Stalking the Wild Joxerphobe

[Mutual of Omaha logo]

A Parody by Doug A Scott

For those of you not familiar with "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" (e.g. non-North Americans, young whippersnappers), it was a nature show back in the 70s, hosted by one Marlin Perkins, the old fart who narrated the show, but hardly ever did anything. That was usually left up to to Jim Fowler. "We've wrapped Jim in meat and will now throw him into the bear pit. Let's see what happens." It was sponsored by Mutual of Omaha, a big-shot insurance company.

It was revealed on "The Fifth Estate" (sort of a Canadian "60 Minutes") that a good half of the bits were faked in some way. Take a bear, dump it in a swamp, chase it on a hovercraft through its "natural environment," that kind of thing. Anyhoo, on with the show...


[Run "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" intro. Cut to Marlin Perkins in his office.]

MP: Hi, I'm Marlin Perkins. Welcome to Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. This is my assistant and close personal friend, Jim Fowler.
JF: Screw you.
MP: Well, Jim, it's good to see you've almost completely recovered from that bear attack last week.
JF: Bite me, Perkins.
MP: Heh-heh. This week on "Wild Kingdom," we'll be examining an odd species, which seems to lurk exclusively on the internet. Joxerphobes. This strange creature lurks in dark corners on newsgroups and e-mail lists, and even have a number of web pages devoted to their strange practices. We managed to track down a key meeting area for these Joxerphobes, or just "'Phobes" for short. I sent Jim in to investigate while I stayed here in my nice safe, comfy office.
JF: Big surprise.

[Cut to footage. POV of camera wandering through woods. Jim's voice can be heard.]

JF: I swear, one of these days, I'm getting a box load of weasels and stuffing them down that idiot's pants... Wait! There they are!

[Pan to small clearing in the forest. A handful of people, wearing only strategically placed leaves, are gathered in a circle. They appear to be burning a Joxer action figure. Marlin Perkins narrates.]

MP (Voice-Over): Through pain-staking research, we have manage to identify some of the specific sub-species present in this group. One is an Erin, formerly belonging to a less savage species, simple Joxer Dislikers, but has since de-evolved into a 'Phobe.

[Close up of the Erin pounding the Joxer figure with a stick.]

MP (VO): The dominant male of the group seems to be a P*** H******, a particularly nasty sub-species.

[Close up of P*** snarling at action figure.]

JF: Where the Hell'd they get a Joxer action figure anyway? Wait, they're attempting to communicate with each other.
PH: Jerkster burn! Jerkster is evil!
Generic Joxerphobe: Who's Jerkster?

[Erin hits Generic Joxerphobe.]

E: Jerkster is Joxer, bozo!
MP (VO): An especially strange Phobe is the OmegaMan, thus named by scientists because it always lags behind and is never in synch with the other 'Phobes.
OM: When do we set fire to the action figure?

[Erin hits OmegaMan.]

E: Stupid, we did that twenty minutes ago!
PH: Ah, we must stop fighting! It's so hard to stay organized since Kimber went away.
MP (VO): The P*** H****** is referring to the Kim729 or Kimber, the most fearsome of all Phobes. Vicious, deceitful and nasty. Fortunately, there has not been a reported Kimber sighting for some months now.

[Jim appears on screen, dressed as Joxer.]

JF: Whose bloody stupid idea was this? Gee. Let me guess.
MP (VO): Now, Jim will gauge the Phobes' reaction to a real-life Joxer. Good 'ol Jim. Heh-heh.

[Jim, obviously unhappy, approaches the group, whistling the Joxer the Mighty theme (rather poorly).]

JF: Um... ahem... "Gree-tings, my war-ri-or chums."

[The phobes freak. They pounce on Jim and he goes down in a heap. The beat on him mercilessly.]

MP (VO): At this point, something very interesting and unexpected happens.

[The camera jiggles wildly, as if the camera operator is running. From the way the camera's POV move, it appears it is being used to beat Jim.]

MP (VO): Our camera operator, a Kerry Franks, is apparently a Troll. As you all learned when we saw Jim get beat to a pulp by them a few months back, Trolls infiltrate other groups - in this case, our camera crew - only to explode for no initially apparent reason. This particular Troll's motivation is revealed when...
KF: See, P***, I'm doing what you do! I love you! Be mine! Love me! Love MEEEEEEEEEEE!!

[P***, not being a complete idiot, sees what is happening and runs for the hills. Dropping the camera, the Kerry follows.]

[Back to studio.]

MP: Well, Jim, thanks again for that insightful report... Jim? Jim? Where'd he go? Oh, look, he left me a box. Well, join us again next week on Wild Kingdom, when I'll be communing with nature once again.

[Begins to open box. Fade to black. As credits roll, we hear...]

MP: Ahrgh, weasels!!!


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