My First TV Production

Caplin Day is coming!

Before we get started on my amazing experience with TV, let me mention something even more important. Caplin Day is coming! Caplin Day, also known as Capybara Appreciation Day, is celebrated on July 10th, Caplin Rous’ birthday. He would have been 10 this year so this is a big one. Of course, we are also celebrating Garibaldi (Gari) Rous, and all other capybaras living or dead.

Gari celebrating Caplin Day

Proper celebration of Caplin Day requires one or more of the following things:
1. Eat a popsicle (Caplin’s favorite treat)
2. Eat some yogurt (Caplin and I both love that)
3. Eat corn-on-the-cob (Caplin didn’t like it but Gari and I go crazy for that)
4. Eat blueberries (Gari and I wouldn’t touch those things)
5. Go swimming, preferably including some underwater rolls (that is strictly Gari, he was crazy for rolling
6. Eat some peanuts (another Gari thing)
7. Make a donation to the ROUS Foundation

Caplin eating a popsicle

I hope people take this holiday seriously because it is very important to us capybaras. It’s the only holiday we get, and we really need one. I’m not saying that MelT is hard to deal with, but…

‘Nuff said

Okay, let’s get to the TV stuff. Firstly, they didn’t want any photos taken so the rest of this post is going to be very short on photos. Actually, probably just very short because I’m not good at writing.

I din’t know TV could be so difficult while pretending to be so fun. The TV people said we had to have a party! I’ve never even been to a party before, let alone given one. And all of my capy friends live a long way away (I’m talking about you, Dobby). That meant that MelT had to do all the inviting. I don’t know what her excuse is, but she doesn’t have any friends at all, near or far, short or tall. So we had to advertise on the internet. Just among our Facebook friends, not like on Craig’s List or something. We managed to get about twenty people to come, including Nancy. I’m sure she meant well, and the color does suit me, but I really don’t need a hat. MelT says I have to say thank you anyway. Thank you, Nancy.

You’ll notice that I am wearing not only a hat but a harness in that photo! They wanted me to go on a walk with MelT and them and their dumb cameras. MelT told them I wouldn’t do it, not just because of what I just said but because I have never even been on a walk! I’m sure it’s fun but this caveat of having to wear a harness and leash is pretty much a deal breaker. (MelT says we’re going to keep working on it.)

Back to the party. So it was me, MelT, Elizabeth (MelT’s one and only friend), and the three Japanese TV guys. That was bad enough but then people kept showing up that I didn’t know. That was scary. The TVs wanted me to go mingle. I wanted to sit on the windowseat by myself and wait for them to go away. Instead MelT had everyone come into her office to pet me. The only good thing was all the treats.

MelT says I am not star material because I am too shy. Well, I am shy. If you were a capybara you would be too! Do you know how many things want to eat us out in the wild? I’m not mentioning any names, but sometimes I get nervous being around MelT.

Anyway, shy makes sense. I don’t understand why Caplin was never shy. MelT is always going on and on about how he wasn’t afraid of anything and he would go anywhere and, well, and a lot of things, but mainly not shy. Then she says Garibaldi was shy but not like me. Gari would go places but he liked to stick close by MelT and especially Rick.  I think I am a disappointment to her but I’m not a disappointment to myself and that’s what matters.

Speaking of me being all that matters, MelT changed my name! What? Can you do that? I’m still Mudskipper Rous but instead of being called Muddy, she is now calling me Skipper. Or Skippy. Or Skips. I am getting used to it but you’d think I would have something to say about it.

I wish I understood Japanese so I could watch myself on TV. I guess we don’t get Japanese TV anyway. I wonder if any of my friends/followers will see me.

Have any of you been on TV, with or without a pet? Leave me a comment and tell me about it! Are you planning on celebrating Caplin Day? Did you ever have someone spring a name change on you?