Flyers’ Gritty Gets A Boost From The Fab Five Of ‘Queer Eye’

Gritty has been nothing short of a sensation since the moment he made his googly-eyed debut on the Philadelphia Flyers’ scene at the beginning of the 2018-19 season.

It me. #Gritty pic.twitter.com/HfTMVtEAFy

— Gritty (@GrittyNHL) September 24, 2018

Legend tells us that the seven-footer emerged after construction at the Flyers’ Well Fargo Center disturbed his secret hideout. So, it’s no surprise that he’s a little rough around the edges.

As such, he’s the perfect candidate to receive some refinement from the stars of ‘Queer Eye,’ who live to offer advice.

Phanatic Gets Ball Rolling

Season Five of Netflix’s feel-good reality reboot was filmed in Philadelphia and dropped last month. It seems that fellow mascot the Phillie Phanatic did the legwork in nominating his orange associate, saying “I don’t think Gritty needs to change a ton. Maybe you guys could convince him that he doesn’t need to eat a cheesteak for every meal.”

One final hero for QUEER EYE SEASON 5?! We wonder who it could be 🤔🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/2GfZGkyZ1u

— Queer Eye (@QueerEye) June 30, 2020

The result? An eight-minute mini-episode that shows Gritty getting the ‘Queer Eye’ treatment, with the group on a mission to “take this orange, fluffy mess to game-day best,” as Jonathan Van Ness sums up.

The Makeover

After seeing how Gritty takes care of his facial hair, grooming expert Van Ness admits that he has met his match. “I know not to mess up perfect eyebrows,” he says. “Brooke Shields taught me a lot.”

Fashion expert Tan France has his work cut out for him as he tries to get Gritty to think about broadening his wardrobe options, while design specialist Bobby Berk nails it when he creates a custom-dressing room stall in prime real estate — right between Sean Couturier and captain Claude Giroux.

When Antoni Porowski sets out to fulfill the Phanatic’s wish and open Gritty’s eyes to food options that go beyond Philly cheesesteaks, it turns into a battle of wills. Who ultimately gets the upper hand?

Turning toward Gritty’s inner self, Karamo Brown sits down and tries to dive deep into the mascot’s psyche, asking him to open up about the pressure he faces in such a high-profile profession. Never forget the ridicule that Gritty endured when he took an on-ice tumble during his first day on the job!

In the end, the group reminds Gritty that he can count on the support of Flyers fans to keep him going, in good times and bad.

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The Outcome

Ultimately, the Fab Five give Gritty great scores for the confidence and panache that have made him such a hit. Porowski isn’t giving up, though.

“I’m going to encourage Gritty to make some healthier options when it comes to his diet,” he declares.

No word yet on whether Gritty and his fellow mascots are expected to be part of the Flyers’ traveling entourage. His energy could be a breath of fresh air in the empty arena. Owners and players are currently working to set the return-to-play terms that will govern the 2020 summer Stanley Cup tournament.

The Flyers’ will kick things off with a three-game Round Robin against the other top teams in the Eastern Conference. They’ll play the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Washington Capitals to determine seeding for the 16-team Stanley Cup Playoffs.

While we wait, Season 5 of ‘Queer Eye’ from Philadelphia is now streaming in full on Netflix.

Flyers Leading Scorers – 2019/20