After our last attempt at securing funding ended in minor property damage and a restraining order from a seafood buffet, the cast and crew of It Happens in Florida decided to regroup.

That regrouping happened at the Waffle Castle at 2am.

Oscar said, “What if we did something Florida… something wild… something with ARMADILLOS?”
Raymond replied, “Do they bite?”
Oscar shrugged. That was good enough for us.

Thus was born: The First Annual Armadillo Racing Fundraiser (and Gator-Free Chili Cook-Off).

Let us walk you through how it went:

• Problem #1: No one told us armadillos aren’t particularly motivated to race. They mostly wandered in circles or curled up in balls while our “referee” (a local DJ named Skip) tried to coax them with Funyuns.
• Problem #2: We didn’t check the chili contestants too carefully. Turns out three entries contained “mystery meat” and one had moonshine as a base. A tourist ate two bowls and tried to enter himself in the armadillo race.
• Problem #3: Halfway through the event, a rival gator wrestling team showed up thinking we were poaching their turf. It ended in a dance-off and two sprained hips.
• Problem #4: Our “silent auction” was mistakenly labeled as “swamp auction,” and we may have accidentally sold one of the production vans for $42 and a homemade air horn.

Final tally:

• Funds raised: $11.23
• Bruised egos: 7
• Armadillos still missing: 2
• Sense of humor: Fully intact

We might not have a fully funded pilot yet, but we’ve got something even better: a loyal community, questionable decision-making skills, and a deep belief that this is the show the world needs.

So if you believe in chaotic good and questionable fundraising tactics, consider supporting us. Because when it comes to comedy, heart, and unexpected armadillo encounters—It Happens in Florida.