Wednesday, July 23, 2008

From the WTF Files

From today's Commercial Appeal...



"A crew from [Rachael Ray's] daytime talk show is expected in town to film Mwelu (pronounced m-WAY-loo), a 21-year-old male lowland gorilla that resides at the Memphis Zoo. Mwelu is crazy about the show (which airs at 11 a.m. weekdays on WMC-TV Channel 5), discovered Germantown resident Ann Sharpsteen and her 8-year-old son, Matt.

'We were looking at the big male gorilla Mwelu and the zookeeper told us that when he's not on public display, he's in the back all day long watching TV, and his favorite by far is Rachael Ray,' said Sharpsteen."

At first I was speechless, but now I have a lot to say about this.

Think we can get Chuck to add a few "low-impact" TVs in the Chickasaw Bluffs exhibit? I can see the ad campaign now: "See nature without missing the game!" Alternatives could be "...without missing Oprah!" or "...without missing your favorite soap opera!" The possibilities are endless!

Oh laugh now, but, really, it might just be the only way to get people into the scary Old Forest!

Of course, we'll need to add a few comfy sofas and La-Z-boys along the boardwalk.

Maybe Mwelu could be trained to deliver beers? Not everyday of course, just for fancy fundraisers....

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Why you hatin', dawg?

could you possibly be over reacting about anything else the zoo has done?

Unknown said...

Oh for the love Rusty. She said it was the WTF files. I think it's pretty obvious that she's using a little over the top sarcasm to make the point that mixing promotional ploys for random TV shows and nature IS a bit scary...no matter WHO does it. In an incredible coincidence, it just happens that it was the zoo.

Bernhard Meck said...

You have to admit - what a great opportunity for the Memphis Zoo to shine with something better than just a dog and pony show and have them chat bleeding-heart-style about conservation. Before Brady it would have made sense, but now?

Oh God - Let's just hope, the national media doesn't find out about Brady's 19th century-style blunder with the slice of heaven in our own backyard. I wonder if they would question him about it? What kind of tale could his spin-meisters have prepared for him?

How could he just stand there with a happy smile, telling everybody he JUST LOVES NATURE, despite the fact 'what it has done to him', and more so 'what he has done to it'. He will probably tell the national audience how 'these magnificant creatures are threatened due to habitat destruction in Africa' and 'how we all should be for conservation'... but the trees he cut down would have died anyway - ONE DAY!

But no, most likely he will keep it light and fluffy and Mwelu will kiss the screen and we will all say 'how cute' and forget all that is ugly.

rach said...

the zoo isnt doing it for attention. he really does love Rachael Ray. Is that so hard to believe?