Sunday, December 04, 2005
Panda Pulitzers
Via WaPo's Reliable Source:To mark li'l Butterstick's debut Tuesday in a clamorous news conference before scores of pandarazzi, we reviewed the resulting coverage and are pleased to present the first-ever Panda Pulitzers.
Just in case you thought some topics were so innocuous they couldn't possibly be politicized, the Richmond Times-Dispatch dispels that illusion:
"Though Tai Shan, the National Zoo's nearly 5-month-old giant panda, is only 21 pounds, he's generating more buzz than President Bush's sinking poll numbers or the latest indicted lawmaker."
It's a baby bear... let it go, people.
The Washington Times examines gender differences in ursine coverage. Is it nature or nurture? Only Lawrence Summers knows for sure...and he's not telling:
"During Tai Shan's press debut, most of the female reporters oohed and ahhed as the 21-pound cub climbed rocky ledges in his enclosure, pulling himself up with his front legs and wobbling his back paws up and over, while the male reporters focused primarily on shooting pictures and scribbling notes. It might be maternal instinct that draws the female fans to Tai Shan, said Janice McGurick of the District. 'Guys don't go for the cuddly stuff,' she said. 'Men just don't really like cutesy.' "
CNN, with its legendary cynicism, lays bear the seamy underbelly of juvenile ursine zooploitation:
"Tai Shan, 4 1/2 months old, 21 pounds. But here are some other vital statistics on the newly debuted giant panda cub. He cost $100,000 a month for the first six months of his life. His parents cost $10 million over 10 years. . . . Are they worth it in terms of popularity? Maybe not. . . . Officials say visitorship does spike whenever a cub is born or an older panda arrives, but goes back to normal within about a year."
The Today Show chimes in with typically incisive commentary:
Katie Couric: "Isn't he cute?"
Al Roker: "He's a cutie."
Matt Lauer: "Yeah, he really is. That's cool. And he makes his debut next month."
Couric: "Sooooo cute."
Leave it to the Chinese to sum it up best:
"Tai Shan, the 9.5-kilogram baby panda born in July at the US National Zoo, took his first bow before the media on Tuesday, reducing one of the hardest-bitten press corps in the world to cooing and incoherent babble."
3 Comments:
By 
, at
Sun Dec 04, 03:42:00 PM:
"reducing one of the hardest-bitten press corps in the world to cooing and incoherent babble."
Don't know about the cooing but incoherent babble seems normal for the press.
By 
TigerHawk, at
Sun Dec 04, 04:12:00 PM:
I always knew you were a pandaphile.
By Cassandra, at
Sun Dec 04, 06:54:00 PM:
re: incoherent babble - I couldn't have said it better.
TH, I thought you'd accuse me of being a shameless panda-rer...
I admit to being wild about the little fellow.
