Pinkie Pride

{{External media

|headerimage=File:YouTube 2024.svg

|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpdjSd_u7I4 Pinkie Pride (full episode)] — Official upload of the episode onto YouTube | float= left|

}}

{{My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic sidebar}}

As he oversees an extravagant party he has thrown in Appleloosa, party planner Cheese Sandwich senses a "doozy" of a party being thrown in Ponyville, where Pinkie Pie is organizing her friend Rainbow Dash a party, celebrating both the latter's birthday and anniversary of her move to Ponyville. Pinkie promises to throw Rainbow Dash the best "birthiversary" party ever when Cheese appears and introduces himself as the premier party planner in Equestria. Though initially delighted to meet a party planner like herself, Pinkie is upset as Cheese enraptures the townsfolk with his party-throwing skills, causing her friends to desert her for Cheese's party.

Cheese begins building a massive set for Rainbow Dash's party, while almost all help him build it. Doubting her own partying skills, Pinkie attempts several odd-end jobs around Ponyville that fail. She returns home dejected and begins to put her party supplies away before looking through framed pictures showing various parties she has thrown in the past. With renewed confidence, Pinkie challenges Cheese to a goofing showdown ("goof-off"), declaring the winner will be dubbed the single best party planner and headline Rainbow Dash's party. Cheese accepts and Rainbow Dash becomes the judge of the competition. The two try to outdo each other with increasingly silly and elaborate performances until Pinkie accidentally drops a giant piñata on top of Rainbow Dash. Pinkie realizes her pride has gotten in the way of Rainbow Dash's party and forfeits the goof-off to Cheese.

Pinkie packs up her belongings and prepares to leave Ponyville, deciding to let Cheese take her place. She is stopped by Rainbow Dash and her other friends, who apologize for neglecting her, but Pinkie counters that it is her fault instead, apologizing for her destructive pride. However, her friends affirm that, while both are talented party planners, Cheese could never replace her as their friend. Cheese arrives and apologizes as well, assuring that he never meant any harm, but rather wanted to impress her with his partying; he confesses that, contrary to his previous claims of being a partier all his life, he was extremely shy as a colt until he stumbled upon a party thrown by Pinkie, which inspired him to become a party planner. Pinkie and Cheese make amends and work together to throw Rainbow Dash a party before Cheese departs, leaving Pinkie his valued rubber chicken "Boneless" as a gift.

File:AlYankovicByKristineSlipson.jpg, as seen in 2010, guest stars as the voice of Cheese Sandwich|alt="Weird Al" Yankovic in front of the microphone while performing on his accordion at a 2010 concert tour.]]

The episode was first teased by Hasbro Vice President of Development Mike Vogel during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2013, where he hinted about a musical season 4 episode where "somebody will give [Pinkie Pie] a run for her partying money."{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/my-little-pony-friendship-magic-comic-con-1068095/|title=My Little Pony: Pinkie Pie Lands a Musical Episode and More Season 4 Scoop|work=TV Guide|date=July 20, 2013|access-date=February 1, 2014|author=Nguyen, Hanh|archive-date=April 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150411064618/http://www.tvguide.com/news/my-little-pony-friendship-magic-comic-con-1068095/|url-status=live}} The involvement of "Weird Al" Yankovic in the episode stemmed from a Twitter post by the parody musician, where he had linked to a user-created music video with scenes from Friendship Is Magic episodes set to "Polkarama!", one of his polka medleys.{{cite tweet|number=60438491301036032|title=The Weird Al / My Little Pony mashup that the world has been waiting for: http://j.mp/frzYRU|user=alyankovic|author-link="Weird Al" Yankovic |date=April 19, 2011|access-date=February 1, 2014|author=Yankovic, "Weird Al" |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301143718/https://twitter.com/alyankovic/status/60438491301036032 |archive-date=March 1, 2014 |url-status=live}} The tweet was discovered by co-executive producer Jayson Thiessen, who posted a reply asking the musician if he would be interested in the idea of guest voicing a character on the show since "Weird Al and My Little Pony seem to go together really well."{{cite tweet|number=60741896728883200|title=@alyankovic mlp/yankovic make a perfect pair! Ever consider doing a guest spot on the show? (I'm the director and a huge AL fan)|user=goldenrusset|date=April 20, 2011|access-date=February 1, 2014|author=Thiessen, Jayson |author-link=Jayson Thiessen |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301121610/https://twitter.com/goldenrusset/status/60741896728883200 |archive-date=March 1, 2014 |url-status=live}} After being met with a positive response from fans of the series, Thiessen received a private message from Yankovic about a year later, expressing his interest in participating. In the episode, Yankovic voiced a character named Cheese Sandwich, who is portrayed as being a rival to Pinkie Pie in the realm of party service.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/popcandy/2014/01/15/weird-al-my-little-pony/4490001/|title=Exclusive: 'Weird Al' Yankovic graces My Little Pony|work=USA Today|date=January 15, 2014|access-date=February 1, 2014|author=Matheson, Whitney|archive-date=January 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140119211015/http://www.usatoday.com/story/popcandy/2014/01/15/weird-al-my-little-pony/4490001/|url-status=live}} In a Reddit "Ask me Anything" on the release of his subsequent album, Mandatory Fun, Yankovic stated that he "had a blast" performing as Cheese Sandwich and was "extremely happy" with the episode, and would be glad to reprise the role if the showrunners asked.{{Cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/16/weird-al-yankovic-takes-on-pharrells-happy/ | title = 'Weird Al' Yankovic takes on Pharrell's 'Happy' | newspaper = Washington Post | date = July 16, 2014 | access-date = July 18, 2014 | first1 = Justin | last1 = Moyer | first2 = Nick | last2 = Kirkpatrick | url-access = limited | archive-date = July 17, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140717033626/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/16/weird-al-yankovic-takes-on-pharrells-happy/ | url-status = live }}{{cite web | url = https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2as5t1/this_is_weird_al_yankovic_amaa_ask_me_anything/ciy9ogj | title = This is 'Weird Al' Yankovic – AMAA (Ask Me Anything, Again) | publisher = Reddit | first = Weird Al | last = Yankovic | date = July 15, 2014 | access-date = July 18, 2014 |author-link="Weird Al" Yankovic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725052146/https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2as5t1/this_is_weird_al_yankovic_amaa_ask_me_anything/ciy9ogj |archive-date=July 25, 2021 |url-status=live}} Yankovic would later reprise the character in 2019 for the season 9 episode "The Last Laugh".{{cite press release|url=https://cf-media.press.discovery.com/ugc/press/2019/03/08/101118/MLP_S9_Press_Release_-_Final.pdf|title=The Final Season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Premieres Saturday, April 6 on Discovery Family|last=Albert|first=Jared|location=Miami, Florida|publisher=Discovery, Inc.|date=March 8, 2019|access-date=March 8, 2019|archive-date=March 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308181237/https://cf-media.press.discovery.com/ugc/press/2019/03/08/101118/MLP_S9_Press_Release_-_Final.pdf|url-status=live}}

The episode was written by Amy Keating Rogers based on a story idea by Jayson Thiessen. In an interview with USA Today, Thiessen went on to say that they had gone "all out" with the episode's animation, that it contained "a couple special things that we've never done before", and that the episode had "a lot of great songs" as well. A short live-action cutaway with a dancing, live-action balloon animal version of Cheese Sandwich's rubber chicken Boneless (made using balloons and rice) was filmed in Thiessen's basement.{{cite tweet|number=429643426808598529|title=that dancing boneless was made of balloons and rice.... filmed in my basement #mlpseason4|user=goldenrusset|date=February 1, 2014|access-date=February 1, 2014|author=Thiessen, Jayson |author-link=Jayson Thiessen |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301002447/https://twitter.com/goldenrusset/status/429643426808598529 |archive-date=March 1, 2014 |url-status=live}}

The episode is a musical featuring six songs with music provided by Daniel Ingram. Lyrics for the songs were originally penned by Amy Keating Rogers and reworked by Ingram. Rogers wrote the lyrics for the various songs with other melodies in mind: "Pinkie the Party Planner" was based on "Belle" from Beauty and the Beast;{{cite tweet|number=429639366948843520|title=When I wrote the lyrics for Pinkie's opening song, the tune in my head was 'Little Town' from Beauty and the Beast. #mlpseason4|user=KeatingRogers|date=February 1, 2014|access-date=February 3, 2014|author=Rogers, Amy Keating |author-link=Amy Keating Rogers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301034730/https://twitter.com/KeatingRogers/status/429639366948843520 |archive-date=March 1, 2014 |url-status=live}} "The Super Duper Party Pony" on "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from Mary Poppins;{{cite tweet|number=429640343487664128|title=The tune in my head when I wrote the lyrics for 'Super Duper Party Pony" was 'Supercalafragalistic.' #Mlpseason4|user=KeatingRogers|date=February 1, 2014|access-date=February 3, 2014|author=Rogers, Amy Keating |author-link=Amy Keating Rogers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304014717/https://twitter.com/KeatingRogers/status/429640343487664128 |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |url-status=live}} "Pinkie's Lament" on "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" from Evita,{{cite tweet|number=429641896818769920|title=The tune in my head when I wrote the lyrics for Pinkie's ballad was 'Don't Cry for Me Argentina' from Evita. #mlpseason4|user=KeatingRogers|date=February 1, 2014|access-date=February 3, 2014|author=Rogers, Amy Keating |author-link=Amy Keating Rogers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304014218/https://twitter.com/KeatingRogers/status/429641896818769920 |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |url-status=live}} "The Goof Off" on "Together (Wherever We Go)" as performed on The Brady Bunch,{{cite tweet|number=429643368239337473|title=The tune in my head for the Goof Off lyrics was 'Together, Wherever We Go' which I know from 'The Brady Bunch!' #mlpseason4|user=KeatingRogers|date=February 1, 2014|access-date=February 3, 2014|author=Rogers, Amy Keating |author-link=Amy Keating Rogers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304024334/https://twitter.com/KeatingRogers/status/429643368239337473 |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |url-status=live}} and "Make a Wish" on Pink's "Raise Your Glass".{{cite tweet|number=429645112063172610|title=The tune in my head when I wrote the lyrics for the ending party song was Pink's 'Raise Your Glass.' #mlpseason4|user=KeatingRogers|date=February 1, 2014|access-date=February 3, 2014|author=Rogers, Amy Keating |author-link=Amy Keating Rogers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304021440/https://twitter.com/KeatingRogers/status/429645112063172610 |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |url-status=live}} While Shannon Chan-Kent sang as Pinkie for most of the songs, the character's regular voice actress, Andrea Libman, performed the character during "The Goof Off".{{cite tweet|number=429665299441270784|title=Lets shower @ShannonCKent in flowers for her incredible singing in Pinkie Pride, as well as @AndreaLibman for the Goof Off #MLPSeason4|user=dannyimusic|date=February 1, 2014|access-date=February 3, 2014|author=Ingram, Daniel |author-link=Daniel Ingram (composer) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304014617/https://twitter.com/dannyimusic/status/429665299441270784 |archive-date=March 4, 2014}} Ingram recorded the character Cheese Sandwich's songs with Yankovic in Los Angeles.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/dannyimusic/posts/636932616354314|title=Last year I got the news from Hasbro [...]|publisher=Facebook|date=January 15, 2014|access-date=February 1, 2014|author=Ingram, Daniel|author-link=Daniel Ingram (composer)|archive-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725052113/https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdannyimusic%2Fposts%2F636932616354314|url-status=live}} A full version of the song "Make a Wish" is included on the album Songs of Ponyville.{{cite AV media |title=Songs Of Ponyville (Music From The Original TV Series) |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/4AisqgQXW57ADDJRBQOpON |access-date=July 24, 2021 |language=en |date=2016 |via=Spotify |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103010832/https://open.spotify.com/album/4AisqgQXW57ADDJRBQOpON |archive-date=January 3, 2020 |url-status=live}}

1. "Pinkie the Party Planner"
2. "The Super Duper Party Pony"
3. "Pinkie's Lament"
4. "The Goof Off"
5. "Cheese Confesses"
6. "Make a Wish"

Steffan Andrews and David Corman helped with the orchestration and arrangements of every song except "Make a Wish".{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/dannyimusic/posts/645268945520681|title=Yes! 'Pinkie Pride'!!! Been waiting for [...]|publisher=Facebook|date=February 1, 2014|access-date=February 1, 2014|author=Ingram, Daniel|author-link=Daniel Ingram (composer)|archive-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725052113/https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdannyimusic%2Fposts%2F645268945520681|url-status=live}}

"Pinkie Pride" aired on February 1, 2014, on the Hub Network.{{cite magazine |last1=Busis |first1=Hillary |title=Weird Al drops by 'My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic' |url=https://ew.com/article/2014/01/31/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-weird-al |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=July 25, 2021 |language=en |date=January 31, 2014 |archive-date=May 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510084651/http://www.ew.com/article/2014/01/31/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-weird-al |url-status=live }} According to the Nielsen household ratings, the episode was viewed by 459,000 people and watched by approximately 0.3 percent of households in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvmediainsights.com/tvratings/40053/hub-network-ratings-scorecard-week-of-january-27-2014/|title=The Hub Ratings Scorecard – Week of Jan. 27, 2014|publisher=TV Media Insights|date=February 7, 2014|access-date=February 7, 2014|author=Pucci, Douglas|archive-date=February 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210001901/http://www.tvmediainsights.com/tvratings/40053/hub-network-ratings-scorecard-week-of-january-27-2014/|url-status=live}}

The episode received positive reviews from critics. Daniel Alvarez of Unleash the Fanboy gave the episode a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it a "really good episode and a very nice look at Pinkie Pie as a character", and praising the characterization of Cheese Sandwich and his rivalry with Pinkie, while noting the "mean" portrayal of Pinkie's friends as a minor setback.{{cite web|url=http://www.unleashthefanboy.com/news/little-pony-friendship-magic-pinkie-pride-review/88287|title=My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic 'Pinkie Pride' Review|work=Unleash The Fanboy|date=February 1, 2014|access-date=February 2, 2014|author=Alvarez, Daniel|archive-date=February 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203224607/http://www.unleashthefanboy.com/news/little-pony-friendship-magic-pinkie-pride-review/88287|url-status=live}} Raymond Gallant from Freakin' Awesome Network awarded the episode a rating of 10 out of 10, considering it "one of the season's best". Noting Pinkie's "moronic" portrayal in other episodes, Gallant praised her "good heart", which he thought gave her more characterization. He also praised the episode's humor, Yankovic's role as "a male version of Pinkie Pie", and the episode's use of musical sequences compared to the earlier musical episode "Magical Mystery Cure", writing, "the story had a chance to breathe, and be built up far better with all the songs added."{{cite web|url=http://www.freakinawesomenetwork.net/2014/02/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-season-4-episode-12-review-2/|title=My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 4, Episode 12 Review|work=Freakin' Awesome Network|date=February 2, 2014|access-date=February 4, 2014|author=Gallant, Raymond|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924015355/http://www.freakinawesomenetwork.net/2014/02/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-season-4-episode-12-review-2/|url-status=live}} Ingram and Andrews were nominated for a 2014 Leo Award for "Best Musical Score in an Animation Program or Series".{{cite web|url=http://www.leoawards.com/2014/nominees/by_name.php|title=2014 Leo Award Nominees|publisher=Leo Awards|access-date=April 24, 2014|archive-date=April 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426214711/http://www.leoawards.com/2014/nominees/by_name.php|url-status=live}} Rae Grimes of Comic Book Resources ranked "Pinkie's Lament" as the eighth best song in Friendship Is Magic. She wrote that the sorrowful tone of the song was starkly different from the rest of her songs, which tend to be upbeat and happy.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/my-little-pony-best-songs/|title=The 10 Best Songs From My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|first=Rae|last=Grimes|date=2022-03-05|access-date=2025-07-03|website=Comic Book Resources}}

The episode was part of the Season 4 DVD set from Shout! Factory that was released on December 2, 2014,{{cite web |title=My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Season Four |url=https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-season-four?product_id=4801 |publisher=Shout! Factory |access-date=July 24, 2021 |language=en |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526023926/https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-season-four?product_id=4801 |url-status=live }} as well as the "Adventures of the Cutie Mark Crusaders" DVD, which was released on February 24, 2015.{{cite web | url=https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-adventures-of-the-cutie-mark-crusaders | title=My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Adventures Of The Cutie Mark Crusaders | publisher=Shout! Factory | date=November 5, 2014 | access-date=November 5, 2014 | archive-date=November 5, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105211713/https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-adventures-of-the-cutie-mark-crusaders | url-status=live }} "The Super Duper Party Pony" is also part of Yankovic's Medium Rarities album which is part of Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of "Weird Al" Yankovic.{{cite magazine |last1=Kreps |first1=Daniel |title=Watch 'Weird Al' Yankovic Detail 'Medium Rarities' With Quirky 8-Bit Video |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/watch-weird-al-yankovic-detail-medium-rarities-with-quirky-8-bit-video-116003 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=July 25, 2021 |date=March 17, 2017 |url-access=limited |archive-date=April 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411165124/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/watch-weird-al-yankovic-detail-medium-rarities-with-quirky-8-bit-video-116003/ |url-status=live }}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{IMDb episode|3099902}}

{{My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic}}

Category:My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episodes

Category:2014 American television episodes

Category:2014 Canadian television episodes

Category:Musical television episodes