Several years ago my talented, strange friend – Aurora Florence – was in the process of creating a short film about an adorable, weirdo taxidermist who suffers from crippling anxiety and dresses her rescued roadkill up in outfits. And also it’s a musical with dancing taxidermy. IT’S LIKE IT WAS MADE FOR ME.
She asked if she could borrow Rory (the sweet raccoon on the cover of Furiously Happy and I was totally in except that Rory is way too fragile and his hands keep falling off (it’s fine. My dad resculpted them over dinner one night) so instead I sent her Rory III, who was made with doll hands, cardboard, magic and a roadkill raccoon carcass. Rory III was created many years ago when I was on book tour by my other talented, strange friend – Tara Dactyl.
Aurora loved him because the best kind of people can see hidden magic and so Rory III went on vacation to have a guest spot in The Anxious Taxidermist, an award-winning short that I love so much it hurts. I can’t show you the whole thing because (fingers crossed) it’ll hopefully be made into a full feature in the future, but Aurora did upload three of my favorite songs from the musical so that you can all appreciate the BRILLIANT (I don’t use this word lightly…seriously, you’ll agree) work and also see Rory III make his acting debut.
Ready? This one is a favorite that I can’t stop singing loudly around my house, much to Victor’s chagrine. (Tiny Rory III sighting at 45 seconds.)
And this one, which is just…CHEF’S KISS…and features a Rory III solo at 1:20.
And this one, which is not Rorified, but literally makes me cry every time because she absolutely nailed the constant battle with our own heads.
Ow. But also…fuck yeah.
All this to say…we can do amazing things…strange and amazing things….together.
She’s currently fundraising for her next project, which sounds fantastic. You can check it out here if you want to get involved.
And my friend Tara, who created Rory III so many years ago? She was recently on a game show with David Spade where people guess which business is real and which is a joke.
She presented ethically-sourced raccoon carcasses rescued from the dumpsters to be made into crocs. Crocoons.
And they are absolutely real, my friends.
You can check her stuff out here.
All this to say that sisters are getting shit done.
Weird, terribly bizarre shit.
The best kind of shit.
Keep on going friends. You may struggle. You may get judged. But in the end our combined strangeness makes us better. Or at least frightens away the people we don’t want to talk to.
Is this a sign? I just discovered that there’s a place near me that offers a taxidermy workshop. You get your own ethically sourced rat to embellish as you will! So intrigued. Do I need to start another project? Do you only live once?
I supported The Anxious Taxidermist on Kickstarter, but I never got to see it. 🙁 Looks like it was well done.
I would love to see this as a feature film! It’s fun and a little creepy and a little too real all at once. That’s a fantastic blend!
Love the message, love the video, love it all!
O
M
G!
SO, so, YOU!
And also, a total ear worm song! AUGH!
Wonderful songs!
so many amazing W words: weird, wonderful, warrior women working well whatever we want to whip up! <3
Yay! LOVE these songs. I contributed to the Anxious Taxidermist short (stupid Covid prevented its release to the world), so I will jump in again to their new “Too Soon” campaign.
Ahh….I so needed this today….dreading the red roses, cupids and insincere ‘I love you’ sentiments for Valentines Day. Thinking I may sit in my house and sip Rose wine all day but I will wear my pajamas with hearts on them. Jenny, you are a treasure ❤️
Wow, just …wow!
It’s like John Waters, Tim Burton and Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna (from my crazy ex-girlfriend tv series) had an anxiety ridden, depressed baby who grew up to love taxidermy!
I want it to be made into a tv series musical a la Rocky Horror Picture Show where we can have watch parties alone together in our living rooms and talk about it online and dance around with our taxidermy, weird dolls, and have merchandise sold with quotes and images from The Anxious Taxidermist in it.
She can visit her hero author and anxiety and depression survivalist Jenny in her bookstore in one episode, or at a book signing.
This show would be a huge cult hit.
This movie short and the clips you posted made my day!
I foresee Emmys, Tonys for the musical, and an Oscar for the feature film.
I saw the movie short at the animation shorts festival in Chicago long ago, that eventually became the movie Toy Story. You could tell right away it was movie gold!
And so is this one.
This is absolutely beautiful and moving. Thank you for sharing.
That last song gave me full-body goosebumps. ❤️😭
That was so incredibly well done and inspiring! Every day is like taking a chance that it’ll work out well. Although I admit I couldn’t wear even ethically sourced croccoons. Just…no, not on my feet. Or anywhere really.
Oh my goodness!!! So wonderful! And she’s got a beautiful voice! (I’m a musician too!) I love every aspect of this project and so hope it does get made into a full movie and I think you should have a big part of it! Love you and will definitely look into the new creations of your friends! Can’t wait for your next book Jenny! – Tina in Kentucky
The songs are amazing, the costumes are perfection !
You have the most interesting friends, Jenny
I MUST see the entirety of this movie when it comes out and own the soundtrack. The music is beautiful, inspiring, moving, and so joyful.
Also I could see this working really well on broadway and the vintage vibes of the styling made we swoon (I’m stylistically inclined toward vintage style, home furnishing, etc).
Lastly as an anxiety riddled person who has a multitude of challenges content like this really super matters-it makes me feel less alone. When she hesitated or made a face opening the front door or ringing someone’s doorbell my heart sighed like… YEP know exactly what THAT feels like.
Thanks for sharing Jenny and go Rory III!!
I’m not crying, you’re crying.
That last song ripped my heart out and saved it.
For some reason, this is giving me such Hairspray meets Little Shop of Horrors vibes, and I am HERE FOR IT!
Still Loving it. But it might be cheaper, easier and more effective to just eat loads of garlic to frighten people away!! Nyuk!!😄
A delight!!
Made FOR you???!? Are you sure it wasn’t made ABOUT you??
I want to see this whole show. I would pay for this!! It’s wonderful!! And yes, I feel like it is written about all of us! Love you Jenny and Aurora!
I can’t remember if I have shared this with you before, but one way or the other you need to visit the World Famous Gopher Hole Museum in Torrington Alberta (https://worldfamousgopherholemuseum.ca/) We first went there on a whim (those roadside signs worked!) but have returned because you just have to. Best museum of stuffed things ever!
OMG I LOVE that last song! Her voice is so amazing and the HARMONY! Would love to see the whole thing. Please keep us posted!
Driving from Houston to Tyler, Texas, you will pass two identical buildings that seem to be owned by the same person. One is a taxidermy studio and the other is a jerky shop. I’m just going to leave that right here.
Oh my … the world just became a brighter place.
This is really good. Like Barbie for ‘not Barbie’ people
Really enjoyed that – so talented and brave sharing her feelings ❤️
This is adorable and amazing. Love it. Can’t see the crocoon video but the others aren’t geolocked.
Recently I had an ADHD assessment and, after many hours of bawling because she kept obsessively focusing on my childhood (I’m 56 so sure the first 11 years of my life are SO FKING SIGNIFICANT NOW) and, at the very end, she said – and I kid you not – this psychologist who was supposed to assess me for ADHD told me I am “too broken for an assessment”. Because my childhood wasn’t all beer and skittles, NOW after all these years and all this work, I am too fucking broken.
Then I come here. And see this. And am reminded that I am not alone. Thank you.
Taxidermy may not be my cup of tea, but if a musical about corn with the lyric “It’s the same going in coming out” can be nominated for a Tony, then anything’s possible!! Good luck to Aurora!
I want more Anxious Taxidermist!
Wow — just amazing. Made me tear up a bit. Loved these
I predict a very strangely dressed audience of cult followers that will forever put Rocky Horror Picture Show fans to shame.
So I say thank you for the music with a few more racoons and a retirement plan.
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Love it! Especially the last song.
I can’t sing or dance but if this made into a movie I NEED to be apart of the production – even if I’m just the old lady who brings in home made treats every morning for the crew. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for reminding me that I am not alone.
I follow CJ on TikTok. When I saw this, I thought you would love this place too. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8K8of4M/
Bravo! Hat’s off to the entire production team: Author! Actress! Animator! Voice-overs! Costume Team! Cinematographers!
It’s not actual taxidermy but I think you NEED this. Please go get her….. https://www.shopacr.org/product/misc-vintage-sheep-wool-bench-seat/21439?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=7