Marlon Bundo, also known as Bunny of the United States (BOTUS), is a rabbit belonging to the family of 48th and current Vice President of the United States Mike Pence. He was the first bunny to travel on Air Force Two, has a popular Instagram account, and is the subject of two children's books.
Video Marlon Bundo
Biography
Bundo is named after actor Marlon Brando and lives with the Pence family at the United States Naval Observatory, along with Australian Shepherd Harley, and cats Hazel and Pickle. He was acquired from Craigslist by VP Pence's daughter Charlotte Pence in 2013 as a freshman at DePaul University. At the time she needed a bunny for a short film student project. In the movie, Bundo portrayed a "symbol of rebellion in a world of conformity", as a bunny who repeatedly escapes from his cage. Before this, Bundo was "just another scrappy Chicago bunny". Pence texted Bundo's owner to ask how much the bunny cost, and the owner replied; "Make me an offer." In Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather and the 1972 film of the same name, Marlon Brando's Don Vito Corleone says, "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse". Pence's friend noticed the similarity between the seller and Corleone, and suggested naming the bunny Marlon Brando. Pence finally decided to name him Marlon Bundo. Speaking to The Chicago Tribune Charlotte recalled:
We drove out to the suburbs, my friends and I, and we picked him up. I think he was like $20. He was in the short film, and I just kept him after that.
Bundo lived with Charlotte throughout college in Chicago. Bundo traveled to Washington D.C. from his home in Indianapolis, Indiana aboard Air Force Two in January 2017, making him the first bunny to ever travel via the plane. He made his official debut in May 2017, appearing at a White House event honoring Military Appreciation Month, where he was "admired", according to the official transcript of the event. Bundo was featured on the White House's Flickr landing page on May 11, 2017, detailing his first trip to the White House. Bundo has not been in the Oval Office, as of 20 March 2018.:7 President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump met Bundo at a dinner at the Naval Observatory. Melania Trump invited Karen and Charlotte Pence to read their book at the White House Easter Egg Roll, but the Pences declined, explaining the family -- and Marlon Bundo -- were taking a mini-spring vacation. Karen Pence said, "You have to have the bunny on Easter."
The Pence family drew some criticism online and questions regarding their care for Bundo, based on the observation that his nails were "far too long". As Callie Beusman, a senior editor with Vice Media commented:
The Pence family cannot claim ignorance on these issues because insane rabbit people (including myself) frequently comment on Marlon Bundo's Instagrams with alarm and concern.
The piece went on to observe that "BOTUS otherwise seems well-loved". The White House press office did not respond to a related request for comment on the matter. The Washington Post later observed that Bundo "promptly got a pedicure".
Social media
Bundo has his own Instagram account, which has over 31,000 followers as of March 2018. Charlotte created his Instagram account "right after [her] dad was inaugurated", "not knowing if anybody would follow it". He is the fifth presidential bunny, but the first with a social media account. According to The Fresno Bee, Bundo generally avoids partisan politics online, preferring instead to stick to "posting pictures of his bunny life, including being hugged by his mom, Charlotte Pence, the vice president's ... daughter, hopping around the house, and playing hide and seek with Pickle, the family cat". Photographs on Bundo's Instagram account include "him reading the Constitution, taking phone calls, signing documents, and working out on the treadmill". Because of Bundo's popularity on Instagram, Charlotte and Karen decided to create a children's book about him "at one point".
Maps Marlon Bundo
Children's books
Bundo is the main character in two children's books.
Marlon Bundo's A Day in the Life of the Vice President features Bundo accompanying Vice President Pence through his daily activities as seen from Bundo's perspective. It is written by Charlotte Pence and illustrated by Karen Pence. As of March 2018, Bundo was scheduled to accompany Charlotte and Karen on the press tour for the book. Proceeds from the book go to benefit Tracy's Kids, an art therapy program, and The A21 Campaign, which works to combat human trafficking. As of late March 2018, the book had sold approximately 100,000 copies, entered the top-ten books on Amazon, and was the No. 5 Children's Picture Book on The New York Times Best Seller list.
A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo is a book published by the television show, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. It details the gay romance between Bundo and a bunny named Wesley. Authorship is attributed to Bundo as well as Jill Twiss. Speaking of the book on Instagram, Bundo's account says, "Not gonna lie, I do look pretty fly in a bow tie." Proceeds from the book go to benefit The Trevor Project, which runs a crisis hotline for members of the LGBTQ community, and AIDS United. As of late March, 2018 the book had sold approximately 400,000 copies, spent several days as the top-selling book on Amazon, and was the No. 6 Children's Picture Book on The New York Times Best Seller list.
Reception
In December 2017, President of the United States Donald Trump reportedly described having Bundo and the other family pets in the Vice Presidential residence as "low class". Writing for Jezebel, Ellie Shechet acklowledged Bundo's cuteness, but continued that it is "an indisputable fact that underneath his huge blinky eyes and nice fat tummy lies the twisted heart of a dirty trickster", and further accused him of using his "good looks and pleasant demeanor as a fluffy tool of mass obfuscation".
The Washington Post praised Bundo as "ridiculously cute" and "a natural actor". Others have called him the "only positive thing in Washington, D.C." Writing in Vogue, Bridget Read summarized Bundo saying he is, "clearly a lover, not a fighter, based on how much he loves snuggling" but also that he is "clearly not new to navigating his own PR, and has demonstrated some media training". Read concluded by saying that Bundo's "social media rollout" may be an indication that he is planning to run for public office. Speaking to Ellen DeGeneres, comedian John Oliver described Bundo as a "fantastic rabbit," continuing "if you have a problem with that bunny you're dead inside."
See also
- Rabbits and hares in art
- United States presidential pets
- Dear Socks, Dear Buddy - 1998 children's book written by then-First Lady Hillary Clinton about the two pets that lived in the White House during the Clinton administration, Socks the cat and Buddy the dog.
- List of animals with fraudulent diplomas
- List of wealthiest animals
Notes
References
External links
- Marlon Bundo on Instagram
- House bunny Marlon Bundo makes his debut, video from The Washington Post
Source of article : Wikipedia
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