Jimothy
You might remember it as Jimothy the raccoon
A possible copy is known, but ViralWorld has not verified that it is the right one.
Latest internet culture2 of 34
2026·The last few years
A wild raccoon in Seattle’s Ballard neighbourhood whose short, round body, probably from a spinal condition, made a neighbour’s video of him travel around the world.
At a glanceThe facts
- Remembered as
- Jimothy the raccoon
- Spread in
- 2026
- Format
- Phenomenon
- Uploaded by
- Kiana Hall, a Ballard resident, who named him in her caption
- Where it started
- Where
- Ballard, Seattle, Washington
- Who or what it shows
- A wild raccoon, probably with short spine syndrome
- Origin
- No single original
- Available
- Not held by ViralWorld
What this wasThe story
A Ballard resident filmed a short, round wild raccoon and called him Jimothy; the clip spread worldwide within days.
Jimothy Summer in Seattle, a Mariners night, appearances in Fortnite, World of Warcraft and Guild Wars 2, and a reminder from wildlife officials to admire him from a distance.
Why it matteredWhat changed
Most viral animals have a week. Jimothy had a summer: a city declaration, a baseball night and appearances in several video games, two months after the first clip.
TimelineIn order
- Made
Kiana Hall posts a video of the raccoon on Instagram, saying “What am I looking at?”, and calls him Jimothy.1
- Picked up
The Seattle Times and KIRO 7 report on him.1
- Took off
National US outlets carry the story; the first post has passed ten million views in a week.2
- Mainstream
Google adds a search animation of him running across the screen.1
- Later
The Seattle Mariners hold a Jimothy Night against the Detroit Tigers, with a rookie card and proceeds to a food bank.1
What people misrememberSet straight
Commonly remembered asSomebody’s pet raccoon.
ActuallyHe is a wild animal; reporting noted that under US law he has no owner, and officials ask people to keep their distance.1
Also recentLatest
-
Trend2026
VerityA Minecraft horror series whose smiling yellow orb became a summer of fan songs, remixes and mods downloaded millions of times.
-
Trend2026
Scientology speedrunningA challenge scored like a video game, played inside real buildings.
-
Trend2026
Punch the MonkeyAn orphaned macaque adopted a stuffed orangutan and sold it out worldwide.
-
Trend2026
Conformity GateA fandom decoded a secret episode from a clock in a promotional video, and there was no episode.
-
Moment2026
Lumumba VeaA DR Congo supporter who stands motionless for whole matches in the pose of Patrice Lumumba’s statue, first at the Africa Cup of Nations and then at the World Cup.
-
Trend2026
The Great Meme ResetA coordinated attempt to reset internet culture to before it was machine-generated.
More like thisRelated
-
Trend2026
The Viking RowAn entire nation's supporters mimed rowing a longship, in stadiums and then everywhere else.
-
Trend2025
Aura farmingAn eleven-year-old on the prow of a racing boat gave the year its word for effortless cool.
-
Trend2025
Dubai chocolateA chocolate bar filmed being snapped in half caused a global pistachio shortage.
-
Trend2025
Ghibli-ficationThe week a film studio's house style became something anyone could apply to anything.
-
Trend2025
Italian brainrotThe first mass AI-generated character phenomenon, and a live test of whether the archive can describe origin in generative media.
Why it is here: something the internet still knows by name · it got out of its own corner of the internet fast
Where it came fromWhat we know
This spread through many posts rather than one identifiable original. No copy is held here — what it was, when it spread and what people called it is what this page can tell you.
Not established. This index only names a creator where the evidence supports it.
SourcesWhat was read
Sources last read on . That date is about the history on this page. Whether the media still plays is checked separately and can change any day. How ViralWorld documents things