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Los Angeles Times
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Opinion: Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil's everlasting nightmare
There is one question that all Americans are asking themselves today: Will winter wonderland continue or will spring come early this year? The answer was revealed this morning, Feb. 2, in a small town in Pennsylvania. Today marks the 187th annual Groundhog's Day, which is celebrated throughout the United States and Canada. A ceremonial gathering was organized by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, with thousands in attendance and millions watching online. However, many are questioning the ethics of this iconic holiday. Immortal, beloved groundhog Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow at Gobbler's Knob. If he sees his own shadow and returns to his burrow, winter will be prolonged 6 additional weeks. However, on the rare occasion that he does not see his shadow, spring is forecasted to arrive early. At 7:25 am this morning, the celebrity groundhog predicted a lengthy winter when he gazed upon his own shadow. After the ceremony, Phil is paraded around the town, bombarded by cameras and flashing lights, touched and pet by a crowd of 40,000, and held in captivity for another year until the next Groundhog's Day comes around. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a non-profit organization that works to protect animals rights, is attempting to alter the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's tradition. Groundhogs are typically antisocial animals who avoid human interaction whenever possible. Every year, however, Phil is subjected to appear on national television and be handled by thousands of humans, for solely amusement and entertainment purposes. Last year, PETA begged the Groundhog Club to free Punxsutawney Phil, and offered to provide them with a gold coin they could flip during the ceremony as a replacement. This year, however, the organization made a second attempt, and encouraged the Club's Inner Circle leaders to let Phil and his family reside in a sanctuary. ' You batter believe that for Phil, Groundhog Day is no piece of cake ,' wrote PETA president Ingrid Newkirk in a letter to Punxsutawney Groundhog Club president Tom Dunkel. 'Retire Phil to a reputable sanctuary with his family.' As an alternative to Phil, PETA offered to deliver a vegan 'Weather Reveal' cake every Groundhog's Day to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The Club leaders would slice the cake at the Groundhog's Day ceremony, and the cake's interior would foretell whether or not spring would arrive early. ' If the inside of the cake is blue, there will be six more weeks of winter. If it's pink, there will be an early spring,' Newkirk explained. 'This would allow you to still make tourism dough while showing Phil a slice of decency.' However, Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro, responded to their proposal via Instagram and wrote, 'Come and take it.' Many people are responding similarly. It is unlikely that the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle, led by Dunkel, will agree to retire their cherished tradition and use a cake in the years to come. It seems as though Punxsutawney Phil must accept his fate, and that he will continue to suffer, just to be an annual spectacle and money-maker for the people of Pennsylvania. However, Newkirk said that as people spread awareness about animal cruelty, ' locals and tourists who genuinely respect Phil [will] want him to live his life doing what's natural to him,' and that this cruel tradition might one day be broken. Related
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
PETA calls to end Groundhog Day tradition, replace Punxsutawney Phil with 'vegan weather reveal cake'
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is calling to ax a beloved American tradition – and to replace it with what it calls a "delicious" vegan substitution. The animal rights nonprofit organization is seeking to replace the Groundhog Day tradition with a vegan "weather reveal" cake. PETA announced the proposal in a news release on Jan. 20. "PETA will deliver a delicious 'Weather Reveal' vegan cake each Groundhog Day in perpetuity if [the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club] agrees to let Punxsutawney Phil and his family retire to a reputable sanctuary, a move that will earn the outfit kudos from wildlife fans," the press release stated. PETA also published pun-filled letter to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, arguing that the groundhog's annual duties were "no piece of cake" for him. "Groundhogs are shy prey animals who, when allowed, actively avoid humans," the letter detailed. "Yet, year after year, Phil is transported to Gobler's Knob, whisked on stage, and subjected to a noisy announcer, screaming crowds, and flashing lights against all his natural instincts." Groundhog Day Quiz! How Well Do You Know The Facts About This Unique Day? Read On The Fox News App "If approached in his natural habitat, he would run away in fear, not volunteer to live year-round in captivity, unable to do anything that's natural and important to him like hibernate or burrow – just to be a town's once-a-year fake meteorologist." In a statement, PETA president Ingrid Newkirk also called for Groundhog Day officials to "sprinkle some happiness" into Phil's life by letting him retire. "When allowed to be themselves, groundhogs avoid humans, create intricate networks of underground burrows, communicate with one another, and even climb trees, but poor Phil is denied all of that for a tired old gimmick," Newkirk argued. PETA told Fox News Digital that it has not received a response from the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, and called for the organization to develop "kinder, innovative" traditions that make animals happy. Peta Suggests Replacing Punxsutawney Phil Groundhog With Giant Gold Coin: 'Cruel Annual Gimmick Is Abusive' "Our letter suggests the groundhog club demonstrate true respect for Phil and set a wonderful example for how everyone can move beyond 'Groundhog' Day by replacing him with a delicious vegan 'Weather Reveal' cake that revelers can enjoy as an alternative to exploiting wild animals," a spokesperson explained. "The time is long overdue." PETA has called for Groundhog Day alternatives in the past, including offering to send a giant gold coin to replace the animal in 2024. Groundhog Day has been celebrated in the U.S. since 1887. Thousands of observers flock to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, every year on Feb. 2 to see Phil predict the weather. Tradition dictates that if Phil sees his shadow at daybreak and runs away, six more weeks of winter will follow. However, if he has no shadow, spring will arrive sooner. In 2024, Phil announced that he did not see his shadow, marking a rare prediction for an early spring. Fox News Digital reached out to PETA and the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club for comment. Fox News Digital's Ashlyn Messier contributed to this article source: PETA calls to end Groundhog Day tradition, replace Punxsutawney Phil with 'vegan weather reveal cake'
Fox News
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
PETA calls to end Groundhog Day tradition, replace Punxsutawney Phil with 'vegan weather reveal cake'
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is calling to ax a beloved American tradition – and to replace it with what it calls a "delicious" vegan substitution. The animal rights nonprofit organization is seeking to replace the Groundhog Day tradition with a vegan "weather reveal" cake. PETA announced the proposal in a news release on Jan. 20. "PETA will deliver a delicious 'Weather Reveal' vegan cake each Groundhog Day in perpetuity if [the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club] agrees to let Punxsutawney Phil and his family retire to a reputable sanctuary, a move that will earn the outfit kudos from wildlife fans," the press release stated. PETA also published pun-filled letter to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, arguing that the groundhog's annual duties were "no piece of cake" for him. "Groundhogs are shy prey animals who, when allowed, actively avoid humans," the letter detailed. "Yet, year after year, Phil is transported to Gobler's Knob, whisked on stage, and subjected to a noisy announcer, screaming crowds, and flashing lights against all his natural instincts." "If approached in his natural habitat, he would run away in fear, not volunteer to live year-round in captivity, unable to do anything that's natural and important to him like hibernate or burrow – just to be a town's once-a-year fake meteorologist." In a statement, PETA president Ingrid Newkirk also called for Groundhog Day officials to "sprinkle some happiness" into Phil's life by letting him retire. "When allowed to be themselves, groundhogs avoid humans, create intricate networks of underground burrows, communicate with one another, and even climb trees, but poor Phil is denied all of that for a tired old gimmick," Newkirk argued. PETA told Fox News Digital that it has not received a response from the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, and called for the organization to develop "kinder, innovative" traditions that make animals happy. "Our letter suggests the groundhog club demonstrate true respect for Phil and set a wonderful example for how everyone can move beyond 'Groundhog' Day by replacing him with a delicious vegan 'Weather Reveal' cake that revelers can enjoy as an alternative to exploiting wild animals," a spokesperson explained. "The time is long overdue." PETA has called for Groundhog Day alternatives in the past, including offering to send a giant gold coin to replace the animal in 2024. Groundhog Day has been celebrated in the U.S. since 1887. Thousands of observers flock to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, every year on Feb. 2 to see Phil predict the weather. Tradition dictates that if Phil sees his shadow at daybreak and runs away, six more weeks of winter will follow. However, if he has no shadow, spring will arrive sooner. In 2024, Phil announced that he did not see his shadow, marking a rare prediction for an early spring. Fox News Digital reached out to PETA and the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club for comment.
