We finally know who’s behind the mask of Cosmo the Cougar (at least for one video).
BYU magazine shared a video last Thursday of the famous BYU mascot dancing in a style similar to Jon Heder in “Napoleon Dynamite.”
Seriously. He’s even wearing a “Vote for Pedro” shirt.
The video came during the same week BYU magazine ran a feature story about “Napoleon Dynamite” and its creation.
At the end of the video, Cosmo rips off his mask to reveal he is BYU President Kevin J Worthen.
Watch below.
According to BYU magazine, the reveal is an annual tradition at the school that began in 1953, when BYU students would unveil who was underneath the mascot's mask.
In 1960, the tradition changed “to reveal the last person students might have expected: their high-powered, down-to-business, future-senatorial-candidate president, Ernest L. Wilkinson.” Other BYU presidents also have appeared as Cosmo.
It’s been a banner year for Cosmo. The mascot went viral back in October for dancing alongside the BYU dance team. The crew danced to “Rollie with a Dab of Ranch” by Ayo & Teo, according to the Deseret News.
The video, which acquired more than 75,000 retweets and 190,000 likes on Twitter, made national media headlines, including The Washington Post, SB Nation and USA Today.
“Mascots are supposed to be part of the game entertainment, sure, but I’m used to seeing mascots do pushups or something after a touchdown — maybe even crowd surf,” according to USA Today. “But not that. No way. Cosmo the Cougar is in a league of its own.”