Heh, how cute.

@Lathius  
True, I’m just telling HamburgerTime why some people don’t like him.

@Corrderio  
As opposed to all the wonderful Bronies here.

@HamburgerTime  
In some cases, he can be a pretty disrespectful prick.

@Background Pony  
Again, you could argue the usage for very loose definition of the word, even if there are other words and phrases that can get the message across better. But whatever I’m done here, good day sir/madam.

They are obviously rushing to buy a sofa, but it’s TOO LATE!

@Background Pony
 
“Proper usage” is highly questionable if indeed not totally invalid, but I can understand if you feel the word is beginning to take on unnecessary negative connotations, and being mis/overused to that end. I didn’t necessarily mean it this way–again, the word “pandering” itself does not have to carry negative connotations–but if it bothers you personally for whatever reason then sorry, just please don’t keep trying to insist that it was used incorrectly in this context because that isn’t the case.

I gotta say, that’s pretty cool.

@Background Pony  
By loose definition you could argue, yes it is pandering. But the thing is, using the word ‘pandering’ like that devalues it and makes it harder to distinguish its proper usage.
 
It’d be more appropriate to say Derpy or Mando in the comic are Easter eggs to the fans, nothing more and nothing less. (And Sibsy being there is even more excusable being a part of the show, and creators often putting themselves in the background is common in media.)
 
Sorry I’m making a big deal out of this, but I can’t stand the way ‘pandering’ is just thrown out there without the proper sense of it’s usage.

@Heterodyne  
Yeah I can’t understand how or why this turned into a thing either, because in this case it’s turned into just quibbling over semantics, but whatever. If the other guy wants to keep picking fights about it he can I guess, I’m over it at least.

Welp, two somewhat famous OC ponies end up in the official comic as a background Easter Egg that in no way affects the story or anything at all, really, and half the fandom explodes into civil war over the definition of a word that’s being thrown around like an attack dog on GHB.
 
The Bronies, ladies and gentlemen! Rimshot, please.

Okay dude, seriously? Yes, I meant it as pandering in that it’s a nod to the fandom to give bronies satisfaction, as in #1 by your copy-pasted definition. There is absolutely no reason to include ponifications of people in the fandom, like Mandopony and Sibsy, unless they’re trying to give bronies a little thrill by acknowledging their “celebrities”, “pop culture”, and so on by doing so. By this definition you could even say that including Derpy in official content is pandering, because it’s giving a shout out to fans and saying ‘hey, we pay attention to you and know you love this stuff, here you go’. Like in the Rarity issue of the comic they used Derpy as the mailmare, very prominently, when they could have used any random pony design for it. Making it Derpy didn’t add anything to the story, it was done just to cater to fans’ likes and interests, which I would consider “pandering”.
 
I’m not saying that pandering is always a bad thing, but when throwing something like Mando in adds nothing whatsoever to the story, and is nothing more than an intended treat for bronies then yes, it can be considered as pandering. Again, if you don’t agree with me that’s fine, but it doesn’t change the fact that this kind of behavior can’t absolutely fit the definition of the word.

Hey Cool. Davenport is there.

@EvilTon  
Oh you.

@EvilTon  
Oh u. I bet you say that to all the anons.

@Background Pony  
Yeah, it is easier to be a smartass, but seriously…
 
pander [ˈpændə]  
vb  

@Background Pony @Background Pony  
Ladies, ladies. You’re both pretty, okay?

@BigMax  
Andy Price isn’t drawing this arc. This is Amy Mebberson.

@Background Pony  
It could be that you don’t agree with me that it’s pandering, but if you actually did understand all of the various meanings and implications of the word (because there are several), you should at least be able to see how some could consider it as such and this would be a non issue.
 
It’s probably easier to try and just be a smartass about it, granted, but I digress.

@Background Pony  
Funny, I could say the same to you.

@Background Pony  
I’m thinking you should try googling it then.

@gittonsxv  
It’s just Andy Price that always feels the urge to fill every gap in the panels.

@Background Pony  
Doesn’t seem like it to me.

@Background Pony  
That’s all? Bitches be player hating, then.

These artists already slip themselves, their friends, expies of pop culture characters, and random people inside. The boyfriend of a major storyboarder and a prominent musician isn’t too far of a stretch. I know 4chan and Mando’s spat, but I think it’s beyond stupid to get super worked up over this.