Strange

Montauk Monster wins Urlie Award, Best of the Internet 2008

by Tina Kells | December 29, 2008 at 10:22 am

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The Montauk Monster made headlines worldwide when it washed up on the shores of New York in early 2008. Speculation abounded about what the Montauk Monster might be, from long lost species of animal to proof of alien life, but in the end experts said it was nothing more than a very large, very dead, water logged raccoon.

The Montauk Monster was featured in an Animal Planet special in July, has been compared to Sarah Palin in terms of rise to fame, hit the campaign trail with Barack Obama, and now it has won an Urlie award as one of the Best Internet stories of 2008.

The Montauk Monster, or "Monty" (as he is sometimes referred to), is now a true star. It has starred in a commercial, been featured on a major cable network, and won an award. In fact, nothing saw a quicker rise to fame in 2008 other than Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. And many still do not know what to think of either of them.

When the Montauk Monster washed ashore in New York, it is doubtful that the bloated carcass had any aspirations of becoming world famous, winning awards, or starring on television. But that is exactly what the dead thing went and did.

The Montauk Monster became one of the most celebrated stories of 2008...

Although it was later determined by specialists to be the water-logged body of a large raccoon, the Montauk Monster entered the imaginations of millions around the world.