All the ways we’ve described Gritty in 2018
The Flyers mascot was a gift for our collective creativity.
When future historians attempt to explain the culture of early 21st century Philadelphia, no doubt they’ll cite 2018 often. This year the city welcomed its first Super Bowl victory…and also Gritty.
After being introduced on Sept. 24, the new Flyers mascot became so popular, so virally explosive, so fashionably unfashionable, that it’s hard to believe some Philadelphians still haven’t heard about the persimmon-tinged tumbleweed or the cockeyed antics the character has been pressed into — both in person and in meme.
It’s also purposely difficult to describe the creature, which was conceived as “a monster” to avoid having to conform to any preconceived stereotype.
But that hasn’t stopped people from trying. Here’s a collection of ways the media described Gritty in 2018.
- Pure nightmare fuel
- An acid trip of a mascot
- A cross of Snuffleupagus and Oscar the Grouch
- A shaggy orange Wookiee-esque grotesquerie
- A 7-foot tall orange hellion
- The mascot version of a stab wound
- A tangerine hypertrichotic demon
- Vomit-hued monstrous manifestation of Philadelphia’s attitude
- A fuzzy eldritch horror
- Part cute stuffed toy, part barely repressed hurricane
- A Where the Wild Things Are misfit
- A stuffed animal gone seriously, terrifyingly rogue
- Une icône de l’extrême gauche américaine
- A pumpkin spice fur demon
- Kensington as hell
- A ghastly empty-eyed Muppet with a Delco beard
- Potentially insurrectionary
- A DNA splice between the Phanatic, a fully flowering maple tree, and Hagar the Horrible
- Titian titan
- Babadook-looking thing
- A non-binary leftist icon
- The end result of the orange McDonald’s Fry Guy hooking up with Grimace
- An orange enigma gliding silently across the ice
- A weird and scary avatar for a weird and scary time
- Untrustworthy — in a good way
- The friendliest possible incarnation of drunken Philadelphia sports fandom
Friends and family honor the life of Dominique Rem’mie Fells with a big West Philly block party
Instead of a vigil, this year’s event is a celebration.
The Phillies pitcher who married a movie star’s daughter and was nominated for a Pulitzer
Born in 1942, Larry Colton had a fascinating life.
How vaccination rate in Philly varies by race/ethnicity and age
Case counts in Philadelphia more than tripled over the latter half of July — and 99% are in people who haven't gotten both doses of the vaccine.
Best pizza in Philly? Tyrese Maxey picks Giovani’s in Center City
The rising Sixers star gave the underrated sports bar a shoutout on Instagram.
The story of Laura Foreman, reporter whose affair inspired The Inquirer’s ethics policy and proved a double standard in journalism
“I don’t care if my reporters are sleeping with elephants, as long as they aren’t covering the circus.”
Philadelphia: Still no vaccine requirements for city workers, same with SEPTA and school district
The Kenney administration continues to avoid a mandate.
Ya Fav Trashman and partners dump litter at Mayor Kenney’s feet to highlight city trash failures
The former sanitation worker is calling for the Streets Commissioner to resign, and also launching a cleanup app called Glitter.
Paradigm Gallery in bidding war for Queen Village home before someone else scoops it up
Support has been pouring in for the community mainstay, which has been in the neighborhood for a decade.
It’s true, Philly sports fan favorite Crabfries are now sold at Yankee Stadium
Chickie’s & Pete’s opened the Bronx ballpark concession stand this spring after two years in talks.
One century ago, Philadelphia was ground zero in the battle to define free speech
As World War I raged, the local Socialist Party came under fire — and sparked a challenge to the Espionage Act.
1,000-year storm? In 1982, Northeast Philly saw even more intense rainfall than last week
“Thousand-year” means a weather event has a 0.1% chance of occurring annually — but with climate change, flood frequency is growing.
Picking up pennies on Philly streets, and turning them into philanthropy
Lisa Phillips uses her knack for finding loose change to help wipe out medical debt.
Would a gun violence emergency help Philadelphia? Advocates just want action, whatever you call it
Semantics aside, the city still hasn’t set a timeline for distributing its new anti-violence grants.
Reinventing Philly’s Pride Parade: What happens next?
A new group is working to create a celebration that’s affordable, representative, and inclusive — without police.
Thousands of Philly foster youth are still waiting for pandemic relief money
The $1.1 million in federal funding is being distributed via $200 gift cards.
Cars will return to MLK Drive early August, with slimmed down traffic pattern
The Fairmount Park roadway is reopening to auto traffic after 16 months.
Users upset as costs force Free Library to drop free movie streaming service
Kanopy and Hoopla funds will be redirected to physical branches.
Three popular Philly bars are closing for a week to give workers paid vacation
Standard Tap, Johnny Brenda’s and The International join a small list of independent restaurants where staff get summer PTO.
35 years before ‘Hamilton,’ this legendary DJ was using rap to teach history in Philly middle schools
The "Ace from Outer Space" worked locally at WDAS — when he wasn't cutting records, running for office, or helping educate kids.
‘First of many’ protests over teardown of Philly’s only rec center for people with disabilities
“I'm praying that they stay open,” said a mother whose son has Down syndrome and visited the Carousel House often.