[Michael Cantor]

What it boils down to is that squirrels have a media and image problem. They have never had an effective Spokessquirrel and, for whatever reason - and that reason might, in fact, be the clue to their problem - have never been able to establish a sympathetic identity through the persona of a cute or cuddly or wise or clever or all-of-the-above public figure, an Ubersquirrel, a public face of squirrelkind everywhere, a credit to its species - and a role model for future generations, for scrambling litters yet unborn.

Mice and ducks and chipmunks, dogs and cats, coyotes and even turtles all have a well known and likeable cartoon character providing favorable publicity and image support, and generally establishing that image with the susceptible young. Pigs, for God's sakes, do nothing but roll around in the mud all day and fart, and they have numerous likeable public faces, and are even portrayed as sturdy and industrious. Savage carnivores - lions - have their own Broadway show, and nobody ever pickets, waving photos of butchered wildebeests (note to self - check with appropriate members by PM.) Bunnies have Bugs, and Rabbits get sexpot Jessica, and she gets Kathleen Turner's voice.

But I'm not aware of any squirrel who has achieved stardom, let alone a good supporting role. Squirrels appear to be the Rodney Dangerfields of the cuddly animal world.

What is required here is not a string of posts whining about squirrels or their poor treatment - that's reality, and it's as distasteful as talking about Guantanamo while the President is posing with his flags - squirrels simply need a good media team - a cartoonist, an agent, a PR guy. The raw material is all there: bulging cheeks, terrific darting moments, bushy tail, bright eyes, good poses. If Porky Pig could succeed, if Britney Spears can make it big, then certainly the Eratosphere can create Wystan Squirel. (Thomas Stearns Squirrel? Percy Bysshe Squirrel? That part might need work.)

[Laura Heidy-Halberstein]

Originally posted by Michael Cantor:
But I'm not aware of any squirrel who has achieved stardom, let alone a good supporting role.

Gawd, Michael, have you never watched The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show?

[Roger Slater]

They are too squirrely for my taste. But I will put out peanuts for them in exchange for a promise not to constantly chew through all my garbage bags and leave a horrible mess next to my house. Rose, I assure you that the squirrels around here are not starving. I'm more concerned they might gorge themselves to death.

[Michael Cantor]

Lo - Actually....no. And I even did a quick Google search. Oversights were made. (But isn't it possible that these cartoons you claim to have seen were moved to Syria and hidden there before I looked?)

[This message has been edited by Michael Cantor (edited December 02, 2008).]

[Maryann Corbett]

Does Rocky count? He's a different species, a flying squirrel:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_the_Flying_Squirrel

Pedantic as ever,
Maryann

[Roger Slater]

I have to vouch for Lo. Rocky is a very famous squirrel, and I would be happy to serve him my finest peanuts. Michael, will you next tell me that you don't know about Boris and Natasha?

PS--
They even liked poetry! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUiOb...eature=related

[This message has been edited by Roger Slater (edited December 02, 2008).]

[Laura Heidy-Halberstein]

Thank you, Roger and Maryann. For a moment there Michael had me convinced I'd hallucinated the whole thing - the momentary flashback left a very acidic taste in my mouth.
Especially when I also thought I remembered Sherman and Peabody from Fractured Fairy Tales.





[This message has been edited by Laura Heidy-Halberstein (edited December 02, 2008).]

[Julie Kane]

And, while we're on the subject of pop culture, didn't Mae West once remark, "Is that a squirrel in your pocket, or are you glad to see me?"

[David Anthony]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Beatrix Potter's Squirrel Nutkin:

http://collectingtokens.files.wordpr...rel_nutkin.jpg

[Laura Heidy-Halberstein]

There's also "Twiggy, The WaterSkiing Squirrel"
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And the infamous Football Playing Squirrel

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and let us not forget The Fermented Pumpkin Eating Squirrel, either:

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[This message has been edited by Laura Heidy-Halberstein (edited December 02, 2008).]