WHYY Seeks Short, Buff Part-Timer to Dress Like a Monkey

Public TV can't find volunteers to wear silly costumes anymore.

It’s a sad, sad day when you can’t get an intern to do a humiliating job like put on a monkey costume, but WHYY now apparently finds itself in such dire straits.

Journalism watchdog Romenesko points out that the public TV station is advertising for a part-time, temporary job dressing up as PBS kids show characters like Curious George.

To get the job, you must be short — no more than 5’4” — and otherwise in tip-top shape: “Candidates cannot wear glasses while inside the costume, and must have the strength both to carry a large costume case, weighing 35 pounds, from transportation to events and to move, gesture, and dance in costumes that can weigh up to 20 pounds.”

Here’s the sad, passing-of-an-era part:

In the past, the Philadelphia public media outlet used volunteers and staff members to get into costume, “but it’s harder to find volunteers now,” says WHYY spokesman Arthur Ellis.

Kids and their work ethic these days. In my day, we’d put on a Curious George costume and walk 10 miles to work…