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Be warned: this video of Sad Panda will melt even the coldest of hearts. The fact is that Sad Panda (sometimes Spongebob Squarepants) is actually pretty sad, and that makes us Sad Humans.
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism student Michelle Tay has sent us this exclusive interview with the man behind the mask. The audio is in Mandarin, but there are subtitles that tell the 62-year-old Jialing Chen's story — which includes a hard luck tale of being forced to leave his former restaurant job. Unable to find work again, he started out his journey as Sad Panda, where on a good day he'll make 30 bucks. His wife works 7 days a week as a private nurse, so the family can afford health care. Yeah, get out the tissues...
Just think about how many more sad stories are hidden behind masks out there.
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Thank God there's a real sad person behind those ears, and not some ironic hipster.
If it had been a hipster he/she would not be out there on a daily basis. They would spent tons of money on the suit, gone out once, and then would never do it again because it had "been done before."
Very true statement. You made me laugh out loud.
Nah, a hipster would go out again and again, until popular (like the Sad Panada now is)... then quit and wait for people to miss him (like what happened not too long ago)... then show up at some stupid hispter band's performance in Williamsburg and reveal himself, while his hipster girlfriend videotapes (to later post online) on his oh so hip Super-8 that he convinced his parents to get him for Christmas the previous year.
Sad Panda should go to the Senate floor during the healthcare debates
Awesome!
everything you needed to know is on that video.
...except where he got the costumes. glaring omission.
Hotcup: Thanks for noticing. I do have the answer, but didn't know where to fit it into the video itself.
He gets the suits made in Guangzhou, for 1,000 Yuan each - or about US$145 each.
JacqueMehoff: Thank you :)
Good work, Michelle. Thanks for this.
oh, sweet. thanks!
Sad story, at least he's doing something rather than wasting away at home.
People going back to China for medical help happens as it is cheaper...
Really touching. I'm unemployed, but nowhere as destitute as he's. Hopefully, I'll run into him soon.
I can't believe he said he'll keep on doing this till the day he stops moving.
he is banging lots of hot wall street chicks, though
well at least it ain't 2 li'l chinese kids on top of each other in that suit
......" never do it again because it had "been done before."
so fucking funny!
dude, 62 is the new 42...get steppin!
Sad Panda rocks.
Another immigrant tuk r jobs. Where is the sad buffalo, the sad moose, the sad beaver? Where the hell is Lou Dobbs?
He should think about hitting up other tourist spots and start up an act of some kind if this is what he plans to do for the next 3 years
Just don't do what Spiderman did in L.A.
Thanks a lot!
The magic is now dead.
Sad indeed... Now I want to go and drop a $20 in his panda bucket. :(
I know, right? I was thinking of making his Saturday a lot better too.
This feels like something you would see straight out of a good indie flick. I was satisfied that it wasn't some damn hipster too but I wasn't expecting this...
Thanks in any case. It was nice to finally get to the bottom of this.
wow- I thought I would hate to know who SP really is. But Ms. Tay did a great job... except for that Kill Bill intro music.
same "creative" comment here: very compelling story, interesting message, but that music at the beginning was sooo OFF!
Great piece, but the music at the beginning is a little jarring and inappropriate.
Great piece. What was up with the intro music though? Almost ruined it before it started.
Did anyone else imagine that this was either some really homeless dude, or a wall st guy wearing a suit in a suit?
I wouldn't mind keeping the mystery alive, but this is cool. Great job Tay!
Only $30 on a good day and as little as $1? He'd make more money fishing soft drink bottles and cans (and now water bottles) out of the garbage for redemption.
sad panda doesn't sound so sad. or do i just think that because i don't understand chinese (er, cantonese).
no, he's just not letting his desperate situation get him down.
Naked Panda... That's where the real money is.
Thanks, Jen, for your indefatigable reporting on Sad Panda =) We decided to share his story with our readers on Shanghaiist: http://shanghaiist.com/2009/11/19/nyc-sad-panda-guangzhou.php
This guy lost his job before his retirement. He dresses up as SP or SB just to make some money or do something. I think it's inspiring that he isn't giving up.
I found this on the Shanghaiist post.
http://tofunator.xanga.com/698638131/getting-fobbier/
A girl blogged about how some high school kids knocked him over in his Spongebob costume and they had to help him up as he sobbed inside the costume.
So heart-breaking.
This is so sad. Can someone help him? Does anyone know of any jobs for him at any other restaurants, or maybe a diner, maybe something not in a restaurant? Why not help him get on his feet... sometimes when you're down you try your best and reach out and then there's that 1 nice person that helps you and changes your life. If I was living in New York I'd help him or talk to him, help in anyway I can.
Or anything, at least tell him it's admirable for him to be there, and that he's welcomed and to not give up... I know someone else who was close to retiring and was laid off... and he had no where the spirit Sad Panda has.
I gave Sad Panda $5 after snapping a pic of him and my toddler a few months ago. That area is crawling with tourists. I find it hard to believe he only makes $30 on a good day.
There is every reason for the Pandas to be sad as they are getting extinct from most parts of the world. We must do something immediately to protect this cute co-habitant.
good video. got to practice my mandarin too! jia1 you2 sad panda!!!
wonder why they spoke mandarin if he's from guangzhou