An Appalachian community in Andrews, North Carolina, has canceled its live opossum drop (actually he was lowered down slowly) on New Year’s Eve. The celebration was held in Brasstown in the past but moved to Andrews last year.
“It’s done,” said Mayor James Reid of Andrews, N.C., population 1,800. “They can stick a fork in it.”
Last year, an opossum broke his leg and PETA pressed them to abandon the redneck New Year’s Eve celebration.
THEY CALL IT REDNECK NEW YEAR’S
It began in the early 1990s as a “redneck response” to the Times Square ball drop in New York City. The Possum Drop attracted hundreds of revelers each New Year’s Eve to watch a live opossum lowered in a plexiglass box at the stroke of midnight.
“Animal-rights groups and online petitioners said it is cruel to hang a shy, nocturnal animal in a brightly lighted box over a cheering crowd, amid fireworks and muskets.”
Mayor Reid said he’s tired of his voicemail being overrun with protest calls, so, instead, the town had a “pro-wrestling match and a womanless beauty pageant.”
“Times are changing,” Reid said yesterday. “Our plan is to have an awesome party and not have any live animals involved whatsoever.”
