Wenlock And Mandeville No More Creepy Than Other Residents Of Knifecrime Island

Oh, right, the mascots for the London Olympic Games. These are them! Meet Wenlock and Mandeville. Historical context:

Wenlock is named after Much Wenlock, a village in Shropshire which held an event in the 19th century which inspired the modern Games. Mandeville is named after the hospital at which the Paralympic Games were founded. Though both sound like Tolkein characters, the names are quite good and are the only thing that makes the mascots distinctly British.

Additional context: Many British people only have one eye, due to all the knifing and glassing. Plus, these strange, amorphous things do indeed capture the spirit of the age. They’re adorable, harmless, and hope to be in your face for the next few years. Give one a pink tie and one a blue tie and you could call them Cameron and Clegg.