QQOTD: Tim Minchin and Groundhog Day
“At its essence, Groundhog Day is an existential journey of an unhappy, judgmental, slightly narcissistic,
misogynistic, dissatisfied, aspirational, entitled, privileged male who has to
learn to be the opposite of all those things to find happiness – to learn that
learning is important and that you don't get to control everything.”
~ Tim Minchin, an Australian comedian, actor, writer, musician, composer, lyricist, and
director. He was born in Northampton, England, to
Australian parents, but raised in Perth, Western Australia.
Minchin is best known for his musical
comedy, including six CDs, five DVDs, and live comedy shows that he has
performed internationally. He has appeared on television in Australia, Britain,
and the United States.
Has Minchin
over-analyzed this fun and goofy film?
If not, what
aspects of unhappiness, misogyny, dissatisfaction, narcissism, privilege,
entitlement, aspiration, judgment, and existentialism can be found in Groundhog
Day?
* * * * *
Note: Today is
Groundhog Day, a popular tradition observed in Canada and the
United
States on February 2nd. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition
that if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees its shadow due to
clear weather, it will retreat to its den and winter will persist for six more
weeks, and if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring
will arrive early. While the tradition remains popular in modern times, studies
have found no consistent correlation between a groundhog seeing its shadow or
not and the subsequent arrival time of spring-like weather.
Groundhog Day
2020: Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Early Spring (Slate)
Today’s date –
02/02/2020 – is also a palindrome.
“The previous
palindrome date in all formats came 909 years ago on 11/11/1111. The next will
come in 101 years on 12/12/2121 and after that there will not be another until
03/03/3030.”
~ CNN
See also Palindromic Number.