Aside from Mickey Mouse and Rudy Giuliani, Punxsutawney Phil is probably the most famous rodent in the world. Since 1887, the chubby groundhog has emerged from his burrow every February 2nd to give a super-scientific weather prediction. If he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter… if he doesn’t, there will be an early spring.

Due to the movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, the event has gained a nationwide following. This morning, The Today Show broadcast the event live. I watched it, transfixed. It was folksy and quaint… I hadn’t seen that many old white guys in one place since Rex Tillerson’s Senate confirmation.

Hundreds gather each year in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to witness this event. They drink lots of beer, wear weird top hats, and hoist poor Phil in the air triumphantly like baby Simba in the Lion King. When he did that this morning, a large part of me hoped that the groundhog would pee on top of the man’s head. Now that would be good television.

According to Phil’s prediction this morning, we will have six more weeks of winter. After seeing his shadow, he returned to his burrow— his job complete.

Time will tell if the groundhog is correct…