You all know the story:
Swedish female penguins sent to seduce “homosexual” male Humboldt penguins in a German zoo failed to break up the male twosomes. Bremerhaven Zoo last year shrugged off attacks from gay pride groups as far away as the United States over its efforts to establish breeding penguin pairs.[*]
I’ve been talking to different people about their general reactions to Stephen Bennett’s ongoing radio show and got back two typical answers. Now begins the parable. This additional information was not included in the original penguin news report:
The zookeepers, believing the deviant-penguins spoke English also tried piping a well known ex-gay radio program into the penguin enclosure. The homosexual penguins immediately responded and became very agitated. Some clearly could not tolerate listening and reacted by flapping their tiny little stubby wings around to try and cover their ears. Other penguins could not turn away and stood there tiny beaks agape transfixed by the bizarre spectacle of the broadcasts.
LOL
But be fair, Daniel. Let me continue the story:
… Soon, however, most of the penguins shrugged, said “peep peepedy peep” (that queen’s two kippers short of an Emperors Platter), and went and had a Kettle One Cosmo at the Ice Bar in The Abbey.
Ok, you asked for it… you got it.Gay Pride Antarctica 2006
Thank you, Grant!
I love penguins. I am both pro-LGBT and an environmentalist; I was torn last year!
One of my best friends recently worked for a year at the McMurdo Sound research station – he has, of course, been forwarded this link. I’ve advised him that everyone who knew him before he went to ‘the ice’ will forever associate him with penguins.
Somehow, I think he’s okay with that.
Jayelle –so do I (we) and…in that case get yourself down to Phillip Island and watch the little buggers waddle ashore. These days they keep the hourds of tourists away from them, but I remember as a young child being able to wander down into the sand dunes and sit quietly in the moonlight as the penguins scurried past a few inches away. (BTW, they have REALLY stinky fishy burrows!).Robert — no way! Our last week end escape was to Hobart, and we gave a call to a couple we met in Bali. She said come to a party tonight, and it turned out it was all his buddies from the Aust. Antarctic Division. getting very merry on a vile (but entertaining) selection of cocktails. They had a rule — if you asked “what” it was …. you had to drink two! Cheapskates that we are, we drank lots and lots of twos. (We got our when back when a lady biologist had to skul a yard of beer after betting Grant wouldn’t know what a cephalopod was… Dale did warn her that Grant remembers all sorts of useless crap for just such occassions!).I don’t know if McMurdo has the same rules, but apparently everyone is meant to take a “cross dress” outfit down to provide some small amusement for those long and boring winter dinners.The evenings “horse’s doovers” were served by two very blokey guys with beards… in sequined cocktail frocks!. After that, they began inventing cocktails. Some were more successful than others.Needless to say, we had a hoot in Hobart — good people and happy memories.