In one of the funniest and most popular (over 65 million views, at last check) viral YouTube videos of recent years, a guy named Randall did a mock nature documentary voiceover accompanying footage of Africa’s honey badger in action, constantly expressing sassy incredulity over just how fearless this little creature is as it proceeds to take on everything from bees to deadly snakes. “Honey badger don’t care” quickly became an enduring Internet meme arising from this video.
A more scientific nature documentary outfit — PBS’ Nature series — will now explore the world of the honey badger in a new episode called “Honey Badgers: Masters of Mayhem,” premiering Feb. 19 at 8pm ET (check local PBS listings). But it sounds like their findings might be similar to Randall’s — honey badger don’t care.
According to a PBS release about the the episode, the honey badger (actually a member of the weasel family, and not a badger), “never gives up and never gives in,” and has brains to go along with its brashness.
“Honey Badgers: Masters of Mayhem” will follow honey badger specialists in South Africa as they try to study and outwit the clever creatures, with one beekeeper even trying to devise a hive that will thwart them (while the “badger” part of the animal’s name may not be accurate, the “honey” part is; it really likes the stuff, and will endure bee stings to get it).
Bees, porcupines, lions, hyenas, snakes, jackals — honey badger just don’t care. And with this episode of Nature, we have scientific validation of that fact.
And that popular “don’t care” meme may be taking off again in relation to this episode. PBS also said that Randall has a deal with Nature to publish another voiceover — using Nature footage — on his site before PBS’ Feb. 19 broadcast.
Nature: “Honey Badgers: Masters of Mayhem” premieres on PBS Feb. 19 at 8pm ET (check local listings).
UPDATE 2/18/14: Here’s Randall’s narration of footage from the Nature “Honey Badgers: Masters of Mayhem” episode:
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Honey badger photo courtesy of Will Benson/© Oxford Scientific Films and THIRTEEN Productions LLC
