When Ilene Markowitz met Bill Haddad in Austin, Texas, the least of her concerns was his Arab heritage. More troubling was the fact that her new beau was from Waco—under two hour's drive but a million miles away. So what’s a nice, liberal, Jewish girl doing with a Catholic, Arab, Libertarian? Creating a webcomic, of course! Casa Weenie began as a way for Ilene to share conversations she had with her husband, known to fans as Mr. Weenie. A little more Lucy and Ricky than Romeo and Juliet, the banter of this odd little offshoot of the United Nations makes for a comedic reflection on married life.
ILENE HADDAD (aka: Ileenie Weenie) is a graphic designer, cartoonist, writer, dog lover, and Austin girl. She owes her nickname to her dad.
BILL HADDAD (aka: Mr. Weenie) grew up in Waco but moved to Austin as soon as he could. We're still unsure exactly what he does for a living, but it's something in the arts and entertainment industry. He owes his nickname to his wife. YOU'RE WELCOME, BILL.
Here are a few other characters who share the stage:
DEXTER T. POODLE (Canineo Horribilus) Enjoys skulking, sneaking, leering, looking on with derision, eating partially digested food, napping and dinner conversation.
HARRY A. MALTESE (Poocheus Idiotio) Enjoys cheese, staring blankly, licking the space formerly dedicated to his testicles, rolling in deceased wildlife, country western dancing and air hockey.
VINCENT THE ONE-EARED GARDEN CAT (Felinius Assholiess) One-eared stray cat who lives in the gardens of Casa Weenie. Vince did a stint in Leavenworth for tax evasion. He studied law while in prison and now works as a defense attorney in Austin, Texas with his life partner, Sid, a sociopathic squirrel. Favorite hobbies include sarcasm and attending SXSW festivities.
WHAT IS REAL? Dexter, Harry, Vincent and Sid are all real, to varying degrees. There is a one-eared cat who visits our garden, but we are unsure of the veracity of his backstory. Sid is an amalgam of several mentally unstable squirrels roaming the grounds of Casa Weenie. Dexter is a rescue poodle who is much sweeter than portrayed in the cartoons. Harry came to us unexpectedly and has a notable sense of entitlement. He is a big fan of cheese.
People often ask how much of the dialogue in my cartoons is real. I'd say 94.7% of what you read is word for word, based on real conversations with my husband. I sometimes edit content to make it more concise for the comic format. 100% of the animals' commentary is quoted directly.
THE RULES: Be nice. Be respectful. Tolerance for foul language is very high, but don’t use it against anyone else, or you’ll be bound, gagged and forced to watch Fox News. I reserve the right to delete comments as I see fit, because I’m the head boss lady in charge. So there.