Jimothy, Seattle's viral raccoon, keeps adding to his legend
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Jimothy is seemingly everywhere — including on this wall outside Ballard Clay. Photo: Melissa Santos/Axios
Seattle's short-spined raccoon Jimothy now has his own mural, a fan-made video game and stickers in his honor — all within a week of going viral.
The big picture: The round raccoon — who experts say likely has a spinal deformity — has quickly become more than an internet sensation, inspiring public art, a Mariners appearance and other tributes.
Catch up quick: Since the Ballard raccoon went viral last week, Jimothy has:
- Inspired a mural outside Ballard Clay pottery studio.
- Become the star of an 8-bit video game in which players dodge paparazzi, raid trash cans and climb trees.
- Made his debut in the Mariners' Salmon Run, where fans cheered him on before Seattle's comeback win over the Giants.
Flashback: Seattle resident Kiana Hall, whose video helped introduce Jimothy to the world last week, said on Instagram she chose the name because the raccoon simply "looked like a Jimothy."
What they're saying: Mural artist Andrew Miller said Jimothy has become a rare source of connection for Seattle.
- "I just love the connectivity, of how it's community-based," Miller told the Seattle Times.
- Miller called the raccoon "endearing and fun."
State of play: The tributes keep coming.
- Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck plans to issue a "Jimothy Summer" proclamation this weekend.
- Artist Ryan Henry Ward says he auctioned a Jimothy painting for more than $6,500 to benefit the Ballard Food Bank, prompting matching donations from Amazon and other companies.
Fans have also created a dedicated subreddit where they've posted Jimothy-inspired creations, along with older videos that appear to show him as a baby.
- Some Reddit users even claim to have gotten Jimothy tattoos.
- "...I'll tell you what I think Jimothy is: a short king," Jon Stewart said on "The Daily Show" Monday night.
The bottom line: For now, the world can't seem to get enough of our ball-shaped raccoon.
Editor's note: This story was updated to include Jimothy's mention on "The Daily Show" and additional donations to the Ballard Food Bank.