South Florida Museum casting for ‘Snooty’ mascot

Do you have the chutzpah to don a big, soft, gray, “Snooty the Manatee” mascot costume? Are you big on getting hugs from throngs of kids and adults while officially representing Manatee County’s official mascot and wildlife ambassador at events?

If you do, and you are locally based, the South Florida Museum, which includes Bishop Planetarium and Parker Manatee Aquarium, is looking for you .

Officials at the museum, which houses the real Snooty at 201 10th St. W., Bradenton, recently announced that they are seeking a few dedicated, dependable and talented volunteers to wear a “Snooty the Manatee” costume complete with a big smiling manatee face and tail and help museum staff and supporters teach the public about manatees.

The real Snooty turns 69 in July and holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest living manatee in captivity.

“Snooty is accustomed to publicity and on-camera appearances, however, he is seeking a stunt double of sorts, ready to meet Snooty fans on land through the region,” Jessica Schubick, a museum spokeswoman, said Monday.

Snooty is a charmer and, when an audience is present, has been known to lift himself to the edge of his habitat to pose for photographs. He also consumes 80 pounds of romaine lettuce daily, which his mascot won’t need to replicate.

The mascot will have to have a flair for mime because the museum’s Snooty mascot probably won’t speak, Schubick added.

“Our ideal Snooty mascot must like people and be fun and playful, like Snooty himself,” Schubick said. “Our mascot may also need to do a few graceful spins along the way.”

In order to choose the three or four best candidates to play Snooty, museum officials are requesting that applicants, who must be at least 18-years-old, send in 30-second audition videos or 500-word essays to be followed by an in-person interview.

Audition submissions are being accepted until June 30, Schubick added.

Interested volunteers can email their video or essay explaining why they would be the best Snooty mascot to SnootyCastingCall@SouthFloridaMuseum.org.

“But they can also audition via social media, by including #SnootyCastingCall and tagging the South Florida Museum in a public post on Facebook or Instagram, including the essay or video submission,” Schubick said.

“Final in-person auditions will be performed on July 17 at the South Florida Museum,” Schubick said.

One of the Snooty the Manatee mascots will likely debut July 22 at Snooty’s 69th Birthday Bash & Wildlife Festival.

Information: 941-216-3460.

This story was originally published June 19, 2017 at 3:25 PM with the headline "South Florida Museum casting for ‘Snooty’ mascot."