Each day, out-of-work computer programmer Luke Allen self-medicates by watching animated ponies have magical adventures.



The 32-year-old, who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, loves his daily fix of My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic, and he’s not alone. He’s part of a growing group of “bronies” (“bro ponies”) — men who are fans of a TV show largely intended for a much younger audience.



“First we can’t believe this show is so good, then we can’t believe we’ve become fans for life, then we can’t believe we’re walking down the pink aisle at Toys R Us or asking for the girl’s toy in our Happy Meal,” Allen said in an e-mail to Wired.com. “Then we can’t believe our friends haven’t seen it yet, then we can’t believe they’re becoming bronies too.”

A "brony" is an adult male fan of the children's cartoon. These are not rare men, but a legion of dedicated fans with websites and news services devoted to the cartoon: Link -via Boing Boing | Photo: Luke Allen