Wednesday, November 28, 2007

I don't care what you say, I like Quatchi

So, they unveiled the 2010 Olympic mascots yesterday and the general sentiment I've been hearing is one of three things:
  • they have nothing to do with Canada - there's no maple leafs/beavers/loons/moose
  • they have nothing to do with Canada - they're "too Asian"1
  • what Olympic mascots?
But I don't care what the naysayers are saying2. I like Quatchi.

Quatchi is a young sasquatch who comes from the mysterious forests of Canada. Quatchi is shy, but loves to explore new places and meet new friends. Although Quatchi loves all winter sports, he’s especially fond of hockey. He dreams of becoming a world-famous goalie.

Dude, he plays hockey! And I think he's cute! And he's from the "mysterious forests of Canada." *I* live near a mysterious forest! Maybe he lives in my 'hood!



Although I do have to agree with Darren that if you go to the official site and hear the mascots say their name, which you do by mousing over the characters, it's a bit freaky. I like to run my mouse across all of them really fast so that they keep saying their names over and over in quick succession. It's kind of psychodelic.

Apparently, I need to get out more.

1Seriously, I've heard that a lot - listening to open phones on the radio and reading comments sections on online new stories.
2Or naysaying, as the case may be.

6 comments:

Kalev said...

My problem isn't that they're "too Asian." Calling them "Asian" is insulting to Asian people, and not because you're equating "Asian" with "bad" but because you're equating so-cutesy-I-have-to-die with "Asian."

What the issue is is that they've appropriated (oh I'm sorry... "taken" or "borrowed" or "used as a guide") Native Canadian myths and icons and thrown them through some kind of Hello Kitty-fier merchandising process which has resulted in the complete demeaning of not only Native Canadian cultures and beliefs but also of Asian cultures.

I mean seriously, they're cute, but they're painfully cute and were I even remotely in favour of Vancouver/Whistler hosting the Olympics they're the last things I would want representing Vancouver. Atlhough, as a very wise friend of mine said, Native and Asian cultural imagery, myth, and icons appropriated for the capitalistic glorication and promotion of the white power elite--maybe they do 100% percent represent Canada and Vancouver.

Plus you just have a hard-on for Quatchi over the hockey thing. If none of them liked hockey, you'd be so against all of them. :P Hopefully Quatchi is young enough that he doesn't screw up your cougarity. :P~~~

I have to admit the whole "mysterious forests of Canada" thing was a bit weird. I didn't realise our plots of trees were so arcane and unknowable.

And seriously, don't all Canadians reside near the mysterious forests of Canada? Heaven knows why people are so gah-gah over Stanley Park that a windstorm bringing down some trees in it occupies countless local news cycles is mysterious to me. *grin*

Anonymous said...

I give you an anthem for 2010:

http://www.darrenbarefoot.com/archives/2007/11/an-anthem-for-2010.html

Anonymous said...

OK, aside from looking like a cross between Japanese Anime and Hello Kitty...
First we here that Muck Muck means Cum, now some more fuel for the kettle. Quatchi is similar to Horny. A combiination of Quivering and crotch, Quatchi is that quivering feeling you get in your croth when you get sexually aroused. Can work for male or female

Anonymous said...

Of course Quatchi will be a goalie. The fuggin' sasquatch takes up more than 75% of the damned net.

Anonymous said...

Have you tried the game on their site? It's kind of like curling. Or as close to curling as I'll ever get. :) It's a bit addictive. I have to get back to it now.

AOM

Kalev said...

Ah, but does Joanie love Quatchi?