I Can't Quit You, Quatchi! #5

Hard to believe it's been four years since Eliza and I began Quatchi Watch, our blog celebrating the cool Sasquatch mascot created by Meomi for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. (Quatchi's co-mascots Miga, Sumi and Mukmuk made guest appearances too.) And it's been well over two years since I've had any Quatchi news on my personal blog. So, with the 2014 Winter Olympics now in full swing, it's high time for another Quatchi update...

Our biggest Quatchi scoop came from poking around the Museum of Vancouver's searchable online database -- he was originally named Zooni (!?!), he had no feet, and his brown, ovoid nose was instead represented by a pair of tiny nostrils, as seen up above... Below, Zooni sports eyebrows as well, something Quatchi never had...

This next one shows how Mukmuk (not Miga) seemed to be Zooni's original partner in crime...

As for the Quatchi we've come to know and love, here's a blurry color guide...

Going back even earlier is this preliminary Zooni/Quatchi sketch...

Typing "Quatchi" into the Museum of Vancouver database search returns 211 results, a big chunk of which are collectible pins. Says the MOV: "We have become well versed in the surprisingly elaborate backstories of Quatchi, Miga, Sumi, and Mukmuk. This is in addition to charting their evolution from simple line drawings to 3D renderings to officially licensed Olympic merchandise and full-sized costumes." I found these two...

The detailed physical descriptions in those costume links are particularly interesting -- I'd love to see a Quatchi "Bound Costume Performance Manual"... The larger-than-life-sized mascots also wore this hockey jersey (follow the link to see the accompanying goalie stick and pads)...

One of the Quatchi costumes, as well as those of Miga and Sumi, were on loan to Vancouver's BC Sports Hall of Fame when I visited in February 2012. Here we all are...

Elsewhere in the Quatchi-verse, the handful of other Quatchi-related sites and blogs have mostly petered out, save for QuatchWatch, where Sammers and her fuzzy companions continue to travel everywhere, bake up a storm, and explore their Toronto home, like at this David Bowie art exhibit...

Quatchi also still appears in regular comic-strip form on the Homeless Quatchi Project, a site that raises awareness about Vancouver's homelessness problem. For whatever reason he's blue instead of brown, maybe because he's cold. Here's a sample...

And a cool .gif...

On TV, our favorite masquatch (to coin a portmanteau) was mentioned in an $800 answer on the November 9, 2011 episode of Jeopardy!... Spoiler alert! The contestant got the correct question -- see for yourself at the 6:37 mark in this video...

Check out this faux horror-movie trailer for Quatchi and the Ghost, featuring a killer homemade costume...

And here's a very short computer animation of Quatchi moseying along...

The most expensive Quatchi item currently on eBay is this four-foot fiberglass figure, listed at $19,999 (plus $799.99 shipping)...

That's about it for now. For those catching up, here are my previous Quatchi updates, from February 12, 2011, February 28, 2011, June 6, 2011, and November 27, 2011, as well as everything on my blog with a Quatchi tag. As usual, there's always more Quatchi stuff to be found on flickr, Pinterest, Pingram, Tumblr, YouTube and so forth. Finally, there's this Facebook page called Long Live Quatchi, which pretty much says it all.
***

I Can't Quit You, Quatchi! #4

In celebration of Quatchi's fourth birthday -- it was November 27, 2007 when he was first introduced to the world, along with his Vancouver Winter Olympics mascot pals Miga and Sumi -- here's a roundup of my latest Quatchi findings.

Kicking things off is this killer Quatchi toy (above) that was posted on etsy. Other creative folks have rendered Quatchi in ceramic, leather, and, uh, keychain. I still come across the occasional Quatchi illustration, like these Canucks-themed drawings made during Vancouver's Stanley Cup run last spring. (See more Quatchi-themed art at deviantART). Less original, but possibly more useful, are these Quatchi icons of various sizes.

Over at Quatchifan2010, Sophia's massive Quatchi clan continues to have fun since moving from Korea back to Canada...

Elsewhere in the blogosphere, Sammers' Q, along with new pal Mini Q, continue to cook up a storm and travel the globe on Quatch Watch. Incidentally, Mini Q is the only Quatchi I've seen whose nose is not only off-center, but also above his eyes!

I've also discovered some Quatchi-tagged posts on tumblr, like this funny gif...



And here's a video of Quatchi wandering down Bourbon Street, where he meets up with some drunk girls...



Be careful, Quatchi!

Finally, it's great to see that Quatchi designer Meomi remains busy with the Octonauts and their other cool projects.

Wherever Quatchi is, I'm sure he'll spend today cheering on his hometown BC Lions in La Coupe Grey.
***

I Can't Quit You, Quatchi! #3

I'm super-delighted that Meomi coaxed Quatchi out of semi-retirement to cheer on the Canucks during the Stanley Cup final... And look! Mukmuk is a Green Man Marmot!!

Meanwhile, Dub sent me these photos of a sweet Quatchi birthday cake she made. Below is what the cake figurine looked like after her son ate Quatchi's foot and a good portion of his head...

Dub also made these cool cupcakes...

Finally, I love Harkem's Quatchi Hug...

UPDATE

Here's Summertime Quatchi...

***

Your Attention Please: Super Ichiro Crazy!

Ladies and germs, I'm pleased to present my new blog, Super Ichiro Crazy!

It'll track Ichiro's performance during his 2011 season (which begins tonight), and act as a sort of complement to my Ichiro fan page, also called Super Ichiro Crazy!

This is my second subject-specifc blog, following last year's Quatchi Watch. But, unlike during the first three months of Quatchi Watch, I plan to keep current with this here general-interest blog (even if it's just of general interest to me).
***

I Can't Quit You, Quatchi! #2

It's been eight weeks since I put the kibosh on Quatchi Watch, but seeing as how today is the one-year anniversary of the closing of the Vancouver Olympics (as well as the Golden Goal), it's as good a time as any to share a few more Quatchi updates.

The best thing? Meomi just posted a couple of killer clips as a "thank you to all the mascot fans." The Mascot Reel is above and Broadcast Spot Animations is below. Both include some cool action that I hadn't seen before, like Quatchi and Miga curling -- nice!



Along similar lines, here's a flickr set I made of the mascots demonstrating the various Winter Olympics sports...

And here's a cool image recently sent in Johnson Lau; it's kind of a remix of some of Meomi's graphics...

Finally, ladies and gentlemen, unveiled last Saturday, your 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics mascots... yecch!

Long may you run, Quatchi!

UPDATE

If you pause that Mascot Reel video in the right spots, you'll glimpse some rare images. F'rinstance, this one of Quatchi playing hockey, though not minding the net as he usually does...

UPDATE

More great Quatchi deals at 17hours.ca...



***

I Can't Quit You, Quatchi!

It's been six weeks since I put the kibosh on Quatchi Watch, but seeing as how today is the one-year anniversary of the opening of the Vancouver Olympics, it's as good a time as any to share a few Quatchi updates.

The best thing? The amazing batch of stuff sent to us all the way from Korea by Sophia at Quatchifan2010, seen in the photo at the top... Custom backpacks, messenger bags, notebooks, drawings, laminated photos, paper craft figures, and some other non-Quatchi-related treats too -- there's more here. Thanks again, Sophia!

Speaking of Quatchifan2010, good to see that Sophia's blog is still going strong. I particularly dig this picture of her Quatchis in Canucks gear...

Also going strong is the mighty Quatch Watch, where Sammers shares Q's adventures in the kitchen and on the road. Like, here's Q representing in his hometown sweater while visiting London's British Museum...

While theirs is not dedicated solely to Quatchi, Shanny & D's blog does feature frequent Quatchi appearances, like his visit to Oregon. Here he is at Portland's Voodoo Doughnuts...

On the more artistic, socially conscious tip, Vancouver's Albert Art has begun The Homeless Quatchi Project, which also has its own Facebook page and flickr set. Albert writes...

Since the Olympics games, Quatchi has ended up on the street, unemployed, and depressed, he became an alcoholic and started experimenting with hard drugs such as crystal meth, and crack cocaine. He had to resort to theft, and panhandling to feed his addiction... Quatchi, a sasquatch from the forests up north came to Vancouver seeking opportunity to provide for his family back home, unfortunately with no more opportunities post-Winter games, he has no where to go and can't seem to get the help he needs to better his situation.

Likewise, on The Blackbird's flickr set, Quatchi was homeless before the Olympics, and Blobfarm depicted a homeless Quatchi during the Olympics. Poor Quatchi.

Over at the Urban Shaman gallery in Winnipeg, photographer Keesic Douglas has a show called Trade Me, which runs through March 19. One of the pictures is this Aboriginal woman with an iconic HBC blanket, appearing to nurse Quatchi...

While the official Vancouver2010 site was shut down shortly after New Year's, all its mascotty stuff is now over here. Which is cool, but I don't know why it's there or how long it'll last. Myself, I imagine I'll do periodic updates here (they'll have a Quatchi tag). Back at Quatchi Watch, I still occasionally update old posts with new bits (they'll have an Update tag like on the Quatchi/cat post that I just added a couple photos to). Lastly, I've been working on a short Quatchi video, so stay tuned for that.

UPDATE

Here's a radio skit by a Vancouver DJ, which aired around the one-year anniversary of the Olympics. It's Quatchi and Mukmuk meeting face-to-face for the first time since the games, discussing a possible mascot reunion. For the audio-impaired, I've transcribed it below...

Woman (Mukmuk's owner?): Alright Mukmuk, someone’s here to see you!

Mukmuk (with typical squeaky voice): Yaaay! … [gasps]

Quatchi (with atypical Brooklyn accent): Heh-heh-heeey, Mukmuk! Give it up!

Mukmuk: Quatchi? What happened to you? You look terrible!

Quatchi: Ah-hah, you always were the funny one, Mukmuk, huh. But uh, but yeah, seriously, I did gain about 160 pounds. Uh, haven’t exactly taken care of myself, but, uh, that’s what happens when you’re a big star one moment, everyone loves ya, and next thing you know, you are 80% off in the discount bin. [inhaling noise]

Mukmuk: Quatchi, you can’t smoke in here!

Quatchi: Aw, c’mon Mukmuk, we’re Olympic mascots – we’re untouchable!

Woman: Quatchi, this is your last warning!

Quatchi: Okay, okay, okay.

Mukmuk: So, how are you doing these days?

Quatchi: Well, you know, I moved to Hollywood, and uh, I found a pretty cool gig on the Boulevard, I take pictures with people for tips. Sure, most people think I’m Chewbacca, but uh, hey, you know, whatever puts the food on the table, right? Hey, by the way, have you heard from Miga recently? He ain’t returning any of my texts.

Mukmuk: Yeah, Miga’s turned into a bit of a [bleep].

Quatchi: Yeah, I just don’t know if this reunion’s a good idea. I mean, it’s just not going to be the same without Sumi, may he rest in peace.

Mukmuk: Damn poachers.

***

Cool Hockey Shit #5: Special Vancouver Road Trip Edition

On March 30, 1985, my dad and I saw the Flyers beat the Rangers 3-0 at Madison Square Garden. Twenty-one years later, on December 27, 2006, I saw the Canadiens beat the Capitals in D.C. On Monday I attended my third-ever NHL game, witnessing the Canucks beat the Senators 4-2 at Vancouver's General Motors Place Rogers Arena -- here's the official recap. The game also marked my first-ever NHL game in Canada, and the first-ever game I'd seen featuring only Canadian teams. Of course, the only national anthem performed was "O Canada."

Anyway, onto the cool shit, like the Super Chexx at Vancouver's five-pin Commodore Lanes...

This ridiculous Don Cherry Cold-fX ad on the Sensormatic security panels at the giant downtown London Drugs...

A few blocks away, the massive catalog of hockey books at the Vancouver Public Library (this pic of Quatchi with some execs appears in Canucks at Forty)...

Poutine at Costco, right across the street from Rogers Arena...

Goalie Roberto Luongo; after each of his saves, the Canuck faithful exclaim "LOOOOOU!"...

Ryan Kesler, my favorite Canuck...

Fin, seen here with some hoser skank who was born on Vancouver Island on Canada's centennial, July 1, 1967...

Granted Clothing's officially licensed Cowichan chunky sweater...

The enigmatic Green Guys (even if they weren't at Monday's game)...



Finally, a video of my own, set to "The Hockey Song" as covered by Vancouver's D.O.A...



Obviously my iMovie skillz are far from mad, but you get the idea.

It was a killer game, a major highlight of my hockey-obsessed winter. Because I love Vancouver -- home of the nearest NHL team to Seattle -- I've always pulled for the Canucks, but this is an especially great season to fully embrace 'em. In their 40 seasons, they've yet to win the Stanley Cup, though they made it to the finals in 1982 and '94. But this year they're the top team in the league, riding high in the proverbial catbird seat (even though they lost to the Ducks tonight). Can't wait to see what happens.
***

Cool Hockey Shit #2

Above, scary goalie masks. Below, no goalie masks...

This scene from Swingers...



Willie O'Ree...

The Hockey Sweater (and its animated counterpart, The Sweater)...

McFarlane figures...

Toothless grins...

The World Hockey Association...

The Zamboni...

Robert Ullman pinups...

Goofball Don Cherry, with his videos and loud jackets (but not his dickish views):

Quatchi's Shootout Shutout...

The Stanley Cup...

And, of course, more fights...


***