Momo On Travel Channel
Posted by: Loren Coleman on January 16th, 2012
Momo, the Missouri Monster, has become an iconic image of the Midwestern-type of Bigfoot during the early 1970s.
The first eyewitness’s sketch and investigator Walt Andrus’ enhanced drawing of Momo (both above) served as the model for several later versions, such as Harry Trumbore’s drawing of Momo in my own The Field Guide to Bigfoot and Other Mystery Primates.
The program Legend of the Ozarks, January 21, 2012, 6:00 PM ET, Travel Channel, will feature Randy “Driveroperator” Harrington and D.W. “Darkwing” Lee as they recreate Randy’s encounter and conduct research into the Missouri version of Bigfoot called “Momo.”
This post was written by
Loren Coleman no longer writes for Cryptomundo. His archived posts remain here at Cryptomundo.
Having been part of the Bigfoot research community in Missouri for years, and desiring to defend and preserve the purity of the Bigfoot cultural history here in Missouri, I’m compelled to point out that the Missouri version of Bigfoot is rarely called “Momo” (and never in the Ozarks region) unless it is by a detached member of the media who’s abandoned journalistic due diligence or by a native of the Northern Missouri river towns from which the name “Momo” originated in the 70′s (i.e. Louisiana, Missouri). In the numerous witness interviews I’ve conducted, I recall just one Missourian mentioning the name “Momo” and it was not in connection with any local lure but in reference to a media news story.
I have a personal dislike for the moniker “Momo” (short for “Missouri Monster”) because it unscientifically connotes the concept of a mythical monster rather than a living breathing North American primate. I also dislike when the name is used (inaccurately) as a catch-all for any Missouri Bigfoot type creature rather than the geographic and era specific creature form which it received its birth. I suppose the same criticism could be lodged against the use of the word “Bigfoot” too. Like so much of Bigfoot reality television programing, producers are eager to promote the sensational at the expense of accuracy and “Legend of the Ozarks” appears to have also fallen into that common production trap.
I would tend to see this as a media attempt to generalize and expand the use of Momo. The more specific use, yes, is for the River Road and Louisiana, MO, cases of 1971-1972, only.