Virginia Goats Just Chilling On Billboard

Yes, on a very basic level this is a local news story about some goats in Virginia who enjoy hanging out on an IHOP billboard. And even at that basic level there’s something enjoyable about it. But the nearly raw nature of the report-neither of the speakers are identified, there is no voice-over annoyance to disrupt the flow of the footage (in fact, save for a short question at the end, the reporter is not heard from at all)-makes for a much more compelling narrative which, as it unspools, reveals the identities and relationships of the interviewees in a way that echoes the short fiction of Barry Hannah or Padgett Powell. This is a remarkable piece of reportage that should change the way local news is presented from here on out. Alright, maybe I’m overstating the case, but, come on, goats on a billboard! You’re already starting at “win.” Everything else is gravy.