Although his real identity is sworn to secrecy, The Hatchet scored an exclusive interview with the man behind the George mascot. The student has been wearing the George costume for two years and plans to try out again next year. His climb to George-dom began his freshman year when he lived in Thurston and a few of the First Ladies dancers convinced him to try out. At tryouts he performed a skit that pit George against the Georgetown Hoya in a dance-off. The new George brought a certain level of expertise to the GW spirit squad because he was a mascot in high school. We asked him a few questions and this is what he had to say.

HATCHET: Once you got the job, did you receive any training in mascot etiquette or techniques?

GEORGE: Yes, we had to review the mannerisms of George, as well as perfect his autograph for fans.

H: Do you ever interact with the cheer team or the dance team?

G: I loved the opportunity to do the “Single Ladies” dance at a timeout this year with the dancers! I also helped the cheer team at their competition in Daytona Beach.

H: Does the costume limit your mobility?

G: Not entirely. His feet are clunky and he only has four fingers, which isn’t ideal, but its not like George has to drive a car or write a paper, so it’s not a big inconvenience.

H: Do your parents know that you are George?

G: They do. They love seeing George on YouTube.

H: Do you engage in any pregame rituals?

G: Perhaps …

H: Do you ever watch other mascots to gain insight or ideas?

G: It’s a small community, so there is some communication between us. It’s always an honor when we get to meet with Screech or other professional mascots around D.C.

H: Would you ever consider becoming a mascot for a professional sports team?

G: It’s something we get offers for from time to time. I’ll have to see what my options are once I leave GW.

H: How do you think George compares to Big George?

G: There’s George and there’s Big George. There’s no tension between them, just don’t call him “Little” George!

H: How does it feel to live in Big George’s 10-foot shadow?

G: The shade is great for the hot D.C. summers, but everyone knows that George is the one true big man on campus.

H: What made you want to be George?

G: I have a lot of pride in GW and I wanted to spread that throughout the community.

H: What’s your favorite part about being George?

G: The fan interaction. Nothing is better than hanging out in Kogan and meeting fans.

H: How long does it take you to put on the costume?

G: It takes about 5 to 10 minutes. There are more pieces to the outfit than people would think.

H: Where are your eyes located?

G: I can see out of his eyes, duh.

H: Is the costume comfortable?

G: It can get hot sometimes, but I’ve worn suits that are less comfortable than George’s outfit.

H: How’s the air quality inside the costume? Does the costume ever smell?

G: George has very good hygiene and he resents that question. Moving on …

H: What do you wear underneath the costume?

G: Anything that’s comfortable and light.

H: Is the head heavy?

G: It’s on par with the rest of the outfit … It’s not quite a hat, but it doesn’t weigh you down either.