Queer Eye Gives NHL Mascot Gritty A Makeover In Bizarrely Heartwarming Video
The Fab 5 of Queer Eye has taken on none other than Philadelphia Flyers mascot, Gritty, as their latest client to promote season 5. Gritty is relatively green in the mascot scene, having been first introduced as the Flyers' mascot on September 24th, 2018. Legend says he rose from the gravel during Flyers' home stadium's construction. While it was initially pitched as a joke, the mascot's name was inspired by an adjective that captures the team's spirit. Many fans had mixed feelings about the new mascot. Some thought he was adorable, and others found him terrifying.
Queer Eye stars Antoni Porowski, food and wine expert; Tan France, fashion expert; Karamo Brown, culture expert; Bobby Berk, design expert; and Jonathan Van Ness, grooming expert. The Netflix version is a reboot of the 2003 Bravo series of the same title. While the original Queer Eye was a bold move for the time, the revival has proven to be more successful with five seasons under its belt and a green light for season 6. The Queer Eye reboot has also already broken the traditions of its predecessors. While the original Queer Eye only helped straight (predominantly white) men, the current version has helped both men and women of all sexuality and color.
Now Queer Eye is going beyond humans and taking on the furry, monster-like creature Gritty in a new video uploaded to Netflix's YouTube channel. The Fab 5 read a letter written by Gritty's nominator, Philadelphia Phillies mascot, Phillie Phanatic. Gritty meets up with the Queer Eye team on the ice and shows them around his home before diving into some one-on-one time with each member of The Fab 5. They try to help him work out his quirk of always wearing the same jersey and only eating Philly cheesesteaks, but mostly they just help him feel appreciated for all the hard work he does as a mascot.
The Fab 5 didn't give Gritty a drastic makeover by any means. They didn't snip off any of his signature mane or beard, dye his fur or change up his signature uniform. As The Fab 5 stated, they didn't feel the need. Ever since Gritty entered the scene, the monster-like creature has appeared in memes for his adorably terrifying appearance. Gritty even got in on the joke by making himself Time magazine's Person of the Year. While he is a bit frightening, his appearance has become iconic. If any significant alterations were made, he wouldn't be the Gritty that NHL fans know and love.
While each Queer Eye episode is usually a delicate balance of tearjerking, heartfelt moments, and moments of playful laughter, this Netflix promo was entirely the latter. Not only was the promo an homage to Philly pride, but it also captured the heart of the show in a light-hearted, comical way. The video makes a nice addition to the fun way Netflix has promoted the show in the past, much like the 2018 promo featuring Tan France and Hasan Minhaj. After watching Netflix's Gritty hype-up, fans can watch season 5 of Queer Eye on Netflix now.
Source: Netflix / YouTube