Bug version of Ronald McDonald erected at Alabama McDonald’s. Some call it terrifying
A tongue-in-cheek arts project in one Alabama city has ignited fierce debate on social media over whether its latest statue is unintentionally terrifying.
The sculpture, called Ronald McWeevil, was erected outside a McDonald’s restaurant in the town of Enterprise, located 165 miles northeast of Mobile.
It is intended to be a re-imagining of Ronald McDonald as a boll weevil, the notorious insect that plagued southern cotton crops starting in the late 1800s.
But an idea that likely sounded fanciful on the drawing board is undeniably startling in real life, with the iconic clown sprouting six legs — or arms? — a long snout and bulging eyes.
He’s seen holding fries, a drink and, of course, a Happy Meal.
The statue was unveiled March 31 and counts as one of more than a dozen boll weevil statues erected as part of “a collaborative community art project” known as Weevil Way.
Social media reaction was swift, including a TV station that asked viewers if the statue was “cute or creepy?” Some commenters accused the town of having a marketing strategy that scared people, while others joked the statue might cure children of fast food addictions.
There were also a few people who wondered if the whole thing was an April Fool’s Day gag, just one day early.
“Someone sadistic had to have thought of that,” Lisa Diaz, wrote on Facebook. “Freaking creepy.”
“This is the stuff of childhood nightmares,” Elizabeth Ackerson White posted.
“That would’ve scared the mess out of me. ... I just got chills,” Latonya Rice said.
Enterprise is famous for its obsession with boll weevils, including a century-old “world-famous Boll Weevil Monument” in the middle of town. The statue features a “lovely Greek Goddess cast in bronze” holding a boll weevil over her head like a trophy. It represents the town’s ability to triumph over an insect that decimated the local economy a century ago.
Ronald McWeevil and the other Weevil Way statues are made of reinforced fiberglass and decorated to suit sponsors, including boll weevils made to look like a farmer, chef, firefighter and police officer.
Some commenters have defended Ronald McWeevil, noting critics don’t understand its importance as a symbol of overcoming adversity.
“They have boll weevil statues all over Enterprise, AL. So it’s not in the least bit surprising,” Samantha Welch wrote.
This story was originally published April 4, 2022 at 12:05 PM with the headline "Bug version of Ronald McDonald erected at Alabama McDonald’s. Some call it terrifying."