The internet has a new mascot, and he has four legs, a spindly frame, and the chaotic energy of a creature entirely unbothered by his own fame.
Jimothy, a raccoon first spotted hurtling across a pavement in the Seattle neighbourhood of Ballard, has become the latest in a long lineage of viral animals to seize the collective attention of the internet.
The footage, posted to Instagram by local resident Kiana Hall, shows the unusually shaped raccoon scampering across a street and up a set of steps as Hall exclaims: “What am I looking at?” As of Tuesday morning, the clip had passed 8.4 million views.
Hall’s caption described the creature as having “short spine syndrome.” Whether or not that diagnosis is accurate, the name Jimothy and the associated lore stuck fast.
The affection for Jimothy has since travelled well beyond Instagram. A local artist painted a mural of him in Ballard. The White House’s social media accounts shared a meme depicting the raccoon wearing a red hat bearing the words “Trump was right about everything.”
Google added an animation that plays when users search his name. Meme coins were minted in his honour. He is also set to appear in World of Warcraft.
