© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Inside the Mascot: The Phillie Phanatic, a Yard Goat, and a mascot maker

Mascots: They’re furry, funny, and just a little funky. But what's actually going on in there?

Tom Burgoyne shares what it’s been like to embody the Phillie Phanatic for over three decades.

Mikaela Higgins reveals how her company became a giant in the world of mascot-makers, designing icons from Ronald McDonald to the Energizer Bunny.

And hear how one “yes“ changed the life of Conor Geary, whose turn as a mascot led to a dream sports gig he never saw coming.

Suggested episode:

GUESTS: 

Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, and Robyn Doyon-Aitken contributed to this show, with help from our interns, Coco Cooley and Isaac Moss. 

Audacious with Chion Wolf is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tune In, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Join the conversation on Facebook,Instagram, TikTok, and email.

Jessica Severin de Martinez is a producer for Audacious with Chion Wolf.
Coco Cooley is a Talk Show Production Intern for summer 2025. She is a current Wesleyan student studying Anthropology and Sociology, while pursuing an Anthropology thesis about Renaissance Faires. She also enjoys cooking, watching bad television, and swimming in non-ocean bodies of water.
Isaac Moss is a Talk Show Production Intern for summer 2025. In her free time, she can be found gardening, cooking, and embarking on epic quests.
Meg Fitzgerald is the senior manager of projects and radio programming.
Robyn Doyon-Aitken is the Deputy Director of Audio Storytelling and Talk Shows
Chion Wolf is the host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public, spotlighting the stories of people whose experiences, professions, or conditions defy convention or are often misunderstood.