The bunny trail is getting a little crowded these days. Besides the Easter Bunny, who'll be hiding colored eggs around town tonight, there are quite a few rabbits hopping around in our lives.
Here's who's who in the hutch:
Energizer bunny: First showed up as the spokesbunny for Eveready batteries in 1989 after the company had spent two years and $55 million developing his profitable pinkness -- sales last year were $1.79 billion. Yes, he's called "E. B." by his PR department.
Volkswagen Rabbit: The carmaker's post-Beetle design, its first water-cooled, front-engine, front-wheel-drive vehicle. Rabbits were brought on board because Beetles were too expensive to make and because they weren't going to meet emission standards, no matter what they did to them.
Bugs Bunny: Arrived on the animated short scene in 1938. This wisecracking, hip, gray rabbit won an Oscar in 1958 for doing what he does best: gnawing a carrot and asking "What's up, Doc?"
Playboy bunnies: Hugh Hefner's idea of a good time, circa 1953, when he launched Playboy magazine from his Chicago living room. In his clubs, the uniform consisted of stiff satin bodysuits, powder-puff tails, fishnet stockings, mules.
Peter Rabbit: Hit the popular trail in 1902 with the publication of Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Peter Rabbit." Disobeyed his mother, ate the wrong foods, bothered his neighbors, lost his clothing, yet managed to steer clear of being the main ingredient in a pie.
Roger Rabbit: Steven Spielberg's 1988 leading man, the wild and crazy hare proved short guys could marry well and single-handedly revitalize the brand-new computer-driven animation industry, all while grossing $154 million. Who's a dumb bunny now?
The Carter attack rabbit: A brouhaha arose after then-President Jimmy Carter reported that on Jan. 29, 1979, a rabbit swam toward him while he was fishing, attacked him but ceased when the native Georgian took a canoe paddle to the critter. He said it wasn't funny at the time.
Br'er Rabbit: The most famous character to come out of Joel Chandler Harris' 1880 "Uncle Remus," he outwitted with chicanery and street smarts.
Bunny Rabbit: Lived behind Captain Kangaroo's counter, this nearsighted, carrot-mooching sidekick let Mr. Moose do the talking for both of them.
Carnivorous killer rabbit: Guarded the Holy Grail, at least during the time when Monty Python was looking for it.
