What Do You Think?

What Do You Think? is the first Sketchier to include guest stars. It’s also the first time Marge (yes, the regular characters have names) plays a “role” other than Republican woman.

The genesis of the strip is simple. Every time Trump and his Administration do something moronic (which is most every day) I picture Bugs Bunny calling Elmer Fudd a “maroon”—as he was prone to do.

Since I began writing Sketchiers I’ve tried to find a way to work this into a strip. The problem was that anyone else using the term would be too obscure a reference—even for Sketchier. Which meant I had to figure out how to get Bugs into a strip.

Having him pop in at the end of a strip seemed in character. But in what context? Eventually I landed on the game show concept. The other guest stars were determined by the need to find quotes that demeaned Trump in a lofty way so that Bugs could show up to cut to the chase.

Claude AI and ChatGPT found Einstein writing in 1940, “The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow to conventional prejudice and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly." And in Plato’s Republic they found Plato and Socrates noting that tyrants are a “most unjust and miserable type.” Due to space limitations and the need to translate from ancient Greek, I’ve paraphrased quotes.

Yes, it would have been simpler to just put words in their mouths. But basing their comments on actual quotes was more fun, even if only those of you reading this far get it.

Socrates’ and Einstein’s descriptions fit Trump. However, Bug’s observation is far more impactful. What do you think?

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