Popular Culture References

Cultural references

The platypus has been used several times as a mascot: “Syd” the platypus was one of the three mascots chosen for the Sydney 2000 Olympics along with an echidna and a kookaburra, “Expo Oz” the platypus was the mascot for World Expo 88, which was held in Brisbane in 1988, and Hexley the platypus is the mascot for Apple Computer‘s BSD-based Darwin operating system, Mac OS X.
 Syd

Hexly (Apple Computer)

The Platypus Trophy was made as an award for the winner of the college rivalry between the Oregon Ducks and the Oregon State Beavers.

The platypus was featured in a song by Mr. Bungle - “Platypus”. It is the subject of a children’s poem by Banjo Paterson

The Platypus also frequently appears as a character in children’s television programmes, for example, the Platypus Family on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, as well as Perry the Platypus on the show Phineas and Ferb, and Ovide, the star of the cartoon Ovide and the Gang.

^{Perry (from Phineas and Ferb)}

Platypus are also being used in advertising. Oscar Meyer created the character “Smoothie Kabobbles” Pictured below



The platypus has been misrepresented in a Green Day song - “Platypus (I Hate You)”. Who would hate a platypus?