Talk:Wiarton Willie

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"...the second most famous—after Wiarton Willie—being Punxsutawney Phil of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania"

How can Wiarton Willie be the most well known groundhog of them all when it was in Pennsylvania where Groundhog day started in the first place ? Stettlerj 17:30, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

Are you saying that something that is there first must necessarily be better known? Wouldn't that be like saying York is more famous than New York or that Cary Grant is more famous than Tom Cruise? Sunray 17:33, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

You make a good point. Pennsylvania is where Groundhog day has its origins, but just because it's older does not necessitate that is be better known. For example, the Toronto Argonauts are older than the Buffalo Bills, yet the Bills are more well known world wide, as you may point out. However, in this case, even in Quebec, Punxsutawney Phil is mentioned first and is given more air time on Groundhog day than Wiarton Willie. Stettlerj 05:02, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

In turn, you may well be right that P. Phil is more famous. However, proving that may be another matter. Whoever wrote "second most famous" about Phil may well have had their tongue firmly in their cheek. Then again, the whole groundhog phenomenon has plenty to do with hype and bragging, rather than fact, doesn't it? Sunray 06:04, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

I read a little into the topic, and while reading I found the source for the comment. In fact, the entire paragraph about "other groundhog stars" is taken verbatum from a CBC article Groundhog Day (Pgh 14)! So I guess it comes down to whether to believe the CBC or not. I agree, "most famous" is pretty subjective and would vary from place to place, and actually it's really not worth argueing too much about. But despite that, it is a topic that was / is worth discussing i think. Stettlerj 16:22, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

Whew quite a flagrant copyvio! I wondered about the breezy style of the article, but unfortunately didn't Google it. I'm very glad you picked up on that. I've edited it to eliminate the copyvio, but have tried to keep the light, semi-mocking style, which seems to work well for this august "whistle-pig". Thanks. As to believing CBC, I don't. But, as I said before, it has a rather nice tongue-in-cheek tone to it. Sunray 07:42, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Groundhog day may well be about bragging rights, but as of today, Google yields this interesting tidbit:

• "Wiarton Willie" ~17,300 results (~14,600 results for "Wiarton Willie" groundhog)
• "Punxsutawney Phil" ~225,000 results (~143,000 results for "Punxsutawney Phil" groundhog)

Let's hope that CBC was being facetious. JordeeBec 21:12, 2 February 2006 (UTC)

I think CBC was definitely being facetious. However, I have removed the claim from the article, along with many other POV bits and bobs: while appreciating that "wild claims for your rodent of choice" (see below) are a splendid tradition of Groundhog Day, they have no place in an encyclopedia, I'm afraid! The link to CBC remains, so no one needs feel that the story is lost, I hope. -- TinaSparkle 16:33, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

Groundhog claims

Groundhog Day is all about making wild claims for your rodent of choice. Here's an excerpt from the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club:

• Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just impostors.
• There has only been one Punxsutawney Phil. He has been making predictions for over 119 years!
• Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking "groundhog punch," a secret recipe. Phil takes one sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic and it magically gives him seven more years of life.

Not bad, considering that P. Phil is #2! Sunray 09:30, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

Anyone that can believe a prediction (on February 2nd, in Ontario) that winter is almost over has been smoking something...--Wee Charlie 21:54, 1 August 2006 (UTC)

The so-called 'scientists' are wrong

Really, this amuses me so much, every year, oh the Groundhog is some percent accurate, it is too laugh, and they call themselves meteorologists!

You can read it clearly in the autobiography of Wiarton Willie I (as dictated to Mother Nature 1997): "Spring is a Celestial event. Not up to groundhogs or people. But if you need a reason to party then party on!"

These 'scientists' are not great at reading contracts. The deal says "6 weeks, or a month and a half". Willie is 100% accurate.

disclosure: @teledyn served as Minister of Myth-information in the Shadow Cabinet of Wiarton Willie I. Teledyn (talk) 23:43, 1 February 2024 (UTC)