A classified ad posted to the English website Gumtree described a Brighton retiree looking for a lodger. He offered rent-free boarding with one small stipulation: lodgers had to act like a walrus, complete with a costume, for two hours a day.
Kevin Smith shared the ad on his Smodcast podcast with co-host Scott Mosier and started to consider turning it into a movie plot. He presented the idea to his Twitter following and asked them to respond with either #WalrusYes or #WalrusNo.
The overwhelming #WalrusYes response turned into his latest movie “Tusk” starring Justin Long and Michael Parks.
The director learned soon after his podcast episode that poet-writer Chris Parkinson from Brighton had posted the ad as a hoax. Smith eventually contacted Parkinson and gave him associate producer credit on the film.
The faux ad described a man who had developed a friendship with a walrus while living on St. Lawrence Island for three years and wanted to rekindle that connection with the next best thing at his new home in Brighton. In addition to the costume, lodgers had to make walrus noises, and catch and eat fish and crabs fed to them.
Parkinson ended up receiving “hundreds” of responses for the ad. “I had over 400 responses. I don’t know what that says about people or about the renting situation in Brighton,” he told an audience at the film’s Hollywood premiere afterparty, according to Variety.
Here’s the complete advertisement via Variety:
“Hello, I am looking for a lodger in my house. I have had a long and interesting life and have now chosen Brighton as a location for my retirement. Among the many things I have done in my life is to spend three years alone on St. Lawrence Island. These were perhaps the most intense and fascinating years of my life, and I was kept in companionship with a walrus whom I named Gregory. Never have I had such a fulfilling friendship with anyone, human or otherwise, and upon leaving the island I was heartbroken for months. I now find myself in a large house over looking Queens Park and am keen to get a lodger. This is a position I am prepared to offer for free (eg: no rent payable) on the fulfillment of some conditions. I have, over the last few months, been constructing a realistic walrus costume, which should fit most people of average proportions, and allow for full and easy movement in character. To take on the position as my lodger you must be prepared to wear the walrus suit for approximately two hours each day (in practice, this is not two hours every day – I merely state it here so you are able to have a clear idea of the workload). Whilst in the walrus costume you must be a walrus – there must be no speaking in a human voice, and any communication must entail making utterances in the voice of a walrus – I believe there aer (SIC) recordings available on the web – to me, the voice is the most natural thing I have ever heard. Other duties will involve catching and eating the fish and crabs that I will occasionally throw to you whilst you are being the walrus. With the exception of this, you will be free to do whatever you choose, and will have a spacious double room, complete run of the house (with the exception of my bedroom and my workshop), and use of all facilities within. I am a considerate person to share a house with, and other than playing the accordion my tastes are easy to accomodate (SIC).
Due to the nature of this position I will need to audition all applicants before agreeing to take the chosen candidate on as a lodger. Please contact me if you have any questions.”
