It is nearing the end of an interview with comedian Tom Green when he pulls out his phone to proudly show a picture of his mule. Green is in the elegant Norquay Room of the Fairmont Banff Springs being interviewed by Postmedia. His dog Charley is with him.
Named after the John Steinbeck 1960 travelogue, Travels with Charley, she was also Green’s canine co-star for some YouTube videos under the same title chronicling his cross-country treks to remote areas of America. Later this week, he will pick up the prestigious Sir Peter Ustinov Comedy Award from the Banff World Media Festival. His mule’s name is Fanny and the picture shows Green riding her near his rural farm outside of Ottawa.
She will no doubt figure into Green’s upcoming series for Amazon Prime, Tom Green Country. But, for the past year, she has been a major part of his daily life. This isn’t a comedy bit.
“It’s probably not what you’re thinking,” Green says. “A year ago, if you asked me what a mule was I would have thought a mule was a donkey. A mule is a hybrid.
Half the people know this, half the people don’t: A mule is a half horse, half donkey. They are really interesting animals. They are incredibly smart, strong, tough animals.
They have been used in war. They have been used to settle the West. George Washington brought mules to North America and really encouraged them because they were great for farming.
I’ve had her for a year now. I get up in the morning, I saddle her up, I ride around .
