Li’l Smokey Bear
The It Cub’s publicist informed me that anyone looking for pictures of the real Li’l Smokey must visit his blog at the Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care Center. In the meantime, Radical Avenue will have to settle for a picture of Li’l Smokey’s anonymous cousin, who’s still pretty adorable.
That’s how media savvy bear cubs roll. But even though he’s a bootie wearing fashionista today, Li’l Smokey has always remained true to his roots. This young fur ball spent his early days out in the wild before barely survived a devastating forest fire.
Now Li’l Smokey has stronger claws and a whole new perspective on life. Cuteness doesn’t last forever. Sure, everybody fawns over you when you’re young and cuddly, but look at what happened to Ice Bear Knut over at the Berlin Zoo. Poor little Knut put on a few pounds, grew some scruffy looking hair on his back and now he’s washed up at age 2. Comedians are joking about his fat backside and stinky breath.
Li’l Smokey knows better. He’s taken the long term approach in dealing with his personal care team. Once the booties come off, it’s back to the forests of the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountain range. Life is simpler in the woods. A bear can enjoy quality time with friends and family. Leave the stage lights to some other ingénue.
Old Smokey (who was rescued from a New Mexico fire in 1950) has been overheard grumbling to himself as he makes his rounds this season. What’s all this fuss over the rookie? Has he ever put on a helmet or picked up a shovel? Guess not. Over fifty years of fighting forest fires and people barely know your name.
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