Post-Gazette inspires Stephen Colbert to take down Terry, the friendly Fracosaurus

[Divernan]

From what I can tell, the Post-Gazette was the news source which broke the story of Talisman energy company's coloring book featuring the friendly fracosaurus - back on June 19. Less than one month later, Terry is no more (RIP), with the final deadly blow dealt by Stephen Colbert. Nice job, Post-Gazette!

Gas driller halts distribution of coloring book
Thursday, July 14, 2011
By Erich Schwartzel, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Talisman Terry, the "friendly Fracosaurus" star of a coloring book published by Talisman Energy, will no longer explain the natural gas drilling process to youngsters after the company announced plans today to stop distribution of the controversial children's book.

"Talisman Terry's Energy Adventure" was a 24-page booklet that explained natural gas drilling in kid-friendly fashion and could be downloaded from the Calgary-based energy company's website. It had been distributed at community fairs in northeastern Pennsylvania through the company's Good Neighbor program. Talisman Terry's message is overt and unapologetic: drilling for natural gas in formations like the Marcellus Shale is smart, safe and American.

Last week, U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., referenced the Fracosaurus in prepared remarks critical of the natural gas industry's environmental record. "The loveable dinosaur playfully promotes the benefits of natural gas and paints a picture of a magical world filled with smiling rocks and grinning animals," said Mr. Markey.

And on Monday, Terry was treated to a vicious lampooning by comedian Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report." Mr. Colbert presented doctored pages he said had gone missing from the book, the last of which showed a depressed Fracosaurus lighting himself on fire in the shower.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11195/1160429-100.stm#ixzz1S6rI0dZx

Here's the PG story which was the beginning of the end for Terry.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11170/1154547-28.stm#ixzz1S6uhjuL0

The friendly dinosaur has a counterpart at Chesapeake Energy, named Chesapeake Charlie. Charlie is an orange-tinged beagle whose own coloring book takes youngsters through the entire life cycle of what the Oklahoma City company calls a "clean-burning, affordable, abundant and American fuel."

At last week's Chesapeake-hosted Day of Family Fun in Charleston, W.Va., the beagle mascot rode a horse (the video was uploaded to the company's "Ask Chesapeake" Facebook page). Charlie wears his patriotism literally on his sleeve, with an American flag patch on the side of his jumpsuit.

Hopefully Charlie will soon join Terry in that Valhalla for rejected mascots.