Trumpy Bear's second coming sparks intrigue

Taylor Telford, The Washington Post

Published

1:53 pm CST, Monday, November 12, 2018

WASHINGTON – When Trumpy Bear first emerged from the ether – his arrival trumpeted via an infomercial – the public had its doubts. The combination of his crisply-cuffed paws, roller coaster of a comb-over and heroism were unbelievable. His mythos eclipsed him.

Now, more than a year later, the furry stranger has been ushered back into the limelight by a new round of advertisements just in time for the holidays. But still, Trumpy Bear remains somewhat of an American mystery.

Trumpy Bear's Facebook page simply describes a limited edition, collectible teddy bear that "screams America." And indeed, with his white collar, red tie and watery blue eyes, he is a $ 19.95.

The commercial has graced American airwaves since last October, including on the Animal Planet, Discovery, the Outdoor Channel and most recently Fox News, according to Ad Age. But the commercials offer in the way of biography. Instead, they spur further questions about his shadowy origins.

The TV spots say in the forest, warning of a coming storm. Trumpy Bear was born on Flag Day 2017, they do not explain why, it is allegedly a "great American grizzly," he stands only 22 inches high and sports business draws. The secret compartment in his neck (which stores an American flag blanket) is still another puzzling anatomical departure from his kin.

Trumpy Bear's story was so unbelievable that fact-checking website Snopes had to step in to confirm his existence. Trumpy Bear's insights into revealing the story of the past, which he traced back to the turn of the century, at the beginning of the original plush bear named for President Theodore Roosevelt.

"When President Donald Trump was elected to the position of the first non-politician president, I felt it was time to name an American fearless grizzly bear after our new Commander in Chief," the bear's creator, V.L. Lange, from a company called "Reel Vision," told Snopes in a "vision statement." Legally, the bear's trademark belongs to the Dallas-based Exceptional Products, which sells many other as-seen-on-TV products such as Hair-Dini and Plaque Attack.

Exceptional Products The Trumpy Bear's backstory and how many of the most-pawed heroes it has sold. The Trumpy Bear is the world's most important source of history.

Based on the wide-ranging shots from commercials, showing Trumpy Bear is one of the most important aspects of the game, and it is obvious that he is a bear of action. From footage of Trumpy Bear with a small-business owner and a hard-hat on a construction site, it's safe to assume he has a vested interest in the American industry. But the commercial is also a softer side, showing Trumpy Bear resting in a rocking chair, and a tenderly embracing a woman on a beige sofa.

While some questions about the bear's background may be the subject of the "Certificate of Authenticity", he said, "Amazon.com reviews" the creature's species and patriotism.

(Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.)

"The flag on the one we got is NOT a U.S. flag," one user wrote in June. "The stars are completely off and not at all like the one pictured on the listing." Another user confirmed that the flag only had 33 stars.

"This was stated that it ships from USA IT DOES NOT …. straight from CHINA," another wrote in June.

We can never know from whence he came, or why. A deep gauze into his face suggests that he might be long for answers. Nestled beneath sandy caterpillar browsing, his embroidered eyes pool with questions.