There will be six more weeks of winter, Punxsutawney Phil predicted as he emerged from his burrow Wednesday to perform his Groundhog Day duties.
Thousands of people from around the nation and other countries gathered at Gobbler's Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil's “inner circle” summoned him from his tree stump at dawn to learn if he had seen his shadow, a message they said Phil communicated in “groundhogese.” After Phil's prediction was announced, the crowd repeatedly chanted “six more weeks!”
According to folklore, spring would come early if he didn't see it.
The event took place virtually last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, depriving the community, which is about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northeast of Pittsburgh, of a boost from tourists. It was streamed live and seen by more than 15,000 viewers worldwide at one point. About 150 cardboard cutouts of fans were there to “watch.”
The annual event has its origin in a German legend about a furry rodent.
According to records dating back to 1887, Phil has predicted winter more than 100 times. Ten years were lost because no records were kept, organizers said.
The 2020 forecast called for an early spring.
Punxsutawney Phil may be the most famous groundhog seer but he’s certainly not the only one, and one competitor disagreed with his prediction. New York City’s Staten Island Chuck expects an early spring, according to Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon, who presided over a ceremony that was livestreamed from Chuck’s home at the Staten Island Zoo.
“He did not see his shadow. We will have an early spring,” McMahon announced.
New York Mayor Eric Adams did not attend the ceremony but said in a videotaped message, “Chuck has been very accurate in his predictions since 1981. I think I can speak for all New Yorkers when I say, ‘Chuck, please don’t see your shadow.’”
An Illinois attorney general's office investigation released Tuesday found that 451 Catholic clergy sexually abused nearly 2,000 children in the state over a nearly 70-year period, which was more than four times the 103 individuals the church named when the state began its review in 2018.
Paramount Global is set to absorb Showtime into Paramount+, creating a single streaming option to compete with the likes of Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max. The company also plans to raise the monthly price from $9.99 to $11.99 per month after the integration.
HBO released a sneak peek of next week's series finale for 'Succession' after four seasons.
Dua Lipa is teasing her new single from the upcoming 'Barbie' movie.
Warner Bros. released the official trailer for the upcoming musical film, 'The Color Purple,' based on the novel and 1985 original film.
Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. noticed a young boy who had a sign that read he had beaten cancer. Guerrero decided to surprise the young fan.
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Scores of Boston University students turned their backs on the head of one of Hollywood's biggest studios, and some shouted “pay your writers,” as he gave the school's commencement address Sunday in a stadium where protesters supporting the Hollywood writers' strike picketed outside.
