Thanks to Claire for making me aware of Whiplash the Cowboy Monkey.
According to Whiplash's web site, "Whiplash is an old time cowboy. He was just born 100 years to late. When you see him ride, it is not hard to envision him leading a wagon train west – keeping the herd in line as they cross the prairie."
Oh yeah, that's not a stretch at all.
Claire moved with her husband Pat and their two kids to Georgia recently which is where she happened upon Whiplash: "My first weekend here, we went to the rodeo with my sister and her in-laws. This monkey named Whiplash riding a dog was the best part. Liberty (Claire's 5-year-old) leaned over when he came out and asked me 'Why is that monkey wearing a shirt?' To her, that was the questionable part of the whole thing, not that he was riding a dog."
While adorable, the act is questionable if only because I generally don't dig animal entertainment acts, whether it's a circus or a dog track or a rodeo, since there have been so many tales of woe for the animals involved. I know there are respectable handlers out there and I sure hope that Tommy Lucia, the man behind Whiplash and his trusty steed Ben, is one of them.
Check out this commercial for a past Whiplash appearance in North Carolina:
Half price or no, I think I'd buy my kids somewhere else.
1 comment:
One other thing that struck me about it, is that the dog does not have equal billing. I think they even crassly mentioned that Whiplash has outlived 3 or 4 dogs already. Or maybe I crassly mentioned it, I don't remember. They were selling ludicriously large beers at the rodeo. After you two have the baby and get some cartoon watching under your belt, we can talk about how some cartoons have animal characters who talk and wear clothes who own other animals who do not talk or wear clothing. Also, Miss Spider is a vegetarian. Oh man, I need a nap.
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