An Apology to the MET
On the danger of jokes
March 17, 2025
Dear Metropolitan Museum of Art,
I am sorry that I started a rumor that your statue of the Egyptian god Bomatet was secretly anatomically correct underneath his skirt. I only meant it as a joke to my friend Steve. We make a lot of jokes like that even though our teacher Mrs. Becky tells us not to make dirty jokes in school.
I am also sorry that Steve used AI to make a picture of the statue’s penis. I told him not to but I still laughed when he showed it to me and I think that’s why he posted it on the internet. How were we supposed to know it would go viral?
I am very sorry you had to remove the statue and close the Egyptian room for repairs following a lot of people trying to look underneath the statue and take pictures. I wasn’t involved in that but my teacher Mrs. Becky said to apologize for it anyway.
I think more people should visit your museum and not make jokes about the statues. It would be a shame if people couldn’t see all the nice statues even the ones with penises.
If I can help with the clean up Steve and I are available after school and on weekends but not next Sunday because we have baseball.
Yours Truly,
Daniel (age 8)
