Maybe if He Was Wearing the Jerry Lewis Outfit . . .

The World Cup is barely one week old and the official mascot is already complaining.

Regis Fassier, the Frenchman who dresses every day as a large blue, red and yellow cockerel named Footix, is upset that his creation isn’t seen much at World Cup matches, shunted off instead to low-level sponsor parties and press center openings.

“Personally, I’m ticked off,” Fassier was quoted in the London Independent. “Professionally, it’s very frustrating. When you work with a character like that, you start to become it.”

Reportedly, Footix is getting the Izzy (the Atlanta Olympics mascot) treatment by World Cup officials--nudged into the background by organizers after opening reviews were less than enthusiastic.

Footix has yet to step onto the playing field at a World Cup game, prompting Fassier to grouse about the organizing committee, “It’s a good thing they actually like football,” he said. “Otherwise, there’d have been no ball for kickoff on the opening day.”