The identity behind the internet's favorite dancing pumpkin is finally revealed
Every year, much like the Great Pumpkin, it resurfaces on the web: a video, under two minutes, of a man in a black body suit and a pumpkin mask dancing to the Ghostbusters theme song. Originally uploaded in 2006, the video didn't gain popularity until 2009 and has managed to remain a mainstay of internet Halloween celebrations ever since, racking up 2.5 million views to date.
But the full story behind the video — and who was behind the mask — remained a mystery until recently, when Sean Rameswaram of the public radio show Studio 360 decided to do some investigating. The dance, as he learned, came into being when the 10 p.m. anchor of the Omaha CW affiliate KXVO was looking for some filler for their Halloween-themed show:
That original pitch turned into the pumpkin dance, and internet history was made. Read the full story (and see the pumpkin dancer's lesser-known Christmas dance) on Studio 360's blog. --Marshall Bright
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