Vox Populi, Vox Gritty
December 26, 2018 8:03 AM   Subscribe

That Gritty can simultaneously be a high-fivable hockey mascot whom kids adore and an advocate for the radical dismantling of capitalism might still feel like a reach to many. But I think Harris is right that Gritty just looks like he’s about to tear everything down. In the same way that Pepe the Frog somehow became a symbol of the alt-right (to his creator’s irritation) because he looked like the kind of bored online troll who would check out of society and laugh at the prospect of sowing chaos, Gritty looks like somebody who’s realized that the world can’t be saved without an earnest attempt to grapple with everything in it that’s broken. Gritty’s evolution from googly-eyed hockey mascot to meme to leftist avatar, explained

Gritty, previously: 1, 2
posted by Frayed Knot (29 comments total) 30 users marked this as a favorite
 
The right stole Pepe from an independent creator so it's only fitting that the left stole Gritty from a massive corporation.
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:16 AM on December 26, 2018 [71 favorites]


Gritty vs Santa
posted by gc at 8:18 AM on December 26, 2018 [2 favorites]


(I love you, Gritty)
posted by gc at 8:19 AM on December 26, 2018 [3 favorites]


What a surprisingly thoughtful piece! Thanks for posting.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 8:28 AM on December 26, 2018 [4 favorites]


It's a testament to both Gritty's iconic nature and 2018's status as The Longest Year Ever that I had no idea that Gritty the mascot was introduced this year, let alone in September. It feels like Gritty has always existed, and even the meme feels like it's been around longer than a mere three months.
posted by tobascodagama at 8:33 AM on December 26, 2018 [39 favorites]


the gritty archetype has always existed within the collective unconscious
posted by poffin boffin at 8:40 AM on December 26, 2018 [40 favorites]


the gritty archetype has always existed within the collective unconscious

No, I'm Gritacus.
posted by entropone at 8:41 AM on December 26, 2018 [4 favorites]


I loved this article so much.

It does leave out one of my favorite Gritty moments, though. When asked about his favorite side dish for Thanksgiving, his answer is "Boat of gravy. With a straw." And he's a creature of his word!
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 8:43 AM on December 26, 2018 [12 favorites]


the gritty archetype has always existed within the collective unconscious
posted by poffin boffin at 8:40 AM on December 26 [+] [!]


If Gritty didn’t exist, it would be necessary for man to invent him.
posted by gc at 8:43 AM on December 26, 2018 [24 favorites]


“The bourgeois humanism of social democracy has flooded the engine of American revolt, but in the mascot’s rabid eyes we recognize anew the unavoidable truth: The people have enemies and they must be destroyed.”

See now that's a quote that might stick in my mind for a while.
posted by AnhydrousLove at 9:08 AM on December 26, 2018 [23 favorites]


My personal favorite bananas take on Gritty remains this one.

Confounding vision as a linear experience and thereby challenging authoritarian definitions of success, Godhead-mascot Gritty decentralizes the male gaze. Gritty’s genderlessness advocates for radical pleasure available to all. The chaos-magic of orgasm brings one into the present, face to face with creation (and thus destruction) to know the unknowable, channeling us closer into being more present and alive.
posted by delfin at 10:12 AM on December 26, 2018 [8 favorites]


My spouse got me a Gritty pin because they noticed I kept looking up Gritty antifa memes when I was feeling sad.

My favorite was a short comic. Nazis with tiki torches chanting "You will not replace us." Gritty with a can of gasoline ready to throw, responding "There is no need to replace that which should be burned to the ground."
posted by Scattercat at 10:24 AM on December 26, 2018 [30 favorites]


No, I'm Gritacus.

Who is John Grit?
posted by chavenet at 10:29 AM on December 26, 2018 [1 favorite]


Since we already have the Institute of Gremlins II Studies, we now need an Institute of Gritty Studies. They seem to occupy adjacent territories in the zeitgeist.
posted by JohnFromGR at 10:47 AM on December 26, 2018


This had far more depth to it than I was expecting.
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:04 PM on December 26, 2018 [2 favorites]


Gritty looks like several hardcore dudes I used to know back in the '90s, which kind of makes sense.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:38 PM on December 26, 2018 [2 favorites]


This is great but now I'm waiting to hear what insanely cooked take on Gritty Jordan Peterson will come up with.
posted by the duck by the oboe at 2:34 PM on December 26, 2018 [2 favorites]


Now I'm imagining what a combined "Gritty Jordan Peterson" entity would look like.

Don't imagine that.
posted by delfin at 3:04 PM on December 26, 2018 [2 favorites]


Gritty Jordan Peterson

"Kill me, please..."
posted by axiom at 5:56 PM on December 26, 2018 [1 favorite]


A Merry Grittymas, everyone.

Eat your landlord.
posted by The Whelk at 6:02 AM on December 29, 2018 [3 favorites]


Gritty dolls?! (Also that photo in the replies of Gritty presenting the hamberders is pretty great.)
posted by asperity at 9:05 AM on January 15, 2019


Gritty2020
posted by The Whelk at 10:56 AM on January 15, 2019 [1 favorite]


I immediately read "Gritty dolls" and wondered if someone had done this on Ravelry already. So far no, but there is a hat.
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:22 PM on January 15, 2019


I was thinking I might crochet a Gritty throw pillow for maximum huggability. Downside is I'd probably have to invite orange fun fur into my home.

Just reread the Vox article and spotted this bit of delight I somehow missed previously:

Sarah Schwab, the Flyers’ director of communications and marketing, points to Gritty’s googly eyes as something added during the construction of the character costume that wasn’t necessarily present in Allen’s sketch. She adds, nonchalantly, “He can blow smoke out of his ears. A lot of people don’t know that.”
posted by asperity at 12:44 PM on January 15, 2019 [3 favorites]


OH GOD FUN FUR NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Though now I have another suggestion: I got a Star Wars Crochet book for Christmas and it suggests using a wire pet brush on your crocheted animal to give him bushy fur, and I can say that does work. Without the damn fun fur.
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:19 PM on January 15, 2019 [2 favorites]


Oh, good thought. I actually have that amigurumi set but haven't finished one yet because while I like the concept of amigurumi I hate the process. Too tight, too many ends to weave in. Glad to have the reminder that there are other tips to learn from those patterns!
posted by asperity at 1:41 PM on January 15, 2019


I actually haven't woven in *that* many ends on those, usually you are just working in the round and can stick the ends into the middle and stuff without too much work.
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:25 PM on January 15, 2019 [1 favorite]


Washington Post articles on Gritty. The second link is an interview with Gritty!
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:08 PM on January 24, 2019 [1 favorite]


Where do you live?

In the hearts of every Flyers fan and the heads of every other NHL mascot.


This is the best interview. Of course Gritty plays Wawa Screen Roulette.
posted by asperity at 1:37 PM on January 24, 2019 [1 favorite]


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