Famous N.S. talking Christmas tree’s fresh face gets nod from Fallon
It's been less than one week since the big reveal – re-introducing Woody the Talking Christmas Tree to a legion of fans – old and new.
“I’m very happy I’m back at Mic Mac Mall too,” Woody told one visitor to his snowy corner of the mall Wednesday.
Joe Voudrau, 46, spent a few nostalgic moments talking to the towering tree.
“I remember I was here, must have been 2001, it was a long time ago,” he recalls.
Anne Shea brought her young granddaughter Isla out for her very first outing at a mall – and to see Woody for the first time as well.
“I think it's fantastic,” said Shea. “Lots of memories from our childhood and from our children's childhood.”
Emily Shea says one is never too old for the experience.
“I’m 22 and I love Woody,” she exclaims.
Young Kinsley Rhodenhizer needed her dad’s help to reach the microphone to talk to Woody.
When asked what she thought of the talking tree, she said, “I never saw one before, and I never talked to one before.”
Seeing Woody back again has brought forth a flurry of social media posts, tributes, and memes.
Some call the tree “creepy," while others reflect on fond memories of seeing Woody when they were children back in the 1980s. It’s been 15 years since Woody was at the mall, after he made a departure from public appearances in 2006.
Tuesday night, the conversational conifer reached the peak of popularity - with a mention from late-night talk show host, Jimmy Fallon.
“Some people think it's pretty cute, while others think it's pretty creepy, check it out,” said Fallon.
In an exclusive interview with CTV News, Woody said he was “excited” to see himself on TV and said he had sent Jimmy a “thank you note.”
“I'm an iconic Christmas tree, and there's something floating around on the internet that shows he's an iconic Christmas tree too, so I’d like him to come talk to me,” said Woody. "Maybe we can have a dance-off."
The chatter about Woody's re-appearance has some folks remembering what he used to look like back in the day.
It turns out when Woody decided to make his comeback - he wanted to do it in style.
“It was pretty cool to be able to work on a project like this,” says Mohammed Issa, founder of a 3-D printing and laser engraving “workshop” called Eurekatec in Lower Sackville, N.S.
“We wanted to make sure that a lot of people from when they remember old Woody from the past, they get to see a new fresh face,” says Issa.
The refresh took a team of six three weeks to complete, with workers often hand-applying finishes with the finest attention to detail.
Catlyn Smith is one of the people who worked on Woody’s makeover.
“I remember Woody from when I was a teenager, so I was really excited when we heard he was coming back,” Smith says.
Their favorite part of Woody's new look?
“Definitely the eyes, those lashes are really, really nice,” laughs team member Adrian Georgescu.
“We've had some pretty tough years,” says Issa, “and (now) we’ve put a lot of smiles on a lot of faces on a lot of people.”
“Kids were a little creeped out,” he laughs. “But that’s part of Woody.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.