Beauty vs Beast: Winter Is (Still) Coming
Monday, February 2, 2015 at 6:00PM 
Jason from MNPP here with another round of "Beauty vs Beast" -- this week we're headed to Gobbler's Knob (I still can't believe that's a real name of a real place) in the little town called Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, about an hour and a half outside of Pittsburgh, where the fate of our Winter lay in the balance. Well laid in the balance, that is - it's already been reported this morning that the world's furriest prognisicator this side of Sam Champion, the eternal Punxsutawney Phil, has seen his shadow and laid six more weeks of Winter upon us. Boo, Phil. Seeing as how I awoke to several fresh inches of slush this morning, I'm not terribly surprised by the forecast, but still. Boo, Phil.
Which brings me to what is maybe the greatest comedy ever made about the maybe dumbest holiday on the calendar: Harold Ramis' also-eternal 1993 Bill Murray comedy Groundhog Day, and this week's Battle of the Phils!
You've got one week - or one-sixth of the Winter that oh-so-wise woodchuck just dropped on us - to vote, so don't forget your booties it's cold outside and get to work.
PREVIOUSLY Two weeks back in the comments of the Blue Velvet contest TFE-reader Murtada pointed out that no actor had ever beaten an actress in any of these polls; well it's finally happened! It was close, but Paul Newman's Hud managed to shimmy his slim-hips to a six-percent win over Patricia Neal's Alma. Yeah he was a bastard, but... well, he was Paul Newman as a bastard, so it goes. Said San FranCinema:
"Newman, a great beauty no one took seriously until he surprised them all by becoming a great actor, always gets my vote."
Reader Comments (8)
1993, not 1992. I know that's pedantic, but still.
Fixed it, thx Volvagia
Thanks for the shout-out, Jason. I don't have anything nearly as definitive to say about Mr. Murray or his rodent friend.
Nothing against Bill, but I just LOVE groundhogs. I think they're adorable. And Phil is such a scamp in this movie!
i'm with Denny. I love cute fuzzy critters (other than the mice/rat variety) and i like winter so i'm totally okay whatever the verdict is each year
I'm surprised how even this match is! I like Bill Murray as much as everybody, but he's up against a cute, furry groundhog that forecasts the weather. That's the closest you get to a pet with mutant powers! Come on, people! Phil, the Groundhog, should be winning by a landslide!
Carmen Sandiego: That is funny because I expected Murray to run away with it even though I voted for Phil.
I guess Bill Murray's affinity for furry friends began with Caddyshack. I started voting for little Phil because he's got better hair. But it was only a shadow of a doubt. Gotta go with Bill.