‘I was born with the groundhog gene’: Punxsutawney Phil’s handler speaks with ‘4 The Record’
Host Jill Szwed sat down with A.J. Dereume
TODAY ON FOR THE RECORD, LOOKING AT TRADITION DATING BACK NEARLY 140 YEARS, JUST MUCH BIGGER AND LARGER, TOTALLY DIFFERENT OPERATION THESE DAYS. ON THIS GROUNDHOG DAY EVE, I TRAVEL TO PUNXSUTAWNEY JEFFERSON COUNTY TO INTERVIEW THE HANDLER OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS GROUNDHOG. WE GET A LOT OF PHOTOS TAKEN WHEN PHIL’S HANDLER. THAT PART’S COOL IF YOU’RE INTO THAT. BUT THERE’S ALSO A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH IT. WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT THIS ANNUAL TRADITION? PHIL’S PERSONALITY BEHIND THE SCENES, AND WHY BECOMING PHIL’S HANDLER WAS SOMETHING HE SAYS WAS MEANT TO BE. I WAS BORN WITH THE GROUNDHOG, GENE, IF YOU WILL. FOR THE RECORD, STARTS RIGHT NOW. WELCOME TO. FOR THE RECORD, I’M JILL SZWED. GROUNDHOG DAY IS LESS THAN 24 HOURS AWAY, AND THE ENTIRE WORLD IS WATCHING TO FIND OUT IF PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL WILL SEE HIS SHADOW. MEANING SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER OR NOT SEE IT SIGNALING SPRING IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. SO TODAY I’M TRAVELING TO PUNXSUTAWNEY IN JEFFERSON COUNTY TO SPEAK WITH PHIL’S HANDLER, THE MAN NICKNAMED THE RAINMAKER. HE’S SHARING MORE ABOUT THIS INCREDIBLE ANNUAL TRADITION UNFOLDING JUST ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF OUTSIDE OF PITTSBURGH. HOW DID YOU GET THE ESTEEMED POSITION OF BEING PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL HANDLER? WELL, THERE’S A THERE’S A LOT OF FAME. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, FORTUNE, I SUPPOSE. NOT FORTUNE, BUT YOU GET A LOT OF PHOTOS TAKEN WHEN YOU’RE PHIL’S HANDLER. THAT PART’S COOL IF YOU’RE INTO THAT. BUT THERE’S ALSO A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH IT. SO I THINK WHEN THE TIME CAME THAT THE THE LAST HANDLER WAS RETIRING, YOU KNOW, HE KIND OF SAID, SOMEONE’S GOTTA SOMEONE’S GONNA HAVE TO DO THIS. AND I LOOKED AROUND THE ROOM AND I WAS LIKE, IF I DON’T RAISE MY HAND, SOMEONE’S GONNA GET THIS JOB, AND I REALLY WANT IT. AND I PUT MY HAND IN THE AIR AND I LOOKED AROUND AND I’M LIKE, NO ONE ELSE IS TAKING IT, ALL RIGHT, IT’S ME. YEAH. HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN PHIL SANDLER? I THINK THIS IS NINE. NINE. OKAY, WONDERFUL. TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND. WHAT IS YOUR ROOTS HERE IN PUNXSUTAWNEY? ARE YOU A NATIVE OR ARE YOU A TRANSPLANT? I’M A NATIVE. I WAS BORN HERE AND I ACTUALLY NOT THE THE GROUNDHOG CLUB ISN’T A LEGACY ORGANIZATION, BUT I AM A LEGACY MEMBER. MY GRANDFATHER WAS A MEMBER AND MY DAD WAS A MEMBER. SO I’VE GOT LUCKY ENOUGH TO FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN YOUR FAMILY? TO HAVE SUCH A CLOSE TIE TO GROUNDHOG DAY AND PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL? I MEAN, IT’S IT’S ALWAYS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO US. I MEAN, THAT’S PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU BECOME A MEMBER OF THE GROUNDHOG? WELL, THAT WAS PART OF WHAT GOT ME IN WAS I WAS THERE, I WAS INVOLVED, I WAS, YOU KNOW, I HAD THE I WAS BORN WITH THE GROUNDHOG GENE, IF YOU WILL, AND AND SO YEAH, FOR OUR FAMILY, IT’S JUST ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT WE’VE BEEN SUCH A PART OF. AND IT’S BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO US. SO YEAH, IT’S FUN AND A BIG DEAL. YEAH. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR EARLIEST MEMORIES OF GROUNDHOG DAY? WELL, YOU KNOW, MY MY ORIGINAL LIKE I LIKE MY FIRST GROUNDHOG DAY MEMORIES WOULD HAVE BEEN MY DAD BRINGING AS A NONMEMBER, BRINGING ME TO GROUNDHOG DAY TO WATCH MY GRANDPA GO UP ON STAGE. AND, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THOSE DAYS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE I WAS BORN IN 79. SO THAT HAD BEEN IN THE 80S. IT WAS. 1500 PEOPLE. AND I MEAN, I’M NOT EVEN KIDDING. YOU’D LOOK TO YOUR LEFT AND THERE’D BE LIKE A TENT. AND YOU’RE RIGHT, THERE’D BE LIKE THREE EMPTY 30 PACKS OF BEER. AND IT’S JUST A SMALL LITTLE THING. IT WAS. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT UP HERE AT 6:00 IN THE MORNING. PHIL CAME OUT AND SAW A SHADOW AT SUNRISE, WHICH MIGHT BE LIKE 715 ISH, AND MY DAD WOULD DROP ME OFF FOR SCHOOL. I WOULDN’T EVEN BE LATE FOR SCHOOL. IT WAS. AND THEY’D ALL GO TO WORK. LIKE GROUNDHOG DAY WAS JUST TOTALLY DIFFERENT BACK THEN. AND THAT WAS THEIR ONLY. WELL, THEY HAD TWO EVENTS BACK THEN, GROUNDHOG DAY AND THE GROUNDHOG PICNIC, WHICH IS IN THE FALL. OTHER THAN THAT, THERE WASN’T MUCH GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. NOW IT IS 365 DAYS A YEAR, TOTALLY DIFFERENT. IT’S JUST MUCH BIGGER AND LARGER, TOTALLY DIFFERENT OPERATION THESE DAYS. I CAN ATTEST BEING AT THE PARTY THAT WAS HERE LAST YEAR, SO I’M SURE IT’S GOING TO BE EVEN BIGGER THIS YEAR AS WELL. YOU PROBABLY KNOW PHIL THE MOST OUT OF THE INNER CIRCLE. WHAT IS HIS PERSONALITY LIKE? IT FEELS A LITTLE MAYBE I’D SAY LIKE CADDISH OR LIKE A, LIKE A HORSE WHERE HE HE IF HE IF HE’S FAMILIAR WITH YOU AND YOU SEE HIM OFTEN AND HE RECOGNIZES YOU AS SOMEONE HE TRUSTS, HE IS PRETTY. PRETTY GOOD, YOU KNOW, PRETTY NICE. AND I MEAN, WHEN I WALK INTO PHIL’S ZOO, HE WALKS RIGHT UP TO ME AND CRAWLS UP MY LEG, AND I’LL GIVE HIM A PEANUT OR MAYBE A PIECE OF A BANANA OR SOMETHING, AND HE’S HAPPY. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LITTLE CHAT AND GO ON OUR GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS. BUT IF ONE OF THE OTHER GUYS, EVEN IF ONE OF THE OTHER GUYS WALKS IN THE ZOO WITH ME, HE CAN TELL SOMEONE ELSE IS IN THERE AND HE’S A LOT MORE HESITANT TO WALK RIGHT UP TO YOU BECAUSE THERE’S LIKE A ONE MAN DOG, YOU KNOW, HOW WAS HE WITH PHYLLIS? THEY PHIL’S ALWAYS GOOD WITH PHYLLIS. SHE TOLERATES HIM SOMETIMES. AND SOMETIMES SHE’S HAD ENOUGH OF HIS, YOU KNOW, HIS LATE NIGHTS MAYBE. I DON’T KNOW, HE’S BECAUSE HE GETS QUITE BUSY IN JANUARY LEADING UP INTO GROUNDHOG DAY. BUT YEAH, THEY GET ALONG PRETTY GOOD. THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE KIDS, SONNY AND SHADOW. THEY’RE, I SUPPOSE, IN GROUNDHOG YEARS. THEY’RE ADULTS NOW. SO NICE. YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS IS TURNED INTO A YEAR. ROUND, 365 DAY JOB AND REALLY AN INITIATIVE FOR THE INNER CIRCLE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU AS PHIL’S HANDLER? ARE YOU GOING OUT TO EVENTS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH ALL YEAR ROUND? WHAT KIND OF IS DOES THE YEAR CALENDAR LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? WE DO. WE’RE I WOULD SAY I MEAN, WE’RE ALWAYS AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. THERE’S SOMETHING THAT PHIL HAS TO DO. SOME OF IT IS LIKE THAT. WE CHASE IT, BUT MOST OF IT IS JUST KIND OF HAPPENS BECAUSE WE’RE WE ALL HAVE DAY JOBS TOO. BUT GROUNDHOG DAY IS, YOU KNOW, JUST ORGANICALLY EVOLVED INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY. SO LIKE I SAID, WE’RE NOT REALLY CHASING IT, BUT IT’S, YOU KNOW, OUR MAIN GOAL IS WE HAVE ONE LIKE WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, AA1 MISSION. AND THAT’S TO PERPETUATE THE LEGEND OF PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL. SO THE WAY WE LOOK AT IT, THAT’S, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE DO THAT? WELL, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SOME VALUE TO SOMEONE THAT’S TRAVELING TO PUNXSUTAWNEY. AND WE REALIZED AT A POINT THAT IT WASN’T JUST GROUNDHOG DAY. IF SOMEONE WAS DRIVING ACROSS 80 AND THIS WAS HAPPENING LIKE EVERY DAY, THEY’D BE DRIVING ACROSS 80 OR, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE AND THEY’D SAY, OH, HEY, PUNXSUTAWNEY IS LIKE, RIGHT ALONG THE WAY, LET’S SWING THROUGH THERE. I JUST WANT TO SEE WHERE THAT TAKES PLACE OR I WANT TO SEE PHIL. IT’S LIKE THE BLARNEY STONE OR LIKE SOMETHING. AND, YOU KNOW, WE REALIZED WE DIDN’T HAVE A EVEN A PRESENCE UP HERE ON GOBBLER’S KNOB. LIKE, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DON’T REALIZE GOBBLER’S KNOB IS LIKE, WHERE GROUNDHOG DAY TAKES PLACE, IS LIKE A MILE OUTSIDE OF PUNXSUTAWNEY IN LIKE A RURAL SETTING. BUT OUR OFFICE WAS DOWNTOWN PUNXSUTAWNEY AND SO WE WOULDN’T EVEN BE UP HERE IN THE SUMMER MONTHS. AND SO ONE OF THE GUYS WOULD BE UP, LIKE WEED WHACKING OR PULLING WEEDS OR PAINTING A FENCE OR SOMETHING, AND HE’D SAY, DO YOU GUYS REALIZE THAT THERE’S LIKE THREE CARS AN HOUR COMING IN THERE? AND AND SO WE SAID, WELL, WE REALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO GREET THOSE PEOPLE. AND LIKE I SAID, THESE ORGANIC THINGS HAPPEN. YOU HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE’VE GOT A VISITOR CENTER UP HERE AND WE’RE SEEING ALL THOSE PEOPLE AND WE FEEL GIVING THEM MORE OF AN EXPERIENCE IS JUST BY WORD OF MOUTH, MORE INTEREST. AND THE THE THING JUST KEEPS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER. AND WE LOVE IT. STILL AHEAD ON FOR THE RECORD, NONE OF US HAVE ANY IDEA GOING INTO GROUNDHOG DAY WHAT PHIL’S PREDICTION IS GOING TO BE. IT’S PHIL AND PHIL ALONE. A CONTINUED LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN AT HOW PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL LIVES AND ENJOYS LIFE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, FROM THE FAME TO THE THIS BIG ANNUAL MOMENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT. WELCOME BACK TO FOR THE RECORD, AS WE CONTINUE MY CONVERSATION WITH THE RAINMAKER, THE MAN HONORED TO SERVE AS PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL HANDLER, I LEARNED MORE ABOUT WHAT LIFE IS REALLY LIKE BEHIND THE SCENES WITH PHIL. I WOULD ASSUME THAT A LOT OF THESE EVENTS HAPPEN BOTH HERE IN TOWN AND ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH. YOU’RE PHIL’S RIGHT HAND MAN. WHAT DOES TRANSPORTING PHIL LOOK LIKE FROM ONE DESTINATION TO ANOTHER? IT IT HAS SOME LAYERS. OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, PHIL HAS A CARRIER, LIKE A PET CARRIER. BUT BUT THAT DOESN’T WORK TOO WELL BECAUSE YOU CAN’T REACH IN LIKE THIS AND GET PHIL. YOU HAVE TO REACH DOWN FROM THE TOP TO PICK UP A GROUNDHOG. SO YOU’RE NOT REACHING AT THEIR MOUTH BECAUSE THEY IT FEELS NOT TAME. HE’LL STILL BITE. SO WE HAVE BUILT SOME DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT THE MAIN HIS MAIN TRAVEL CARRIER IS A LIKE A PLEXIGLASS CYLINDER THAT WE’VE BUILT THAT HE’S HE CAN BE IN, HE CAN’T JUMP OUT OF IT. AND PEOPLE CAN GET PICTURES FROM THE WHOLE WAY AROUND. AND SO HE TRAVELS IN THAT. AND THEN WE PUT THAT IN SOMETIMES IN THE BACK OF ONE OF OUR VEHICLES, BUT MOST OFTEN IN THE PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL MOBILE, WHICH IS LIKE A, LIKE A SHUTTLE BUS, LIKE A, YOU KNOW, LIKE AN ATA OR LIKE A, YOU KNOW, LIKE A, LIKE AN AIRPORT SHUTTLE BUS AND OR AND IT’S IT’S ALL, YOU KNOW, IT’S WRAPPED LIKE THIS ROOM IN FULL GROUND. IT IS FULL. PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER, ACTUALLY, A DEPICTION OF GOBBLER’S KNOB ON IT. SO IT’S KIND OF COOL. LIKE YOU LOOK AT THE BUS AND IT’S LIKE YOU’RE THERE AND IT’S ALL IT’S DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR. PHIL. SO IT’S GOT A DOOR ON THE SIDE WHERE HIS CARRIER GOES IN, AND SEATING FOR THE INNER CIRCLE INSIDE, AND IT ACTUALLY HAS SPEAKERS THAT MOUNT ON THE OUTSIDE. SO WHEN WE DO PARADES, WE STICK THE SPEAKERS ON THE, YOU KNOW, ON THERE. AND WE CAN PLAY SOME GROUNDHOG MUSIC. AND IT HAS A PLATFORM THAT FOLDS DOWN IN FRONT FOR PHIL TO RIDE ON WITH HIS HANDLERS, AND THAT’S HOW HE THEN GREETS PEOPLE FOR PARADES, BECAUSE WE TRY TO BOUNCE AROUND TO AS MANY PARADES AS WE CAN GET TO, AND THEN JUST THE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT WE GET INVITED TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE AT. SO IT’S IT’S GREAT. IT’S A GREAT WAY TO TRAVEL. AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CERTAINLY THEN SEE PHIL COMING. THEY THEY LIKE GETTING THEIR PICTURE IN FRONT OF THE BUS AS MUCH AS THEY LIKE THEIR PICTURE TAKEN HERE, I THINK SO. WELL, DO YOU THINK THE ALLURE IS OF A GROUNDHOG TO PEOPLE WHENEVER THEY SEE PHIL COMING? I MEAN, HAVE YOU MET HIM? I’VE ONLY SEEN HIM FROM A DISTANCE LAST YEAR. HE’S, YOU KNOW, HE’S A PRETTY CHARISMATIC FELLOW. HE’S, YOU KNOW, GROUNDHOG. THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT HIM, YOU KNOW, THEY’RE CUTE. THEY THEY LOOK CUDDLY. THEY’RE THEY’RE VERY INTELLIGENT. THEY ARE GOOD AT PREDICTING THE WEATHER. AND THEY’RE JUST, YOU KNOW, HE’S HE AND IT’S SOME OF IT’S JUST THE ALLURE WHETHER SOMEONE MIGHT BE A TRUE BELIEVER. WHAT WE’D SAY LIKE A PHIL FAN OR THEY MIGHT BE A CYNIC, BUT EITHER WAY, THEY WANT THEY WANT A PICTURE BESIDE THEM. SO THEY WANT TO THEY WANT TO MEET THEM. THEY WANT TO SEE WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. THEY WANT TO ASK ME HOW OLD PHIL IS, AND THEN THEY WANT TO ASK THE NEXT TOP HATTER DOWN THE ROW THEY SAY THE SAME THING. AND THEN THEN THEY WANT TO ASK SOMEONE FROM TOWN AND SEE IF THEY SAY THE SAME THING, AND THEN THEY SAY, OH, YOU’VE BEEN HERE A BUNCH OF TIMES. WHAT? HOW OLD IS PHIL? AND YOU TELL THEM THE SAME THING AND THEY’RE LIKE, OKAY, I’M STARTING TO GET THIS. AND WHAT IS THE REAL ANSWER? HOW OLD IS PHIL? WELL, PHIL’S AT LEAST 139 YEARS OLD. HE CAME TO OUR CARE IN 1887, AND SO WE’RE NOT SURE HOW OLD HE WAS THEN, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE’S BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME, AND WE EXPECT HIM TO BE AROUND FOR QUITE A WHILE LONGER. TELL US ABOUT THE LEGEND OF THE ELIXIR THAT KEEPS HIM GOING ALL THESE 300 YEARS, 130 YEAR PLUS. YEAH. SO, WELL, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, HE CAME INTO OUR CARE IN 1887, IN PUNXSUTAWNEY, THERE WERE A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD BECOME THE GROUNDHOG CLUB, BUT BACK IN THOSE DAYS, THEY ACTUALLY HUNTED GROUNDHOG AND HAD THIS BIG PICNIC EVERY FALL, WHICH WE STILL HAVE. AND GROUNDHOG WAS THE MAIN COURSE. WELL, WHAT WE SAY IS THAT ONE YEAR A PARTICULAR GROUNDHOG PRESENTED HIMSELF TO THESE HUNTERS AND HUNTRESSES, AND THEY RECOGNIZED THAT HE WAS UNIQUE. AND FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, HE WAS THE GUEST OF HONOR AND NO LONGER THE MAIN COURSE. SO NOW WE HAVE STEAK AND MASHED POTATOES AND CORN ON THE COB, AND PHIL GETS TO ATTEND THE THE PICNIC. AND AT THAT PICNIC HE GOES DOWN ONTO THE ONTO HIS STUMP AND IS ADMINISTERED THE ELIXIR OF LIFE. OR SOME PEOPLE CALL IT GROUNDHOG PUNCH, BUT IT’S A SECRET RECIPE PASSED DOWN FROM HANDLER TO HANDLER, AND WITH EACH SIP, HE GETS SEVEN MORE YEARS OF LONGEVITY. SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY, I DON’T KNOW IF THE CAMERA SHOWS IT, BUT WE’RE IN THIS DEPICTION BACK HERE WHERE WE ARE ADMINISTERING THE ELIXIR. SO VERY NICE. ANOTHER PART OF THE LAW IS THE GROUNDHOG ESE THAT EVERYBODY IN THE INNER CIRCLE LEARNS AND IS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH. WELL, IT’S ACTUALLY NOT NOT TRUE. OKAY. SO GROUNDHOG ESE IS A IS A LANGUAGE THAT IS ABLE TO BE INTERPRETED BY THE THE GROUNDHOG CLUB PRESIDENT, OKAY. THROUGH HIS POSSESSION OF AN ANCIENT ACACIA WOOD CANE. WALKING CANE. OKAY. AND THAT CANE KIND OF GETS PASSED DOWN FROM PRESIDENT TO PRESIDENT. BUT I LIKE TO SAY IT’S KIND OF LIKE IF PEOPLE KNOW THE STORY OF THE SWORD AND THE STONE, LIKE, I MIGHT HAND YOU THAT CANE AND YOU’D BE LOOKING AT PHIL AND, YOU KNOW, JUST KNOW NOTHING’S DIFFERENT. OR YOU MIGHT PICK IT UP AND YOU LOOK AT PHIL AND HE LOOKS AT YOU AND SAYS, HEY, YOU KNOW, I COULD REALLY GO FOR AN AVOCADO RIGHT NOW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND SO THEN YOU WOULD KNOW THAT YOU’D BE ACTUALLY THE HEIR APPARENT TO THE PRESIDENCY OF THE GROUNDHOG CLUB. WE’D HAVE A LOT OF PAPERWORK AND THINGS TO DO, BUT THAT’S KIND OF HOW THAT WORKS, IS IT IS, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT CANE GIVES THAT PERSON THAT ONE PERSON THE ABILITY TO INTERPRET GROUNDHOGS. THEY CAN’T EVEN NECESSARILY SPEAK IT, OKAY, BUT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND IT. SO THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS ON, YOU KNOW, ON FEBRUARY 2ND, THERE’S YOU KNOW, THAT’S SOMETHING EVEN WIKIPEDIA HAS IT WRONG. YOU KNOW, YOU GET ON IT. PEOPLE THINK WE HAVE LIKE IT’S ALL SCRIPTED AND WE HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE’S 15 TOP HATTERS AND NONE OF US HAVE ANY IDEA GOING INTO GROUNDHOG DAY WHAT FEELS PREDICTION IS GOING TO BE IT’S PHIL AND PHIL ALONE. I COULD SIT THERE AND SAY, BUDDY, SHADOWS RIGHT THERE. IT DOESN’T MATTER. IT’S PHIL’S PREDICTION. HE HE HE. COMMUNICATES THAT PREDICTION TO THE PRESIDENT IN GROUNDHOG ESE. AND THE PRESIDENT THEN DIRECTS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE GRETNA CLUB TO READ THE PROPER PREDICTION. THAT’S HOW THAT ALL HAPPENS. SO IT’S ALL THROUGH THAT THAT GROUNDHOG. SO LIKE I SAID, NONE OF US ACTUALLY, OTHER THAN THE PRESIDENT, HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT PHIL STANDS FOR. ME, IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE GROUNDHOG CLICKING HIS TEETH AND WIGGLING HIS EARS. SO VERY NICE. AS A METEOROLOGIST, I HAVE TO ASK YOU, WHAT IS PHIL’S WEATHER BACKGROUND? DOES HE HAVE ANY WEATHER SCHOOLING THAT HE’S LEARNED OVER THESE YEARS? HE’S WHAT WE WOULD CALL A SAVANT. OKAY? A WEATHER SAVANT IS AN ALL 100% NATURAL ABILITY. VERY NICE. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT HE’S GOING TO SAY THIS YEAR? HAS HE TOLD YOU ANYTHING? I HAVE NO IDEA. OKAY. SOMETIMES I CAN SENSE AN INKLING OR. I THINK, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO, LIKE, PONDER. I GUESS. BUT, YEAH, I REALLY HAVE NO IDEA. OKAY. YEAH. IT’LL BE THE MORNING OF. IF YOU WOULDN’T MIND TAKING US BACK TO YOUR VERY FIRST GROUNDHOG DAY AS HIS HANDLER. WHAT WAS IT LIKE AWAKENING FROM HIS HIBERNATION IN THE STUMP ON GOBBLER’S KNOB? WELL. AND IT HAS BECOME. YOU GET A LITTLE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT, BUT LIKE, I DON’T I DIDN’T GROW UP BEING ON STAGE IN FRONT OF 50,000 PEOPLE, NOR DO I DO IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO THAT PART OF IT THERE’S, AS YOU KNOW, WITH YOUR PROFESSION, THERE’S SOME. PRESSURE TO SHOWMANSHIP, TOO. YEAH, THERE’S SOME SHOWMANSHIP AND SOME PRESSURE AND YOU’RE YOU’RE TRYING TO KEEP YOUR MIND FROM GETTING INTO THE GUTTER AND CONTEMPLATING FAILURE IN ANY WAY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST WANT TO DO IT RIGHT. YOU DON’T WANT TO TRIP, YOU DON’T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, YOU DON’T WANT. YOU’RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, BUTTONS TO BE BUTTONED CROOKED. YOU’RE JUST TRYING TO THINK ALL THOSE THINGS. THE STAGE, BUT IT REALLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU REALIZE IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU AND YOU’RE JUST THE MESSENGER, THEN YOU’RE ALL RIGHT, AND THEN YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU OPEN THE DOORS AND YOU’RE PRAYING HE’S IN THERE BECAUSE, I MEAN, HE COULD, I SUPPOSE, DIG THROUGH THE STUMP, BUT HE NEVER DOES. YEAH. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GET HIM OUT AND IT’S IT ALL HAPPENS VERY, VERY FAST. BUT IT IS AWE INSPIRING TO SEE ALL THOSE PEOPLE AND HEAR THEIR CHEERS. IT IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE. IT REALLY PUTS IT INTO PERSPECTIVE. IT’S FOR ME, THERE’S NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT. IT’S I’M I’M LUCKY TO HAVE THIS, HAVE MY TIME WITH PHIL AND AT SOME POINT IT WILL COME TO A CLOSE AND I’LL MOVE ON TO SOME OTHER POSITION. BUT FOR NOW IT IS A GREAT JOB AND I’M GLAD TO BE THERE. WITH THEM. STILL AHEAD, A FINAL THOUGHT FROM PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL HANDLER. WELCOME BACK TO, FOR THE RECORD, ON THIS GROUNDHOG DAY EVE, BEFORE WE WRAP UP, ONE FINAL THOUGHT FROM PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL HANDLER, TAKE A LOOK. YOU MENTIONED BEFORE THAT PHIL IS MORE THAN JUST A LOCAL LEGEND. HE’S A NATIONAL TREASURE TO WORLDWIDE, WORLDWIDE EVEN. YES. IF YOU COULD LEAVE US WITH ONE, MAYBE OF YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES OF BEING OUT WITH PHIL, WHETHER IT’S DURING THE GROUNDHOG CELEBRATIONS AROUND GROUNDHOG DAY OR THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, I WOULD SAY THAT. PROBABLY MY FAVORITE THING. IT IS THE PEOPLE, JUST ALL THE PEOPLE MEETING PHIL AND SEEING HOW EXCITED THEY GET. AND THERE’S TWO TIMES. IN MY TIME, MAYBE WITH PHIL AS HANDLER OR JUST BEING IN THE GROUNDHOG CLUB. WE DO THE PITTSBURGH SAINT PATRICK’S DAY PARADE EVERY YEAR, AND THERE ARE POINTS IN THAT PARADE WHERE IT IS SO CROWDED AND ESPECIALLY IN GOOD WEATHER YEAR, IT’S LIKE YOU’RE GOING DOWN. I THINK IT’S GRANT AND THE PEOPLE ARE THE IT IS FROM THE BUILDING TO THE CURB, AND THEN ANOTHER 15FT INTO THE ROAD THAT THEY ARE SWELLED AND YOU’RE LIKE PARTING THE RED SEA, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH, WITH THE OTHER PARADE, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPANTS AND THE, THE, THE SCREAMING IS SO LOUD THAT YOUR, YOUR, YOUR EARDRUMS LITERALLY FLUTTER. IT IS THE EXCITEMENT OF THOSE PEOPLE IN THAT CROWD. IT’S THERE. AND SCHOOL VISITS. SO WE TAKE PHIL TO THESE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU’RE IN A CLASSROOM OF, YOU KNOW, YOU’RE AT A PRESCHOOL IN A CLASSROOM OF 20 TODDLERS. SOMETIMES YOU’RE IN, YOU KNOW, A A LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THEIR GYMNASIUM WITH THE ENTIRE SCHOOL. AND YOU WALK INTO THOSE THINGS AND IT’S THE SAME WAY, LIKE IT IS SO LOUD AND SO UNBELIEVABLE. AND THEY’RE CHEERING FOR PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL. AND YOU SEE IT AND YOU FEEL IT AND YOU’RE LIKE, YOU. YOU RECOGNIZE HOW 50,000 PEOPLE DESCEND ON A TOWN OF 5000 ONCE A YEAR TO WATCH A GROUNDHOG PREDICT THE WEATHER. IT IS IT’S IT’S REAL. AND KEEP IT HERE BECAUSE COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, MY FOR THE RECORD’S FOCUS ON GROUNDHOG DAY IS FAR FROM OVER. ONE OF THE MISSIONS OF THE GROUNDHOG CLUB IS TO BRING PEOPLE TO PUNXSUTAWNEY EVERY DAY, NOT JUST GROUNDHOG DAY. AS WE GET READY FOR GROUNDHOG DAY. TOMORROW. FOR THE RECORD, IS ALSO SPEAKING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE GROUNDHOG CLUB. JOIN US NEXT SUNDAY AT 11 AND WILL LOOK BACK AT THE PREDICTION PHIL MAKES THIS WEEK, AND ALSO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GROUNDHOG DAY TRADITIONS IN PUNXSUTAWNEY. AND BE SURE TO TUNE IN TOMORROW MORNING STARTING AT 430 AS PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR COVERS ALL THINGS GROUNDHOG DAY IN THE BIG RUN UP TO PHIL’S ANNOUNCEMENT. BUT FOR NOW, THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY’S EPISODE OF FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. HAVE A GREAT WEEK.
‘I was born with the groundhog gene’: Punxsutawney Phil’s handler speaks with ‘4 The Record’
Host Jill Szwed sat down with A.J. Dereume
Updated: 11:00 AM EST Feb 1, 2026
On Sunday, which was Groundhog Day eve, “4 The Record” featured host Jill Szwed’s interview with A.J. Dereume, the handler for what is arguably the most famous groundhog in the world, Punxsutawney Phil.The Groundhog Day tradition happens every Feb. 2.Phil is removed from his burrow and legend says that, if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.If he does not see a shadow, there will be an early spring.GROUNDHOG DAY TRAVEL GUIDE | GROUNDHOG DAY EVENTS | BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE INNER CIRCLEAbout his role as Phil’s handler, Dereume said, “You get a lot of photos taken when you’re Phil’s handler. That part’s cool if you’re into that. But there’s also a lot of work and a lot of responsibility that comes with it.”Dereume said the role is fitting because his grandfather was a member of Punxsutawney’s groundhog club, as was his father.“I was born with the groundhog gene, if you will,” he said.Groundhog Day will be held Monday.WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. —
On Sunday, which was Groundhog Day eve, “4 The Record” featured host Jill Szwed’s interview with A.J. Dereume, the handler for what is arguably the most famous groundhog in the world, Punxsutawney Phil.
The Groundhog Day tradition happens every Feb. 2.
Phil is removed from his burrow and legend says that, if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.
If he does not see a shadow, there will be an early spring.
GROUNDHOG DAY TRAVEL GUIDE | GROUNDHOG DAY EVENTS | BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE INNER CIRCLE
About his role as Phil’s handler, Dereume said, “You get a lot of photos taken when you’re Phil’s handler. That part’s cool if you’re into that. But there’s also a lot of work and a lot of responsibility that comes with it.”
Dereume said the role is fitting because his grandfather was a member of Punxsutawney’s groundhog club, as was his father.
“I was born with the groundhog gene, if you will,” he said.
Groundhog Day will be held Monday.
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE