I live in Wisconsin… a state that doesn’t typically make headlines the way bigger metropolises like New York and California do. So when our local zoo was mentioned on the season finale of the number one rated television show in the country it was a big deal.
If you didn’t tune in on Wednesday night to see Jordin Sparks receive the “American Idol” title then you likely missed the gift presented to outspoken judge Simon Cowell. On the night of the crowning host Ryan Seacrest revealed that “American Idol” donated $1,500 to the Milwaukee County Zoo to call its only bush baby—“Simon.” The joke was done to poke fun at Cowell for comparing a bubble-eyed contestant who didn’t make the final cut to the tiny primate.
According to zoo officials, show producers first contacted the Association of Zoos & Aquariums to find out which zoos housed the rare animal and discovered that only about 10 zoos nationwide do, including the one in Milwaukee. Once show producers located the bush baby they approached contestant Kenny Swale to get his approval. Swale, who went by Kenneth Briggs on the show, said he wasn’t offended and the deal was sealed.
For those of you who missed the bush baby comment, the remark was made during auditions in Seattle when Cowell took a shot at Swale, who had compared himself to Justin Timberlake. Cowell said: “You look a little odd … you look like one of those creatures that live in the jungle, with those massive eyes … a bush baby.”
“Simon” the bush baby is a tiny, gray animal, originally named Boing-Boing. Bush babies are native to central Africa and are very rare. In fact, according to zoo officials, there are only eight males and three females in captivity in North America.
Since his renaming, “Simon” has attracted thousands of visitors to his exhibit and zoo officials say they are hoping his namesake will also be making a trip to meet the little guy soon. Cowell’s spokesman told news reporters his client looks forward to visiting the bush baby in Milwaukee and thought the name change was made in good fun.
One zoo official joked Cowell might be able to learn a thing or two from his bush baby namesake.
“Maybe Simon will soften his personality a bit now knowing the bush baby is such a sweet little animal,” she said.
Or maybe not.
Related Articles:
Simon Cowell: He’s Really Not That Nasty
Has American Idol Gone Too Far?