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.']

Fashion Sense Comments on Depression Chic and Other Trends

According to those in the know, one of the big new trends for Spring 2009 is Depression Chic, which has its good points (people are interested in The Grapes of Wrath) and bad points (they'll sell anything, won't they?). Another big trend is supposed to be python skin accessories, and that has no good points because of the cruelty involved. [Click on the image for a larger version of this cartoon. The text reads: Liv and I went shopping together, and we saw this fringed flapper dress, and I said, "That's a fun dress, but do you think it's going to be in style for long?" and she said, "In New York people are throwing Depression parties and partying like it's 1929, and designers like Aquilano.Rimondi are inspired by what was big around the time of the crash, so yes, I think fringed flapper dresses will be in as long as we're threatened with economic collapse, which is going to be for, like, ages," and I decided to buy the dress, and then we looked at accessories for a while, and she said, "Python is also very, very big right now. Why don't you buy a pair of python shoes and a clutch bag to go with the dress?" and I said, "I can't buy reptile skin! Whatever would my tortoise say?" and she said, "When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping and continue to be trendsetters, so I don’t want to hear any excuses ," and I said, "Do you know how those pythons died? They were skinned alive!" and she just smirked at me and bought a big python bag, so I went right home, and then I realized I’d spent too much on the dress, but before I took it back , I decided to try it on so my tortoise could see it, and he clearly disapproves, because though the economic slowdown is something he feels he can live with, the idea of depression chic makes him very depressed.']

Fashion Sense Comments on the Golden Globe Awards

At last Sunday's Golden Globe Awards there was a focus on films that celebrated optimism and second chances, and Slumdog Millionaire won four awards. Fashion Sense tends toward the cynical and wonders if all this optimism makes sense. [Click on the image for a larger version of this cartoon. The text reads: 'The rats and I watched the Golden Globe Awards last night, and today we had to go see my sister Chloe, who is very star-struck, and the first thing she said was, "Weren't the Golden Globes a thousand times better than last year?" and I said, "Last year they couldn't really do an awards show because the striking writers threatened to picket it," and Chloe said, "Which was very depressing, but this year the awards were all about second chances and happy endings. Mickey Rourke got best actor, even though his career was dead for more than ten years, and Heath Ledger got best supporting actor, even though HE's been dead for nearly a year," and I said, "I was disappointed that Frost/Nixon didn't win a single award," and Chloe said, "Because it was about the past and pessimism and negativity. Whereas Slumdog Millionaire won best drama because it's about hope and optimism and the future," and I said, "Steven Spielberg won a big award, but I heard one of his charities lost a lot of money in Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme; maybe he should make a movie called Scumbag Millionaire to show what the future can be like when you believe in guys like Madoff," and Chloe said, "Don't be so negative,” and I said, “It's hard to be positive in hard times," and Chloe said, "Sally Hawkins won best actress for playing an eternal optimist in Happy-Go-Lucky," and I said, "WALL-EE got best animated film, and it was pretty depressing," and Chloe said, "But it did have a sort of pessimistic optimistic ending," and then suddenly she looked very downhearted, and she said, "But there were some REAL unhappy endings: Glenn Close ended up on the worst-dressed list; Leonardo DiCaprio didn't get a single award. You know I've loved him since Titanic," and before Chloe could start talking about the time she met Leo, I said, "Speaking of Titanic, the rats and I have to go. Just keep your chin up, and try to remember that optimism is the new pessimism."']