The Dude Perfect guys are all decked out in camo, riding around the ranch in a pick-up truck. It has been raining, so the conditions are perfect for some late-night drifting. In Texas, that means sliding around in circles in the mud. You know, basic southern entertainment.
“Bro, did y’all see that? Turn around! Turn around! I just saw a panda!” yelled Tyler. Sure enough, you can see a panda hiding in the woods. Not a real one, of course, but the mascot that would turn into the beloved sixth member of Dude Perfect.
But with the panda comes a lot of mystery. One of the biggest questions is, why did they pick a panda for their mascot?
Origination of the Panda
Every team needs a mascot. So while the Dude Perfect team was watching a Texas A&M basketball game, the idea to get a mascot of their own came to Tyler Toney.
While still in the stadium, they started looking online at different mascot options. Initially, they thought about getting a goat. A real-life goat that would live in someone’s backyard. After realizing that would be a lot of work, they settled for a costume.
An anteater costume almost made the cut, but in the end, it was the panda costume that was everyone’s favorite, according to Tyler. And it seems to have been the right choice, as Panda has become an essential part of the crew ever since his first video appearance on February 12, 2010.
The Panda at Texas A&M
Dude Perfect’s Panda became rather famous after showing up to Texas A&M basketball games and taunting the other team’s players. Panda has also appeared in quite a few on-court challenges, like a tricycle race against Gumby.
The Panda’s Identity
According to Garrett, the number one question the dudes have received since introducing Panda back in 2010 is, who is behind the mask? They aren’t just going to give it away easily, though. The Dude Perfect team has challenged its audience to #TieThePie.
They’ve set a goal to tie PewDiePie for the top spot on YouTube by reaching Pie’s subscriber count. Not to beat or surpass him, or even stay tied for an extended period of time, but just to simply tie with him. Once they reach that goal, the Panda’s identity will be revealed.
The challenge was set back in 2019, and so far, has not been accomplished.
Conclusion
So, the reason Dude Perfect picked a panda is simply because they liked it more than an anteater costume. And, of course, didn’t want to be responsible for a live goat.
It was born out of fun college shenanigans and has become an icon and a mystery. And once they #TieThePie, we’ll all finally know who is behind that giant panda head (that tends to fall off way too often).
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