Are we entering an era when gorilla-suit-wearing workshop may become the next big rage (see the story at Boing Boing) and help people out in their cryptid hoaxes? Actually, using what Charles Fort called the “Wipe,” here’s the latest example of a quick explanation for something anomalistic, this time using the old chestnut, a gorilla suit, out of Tupelo, Mississippi.

With four gorilla sightings on Thomas Street on Wednesday [April 9, 2008], it seemed the infamous Oliver inspired a copycat or copy primate.

According to police, two postal workers and two parents picking their children up from school claimed to have seen a huge primate run into the woods behind the post office shortly after 2 p.m.

Because all the accounts were separate instances, School Resource Officer Lt. Terry Sanford said he doesn’t doubt that people saw something, but he’s almost sure it wasn’t a gorilla.

“We got a few calls about the gorilla, but we didn’t see anything,” said Sanford. “People said they saw the animal run into the woods. I think what they saw was a person dressed in a suit trying to get a reaction out of people.”

A local costume dealer said a man and a woman bought a gorilla head and hands Tuesday, stating that they already had a suit.~ “Gorilla spotting said to be hoax,” by Danza Johnson, Daily Journal, 9 April 2008 6:44:42 PM.

At least, the infamous Morris Costume Company isn’t involved in this debunking!