This week, I head outside—despite my deep hatred of bugs, gnats, and all things “outdoors”—to talk about The Bears’ Picnic, the third “I Can Read It All By Myself” book by Stan and Jan Berenstain. It’s a classic tale of a well-meaning family picnic gone hilariously wrong, with Papa Bear dragging the family across bear country in search of the perfect lunch spot. Spoiler: they end up where they started.
Along the way, we’ll get into:
- The surprisingly non-racist origins of the word picnic
- Why Minnesotans will eat outside literally anywhere (including parking lots)
- How the Victorians ruined everything for all of us
- Papa Bear’s flawed but sincere planning
- My personal tolerance for nature (spoiler: it’s not high)
Also, my upcoming one-man show at the Minnesota Fringe Festival is this August! It’s not about the Berenstain Bears—it’s darker, more personal, and definitely not for kids. With a poster design by the amazing Mads Torres!
