#1 Florida Deputy Goes Viral After "Handcuffing" A Runaway Emu In Wild Bodycam Video
"In my 25 years, I've never handcuffed an emu," Cpl. Keisler said. "This is definitely a new one."
The emu was reunited with its owners and returned home safely. All criminal charges against the emu were dropped.
#2 Florida Iguana Forecast. Anything Below 60°F/15°C, Iguanas Literally Start Falling Out Of Trees In South Florida
#3 Smokey Bear Aids Arrest Of Man Accused Of Stealing And Reselling Signs Of The Iconic Mascot From Florida Parks
To be clear, Florida is NOT some clown world hellhole where only weird things happen, and every resident is unhinged. It would be ridiculous to suggest that. Real-life is always much more nuanced and less stereotypical.
Like any other place, Florida has its specific culture and fair share of upsides and downsides. And in a state with a population of 23 million people, of course, there are going to be many odd, negative, wild, newsworthy events.
But in terms of its reputation on the internet, in the news, and on social media, the Sunshine State is notorious for its bizarre happenings and odd residents. This can lead to some biased opinions about life in the state based on memes and clickbait headlines. In short, if all you ever do is look at Florida memes, you're bound to think it's a strange place.
#5 Just Reminding You Of How Hot The Top Of A Car Dashboard Gets In Florida Heat
#6 Cape Coral Man In Batman Pajamas Helps Catch Burglary Suspect
When officers arrived, they found the suspect already detained by a neighbor wearing Batman pajamas.
The neighbor told detectives he had gone to bed when his home security cameras alerted him to someone breaking into his vehicle. Still dressed in his Batman pajamas, Kyle went outside to investigate and saw the suspect rummaging through his truck. Moments later, he found the same suspect in his neighbor’s garage and detained him until officers arrived.
The New York Times, reporting on the Sunshine State’s “endemic absurdity,” featured in Craig Pittman’s book ‘Oh, Florida! How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country,’ argues that you will “never” be able to “fully capture” what Florida is all about.
The state is unique, ever-changing, and paradoxical. Capturing its essence is nigh-impossible.
“Florida exists hypothetically, in the future-continuous tense. Florida will be a personal paradise, yours to own as soon as we fill in this hellish swamp. Florida will be growing in perpetuity, so long as we keep persuading suckers to move here. Florida will be underwater soon — let’s just hope it’s not as soon as experts predict,” Kent Russell writes.
#7 If You Had Shown Me These Photos With Zero Context, I Could've Told You It Happened In Florida
#8 Is There A Limit On Them? I Have A Bunch I’d Like To Name
As Russell stresses in his NYT review of Pittman’s book, the "deal" with Florida is “the charlatans and lunatics and Snapchat-famous plastic surgeons. It is the Ponzi schemes, the byzantine corruption, the evangelical fervor and the consenting-adult depravity. It is the seasonless climate. The lack of historical consciousness. The way in which this nation’s unctuous elements tend to trickle down as if Florida were the grease trap under America’s George Foreman grill. It is all of the above, and then some, and then more on top of that.”
#10 Parked The Car In The House So It’s Safe From Hurricane Dorian. Not Today
#11 Love My State. This Man Has Put A Canoe On Wheels, Strapped The Canoe To His Waist, And Is Off To A Fun Day On The Water Via Electric Scooter
Despite the headlines and memes, it is not true that crime is supposedly happening on every corner in the Sunshine State.
According to USA Facts, based on 2024 data, violent and property crime rates in Florida were actually lower than the United States average.
That year, the Sunshine State had a violent crime rate of 267 for every 100,000 people, and a property crime rate of 1,420 per 100,000 people. This was 25.6% and 19.3% lower than the average in the US, respectively. In other words, in terms of violent crime, Florida ranked 31st among all states in 2024, and 35th for property crime rates.
Furthermore, the overall crime rate in the Sunshine State went down by 6.4% between 2023 and 2024. During that same time period, the average overall crime rate decreased by 8.4% in all US states.
#15 A Florida Restaurant Owner Bought A Boat To Launch His Side Hustle Selling $20 Pizzas To Swimmers And Sunbathers In Tampa Bay
Bored Panda previously interviewed Florida native, writer, and journalist Cathy Salustri, the author of ‘Florida Spectacular: Extraordinary Places and Exceptional Lives,’ who shared a bit more nuance about the state and how it is perceived by outsiders.
She explained to us earlier that she disapproves of the popular ‘Florida Man’ headlines that keep making the news.
"The media that pushes this narrative are irresponsible journalists. People like to think Florida is something irregular or more unusual. The reality is that we're like the rest of y'all, only with better weather, a more chill attitude, and a lot more saltwater," Salustri stressed.
#17 Florida's Largo Police Department Shared A Video Of The Newly Minted Officer, Formerly Of New York, On His First Alligator Call
While most of our team handled it like seasoned pros, one of our newer officers from New York experienced his very first run-in with a gator, and it showed! Let’s just say there was some jumping and maybe some squealing.
In the end, the gator was safely removed and relocated to a proper area. No officers were harmed, and Officer Martinez, our NY transplant, received his official welcome to Florida!
#18 It’s Pouring With Lightning And Thunder In The Background. I Look Out Of My Window. And See This
From Salustri’s perspective, ‘Florida Man’ headlines are not an ethical form of journalism. Furthermore, many individuals featured in these news stories may be struggling with mental illness. What’s more, journalists should not be making fun of or ‘punching down’ on these individuals.
“These memes and stories also minimize the astounding beauty and wonders of our state. There's so much to celebrate in Florida, and it's a waste to sell all that out for cheap jokes,” she told Bored Panda earlier.
#20 Florida Man And Two Buddies Play Cards While Waiting For The Traffic Light To Change
