AILSA CHANG, HOST:
It's been quite a week for Marlon Bundo. The white-and-black rabbit hopped across the pages of not one but two picture books.
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
Who's Marlon Bundo? Let us help.
(SOUNDBITE OF AUDIOBOOK, "MARLON BUNDO'S: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As Marlon Bundo) Allow me to introduce myself. I am Marlon Bundo Pence. I live with my family here at the vice president's residence. Some people call me BOTUS, a name any bunny would love. It means bunny of the United States, a job I am very proud of.
CORNISH: That's the beginning of "Marlon Bundo's: A Day In The Life Of The Vice President."
CHANG: Some of the book's proceeds go to charity for kids with cancer and to fight human trafficking.
CORNISH: Bundo's owner, Charlotte Pence, wrote the book. She's the VIP's 24-year-old daughter. Her mother, Karen, illustrated the book.
CHANG: Now, John Oliver, the host of "Last Week Tonight," is no fan of Vice President Pence in part because of his stance on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights.
CORNISH: But...
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "LAST WEEK TONIGHT")
JOHN OLIVER: Through gritted teeth, here it is. I kind of like his rabbit.
CORNISH: Especially his name.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "LAST WEEK TONIGHT")
OLIVER: His name is Marlon Bundo...
(LAUGHTER)
OLIVER: ...Which, again - it kills me to say this - is an objectively good name for a bunny.
(LAUGHTER)
OLIVER: And Marlon Bundo is a great rabbit. He has his own Instagram account. Here he is making an important phone call.
CORNISH: Still, Oliver couldn't resist a poke at the Pences.
CHANG: He revealed a second childrens' book written by the BOTUS himself. It's called "A Day In The Life Of Marlon Bundo." The bunny has a bow tie and a boyfriend.
(SOUNDBITE OF AUDIOBOOK, "A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MARLON BUNDO")
JIM PARSONS: (As Marlon Bundo) And we both said we will get married and hop together forever.
CHANG: That's from the audio book.
CORNISH: There is a problem, though. Stink Bug is in charge, and he looks an awful lot like Mike Pence.
(SOUNDBITE OF AUDIOBOOK, "A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MARLON BUNDO")
JOHN LITHGOW: (As Stink Bug) Boy bunnies don't marry boy bunnies.
CHANG: Both books have hit the top 10 on Amazon this week. But the gay bunny book is now on backorder.
CORNISH: But as good reading, how do these books stack up? Here's Alexandra Alter. She covers publishing for "The New York Times."
ALEXANDRA ALTER: The John Oliver book has more of a classic story arc - there's a conflict; there's an antagonist; there's a resolution at the end; there's some tension - while the Pence family book unfolds chronologically without much drama.
CHANG: It's still cute, though, just straightforward.
CORNISH: Author Charlotte Pence supports the Oliver book, saying it's also for a good cause. Proceeds from his book go to support gay youth and AIDS United.
CHANG: It's all good for the real-life Marlon Bundo, too. On his social media accounts, the rabbit writes, the only thing better than one bunny book for charity is two bunny books for charity - #BOTUS. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
