Bert is Evil
Encyclopedia
Bert is Evil is the name of a widely mirrored
web site, founded by Dino Ignacio
, which featured Bert, a character on the American children's television
program Sesame Street
. In 1998 Dino Ignacio
, Wout J Reinders and Jasper Hulshoff Pol accepted the Webby Award and the People's Voice Award for Best Weird Website at the Palace of Fine Arts auditorium in San Francisco.
The website featured manipulated images of the puppet consorting with nefarious figures including Adolf Hitler
, Osama bin Laden
, and Jerry Springer
, and present at events such as the JFK assassination, humorously offered as "proof" that Bert was no mere innocent children's television character. The "Evil Bert" phenomenon was picked up by other humorists, who created their own images linking Bert to current and historical atrocities.
In the summer of 1998, due to the website's immense cult popularity, it became too expensive for Ignacio to continue running. Instead of shutting the site down, he offered to allow anyone who was willing to mirror his original website the opportunity to host
it. As a result dozens of mirrors appeared, increasing the website's popularity and visibility.
, became the most popular by continuing where Ignacio left off by adding new "evidence" of Bert's evilness (such as Bert's connection to the Ramsey Family
and infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper
). In late 1998 Pozniak posted a contribution submitted by humorist J-roen photoshopped to depict a then relatively unknown international terrorist, Osama bin Laden
, posing with Bert.
In 2001, an undoctored Reuters
news photograph was published showing a pro-Osama bin Laden protest
rally
in Bangladesh
. One protester is seen holding a large collage
-style poster of bin Laden with a small image of Bert over his right shoulder – the same image posted to the Bert mirror in 1998 – which prompted much confusion and joking among Western audiences. Being unaware of Sesame Street, Dhaka
printer Mostafa Kamal had copied the collage from the World Wide Web, leaving the image of Bert in his collage.
After this photo was released on the news wires, the owners of Sesame Street, the Children's Television Workship
, raised the possibility of pursuing legal action against Ignacio. In response, he took down the "Bert is Evil" section of his website, also stating that he did not want to undermine the character in the eyes of children who watched Sesame Street. "I am doing this because I feel this has gotten too close to reality", he said. Since the original Bert/Osama picture had been posted to Dennis Pozniak's mirror, he too was bombarded by the international media seeking interviews. As a result of all the attention Pozniak also closed his mirror.
News Coverage:
Mirror (computing)
In computing, a mirror is an exact copy of a data set. On the Internet, a mirror site is an exact copy of another Internet site.Mirror sites are most commonly used to provide multiple sources of the same information, and are of particular value as a way of providing reliable access to large downloads...
web site, founded by Dino Ignacio
Dino Ignacio
Dino Ignacio, a Filipino artist and designer, is known for his defunct Bert is Evil website.Dino Ignacio is currently working at Electronic Arts as a user interface design lead for Visceral Games. He designed the user interface of the critically acclaimed Dead Space...
, which featured Bert, a character on the American children's television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
program Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. In 1998 Dino Ignacio
Dino Ignacio
Dino Ignacio, a Filipino artist and designer, is known for his defunct Bert is Evil website.Dino Ignacio is currently working at Electronic Arts as a user interface design lead for Visceral Games. He designed the user interface of the critically acclaimed Dead Space...
, Wout J Reinders and Jasper Hulshoff Pol accepted the Webby Award and the People's Voice Award for Best Weird Website at the Palace of Fine Arts auditorium in San Francisco.
The website featured manipulated images of the puppet consorting with nefarious figures including Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
, and Jerry Springer
Jerry Springer
Gerald Norman "Jerry" Springer is a British-born American television presenter, best known as host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991...
, and present at events such as the JFK assassination, humorously offered as "proof" that Bert was no mere innocent children's television character. The "Evil Bert" phenomenon was picked up by other humorists, who created their own images linking Bert to current and historical atrocities.
In the summer of 1998, due to the website's immense cult popularity, it became too expensive for Ignacio to continue running. Instead of shutting the site down, he offered to allow anyone who was willing to mirror his original website the opportunity to host
Web hosting service
A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their own website accessible via the World Wide Web. Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server they own or lease for use by their clients as well as providing Internet...
it. As a result dozens of mirrors appeared, increasing the website's popularity and visibility.
Notoriety
The very first mirror, maintained by Dennis PozniakDennis Pozniak
Dennis Pozniak is a published photographer residing in Edmonton Alberta, Canada. Pozniak is most notable for the Bert is Evil mirror website he ran between 1998-2001. The website was shut down in 2001 in the month following the 9/11 attacks...
, became the most popular by continuing where Ignacio left off by adding new "evidence" of Bert's evilness (such as Bert's connection to the Ramsey Family
JonBenét Ramsey
JonBenét Patricia Ramsey was an American child beauty pageant contestant who was murdered in her home in Boulder, Colorado, in 1996. The six-year-old's body was found in the basement of the family home nearly eight hours after she was reported missing. She had been struck on the head and strangled...
and infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
). In late 1998 Pozniak posted a contribution submitted by humorist J-roen photoshopped to depict a then relatively unknown international terrorist, Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
, posing with Bert.
In 2001, an undoctored Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
news photograph was published showing a pro-Osama bin Laden protest
Protest
A protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...
rally
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. One protester is seen holding a large collage
Collage
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....
-style poster of bin Laden with a small image of Bert over his right shoulder – the same image posted to the Bert mirror in 1998 – which prompted much confusion and joking among Western audiences. Being unaware of Sesame Street, Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
printer Mostafa Kamal had copied the collage from the World Wide Web, leaving the image of Bert in his collage.
After this photo was released on the news wires, the owners of Sesame Street, the Children's Television Workship
Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop , is a Worldwide American non-profit organization behind the production of several educational children's programs that have run on public broadcasting around the world...
, raised the possibility of pursuing legal action against Ignacio. In response, he took down the "Bert is Evil" section of his website, also stating that he did not want to undermine the character in the eyes of children who watched Sesame Street. "I am doing this because I feel this has gotten too close to reality", he said. Since the original Bert/Osama picture had been posted to Dennis Pozniak's mirror, he too was bombarded by the international media seeking interviews. As a result of all the attention Pozniak also closed his mirror.
See also
- Internet humorInternet humorThe Internet has long been a resource for the circulation of humorous ideas and jokes. Countless web-sites are devoted to the collection of Internet humor, and every day e-mail crosses the world, containing the text of humorous articles, or jokes about current events."Internet humor" is...
- Photo manipulationPhoto manipulationPhoto manipulation is the application of image editing techniques to photographs in order to create an illusion or deception , through analog or digital means.- Types of digital photo manipulation :...
- Photoshopping
- Internet phenomenon
External links
News Coverage:
- Internet Superstar interview with Martin Sargent from Revision3 August 2008
- BBC article with pictures.
- Bertsama bin Laden humor
- Snopes article about bin Laden and Bert appearance
- CNN article
- San Francisco Chronicle article
- New York Times article
- ABC News: The Wolf Files article at Archive.org
- National Post article at Archive.org