foods," and I said, "Just a few weeks ago she helped a soup kitchen that serves organic food to needy people. So how’s that elitist?" and she said, "I remember that she served broccoli," and she said broccoli as though it was something obscene, "but poor people can't afford to eat organic food," and I said, "My tortoise and I eat only organic produce, and this year we're going to grow our own organic garden, so how cheap is that?" and she said, "George Herbert Walker Bush hated broccoli, and so do I," and I said, "Here's a little factoid for you: W's wife Laura insisted on serving fresh, organic produce at the White House, but she didn't let anybody know," and she said, "That's real class for you. Laura knew it would be elitist to let other people know," and I said, "Maybe I shouldn't tell you that you're drinking organic fair trade coffee," and she quickly got up to leave, saying, "I can't be seen doing something so elitist. Also, I don’t want to be seen in a neighborhood full of unemployed losers that have defaulted on their mortgages."']

Fashion Sense Comments on the Czech President, a Global Warming Skeptic

Fashion Sense has been in Prague for a week, and Czech President Vaclav Klaus has been in New York for a conference of global warming skeptics. I'll be in Prague for a few more months, commenting on whatever catches my attention, including whatever else Klaus gets up to. [Click on the image for a larger version of this cartoon. The text reads: 'My not-so-favorite cousin Amber just got back from her week in Prague, and I asked her how she liked it, and she said, "I didn't. The dollar is weak, so it was too expensive to rent a car, and we had to use the subway, and there aren't very many Burger Kings, which you know is my favorite, and waiters and shop clerks don't smile at you much," and I didn't think that sounded too bad, so I said, "Did you like anything about it?" and she said, "Well, I love their President, Vaclav Klaus, but he was in New York while I was in Prague because he was speaking at a conference for people who believe global warming is a hoax, which is what I believe, and he says it's just an excuse to steal our freedom," and I said, "But what about rising sea levels?" and she said, "He says the problem is very overstated," and I said, "The Czech Republic is landlocked, so it might not matter to him, but what about the rest of the world?" and she said, "He says we don’t need to worry, and I believe him. I really think he’s a hero, the kind of man who stands alone and refuses to give in, just like that Czech preacher Jan Hus," and then she looked completely enraptured at the idea of Klaus as a martyr to his ideals, and she said, "Hus was burned at the stake, you know, rather than give in to the Church," and I was starting to get annoyed so I said, "I believe that the stakes are high, and we’re going to be burned by global warming if we don’t change our way of life," and she got annoyed too and said, “It would be very inconvenient if that was the truth, but luckily it’s not,” and then to be conciliatory I said, “Some people think wordplay is the lowest form of humor, but I like it,” and she said, “Then you’ll be glad to hear I didn’t get you that amber necklace you wanted, but bought this Czech Me Out t-shirt instead,” and the fish have been laughing their bubbly fishy laugh at it ever since.']

Fashion Sense Comments Belatedly on the Oscars

Fashion Sense adds a belated comment on the Academy Awards because we especially liked Sean Penn's acceptance speech and his concern about the civil and human rights of gay people. [Click on the image for a larger version of this cartoon. The text reads: 'I was working on my abs again, and my cat wanted to talk about the Academy Awards, and I wasn't really paying much attention, but I thought I heard him say something about milk, and I said, "You know I'm trying to be vegan, but I'll get you some milk if you want it," and the cat was, like, I'm talking about Sean Penn getting best actor for Milk. I thought it was great when he called the Academy "commie, homo-loving sons of guns," and I said, "And it was great that he spoke out in support of gay marriage," and my cat was, like, So what's all the fuss about gay marriage? From what I hear marriage can be very dull and depressing, so I'd think people would be grateful when marriage is gay, and I said, “Since Proposition 8 passed, there are 18,000 gay couples who don’t know whether they’re married or not. I think it’s wrong to punish somebody for wanting to make a commitment,” and my cat was, like, I’m sure that’s what Guy Richie will be saying to the next guy Madonna wants to marry.']

Fashion Sense Denounces New York Post Chimpanzee Cartoon

Here at Fashion Sense, we love social justice, animals, and cartoons, so you can imagine how much we hated that New York Post cartoon about the dead chimpanzee -- and its implications. We also have a suggestion for anyone who wants to own a chimpanzee: become a Chimp Guardian at the Jane Goodall Institute instead. [Click on the image for a larger version of this cartoon. The text reads: 'Yesterday I had a bad flu, so I stayed home from work, and when I turned on CNN Al Sharpton was talking about a cartoon in the New York Post, and then they showed the cartoon which featured a dead chimpanzee, two police officers with guns, and the caption was about the need to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill; and right then Monique called from work, and she wanted to know where I put the post-it notes, and I told her for the twentieth time, and she said, "I know you're sick, but have you heard about that NY Post monkey cartoon?" and I said that I had, and she said “And of course Al Sharpton is already going on about it,” and I said I’d just seen him on CNN, and she said, "Well, I know you love monkeys, so I figured you'd be appalled by this thing," and I said, "I am," and she said, "Al Sharpton is so overly-sensitive about supposed racial slurs, and so insensitive about the death of a beloved pet," and I said, "The cartoon is insensitive about racist slurs, and I'm appalled that the Post would print such a thing," and she said, "But I thought you would be sympathetic to that poor chimpanzee owner," and I said, "I took my monkey to a primate shelter months ago because he wasn't happy with me, and that's what the chimpanzee owner should have done. Monkeys and apes are wild animals, not pets," and she said, "I believe in freedom of speech and freedom of ownership,” and I said, "I believe in freedom from defamation for African-Americans and in freedom from captivity for wild animals," and she said, "What's a person who loves chimps supposed to do?" and I said, "Adopt one through a wildlife conservation group," and she said, "Now you're just being a hypocrite. I remember how you criticized poor Siegfried and Roy when they adopted all those new tiger cubs," and then I started sneezing uncontrollably and she hung up before I could explain.']

Fashion Sense Says PETA's Super Bowl Commercial Would Have Been the Best

There's always a lot of buzz about the commercials shown during the Super Bowl, but the sexy PETA veggie love commercial probably would have gotten a lot of attention -- if NBC would have been willing to air it. [Click on the image for a larger version of this cartoon. The text reads: 'Last week my cute neighbor invited me to his Super Bowl party, but when he told me he was going to have hot wings and other meat-based snacks, I said, "Thanks but no thanks. I don't want to watch football with a bunch of carnivores," and he got mad and walked away without another word, so when I ran into him the day after the game I said, "Did you hear PETA tried to get NBC to run a commercial about vegetarianism during the Super Bowl, but it was too sexy," and he said, "Sexy how?" and I said, "It showed some women wearing lingerie who were licking pumpkins and rubbing themselves with asparagus," and he said, "That's ridiculous," and I said, "The ad claimed vegetarians have better sex," and he said, "That's absurd," and then my rabbit reminded him that rabbits, who are vegetarians, are famous for their frequent and energetic sex, and my neighbor said, "That rabbit should be in a Super Bowl commercial next year -- this year all they had was 3D lizards and Clydesdale horses," and then he asked me if I wanted to go out with him, and I said, "I never go out with carnivores," and he said, "But I can't give up meat. I love to play football and have to keep in shape," and I said, "I heard that Tony Gonzalez is trying to be a vegan," and he said, "Tony Gonzalez? From the Kansas City Chiefs?" and I said, "The very same," and he said, "I love the Chiefs," and I said, "I know," and he said he'd think it over, and I said, "If you go veg, I'll make vegan snacks for your Super Bowl party next year," and he said, "And I'll make sure you get some very nice asparagus," which the rabbit and I later agreed was a tempting offer any way you interpret it.']