Read This: Was The Simpsons’ Poochie inspired by a failed Olympic mascot?

Introducing Endless Mode: A New Games & Anime Site from Paste
One of the most infamous characters in Simpsons history might be partially inspired by one of the most infamous mascots in Olympics history. At least that’s a theory espoused in the article “Joke Origins: Poochie, The Whatizit?, And The ’96 Olympics” posted on fan blog Flim Springfield. The blog, maintained by two Simpsons devotees identified as Diana and JRC, is nominally dedicated to “recasting movies and TV shows with Simpsons characters.” In this instance, the blog compares the Whatizit? (a.k.a. Izzy), the much-hated mascot of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, with Poochie, a lame, corporate-mandated cartoon character who is foisted on the makers of The Itchy & Scratchy Show in a classic episode from The Simpsons’ eighth season.