The Inquirer Writes Tolerantly About Online Barbaro Kooks
Although Barbaro’s been dead for a year now, his haunting spirit still lives on in the form of an online community so devoted and earnest, they make Clay Aiken’s Spanx-tossing army of middle-aged moms look inert by comparison.
Today, the Inquirer’s Mike Jensen took on the task of writing about the newly unveiled Barbaro memorial at Churchill Downs and trying to explain the Barbaro fanatics to an uninitiated audience without an ounce of sarcasm. Lucikly, Jensen comes through and presents the group as more cause-oriented animal rights enthusiasts than, oh, a pack of dead-horse-worshiping lunatics who’ve fallen off their imaginary saddles one too many times. They’ve even touched the heart of actor Paul Sorvino:
Barbaro’s online friends have raised money to buy at-risk horses and keep them away from the slaughterhouse. Last week, actor Paul Sorvino, whose daughter Amanda runs a horse shelter, left a long message on Brown’s site, explaining how several horses had been saved, concluding, “Thank You, ‘FOB’s, for pulling together a victorious save in a matter of minutes. These horses had nothing if they did not have you.”
Ah, the irony of the actor best known for playing a stoic mob boss in Goodfellas turning out to be a supporter of “FOBs.” At the very least, Barbaro fan mockers can find comfort that messing with the FOBs will not result in a bloody horse’s head on their pillows.
Barbaro’s Legacy [Inquirer]
January 30th, 2008 at 1:04 am
**pours out a little Elmer’s for Barbaro**