Is the "Bear Holding a Shark" original to the world of Homestar Runner?

I thought it was till I noticed in this totally awesome jump rope performance by the Kings Firecrackers at a US Naval Academy basketball game:

that there’s someone in the stands (seen around 7:20 and later) that is in a bear suit and holding a shark.

Just a Homestar fan, or are they mascots or something?

I would have to say that Homestar came first, but origins can get muddled pretty easily