Gritty Explained

Gritty
Team:Philadelphia Flyers
Description:Large, unsettling, furry orange creature in Flyers regalia
First Seen:September 24, 2018
Related Mascots:Phillie Phanatic, Youppi!

Gritty is the official mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is a 7adj=midNaNadj=mid furry orange creature with googly eyes who wears Flyers gear.[1] [2] Gritty has been compared to the Phillie Phanatic, the mascot for the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. He was created by Brian Allen of Flyland Designs with help from David Raymond, the first man to portray the Phillie Phanatic.[3]

Gritty was introduced on September 24, 2018.[4] According to his official biography, Gritty emerged after construction at the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers' home arena, disturbed his secret hideout.[5] Within the months following his debut, Gritty became an internet sensation and made appearances on several talk shows.[6]

Creation

Prior to the 2018–19 NHL season, the only two National Hockey League teams without an official mascot were the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers.[7] The Flyers' first mascot, Slapshot, lasted only for the 1976–77 season.[8] In 1995, the Washington Capitals introduced their own Slapshot, named by fifth-grade student Stephanie Williams in a contest.[9]

The impetus behind Gritty's creation started when the Flyers' marketing department attended the mascot events at the 2016 NHL All-Star Game in Nashville, Tennessee, and realized that they were missing out on all the marketing and community outreach programs that the league's mascots were generating for their respective teams.[10] The Flyers then commissioned Brian Allen of Flyland Designs in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, to design Gritty in August 2018.[11] [12] David Raymond, who portrayed the Phillie Phanatic, consulted on Gritty's creation.[13] The Flyers organization wanted Gritty to have a rather intimidating appearance, as "someone you'd high-five but not hug", according to Allen.

Career

Gritty was introduced on September 24, 2018,[4] and appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon several days later.[14] [15] Gritty was active on social media from his debut: his odd appearance and stunts on Twitter, such as seeming to threaten the mascot of the Pittsburgh Penguins and recreating Kim Kardashian's "Break the Internet" photograph, contributed to his rise in infamy. Within days, Gritty's Twitter account had more followers than any other NHL mascot. In his first on-ice appearance, Gritty fell while firing T-shirts into the crowd from a T-shirt cannon. In his second appearance on ice, Gritty body-checked contestants in a goalie race during an intermission and shot a Flyers staff member with a T-shirt cannon.[16]

On October 13, 2019, the first ever "Gritty anti-runners 5K" took place. This 5K race included Gritty's favorite things along the track, including hot dogs, silly string, and a shrine to Claude Giroux.[17]

In November 2019, during a fan meet-and-greet between Gritty and Flyers season ticket holders, a fan reported that the Flyers employee portraying Gritty punched their 13-year-old son in the back. After an internal investigation by the Flyers led to no other witnesses of such abuse, the fan reported the incident to the Philadelphia Police Department, which led its own investigation. On February 3, 2020, the Flyers employee portraying Gritty was officially cleared of any wrongdoing and charges were not filed.[18] [19] [20]

Gritty introduced the Philadelphia Fusion, an Overwatch esports team, during its 2019 and 2020 home-stand matches.[21] [22]

In May 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania, Gritty began wearing a face shield.[23] In September, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health released a promotional video featuring Gritty to encourage wearing face masks in public,[24] and in December the department and the NHL cleared Gritty to resume public appearances at Flyers games.[25]

Gritty appeared in the Family Guy episode: "Cootie & The Blowhard", which aired on November 7, 2021 on Fox.[26] Gritty appeared in ABC's Philadelphia-set sitcom Abbott Elementary in the season two premiere, "Development Day", which premiered on September 21, 2022.[27] Gritty made a professional wrestling appearance at WWE's Extreme Rules event held on October 8, 2022, getting beaten by The Miz backstage who was looking for Dexter Lumis. Eventually, after Lumis put Miz to sleep, Gritty attacked him and left.[28] Gritty appeared in season sixteen of FX's Philadelphia-set sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia in episode five, "Celebrity Booze: The Ultimate Cash Grab". The episode premiered on June 28, 2023.[29] Gritty appeared in the Albie's Elevator episode: "Big Orange Fuzzy Thing".[30] Gritty will appear on the Philadelphia-set finale of the thirty-sixth season of the CBS reality competition show The Amazing Race.[31]

Filmography

YearTitleNotes
2021Family GuyEpisode: "Cootie & The Blowhard"
2022Abbott ElementaryEpisode: "Development Day"
2023Albie's ElevatorEpisode: "Big Orange Fuzzy Thing"
It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaEpisode: "Celebrity Booze: The Ultimate Cash Grab"

Reception

Observers brought attention to his appearance, which could be construed as frightening,[32] while The Guardian described him as an "acid trip of a mascot."[33] Response to Gritty's introduction was immediate and sharply mixed, with many fans on social media expressing bewilderment and some fright at his appearance.[34] Public perception of Gritty became increasingly positive as Gritty's antics, which subverted the cuddly, family-friendly appearance and demeanor of other NHL mascots, gained more attention on social media.[35] Gritty was lampooned on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Saturday Night Live.[36] [37]

Philadelphia residents embraced Gritty shortly after his debut as representing the city's rough and tumble character.[38] [39] The Philadelphia City Council passed a formal resolution in 2018 honoring Gritty, declaring that he honored the city's spirit and passion.[7] [40] Within two months, the mascot amassed almost 200,000 Twitter followers.[6] Gritty was the top league mascot in a 2019 vote of the NHL Players' Association.[41]

Gritty was employed as a leftist icon, as activists identified with the mascot's "cheerful, unkempt, maniacal demeanor", and googly-eyed, anarchic mirth. Gritty appeared on a banner at a Philadelphia protest against Donald Trump a week after his debut and was spread through leftist online forums and Internet meme groups, which depicted Gritty with themes of anti-capitalism, socialism, and anti-fascism.[42] [43] Philadelphia City Council member Helen Gym described the Trump vs. Gritty phenomenon as "one orange horror has been met with another."[44] When Philadelphia played an important role in determining the 2020 United States presidential election, social media users depicted Gritty, as the city personified, defeating outgoing incumbent Trump, which included appropriating Trump's statement that "Bad things happen in Philadelphia!".[45] [46] [47]

Philadelphia composer Melissa Dunphy adapted text from Philadelphia City Council member Helen Gym's, “A Resolution” for her choral composition "A Gritty Resolution". The piece is an ode to the city's beloved mascot and was commissioned and performed by the Philadelphia a capella group Philharmonia in 2024.[48]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. News: Flyers introduce new 'Gritty' addition to team. September 24, 2018. NBC Sports Philadelphia. September 30, 2018. September 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180930081530/https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/the700level/philadelphia-flyers-introduce-new-mascot-gritty . live.
  2. News: John . Sciarrino. The Internet Thinks the Philadelphia Flyers' New Mascot Named 'Gritty' Is a Nightmare. Maxim. September 30, 2018. en-us. September 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180930083130/https://www.maxim.com/sports/gritty-is-the-nhl-mascot-we-deserve-2018-9 . September 27, 2018 . live.
  3. News: I'm David Raymond, Creator of Gritty, and This Is How I Work. LifeHacker. October 10, 2018. October 10, 2018. October 10, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181010172443/https://lifehacker.com/im-david-raymond-creator-of-gritty-and-this-is-how-i-1829563481 . Nick . Douglas . live.
  4. News: Flyers Introduce Official Team Mascot. NHL Enterprises, L.P.. PhiladelphiaFlyers.com. September 24, 2018. October 3, 2018. October 3, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181003100949/https://www.nhl.com/flyers/news/flyers-introduce-official-team-mascot--philadelphia-flyers/c-300359452?tid=281464512. live.
  5. Web site: Gritty . nhl.com/flyers . January 8, 2019 . January 8, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190108122815/https://www.nhl.com/flyers/fans/gritty . live .
  6. News: Gritty: How a NHL mascot became an internet sensation . BBC News . November 28, 2018 . January 8, 2019 . January 9, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190109115404/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46372908 . live .
  7. News: Yuhas . Alan . November 1, 2018 . Gritty's First Month: The Heroic Ascendance of a 'Ghastly Empty-Eyed Muppet' . . November 1, 2018 . November 2, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181102175408/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/sports/hockey/gritty-philadelphia-flyers.html . live .
  8. News: Macy . Evan . Man inside Flyers' original mascot, Slapshot, has some advice for Gritty . February 26, 2021 . PhillyVoice . September 27, 2018 . February 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230205162246/https://www.phillyvoice.com/man-inside-flyers-original-mascot-slapshot-has-advice-gritty/ . live .
  9. News: McKee . Sandra . Caps beat selves, give Pens win in OT Defensemen put two in own net in 3-2 loss . February 26, 2021 . . November 18, 1995 . May 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210518040037/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1995-11-18-1995322028-story.html . live .
  10. News: Gettin' Gritty Wit It: Flyers new mascot a big hit . Associated Press . USA Today . October 4, 2018 . January 8, 2019 . January 9, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190109062148/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2018/10/04/gettin-gritty-wit-it-flyers-new-mascot-a-big-hit/38046351/ . live .
  11. Web site: Muthler . Lauren . A Bellefonte artist is the man behind the Philadelphia Flyers' 'Gritty' new mascot . . September 24, 2018 . October 28, 2018 . October 28, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181028151546/https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/community/bellefonte/article218932555.html . live .
  12. Web site: Maggie . Smolka . Bellefonte man helps create Philadelphia Flyer's new mascot . . September 27, 2018 . July 21, 2023 .
  13. Web site: September 24, 2018 . Gritty, the Flyers' new mascot, is set up for success. (According to the Phillie Phanatic, anyway.). Bethany. Ao. inquirer.com. February 3, 2020. February 3, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200203233253/https://www.inquirer.com/philly/entertainment/gritty-the-flyers-new-mascot-is-set-up-for-success-according-to-the-phillie-phanatic-anyway-20180924.html. live.
  14. News: NHL mascot rankings: Gritty's big debut. ESPN.com. September 30, 2018. en. September 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180930115638/http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/24794863/nhl-ranking-every-mascot-bailey-gritty-youppi-nordy-victor-e-green-hunter. live.
  15. News: LOOK: New Flyers mascot Gritty dances with Jimmy Fallon, gets punched by Ricky Gervais. Kevin . Skiver . Sep 28, 2018 . CBS Sports. September 30, 2018. en. September 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180930081507/https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/look-new-flyers-mascot-gritty-dances-with-jimmy-fallon-gets-punched-by-ricky-gervais/. live.
  16. Web site: Gritty stormed the ice and started bodychecking Flyers employees during in-game stunt . Bar Down Sports . September 27, 2018 . October 11, 2019 . October 11, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191011205303/https://www.bardown.com/gritty-stormed-the-ice-and-started-bodychecking-flyers-employees-during-in-game-stunt-1.1182175 . live .
  17. Web site: A Gritty-themed 'anti-runners' 5k is happening. The Philadelphia Inquirer. August 29, 2019. January 13, 2020. January 13, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200113222927/https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/gritty-flyers-5k-race-philadelphia-2019-20190829.html. live.
  18. Web site: Did Gritty punch a 13-year-old boy in the back? Philadelphia detectives are investigating.. Christian. Hetrick. The Philadelphia Inquirer. January 22, 2020 . January 25, 2020. January 25, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200125165656/https://www.inquirer.com/business/comcast/flyers-gritty-assault-boy-philadelphia-police-investigation-20200122.html. live.
  19. Web site: Philadelphia Police Investigating Claim Flyers Mascot Gritty Physically Assaulted Teen Boy During Photo Shoot. January 22, 2020. January 25, 2020. January 25, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200125005055/https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2020/01/22/gritty-flyers-mascot-philadelphia-police-investigating-claim-physically-assaulted-teen-boy-during-photo-shoot/. live.
  20. Web site: Everyone is talking about Gritty. Stephanie. Driver. January 23, 2020. Broad Street Hockey. January 25, 2020. January 25, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200125165706/https://www.broadstreethockey.com/2020/1/23/21078804/everyone-is-talking-about-gritty-philadelphia-flyers-mascot-lawsuit. live.
  21. News: Rand . Emily . Overwatch: Grit, and Gritty, lead Fusion to 2-0 start . 26 January 2021 . ESPN . February 17, 2019 . November 12, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112030511/https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/26020708/grit-gritty-lead-philadelphia-fusion-2-0-start-overwatch-league-season-2 . live .
  22. overwatchleague . 1228823012176224256 . HIs majesty, the fuzzy orange king of Philly, graces us with his presence!.
  23. GrittyNHL . 1260371902889164801 . May 12, 2020 . No one cared who I was until I put on the mask..
  24. Web site: Henninger. Danya. December 23, 2020. Philly health department clears Gritty for Flyers games, NHL relents. January 14, 2020. Billy Penn. December 23, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223135928/https://billypenn.com/2020/12/23/gritty-petition-essential-covid-flyers-health-department-philadelphia/. live.
  25. News: Budryk. Zack. December 23, 2020. NHL, Philadelphia health department clear Flyers mascot Gritty to attend games after petition. The Hill. January 14, 2020. December 23, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223194229/https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/531481-nhl-philadelphia-health-department-clear-flyers-mascot-gritty-to-attend. live.
  26. News: Cootie & The Blowhard. November 7, 2021. The Futon Critic. December 19, 2023.
  27. News: Philadelphia Flyers Mascot Gritty on His 'Abbott Elementary' Cameo: 'I'm Not in the Business of Explaining Myself' (EXCLUSIVE). Hailu. Selome. 21 September 2022. Variety. 12 October 2022. October 12, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221012231455/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/abbott-elementary-gritty-philadelphia-flyers-mascot-1235379725/. live.
  28. Web site: Mahjouri . Shakiel . 2022 WWE Extreme Rules results, recap, grades: Bray Wyatt returns, Ronda Rousey reclaims title in wild show . CBS Sports . 2022-10-09 . 2023-01-27 . February 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230205162246/https://www.cbssports.com/wwe/news/2022-wwe-extreme-rules-results-recap-grades-bray-wyatt-returns-ronda-rousey-reclaims-title-in-wild-show/live/ . live .
  29. News: Gritty makes his debut on 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' . Hunt. Kristin. 30 June 2023. Philly Voice. 6 August 2023.
  30. Web site: Albie's Elevator: Big Orange Fuzzy Thing. YouTube. June 14, 2023 . January 14, 2024.
  31. Web site: 'The Amazing Race' Emotional Season 36 Trailer Kicks Things Off in Puerto Vallarta (EXCLUSIVE). Schneider. Michael. February 28, 2024. Variety. February 28, 2024.
  32. News: Meet Gritty: The Flyers' new team mascot. September 24, 2018. 6abc Philadelphia. September 30, 2018. en-US. September 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180930081522/https://6abc.com/sports/meet-gritty-the-flyers-new-team-mascot/4327263/. live.
  33. News: Gritty: why the Philadelphia Flyers' new acid trip of a mascot must be stopped. Cantor. Matthew. September 27, 2018. The Guardian. February 24, 2019. en-GB. 0261-3077. February 23, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190223181936/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/sep/27/gritty-flyers-mascot-philadelphia-phanatic. live.
  34. News: It's Gritty! Philadelphia Flyers New Mascot is Pure Unadulterated Nightmare Fuel . Blackburn . Pete . CBS Sports . September 25, 2018 . October 11, 2019 . October 11, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191011205303/https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/its-gritty-philadelphia-flyers-new-mascot-is-pure-unadulterated-nightmare-fuel/ . live .
  35. Web site: 9 Ridiculous Things Gritty, the Flyers' New Insane Mascot, has Already Done. Jeremy Schneider. 11 October 2018 . nj.com. October 11, 2019. October 11, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191011205306/https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2018/10/gritty_has_been_with_us_for_two_weeks_and_the_worl.html. live.
  36. Web site: Nick Vadala . John Oliver compares Brett Kavanaugh to Flyers mascot Gritty on 'Last Week Tonight' . .philly.com . October 1, 2018 . October 28, 2018 . October 28, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181028151641/http://www2.philly.com/philly/entertainment/celebrities/brett-kavanugh-gritty-flyers-john-oliver-hbo-20181001.html . live .
  37. Web site: EJ Smith . 'Saturday Night Live's' Weekend Update takes its shot at Gritty . philly.com . September 30, 2018 . October 28, 2018 . October 28, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181028151616/http://www2.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/snl-gritty-saturday-night-live-flyers-mascot-colin-jost-20180930.html . live .
  38. Web site: Ellie Silverman . What is Gritty? A 'lovable monster,' the orange embodiment of Philly and the Flyers, or a brand marketing breakthrough? . .philly.com . October 13, 2018 . October 28, 2018 . October 28, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181028151608/http://www2.philly.com/philly/business/retail/gritty-philadelphia-flyers-wharton-marketing-20181013.html . live .
  39. Web site: Stephen . Bijan . Gritty became a leftist meme because Philly loves a righteous hooligan . . 2018-10-17 . en . 2020-11-08 . mdy-all . November 7, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201107161509/https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/17/17990016/gritty-philadelphia-flyers-leftists-activism-protest-symbol . live .
  40. Web site: Gritty, Stuff Of Nightmares, Has Been Officially Welcomed To Philadelphia . NPR . April 18, 2018 . October 28, 2018 . October 28, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181028090813/https://www.npr.org/2018/10/26/660905872/gritty-stuff-of-nightmares-has-been-officially-welcomed-to-philadelphia . live .
  41. Web site: Cale Ahearn . Gritty voted NHL's Best Team Mascot | WPMT FOX43 . Fox43.com . March 20, 2019 . February 3, 2020 . March 21, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190321150023/https://fox43.com/2019/03/20/gritty-voted-nhls-best-team-mascot/ . live .
  42. Web site: Anti-Trump protesters feature signs with Flyers' new mascot, Gritty . Usatoday.com . 2018-07-25 . 2023-01-27 . January 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230127174819/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/flyers/2018/10/03/anti-trump-protesters-signs-flyers-new-mascot-gritty/1516057002/ . live .
  43. How the Left Won the War for Gritty, the New Mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers. The New Yorker. Ian. Crouch. October 10, 2018. January 27, 2023. January 27, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230127195938/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/how-the-left-won-the-war-for-gritty. live.
  44. Web site: VanDerWerff. Emily. 2018-12-24. Gritty's evolution from googly-eyed hockey mascot to meme to leftist avatar, explained. 2020-11-10. Vox. en. November 7, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201107015719/https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/12/24/18145323/gritty-explained-mascot-flyers-meme-leftist. live.
  45. Web site: VanDerWerff . Emily . Gritty memes: Why is the Philadelphia Flyers mascot Donald Trump's enemy? . Vox . 2020-11-06 . en . 2020-11-08 . mdy-all . November 8, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201108032842/https://www.vox.com/2020/11/6/21553085/gritty-memes-2020-election-trump-biden . live .
  46. 1324750855309021185. JonathanCohn. All of the Gritty memes are giving me life. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmJ12x4WoAAI3Oq. Jonathan Cohn. 2020-11-06. 2023-07-15.
  47. "A Manifestation of Their City as a God": Gritty Memes, the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, and Online Representations of Home . 10.1177/21674795221106115 . 2023 . Harrison . Virginia S. . Boatwright . Brandon . Bober . Joseph . Communication & Sport . 11 . 2 . 356–384 . 249859238 . July 9, 2023 . July 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230709002913/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21674795221106115?icid=int.sj-abstract.citing-articles.28 . live .
  48. Farr . Stephanie . June 7, 2024 . A glorious choral hymn about Gritty premieres this weekend . The Philadelphia Inquirer . The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC.