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I found a peanut!

Penny Lefkowitz is a young Honeybee Scout that somewhat resembles an ape. She is Bessie's closest human friend.[1]

Not the smartest tool in the shed, Penny makes up for it by being kind-hearted. However, she also is susceptible to peer pressure, often joining in Portia and Gwen's schemes to mess with Bessie. The Nickelodeon website described her as Portia's "loyal lady-in-waiting."

Penny is shown to be an excellent ping pong player in "Eye of the Honeybee" and on rare occasions will say something thought-provoking. She is voiced by Dannah Feinglass,[2] who was described as a "standout" voice by author David Perlmutter.[3]

Personality[]

Penny is somewhat dopey, but is very kind and sweet.[4] She is clumsy,[5] mousy,[6] sometimes dim-witted[3] and is Bessie's best friend. However, she also shows loyalty to Portia and Gwen and is occasionally torn between them and Bessie.[7] She has a big heart and is always willing to help her friends, whether it be Bessie or Portia.

She loves taffy, often eating more than she sells. Bessie gives Penny several boxes in "Woodward and Beesting" in order to know Portia's secret, but after giving Bessie a hint she leaves and tells Bessie she should bring more next time. She's later seen eating her own boxes in "Toot Toot" and "Something's Wrong With This Taffy."

Her only strong dislike is mathematics. Indeed, "An I See Bee" shows arithmetic is not one of Penny's strong suits, as she claims to be "halfway to 100" as a 10 year old. She later hopes that math won't show up at her birthday party in the same episode.

Penny seems to be hard on herself, as she believed she wasn't good at anything in "Eye of the Honeybee" and even called herself a "dodo." However, within the same episode, she discovers her hidden talent to play ping pong, and develops more confidence in herself. When hearing something she doesn't want to hear or is panicking, Penny often yells "no!" repeatedly ("Bat Mitzvah Crashers" and "Hat Trick").

Occasionally, Penny will say something unexpectedly intelligent or give much-needed encouragement to Bessie,[8] such as telling Bessie to be assertive in order for Gwen's baby brother to listen to her in "Bee My Baby." "Higgenbottom's 7" shows she has enough savvy to secure a job as a bank teller despite her young age, and in "One Million Years Bee.C." she constructs a makeshift robot using only items she found from the ground.

Penny shared a kindred friendship with Joey the animatronic kangaroo in "Penny Hearts Joey." In "Bee My Baby" Penny is shown to have asthma, after using her inhaler to continue running. Her father tells her not to forget her inhaler in "An I See Bee." In "Bee Afraid", she appears to have the ability to speak in a dual voice while telling her scary campfire story (though it's possible this was done for dramatic effect). 

She seems to have a fondness for birds, liking chickens and befriending a turkey in "Thanksgiving Beenactment." Penny mentions wanting a pony for her birthday in "An I See Bee," but is disappointed when she doesn't get one on the fateful day. She also has a habit of eating her own boogers when she's alone.

Physical appearance[]

Penny

Penny is an overweight young girl. She is 9 at the beginning of the series, but turns 10 in "An I See Bee." Penny has pale skin, a light M-shaped nose (which is notably colored pink as opposed to a paler hue) and brown pigtails. Her head is shaped like a pear. She has a light brown dress, a dark olive green sash, and black sneakers. It appears she also wears black pants underneath her dress.

Likes[]

Dislikes[]

  • Math
  • Portia Gibbons
  • Gwen Wu

Relationships[]

Bessie Higgenbottom[]

Bessie is Penny's best human friend. According to Bessie, they have known each other since "the sandbox."[9] Bessie would usually have Penny tag along with her on her adventures, such as babysitting Gwen's younger brothers[10] and crashing Bat Mitzvahs together.[11] Penny was upset with Bessie in "An I See Bee" when the latter's predictions for Penny's birthday party were off the mark, but they made up when Bessie held another party for Penny.

Portia Gibbons[]

She and Portia are close, as Portia considers Penny her second best friend after Gwen. At times, Portia shows annoyance towards Penny whenever she makes silly comments, as she was disgusted by Penny trying to make her feel better in "Woodward and Beesting." However, she is very appreciative of her and Bessie when the three escape Chelsea's Bat Mitzvah in "Bat Mitzvah Crashers." Sometimes, Penny joins in with Portia and Gwen to gang up on Bessie, presumably because Penny fell to peer pressure.

Mr. Lefkowitz[]

Penny has a strong father-daughter relationship with her dad, with him often encouraging her in Penny's current pursuits. He calls her "chicken" as a term of endearment. He is also heard to be good at making Pizza Padoodles, which Penny makes sure not to miss out on eating ("Tour D'Alcatraz").

Joey the Kangaroo[]

At Jump'n Joey's, Penny becomes acquainted with the animatronic kangaroo known as Joey the Kangaroo. She develops a crush, which is heightened when (unknown to Penny) Bessie humors her by pretending to be Joey. Believing Joey himself said those things, she takes him home with her. Penny ultimately does the right thing and gives Joey back to the restaurant; it turns out he was real after all, saying her name and stating he had fun with her.

Gwen Wu[]

As with Portia, Penny is often seen hanging out with Gwen, which would show the two have a solid friendship. Gwen, much like Portia, can be annoyed by Penny's comments on occasion, but she recognizes Penny's talent at playing the triangle ("We Got the Bee"). Later, in "Thanksgiving Beenactment," the girls measure a turkey that will be eaten, though Penny believes the turkey is simply getting a suit. Gwen doesn't tell Penny the truth, instead responding that the turkey will have "dressing."

Ben Higgenbottom[]

She and Ben don't interact too much, having shared their first conversation in "An I See Bee." However, it's clear they're on friendly terms. Most often, the two work together to help Bessie, whether it be earning badges or achieving another kind of goal.

Happy Higgenbottom[]

Penny and Happy only speak to each other on occasion. Happy is entrusted to be Penny's steed in "An I See Bee," with Penny very happy that she has a "pony." He is just as surprised by Penny's "romance" with Joey in "Penny Hearts Joey" and is amazed by Penny's excellent shoveling skills in "Tour D'Alcatraz."

Hilary Higgenbottom[]

Penny and Bessie's mother first interact in "Bat Mitzvah Crashers." In "Little Womyn," the latter becomes temporary Honeybee troop leader. As with most of the troop, Penny likes Hilary's leadership and modern teaching method. The two have their only conversation in "Name Shame," when Penny says hi to her and alongside Gwen and Portia, successfully learns Bessie's middle name through her.

Mary Frances Gibbons[]

Mary Frances is rather passive-aggressive about Penny's asides, often having a stern expression once hearing what Penny said ("Something's Wrong With This Taffy"). Other times, she plays along with Penny's odd actions, such as saying "Careful now, you don't want to fill up before dinner" after Penny eats glue ("The Apprentice"). Mary Frances later expresses disappointment in her and the other Honeybees when they lose the Bee-athlon in "Dang it Feels Good to Be a Gamester."

Appearances[]

Main article: Penny Lefkowitz/Appearances

Gallery[]

Main article: Penny Lefkowitz/Gallery

Trivia[]

  • In episodes that feature instruments being played, Penny is usually shown using the triangle.[12]
  • She shares a few similarities with Patrick Star from Spongebob Squarepants, another Nickelodeon character. As both are overweight, dimwitted, good-hearted characters who are best friends with the main protagonist of the series.
  • Although Penny having asthma is rarely brought up in the series, it figures prominently in the online game Taffy Delivery, where her inhaler serves as a power up.
  • She seems to have an interest in butterflies, knowing the term chrysalis ("Bee My Baby").
  • Penny has some unusual talents:
    • "Bee My Baby" shows she has the ability to communicate with seals. This is shown again in "Dragonflies."
    • In the episode "Tour D’Alcatraz", she is shown to be an excellent and perhaps expert sculptress, being able to carve a statue of herself and a durable shovel out of nothing but soap.
  • According to Bessie, Penny has a unicorn living in her basement, revealed in "Body Rockers."
  • Rather than a stuffed animal, Penny sleeps with a rubber chicken. This is revealed in "Bat Mitzvah Crashers." The rubber chicken's name is revealed to be Chicken Little in "Stuffed Happens."
  • Is shown to eat bugs in "Little Womyn."
  • Her last name is revealed to be "Lefkowitz" in "Eye of the Honeybee" on the scoreboard and in the episode's credits. Due to its pronunciation, it is sometimes misspelled as "Lefcowitz," such is the case in David Perlmutter's Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows.[3]
  • Penny mentions having to use a child harness at the mall in "Tour D'Alcatraz."
  • She is a fan of the Sugar Boys, as seen in "Bee Plus One."
  • Bessie mentions in "Higgenbottom's 7" that Penny was once elected President of Venezuela.
  • According to Bessie, Penny doesn't like tuna melt ("Old Bee and the Sea").
  • Per "Stuffed Happens," Penny believes in the tooth fairy.
  • Has an interest in cooking, as Bessie mentions Penny wants to take a cooking class in "Space Evaders."
  • Opening quote from the show's defunct website: "Bessie, can you help me?"
  • According to her Nicktoons profile, Penny breathes through her mouth.
  • Penny's mother does not appear in the series nor is she explicitly mentioned, though an indirect comment made by Bessie in "Dang It Feels Good to Be a Gamester" implies Mrs. Lefkowitz is alive.
  • Though not a trait used in the series, the online game Nicktoons Superstuffed: Mini Game Mania 2 shows Penny knows how to juggle.
  • Penny is described as a favorite among the writers to create dialogue for in Not Just Cartoons: Nicktoons!.[13]

References[]

  1. THE MIGHTY B!. Nickelodeon Animation. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  2. Perlmutter, David (March 13, 2014). America Toons In: A History of Television Animation. Page 328. McFarland & Company. International standard book number 9781476614885.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Perlmutter, David (May 4, 2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Page 391. Rowman & Littlefield. International standard book number 9781538103746.
  4. Bynum, Aaron H. (April 8, 2008). The Mighty B!. Animation Insider. Retrieved May 3, 2020. Archived via the Wayback Machine.
  5. Lealos, Shawn S. (March 25, 2009). THE NICKELODEON KNOCKOUT DVD REVIEW. Renegade Cinema. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  6. Paige, Nathan (March 2, 2009). New on DVD: Loads of laughs with 'The Mighty B!'. Cleveland. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  7. Liu, Ed (March 4, 2009). "The Mighty B! We Got the Bee" is More Admired than Loved. Anime Super Hero. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  8. The Mighty B! TV Show Facts. Kidzworld. April 15, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  9. Stated in "Ten Little Honeybees"
  10. PR Newswire (April 8, 2008). Bee Prepared To Catch the Buzz When The Mighty B! Flies to Nickelodeon Saturday, April 26, at 10:30 a.m. (ET/PT). Business Insider. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  11. Moody, Annemarie (February 23, 2009). Akira, Samurai 7 on Blu-ray, Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder & The Mighty B. Animation World Network. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  12. The Mighty B! We Got the Bee :: DVD Review. February 25, 2009. KidzWorld. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  13. Beck, Jerry (October 29, 2007). Not Just Cartoons: Nicktoons!. Page 271. Melcher Media. International standard book number 9781595910431.

External links[]

See also[]

The Mighty B! Characters
Main Bessie HiggenbottomBenjamin HiggenbottomFingerHappy HiggenbottomPenny LefkowitzPortia GibbonsGwen Wu
Secondary Hilary HiggenbottomThe HippieMary Frances GibbonsMr. WuRocky Rhodes
Minor Anton St. GermainChai GallagherChelsea GibbonsChester TurtletonDoctor/VetThe Dog BartenderDonald the PostmanFritzHal the Ice Cream ManIntegritone 1Integritone 2Janet BarleyK.G. BiancaLola MillersonMadam ValeskaMillie MillersonMiriam BreedloveMr. LefkowitzMr. PantsNurseOld Timey BankerRainbowRonnieTateTruck Driver
One-shots Artie the BossBarri's grandfatherBibiBill the BearBugCaptain StonewallCha-ChaCherryConductorCop OneDriver #2Elder BaggEmilyFactory ManagerFinancial GuruFinguereFlossieGeoffreyGoody BaggIl BaccalaJaneaneJoeyKrazy DJMaintenance ManMaudeMonaMurdockPerp CopPrecious GibbonsPuppy OwnerReceptionistRide GuyRoseRoxySeymourSissy SullivanSplint GruntlerVirginia SullivanZanni
Groups Bears in CapesThe BeaversBlack Widow SpidersThe DragonfliesThe GorillasGwen's BrothersHoneybee ScoutsThe IntegritonesMcGee and DoogleThe Pretty Pretty PrincessesRichard and Dick GibbonsSugar BoysTwin Hillbillies
Background Honeybees NisaTatumTigerlilyOther Honeybees
Mentioned Chelsea's motherMillie's grandmother
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