Jimothy the raccoon, a real Seattle raccoon with an unusually compact build, became an internet sensation after Kiana Hall, a 33-year-old marketing specialist, filmed him near the Ballard Goodwill on July 13 and posted the clip to Instagram the next day, naming him Jimothy. By July 18, the original video had more than 7 million views. Wildlife experts explained Jimothy likely has short spine syndrome. His shape and gait inspired a mural, tattoos, fan art, and a following on Reddit’s r/Seattle. The Seattle Mariners added a Jimothy mascot to their Salmon Run race at T-Mobile Park, Google created an Easter egg with an animated Jimothy, the University of Washington gave him an honorary degree, the Seattle City Council recognized him, and the White House gave him a shout-out. However, many circulating clips are AI-generated remixes placing Jimothy in fantasy settings, video game worlds, and cinematic scenes. Brands joined the trend; Blizzard Entertainment rendered Jimothy in the style of World of Warcraft, Jagex did the same for Old School RuneScape, and D&D Beyond released a stat block. Amore Philip, founder of Apples and Oranges Public Relations, called the situation a case study for the trust problem, noting that when a single real moment can be infinitely reskinned by AI, audiences start asking if it is even real.