A Dizzying Array of Movie star Groundhogs, by Tracy Beckerman

Final yr I had an actual drawback with Groundhog Day. The difficulty was that there have been simply too darn many superstar groundhogs with differing predictions for the top of winter, and I did not know who to imagine. Between world-renowned rodent, Punxsutawney Phil, lesser-known marvel woodchuck, Staten Island Chuck, and scores of others, the enjoying area was simply approach too crowded with clairvoyant groundhogs. I additionally questioned if, maybe, Chuck, Phil and the remainder of the celebrity groundhogs could possibly be trusted. A lot as film stars activate the attraction when the cameras are rolling, I questioned if the superstar groundhogs is likely to be much less involved with getting the change of seasons proper and extra considering simply putting a fairly pose for the cameras.

So, this yr I made a decision to comply with a special groundhog. This yr I used to be betting on our groundhog. Suburban Stan, as we name him, lives beneath our deck, and like his superstar brethren, he additionally takes a peek out from his lair round Groundhog Day. I wasn’t certain if he was actually on the lookout for his shadow like the opposite dudes, or if he was simply checking to see if the evil household canine was nonetheless lurking round. But when he occurred to see his shadow, or not, whereas wanting round, the top consequence can be the identical and I’d have my prediction. I used to be pretty sure Stan would give us an unbiased studying, as a result of not like Phil and Chuck, he did not have a crowd to please or paparazzi to carry out for. He additionally did not have his personal safety crew, Twitter account or Fb web page, did not have his personal actuality present and had by no means hosted “SNL,” so all in all, I assumed he was most likely a fairly grounded groundhog.

As we received nearer to Groundhog Day, although, I started to get nervous that Stan may sleep by the large occasion. Movie star groundhogs have their very own folks to wake them up and be sure that they’re camera-ready when the second arrives, however Stan had no folks. He did not also have a stunt double. What if Stan failed me? I would need to depend on the precise calendar and The Climate Channel to inform me when spring would arrive.

Understanding he has a approach with sleepy groundhogs, I thought of phoning Invoice Murray to see if he might cease by and rouse Stan on the proper time. Nevertheless, I used to be involved that having Invoice Murray come over to see him may give Stan a swelled head after which he would assume he, too, was a celeb groundhog, so I nixed that concept.

Then I had an epiphany. With so many superstar groundhogs on the market, was it potential that all groundhogs have the key need to be well-known? Are all of them simply ready to be found and hailed as the brand new Punxsutawney Phil, get their very own film with Invoice Murray and refuse to reply when somebody refers to them as a woodchuck?

I assumed if this was true and Stan was a celeb groundhog wannabe, then there was actually no drawback.

When the time got here for him to carry out, I’d simply roll out a crimson carpet and stand round with a digicam.

Tracy Beckerman is the writer of the Amazon Bestseller, “Barking on the Moon: A Story of Life, Love, and Kibble,” accessible on Amazon and Barnes and Noble on-line! You may go to her at www.tracybeckerman.com

Photograph credit score: Cairomoon at Pixabay