Comments on: My life as a giant otter http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/ June 2000 to June 2010 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 21:48:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Pete Ashton http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/comment-page-1/#comment-4877 Pete Ashton Tue, 20 Apr 2004 16:39:18 +0000 http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/#comment-4877 (<a href="http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:snwlCZpT0z8J:www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-bk-tigger040204,0,396560.story%3Fcoll%3Dorl-home-headlines+tigger+orlando+&hl=en&ie=UTF-8" rel="nofollow">Google cache for What Tigger did</a>) Aaahh... (Google cache for What Tigger did)

Aaahh…

]]> By: alan http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/comment-page-1/#comment-4876 alan Tue, 20 Apr 2004 11:51:16 +0000 http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/#comment-4876 <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-bk-tigger040204,0,396560.story?coll=orl-home-headlines" rel="nofollow">What Tigger did..</a> What Tigger did..

]]> By: Andy http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/comment-page-1/#comment-4875 Andy Tue, 20 Apr 2004 01:50:08 +0000 http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/#comment-4875 yes, what? yes, what?

]]> By: Pete Ashton http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/comment-page-1/#comment-4874 Pete Ashton Mon, 19 Apr 2004 03:45:16 +0000 http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/#comment-4874 Ollie is in my past now - another one to chalk up. So what did Tigger do, dare I ask? Ollie is in my past now – another one to chalk up. So what did Tigger do, dare I ask?

]]> By: Anna http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/comment-page-1/#comment-4873 Anna Sun, 18 Apr 2004 07:22:22 +0000 http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/#comment-4873 Just don't do anything naughty like Tigger did at Disneyland! Just don’t do anything naughty like Tigger did at Disneyland!

]]> By: Pete Ashton http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/comment-page-1/#comment-4872 Pete Ashton Sat, 17 Apr 2004 07:58:50 +0000 http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/#comment-4872 Moments of it were fun, but a lot of it wasn't. I didn't really make it that clear - I loved being in the costume and, had it not been so hot in there, would have stayed in it for much longer. It was the non-costume stuff, the meet-and-greet, that I really couldn't do. The centre is, like most of these set-ups, half educational and conservation-based and half entertainment spectacle. The former I'm fine with but the latter is jut fake to me. A necessary evil, for sure, and I have respect for people who can do that kind of stuff, but I just can't do it, even when the bad-cop manager is watching over me. The personality goes both ways, I reckon. Hyde's "Ollie" was different to mine (I did more of a squirrel thing with my paws than he did) but the essence of the character was channeled through us. I'd never act like that without the costume even when drunk. I became Ollie. It was most odd. None of the kids seemed to think I was a real otter - it was more that I was a big cuddly teddy bear. And of course I made scores of them cry and hide in their mothers skirts. Moments of it were fun, but a lot of it wasn’t. I didn’t really make it that clear – I loved being in the costume and, had it not been so hot in there, would have stayed in it for much longer. It was the non-costume stuff, the meet-and-greet, that I really couldn’t do.

The centre is, like most of these set-ups, half educational and conservation-based and half entertainment spectacle. The former I’m fine with but the latter is jut fake to me. A necessary evil, for sure, and I have respect for people who can do that kind of stuff, but I just can’t do it, even when the bad-cop manager is watching over me.

The personality goes both ways, I reckon. Hyde’s “Ollie” was different to mine (I did more of a squirrel thing with my paws than he did) but the essence of the character was channeled through us. I’d never act like that without the costume even when drunk. I became Ollie. It was most odd.

None of the kids seemed to think I was a real otter – it was more that I was a big cuddly teddy bear. And of course I made scores of them cry and hide in their mothers skirts.

]]> By: Dad http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/comment-page-1/#comment-4871 Dad Sat, 17 Apr 2004 07:30:17 +0000 http://peteashton.com/2004/04/my_life_as_a_giant_otter/#comment-4871 Hmm, so it wasn't "fun". But it was different, yes? I vaguely remember you being entranced by the 'animals" at Disneyland in 1976, so you may want to put it in that into perspective as well as in the present day context. It is interesting that the costume does in fact take on some of the personality of the person "inside", be it mannerisms, stature, etc., even if the person is completely concealed from view. One wonders if Disney actually select their Mickey Mouses on the basis of such criteria (Disney being the best there is at putting on a good show). Then again, how many kids went home to Kings Heath or Smethwick never wanting to see an otter agin!? Or have you convinced a few that Tarka the Otter was for real? Good photos! Hmm, so it wasn’t “fun”. But it was different, yes? I vaguely remember you being entranced by the ‘animals” at Disneyland in 1976, so you may want to put it in that into perspective as well as in the present day context.

It is interesting that the costume does in fact take on some of the personality of the person “inside”, be it mannerisms, stature, etc., even if the person is completely concealed from view. One wonders if Disney actually select their Mickey Mouses on the basis of such criteria (Disney being the best there is at putting on a good show).

Then again, how many kids went home to Kings Heath or Smethwick never wanting to see an otter agin!? Or have you convinced a few that Tarka the Otter was for real?

Good photos!

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