Funny Times’ original July 2000 press release for the Texas Homegrown Dope seeds:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 21, 2000
Funny Times targets George W. Bush with “Texas Homegrown Dope” seeds
CLEVELAND—George W. Bush … growing soon in a garden near you!
As part of its 15th anniversary celebration, Funny Times, the leading monthly political humor publication, is now selling ”Texas Homegrown Dope” seed packages featuring Governor Bush as an ornamental shrub. Funny Times will distribute the packages at both the Republican and Democratic national conventions to help promote its unique brand of political journalism.
“We got the idea when we heard about the tens of millions of dollars of ‘seed money’ that the Republican Party was raising to get Bush elected,” says Raymond-Lesser, co-publisher of the 55,000 subscriber publication. “What kind of crops are the Republicans trying to grow with their seed money? What kind of a seed is Bush? With all the dopey things Bush has already said and done, we figured he must be a dope seed.”
The hilarious seed packages, which actually contain lettuce seeds, are available for the egalitarian price of $1. “After all, you’ll need a lot of lettuce to influence the Bush Administration,” says Lesser.
The Funny Times plans to hand out the packets at both upcoming political conventions as a reminder to attendees of potential “dopey policies, dopey appointments, and dopey political bickering” in Washington if Bush gets elected. “But don’t get me wrong,” says Lesser. “From The Funny Times’ perspective, this could be terrific for business. Having a dope in the White House for the next four years looks like a wonderful opportunity for political satire.”
The promotional seed packages also contain subscription information, and Lesser says readers can expect much more fun in the near future. Among other projects, The Funny Times will soon publish a special Best of Funny Times book – Safe Sex & Dangerous Coffee. They’re also working on a series of topical political satire, Funny Times’ Week That Will Be, the first installments of which should begin before the election.
The Texas Homegrown Dope seeds include numerous planting instructions such as, “using a silver spoon, plant in shallow hole. Protect from draft. Feed with loads of family and soft money.” The seeds “can be planted anywhere, but grow easily in a poor environment; oblivious to air or water quality, and unaffected by chemical or radioactive contamination.”
The full-color seed packages are manufactured to look exactly like seed packs you might find at your local garden center, but feature a cartoon which turns Governor Bush into “an ornamental shrub developed to protect corporate boardrooms and gated communities.”
Available for a limited time in the Funny Times Gift Shop – throwback Texas Homegrown Dope Tee!
Part of Funny Times’ ongoing tradition of making fun of the dopes running this country, we’re re-releasing this legendary “Texas Homegrown Dope” tee for a limited time, in honor of our 40th anniversary! The design, featuring president George W. Bush as an ornamental shrub, was printed on actual lettuce seed packets and distributed around the 2000 Republican and Democratic National Conventions to protest Bush’s candidacy and promote Funny Times’ unique style of political journalism.
Available until December 31st, 2025!
We’ve spotted old Texas Homegrown Dope tee-shirt for resale on vintage sites for $60-150… now you can get your own sweet throwback tee for a fraction of the price (and sans someone else’s pit stains!)
