Portland residents react to googly eye trend: “This town is getting to be so stuffy. Let’s have fun!”

Residents in the city of Bend, Oregon had a surprise last year when a new addition started popping up on sculptures and art pieces in the local area.

Social media pictures show that googly eyes had been added on art installations across the city’s ‘Roundabout Art Route.’ The collection of pieces covers a section of the city’s roundabouts and is a notable local landmark.

The googly eyes had been added to sculptures of deer and another to a large metallic sphere. Many locals expressed favorable opinions of the comedic alterations, saying that they added a touch of fun to the city.

“My daughter and I went past the flaming chicken today and shared the biggest laugh,” one online commenter said. “We love the googly eyes. This town is getting to be so stuffy. Let’s have fun!”

Another wrote: “I think the googly eyes on the deer specifically are a great look, and they should stay that way.”

But not everyone was impressed, with city officials pointing out that it takes time and money to remove the unsanctioned additions. The adhesive used risks damaging the installations and could have long-term consequences for the city’s public art.

“While the googly eyes placed on the various art pieces around town might give you a chuckle, it costs money to remove them with care to not damage the art,” the city wrote in a statement.

However the story was picked up by national news outlets and was even the subject of a light-hearted segment on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The comedian joked: “Oh come on, you’re gonna get mad about that? It’s fun... And frankly, it’s safer. If Bambi’s mom had had those eyes, maybe she’d have seen that hunter coming.”

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