Jimothy the raccoon is proof that being weird, feral, and unknowable is the key to winning the internet

Jimothy the raccoon is proof that being weird, feral, and unknowable is the key to winning the internet Jimothy the raccoon (not pictured) is the internet's latest celebrity. Bernd Weißbrod/picture alliance via Getty Images If there's one thing you see on the internet today, I hope it's Jimothy.Here's the 101 on Jimothy: A strange raccoon roaming the streets of Seattle reached peak internet virality. Rather than try to describe this creature, a video can do the talking.It's unclear from this short clip why Jimothy looks … well, like that. Veterinarians told local TV stations that the raccoon could have short spine syndrome, a disorder that some dogs also have.Despite this setback, it appears Jimothy managed to reach maturity. Other videos from Seattle of what could be Jimothy show a raccoon that looks far smaller, but just as odd.It's easy to dismiss Jimothy as just another animal the internet has elected as its celebrity of the moment. A couple of months ago, it was Punch, the sad Japanese monkey, clutching its Ikea plushie. And before that, in 2024 — what seems like a lifetime ago — there was Moo Deng, the baby hippo with Barbie-pink blush.The same cash-grab cycle that comes with internet virality is already happening to Jimothy. Jimothy memes have flooded social media. Sellers on Etsy and Amazon are cashing in on Jimothy merch, making T-shirts and trinkets with its likeness.By all estimates, Jimothy the trash panda is unlikely to benefit from any of these merchandise sales, nor will it reap the significant creature comforts that come from being TikTok-famous. And in 72 hours, we might all be sick of Jimothy.However, before that raccoon gets forgotten, along with the Jimothy plushies that may well get listed on Temu in a week, it's worth thinking about why it got famous.At a time when AI can churn out endless content of poreless, perfect-looking people, the internet has instead chosen something that looks freaky and feral from the street to obsess over.There is still value, perhaps, in unscripted, AI-free authenticity, in the "what am I looking at?!" viral moment.So all hail Jimothy, animal star of the summer — and our reminder to enjoy and embrace the whimsical and bizarre. Read next Cheryl is the news editor for Business Insider's Asia bureau in Singapore.Her team covers global news, including retail trends, military tech, and US politics. She frequently speaks on international media about top news stories — please email her for booking.As a reporter, Cheryl specializes in the business of nerdworld, covering crews like Critical Role and Dimension 20, as well as new releases in mobile and video gaming.Cheryl joined Business Insider in 2021. She was previously a journalist at the crime and consumer desks at the Straits Times, Singapore's national paper, and a researcher at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. She has an MA in Cultural and Creative Industries from King's College London.Selected features:The cofounders of nerdworld giant Critical Role are expanding in 5 areas. Here's an inside look at their master plan.Dimension 20 just played a sold-out gig at Madison Square Garden. Here's what is next for one of the nerdworld business' biggest names.Our quest to make AI love us back is futile — and dangerousI watched 60 hours of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell's 96-hour election-fraud livestream so you don't have to. Here are 5 things you missed.Japan is trying to lure people into rural areas by selling $500 homes, but it's not enough to fix the country's 'ghost town' problemSouth Korea's millennials say their lives aren't that different from 'Squid Game' as they face a crisis of mounting debt, unaffordable homes, and dead-end jobsMore and more Chinese 20-somethings are rejecting the rat race and 'lying flat' after watching their friends work themselves to deathPeople are pouring into the streets in China to protest COVID lockdowns. It's a rare moment of mass dissent, and experts say it's a demonstration to Xi — and the world. Viral