Retro Yakking

Please forgive me for this. Can I not have a bit of fun on a Sunday?

It seems this week’s big celebrity in the mainstream media (or at least, the Daily Mail) is ‘That Squirrel’. Yes, it cannot act, sing or dance, and would be a huge flop on one of those Saturday evening talent shows, but it seems to have captured the public’s imagination unlike any other small rodent in the past week.

If you aren’t yet aware of this rascally rodent, you probably will be soon. In fact, you ought to be in just a second, becuase I will sum it up for you. Melissa Brandts was holidaying at the Banff National Park, Canada, and set the timer on her camera to capture her and her husband in front of the picturesque Lake Minnekawa. Upon inspecting the photo, it was evident they had snapped more than they bargained for - an inquisitive squirrel had found its way into the foreground of the shot.

Now, the media have really gone to town on the story and subsequent pic, reporting on the vast array of tribute photo edits that Mr. Squirrel has helped spawn. As these things tend to do, ‘That Squirrel’ has become an overnight Internet sensation sparking a ton of Photoshops starring our friend Nuts. Well, I dunno if that’s his real name but I like to call him that. Check out this thread on Buzzfeed for a bigger picture.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he became the next big star for Snickers: remember that advert with the A Team’s Mr. T telling us all to ‘get some nuts’? Well, think how much better it would be if this little guy presented them instead.

He bares something of a resemblance to ‘dramatic chipmunk’, which is actually a prairie dog, but I guess all those little rodents look the same to me. I don’t know what it is, but these blasted rodents have some strange appeal that other animals don’t. I guess you’ve either got it or you haven’t.

Well, we’re in for a lot more rodent antics, as many sources indicate that ‘killer chipmunks‘ could be upon us before the year is out. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Image by Tarik D.

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