‘He connects with people as well as baby animals’: While ‘Minecraft’ struggles with its deeply disturbing sheep snafu, Tim Walz proves he’s dog-hater Kristi Noem’s foil

It’s been a busy morning for farmyard animals (it’s not all just munching hay!), whose PR teams must be working in overdrive following two trending moments involving a sheep and a calf.

The former animal has been on the receiving end of some intense internet backlash. Before you rush to the defence of the adorable woolly creatures, rest assured that it’s only one specific sheep causing fanfare, and it’s not even a real one at that. The sheep in question is Pink Sheep, one of multiple characters to appear in the new trailer for A Minecraft Movie. 

The response to the trailer as a whole has been lukewarm at best, with many swarming to social media to lament what feels like a repeat of Sonic The Hedgehog. The main criticism of the upcoming film adaptation has been its animation style, which strays from the traditional boxy aesthetic of the Minecraft video game and feels like something straight out of a fever dream as a result. 

Pink Sheep was done the dirtiest with this animation style, and fans have flocked online in much the same way that Pink Sheep and his friends might in an open field. Making matters worse, the most circulated still of Pink Sheep from the Minecraft Movie trailer sees him letting out a big BAAAAA! that resembles a scream, as if he’s caught in the horror of his own animation. 

“Bro what have you done to [my] boy the Pink Sheep,” one user wrote on X, with another questioning why the filmmakers “did pink sheep like that.” Elsewhere, fans said the quick snippet of the animated animal gave them “ugly Sonic memories,” and criticized the regrettable decision to not include the character’s moustache, as seen in the original game.

Seemingly envious of all the attention its barnyard inhabitant was getting, cow calves also made a splash this morning, following now-viral footage of Tim Walz interacting with the fellow member of the herd animal family. The vice presidential candidate was busy delivering the wholesome Dad energy he’s known for during an appearance at the State Fair in hometown of Minnesota. 

Here, he was spotted feeding a calf and discussing chocolate milk with a farmer (even writing that sentence made me giddy). Afterwards, Walz described the animal as a “new friend” (gah!), and attracted support for his ability to “connect with people as well as animals.” While it’s decidedly more wholesome, Walz’s calf moment isn’t the only time animals have made political headlines this year. 

In April, former frontrunner as Donald Trump’s VP pick Kristi Noem told on herself when admitting to killing her family dog in her memoir. There was also the case of recent Trump endorsee RFK Jr., who was not only accused on barbecuing a dog, but was later also reported to have beheaded a beached whale before transporting it on the roof of his car (I’m not joking).  

Needless to say, but Walz’s calf, and even Pink Sheep, are having a far better time than whichever poor creature is owned by a Republican politician.