They said it wasn’t a laughing matter, but the City of Savannah has found itself as the internet’s punchline for the past week.
From “The Daily Show” and TIME to Fox Newsand CNN, Savannah’s googly eye culprit has been the talk of the town.
If you missed it — the city last week posted a photo of the Nathanael Greene Monument in Johnson Square adorned with two, small plastic eyes. And they’re still looking for the person responsible.
“This is one of those stories that news coverage doesn’t help,” argued Trevor Noah, The Daily Show host. “Like if you want to find a murderer, yeah, get his mugshot on the news. But if you want to stop people from putting googly eyes on statues, don’t show them how funny it is!”
It seems Noah was right.
The City of Savannah Facebook page has been flooded with googly eye photos and comments. And this weekend, a small competition is being held to put “Googly Eyes All Over Savannah.”
The host, who goes by “Mr. Blonde,” says its a way to have fun, get creative — and poke some fun at the city.
News 3 had a few questions for him about the event.
What was your first reaction when you saw the city’s googly eye post?
I thought it was a joke to begin with, then I realized they were serious. When you look at it from the point of view that there are so many things that can use some attention, it’s ludicrous that they would focus on this.
Do you think the city’s reaction to the trespasser was justified?
When you look at it from the point of view that there are so many things that can use some attention in Savannah, it’s ridiculous that they would focus on this.
Were you surprised it received national attention?
Surprised and extremely amused. I started seeing it being mocked on pages across social media and wondered to myself if the city realized that their lack of humor brought a level of ridicule on them. Hopefully, they will be able to see that it’s something harmless. Anything that can bring a smile to a resident or visitor’s face is great for Savannah.
What made you want to create a “paint the town googly-eyed” event?
Nathanael Greene was a revolutionary. He would be appalled by the city’s response to this.
It’s clear you’re not asking people to damage any property – are there any reminders you’d like to give?
Don’t break more serious laws for a googly picture. Most all of the entries so far have been people’s own property or signs. Don’t trespass or risk damaging anything for this. It’s all about fun! We would love to see the SPD make a picture or some others from the city government. Lighten up and have a little fun. It’s Halloween time
The photo entries are already coming in on Facebook. The winner – dictated by the most likes – will get a grand prize t-shirt.
Remember: do not trespass or damage any property if you participate. And if you happen to come across the original googly eye culprit, you can help the city put the case to rest.
The Savannah Police Department’s tip line is 912-525-3124.
