[[A kangaroo, BARBARA, confronts a frog, SPENCER, who is smoking and carrying a wine bottle under his little froggy arm.]]

BARBARA: Spencer…I HEARD what you SAID five years ago on a train! There’s a RECORDING!
BARBARA: It was VERY offensive! Spencer, how COULD you?

SPENCER: Listen, Barbara. I DID say some terrible things. But HERE’S what you have to decide.
SPENCER: Am I a terrible person? Do I have hate in my heart for anyone different from me?
SPENCER: Is that recording devoid of necessary context? Would learning more about the complex situation make things clearer?

SPENCER: Am I a passive participant in an offensive CULTURE, having been raised BLIND to the very real struggles of marginalized groups, and therefore possessing an inherent insensitivity to what others may find offensive?
SPENCER: Am I a CURRENT victim of an offense-seeking machine eager to gleefully fan ANY flame of outrage that will demonize ANYONE?

SPENCER: Or is life complicated and issues never truly black and white, to the eternal chagrin of everyone trying to make sense of how best to live an ethical life?
BARBARA: I don’t know WHAT to think now! You’ve got me all CONFUSED!
SPENCER (dismissively): Pshhh just LIKE a kangaroo

#1149; The Prodigal Slur transcribed by in

[[A kangaroo, BARBARA, confronts a frog, SPENCER, who is smoking and carrying a wine bottle under his little froggy arm.]]

BARBARA: Spencer…I HEARD what you SAID five years ago on a train! There’s a RECORDING!
BARBARA: It was VERY offensive! Spencer, how COULD you?

#1149; The Prodigal Slur transcribed by in

[[A kangaroo, BARBARA, confronts a frog, SPENCER, who is smoking and carrying a wine bottle under his little froggy arm.]]

BARBARA: Spencer...I HEARD what you SAID five years ago on a train! There's a RECORDING!
BARBARA: It was VERY offensive! Spencer, how COULD you?

SPENCER: Listen, Barbara. I DID say some terrible things. But HERE'S what you have to decide.
SPENCER: Am I a terrible person? Do I have hate in my heart for anyone different from me?
SPENCER: Is that recording devoid of necessary context? Would learning more about the complex situation make things clearer?

SPENCER: Or is life complicated and issues never truly black and white, to the eternal chagrin of everyone trying to make sense of how best to live an ethical life?
BARBARA: I don't know WHAT to think now! You've got me all CONFUSED!
SPENCER (dismissively): Pshhh just LIKE a kangaroo

Always getting flustered and forgetting what they put in their pockets! It's a stereotype for a reason!!

#1149; The Prodigal Slur

— August 7th, 2015

[ Tags: consequences, humanized animals, politics, the culture ] Permalink: https://wondermark.com/c/1149/

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Applications open for Genius Northwest – an IRL gaming competition

May 8, 2026 by David Malki !

Last year, I participated in Genius Northwest, a gaming competition inspired by the Korean gameshow The Genius and its ilk.

It’s a reality show without the cameras — a 3-day, all-inclusive weekend retreat structured around a series of challenges and puzzles, in which personalities and dealmaking matter as much as playing games.

It’s truly a remarkable thing. I came in dead last in the competition, but I still had a great time participating.

The event is held annually in the Pacific Northwest (hence the name) and applications are now open to participate in the 2026 competition!

Learn more — and apply — at GeniusNW.com.

Comic Transcripts

#1149; The Prodigal Slur

— August 7th, 2015

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