Two Viral Moment Bernie Sanders Bobbleheads Unveiled

Two Viral Moment Bernie Sanders Bobbleheads Unveiled

MILWAUKEE –This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled two limited-edition bobbleheads of United States Senator Bernie Sanders, commemorating a pair of Senator Sanders’ memorable moments. The new bobbleheads are being released to celebrate the first anniversary of the viral Bernie Sanders Inauguration Day Mittens moment. The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum released a bobblehead commemorating the moment within hours of Bernie going viral at the inauguration on January 20, 2021. The first bobblehead features Bernie with the bird on his podium and the second features the viral “I am Once Again Asking…” meme.

The Bernie Bird Podium Bobblehead commemorates the viral moment from Bernie’s 2016 campaign. During a rally at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, on March 25th, Sanders was interrupted mid-speech when a small bird perched itself on the podium in front of him as the crowd reacted with thunderous applause. The moment later became a viral sensation with the hashtag #BirdieSanders. The bobblehead features a flabbergasted Sanders standing behind a podium and microphone with his arms in the air. He is looking at the bird, which is directly in front of him and next to a sign which reads, “A Future To Believe In – Bernie Sanders.” The base also includes the senator’s name. In addition to Sanders’ head, the bird also bobbles. Each bobblehead is individually numbered to 2,016 and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in June, are $30 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

The Bernie “I am Once Again Asking” Bobblehead commemorates the viral meme that originated during Bernie’s 2020 campaign. On December 30th, 2019, Sanders tweeted a short video imploring supporters to donate to his campaign before the Federal Election Commission fundraising deadline. “I am once again asking for your financial support,” he said at the beginning of the video which had the caption at the bottom of the screen. A screenshot of the video became a popular meme imagining various scenarios in which monetary donations or support are being requested. The backing makes it appear as though he is standing outside. The bottom of the base includes the phrase “I am once again asking” with the remainder of the base painted with chalkboard paint so that the rest of the phrase can be written and changed. Each bobblehead, which includes a piece of chalk, is individually numbered to 2,020 and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in April, are $30 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

The original Bernie Sanders Inauguration Day Bobblehead commemorates the viral moment when Sanders was pictured watching the Inauguration ceremony to swear in Joe Biden as the nation’s 46th President. The bobblehead features a masked Sanders, wearing a jacket and mittens, sitting on a folding chair with his legs crossed on a white podium base. To date, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has sold nearly 30,000 of the original Bernie Sanders Inauguration Day Bobbleheads, making it the museum’s second best seller behind the original Dr. Anthony Fauci Bobblehead. The bobblehead of Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the 101-year-old basketball team chaplain at Loyola University Chicago, was the museum’s top seller before the Fauci and Sanders bobbleheads. The Hall of Fame and Museum released subsequent bobbleheads commemorating the viral inauguration day moment: Bernie Sanders Standing bobblehead, a Dashboard/Mini bobblehead, a Mantle Mate bobblehead, and an Ornament bobblehead.

Political bobbleheads were some of the earliest bobbleheads available for purchase starting in 1960. John F. Kennedy was the first politician captured in bobblehead form and bobbleheads of presidents, candidates, and other political figures have remained popular ever since. Bobbleheads of all 46 United States Presidents have now been produced with the “Neglected Presidents” Series filling in the missing president bobbleheads.

“The Bernie Sanders Inauguration Day Bobbleheads have taken on a life of their own,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Shortly after releasing the original inauguration day bobblehead, we received a lot of requests for bobbleheads featuring the bird moment and the viral meme, and we think fans will love them.”

About the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum:
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, which is located at 170 S. 1st St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, opened to the public on February 1st, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country. Visit us online and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.