On a recent Friday night at Agganis Arena, the Boston University men’s hockey team was warming up to face the University of New Hampshire. The arena was packed. But as the puck dropped, someone was still suiting up: Behind the scenes, a BU student climbed into a full-body suit with black fur and a frozen growl. Wait: Make that two people.
It is part of the magic behind the production that is Rhett, the official BU mascot, and the countless hockey games he attends. Make no mistake about it – there is a certain formula to the show.
Rhett makes his way through the aisles, shaking hands, posing for cellphone photos and dancing sporadically, escorted by a host student responsible for guiding the perky pooch.
Serving as the voice and safety of the student in the mascot suit, the host student suddenly gets the signal to take Rhett behind closed doors; another BU student dressed in another Rhett costume is about to take to the ice, giving the illusion that there’s only one Rhett around. But with an average of 10 students donning the suit yearly, that’s farther from the truth than the BU community realizes.
The Boston terrier became the school’s official mascot on Nov. 15, 1922. Named after the handsome hero in the novel Gone With the Wind (nobody loves Scarlet more than Rhett, students decided), Rhett the dog makes appearances at BU functions and sporting events year-round, including basketball, lacrosse and hockey games, and in the past has even competed at mascot championships. As a member of the Athletics Department, Rhett and the person behind the mask are responsible for greeting audience members and cheering up the crowd.
Because of the high esteem in which the athletic department holds the image and personality that is Rhett, those who hold the position are told to keep their identities a secret, never mentioning their job to fellow students.
The Daily Free Press will not expose the students behind the mask, but followed a few of them through their semi-secret lives as school mascots.
THE ROOKIE
As a senior, although she’s only been wearing the outfit for about a month and a half now, this Rhett had wanted the position since sophomore year because of the mystery behind it.
So when she attended Splash this September, she got excited when someone dressed as Rhett walked up to her holding a sign-up sheet with try-out information.
About 20 students showed up for tryouts this year, during which students had to bring their own music and a choreographed two-minute dance routine to be performed in the Rhett suit.
Prospective mascots danced in front of a panel of judges who were themselves Rhetts, given various objects such as cellphones and told to do improv while wearing the suit.
“I was pretty nervous when I got there,” the senior said. “But when I put the Rhett suit on, it was a lot more fun.”
The second portion of the tryout took place in the West Campus dining hall, where judges instructed the senior, fully in character, to approach other students and perform random acts, like proposing to a girl or sitting next to someone eating.
“With the Rhett suit on, no one can see if you’re blushing or you’re about to laugh,” the senior said.
A week later, the senior found out she got the job. As a Rhett who usually skates, she said she appreciates the flexible hours because she is involved with a sport at BU as well.
“The good thing about this job is that you can work as little or as much as you like,” she said. “There’s so much freedom in it.”
THE OLD DOG
This sophomore said she believes she was destined to be Rhett from the moment she stepped onto campus, particularly because she was also her high school mascot.
“Before I even came to college, I was looking for it,” she said.
At an open house the spring before her freshmen year, her mother found a flyer with information about tryouts in the fall.
Having been Rhett for more than a year now, the sophomore said she has had some seriously memorable moments in the suit, including this year’s Midnight Madness.
“The crowd was getting so revved up,” she said. “I was laughing in the suit, out loud. But everyone else was screaming so loud they couldn’t hear me. I was just having such a good time.”
One of the sophomore’s favorite aspects of the job is seeing her friends while she is wearing the suit.
“All the time, I see someone that I know and they don’t know that it’s me,” she said. “So I like to mess with them.”
At one function, her Rhett host was running late, so the sophomore ended up putting the suit on herself, and could not clip the head in — a vital part of the suit that usually needs to be secured by the host. So she walked out of Walter Brown Arena by herself, got on the T, which the T driver gave her a free fare, and got to the George Sherman Union where she needed to be.
“It’s just interesting that I got from Walter Brown to GSU with an unclipped head,” she said.
NOT QUITE SUPERHUMAN
Because Rhett is considered a real entity, there are certain guidelines that come with the job — such as not being in two places at once.
“He has the image of being a real dog, so he can only be at one game at a time,” the senior said.
In cases where Rhett may have to make multiple appearances at separate events in one day, different students will be at the events, ready to make appearances within minutes of each other. Once one of the Rhetts goes back to the changing room, the next Rhett is given the green light to come out and greet the audience at the other location. Rhett showed off this speed when he made an appearance at the Head of the Charles a few weeks ago, and then a soccer game later the same day.
THE LADIES’ MAN
Beyond being able to “travel” especially fast between venues, there are other personality traits expected of Rhetts, said Leo Par’eacute;, senior staff assistant for marketing and promotions in the athletic department.
“Rhett is an entity,” he said. “He’s supposed to be a ladies’ man.”
Rhetts are given some instruction on how they should act with audience members. Because Rhett is male, he usually hugs females, and high-fives males. He may not pick up children, but can have them sit on his lap.
Rhetts are encouraged to walk clumsily, because technically, Rhett is a dog — and dogs cannot walk, no matter how nicely they are dressed.
“Never get upset. Always interact with the audience,” the senior said of Rhett’s mantra. “I don’t know . . . I think he loves himself.”
MORE THAN MILKBONES
Being a mascot is a paying job with no set of required hours or appearances for each particular student, Pare said. Students simply sign up for the events and games in which they can perform, host or skate.
“Personally, I’m not doing it for the money,” the senior said. “I [would] do it for free, because I enjoy it so much. The fact that I’m getting paid for it is pretty incredible.”
Rhetts meet about once a month and go through a list of upcoming events and games, and Par’eacute; makes sure Rhett is at the games and events at which he has been requested.
There are also absolute rules to the job, such as Rhetts not being allowed to speak.
Because Rhett is held under the same NCAA regulations as BU athletes, the senior said it is important for the Rhetts to know the appropriate manner in which to act.
“It’s a question about your own judgment,” the senior said.
The sophomore said she feels lucky to have a job she looks forward to.
“It is the best job in the world,” the sophomore said. “I get paid to act like a fool and jump around. If I can bring a smile to people’s faces, then that’s perfect.”
The senior said all the students who wear the suit are very different from one another, from height to weight to personality.
“People would definitely be surprised [if they knew who was under the suit],” said the senior, who considers herself relatively tall, but knows of another Rhett who is very short.
“I think that’s kind of the nice part about it,” the senior said. “We’re working to be one personality.
“One guy is the high-five guy. One slides on the ice when they skate,” she continued. “Everyone has their personal touch.”