One groundhog is particularly pissed about the six extra weeks of winter! In Wisconsin, Mayor Jonathan Freund got more than he bargained for on Monday, Feb. 2, while hosting the annual tradition of Groundhog Day.
The official winter weather mascot of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, who is named Jimmy, saw his shadow, indicating six more weeks of winter. Jimmy’s handlers Jerry and Maria Hahn then lifted him up to the ear of Mayor Freund to have him “whisper” the news.
Instead of relaying a Dr. Doolittle-style message, however, Jimmy chomped down on the mayor’s ear and bit him.
Local station Channel 3000 shared a video of Freund flinching before going on to declare an early spring. The mixed messages between the groundhog and the mayor resulted in the city later issuing a statement.
"While tradition holds that only the mayor can translate Jimmy’s prediction and that a clear sky generally means Jimmy sees his shadow and that winter will go on for six more weeks, the mayor’s translation this morning was clearly for an early spring. The break with tradition is unusual, but not unprecedented,” a rep for the city said.
