Slog News & Arts

Line Out

Music & Nightlife

« Re: It's Unanimous | Little Dinky Hasselhoff Catche... »

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Not Sawsquatch

posted by on May 3 at 13:56 PM

wheedle.jpgI’ve been trying to teach recent transplant JZ to say sasquatch (“săs’kwŏch,” “hairy man” in Halkomelem, a Central Salish language). Which made me wonder what ever happened to the Wheedle, a minor childhood obsession of mine. And wasn’t he the Sonics’ mascot once upon a time?

There’s a Wheedle
On the Needle
I know just what
You’re thinking
But if you look up
Late at night
You’ll see
His red nose blinking

Do Northwest parents still tell their kids about the Wheedle?

RSS icon Comments

1

Ahhh! The Serendipity Series was my favorite as a child.

You can still find the books around town. They make great gifts for kids : )

Posted by Original Andrew | May 3, 2007 2:34 PM
2

No, whatever the fuck that thing is, it has fallen into obscurity, thank god

Posted by Vooodooo84 | May 3, 2007 2:36 PM
3

I loved those Serendipity books! I think the Weedle mascot was a traveling mascot for all of seattle because i've seen it at a Sonics game and a Husky game wearing the uniform of each. We really need to re-embrace the Weedle, for the sake of humanity!

a google search shows we are not alone in our love for the Weedle.

Posted by longball | May 3, 2007 2:38 PM
4

"Do Northwest parents still tell their kids about the Wheedle?"

I hope not. They should be teaching their kids not to talk to strangers, even on the internet. Sit their asses down and make them watch "To Catch A Predator" (there's some hairy men in those videos too.

Posted by elswinger | May 3, 2007 2:43 PM
5

Yay! I think people who grew up here in the 80s have a strong love for the Weedle.

The Sasquatch is very sassy.

Posted by Soupytwist | May 3, 2007 3:05 PM
6

The Wheedle story is different in the newer versions of the book--in the original it does things like steal the tools from the people building Seattle, but since stealing is bad that's all changed now.

Posted by samantha | May 3, 2007 3:17 PM
7

One of the TV stations still has a Wheedle costume. Saw someone prancing around in it during a presentation just last year.

Posted by PA Native | May 3, 2007 3:24 PM
8

I read this story to my son on a regular basis. I never knew about these books as a child (I'm not from around here) but my wife had them. They are fairly innocent. The Gnome From Nome is ok too.

Posted by north | May 3, 2007 3:27 PM
9

The Weedle has been replaced by The Scary Skinny Lady on the Sidewalk Who Screams and Scratches Herself, on the Needle.

Posted by JC | May 3, 2007 3:27 PM
10

I was born and raised here in Western WA, so these books were a huge part of my childhood! I loved the Wheedle and Flutterby and Serendipity. I still have my original books from 1978 (when I was 4) along with all my Disney soundtrack albums (including Uncle Remus!)!!

Posted by Faux Show | May 3, 2007 3:31 PM
11

I think I saw a wheedle at the Cuff last weekend. I had no idea what it was, but now that I see the picture you post, I do think it was probably a wheedle.

Posted by kinaidos | May 3, 2007 4:05 PM
12

I didn't have this as an East Coast kid, but my Seattle kid sure as HELL has it in his library! (And it's SICKENING!)

Posted by Sara | May 3, 2007 4:15 PM
13

awww, the Wheedle!! I thought about the Wheedle just yesterday when it was raining because I saw a woman whistling and I thought, "...and everyone knows you can't whistle in the rain!" tee hee!

There are very few things that make me nostalgic for when I was growning up in Puyallup but the Wheedle is one of them.

Posted by Dee in SF | May 3, 2007 4:21 PM
14

I loved this book when I was kid, even though I grew up in on the East coast and I had no clue where Seattle was. I wish he was still the mascot. Sasquatch is so creepy!

Posted by ballardian | May 3, 2007 6:44 PM
15

The Weedle!! I grew up in SF, but it was one of my favorite books as a child. I don't think I knew where Seattle was either, ballardian. But when I moved here I had a T-shirt custom-made with the Weedle on it. I plan on giving that book to my kids.

Posted by Anne | May 3, 2007 9:52 PM
16

Weedle! I remember that guy! And all the other Serendipity books. Aw.

Posted by maggie | May 4, 2007 1:35 AM
17

I live in Western Pennsylvania and love, love, love all the Serendipity books and this was one of my favorites. I still have it, and most of them, and did they really change the story? That's bull.

Posted by courtlyn | May 4, 2007 6:14 AM
18

Finally! I just moved up here and I've been asking all the locals about the wheedle and nobody knew what I was talking about. It was one of my favorite books as a kid. I even remember visiting Seattle and staring at the Space Needle to spot my friend!

Posted by troy | May 4, 2007 9:39 AM
19

Hello everyone, wanna be part of some kind of community, possible here? anyone here?

Posted by Buy antivirus online | May 10, 2007 2:03 PM
20

MSN I NIIPET
MSN

Posted by Bill | May 12, 2007 6:23 AM

Comments Closed

In order to combat spam, we are no longer accepting comments on this post (or any post more than 14 days old).