2007 / Video / Local-news classic
I Like Turtles
A local-news interview produced an unexpected answer.
The original is hosted off-site; this page provides context and a link to it.
What was this?
Asked what he thought about being a zombie, Ware looked straight into the camera and replied: “I like turtles.”
Why it spread
The small local segment escaped its original broadcast context and traveled as a short, endlessly quotable clip through YouTube, blogs, and early social sharing.
What happened
Asked what he thought about being a zombie, Ware looked straight into the camera and replied: “I like turtles.”
Where it came from
During Portland’s 2007 Rose Festival, KGW reporter Nancy Francis interviewed 10-year-old Jonathan Ware, whose zombie face paint had just been finished.
Why it mattered
I Like Turtles is the perfect early-web non sequitur: a phrase detached from its setting, made memorable by its unexpected answer and detached context.
How it spread
The small local segment escaped its original broadcast context and traveled as a short, endlessly quotable clip through YouTube, blogs, and early social sharing.
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