The New Year's Dropping of the Opossum

How do we ring in the New Year? Let our Bill Geist count the ways:


On New Year's Eve all eyes were on the crystal ball dropping in New York's Times Square.

What? Nobody was dropping anything anywhere else? Get serious.

A giant pickle plunged into a barrel in North Carolina!

A 200-pound bologna fell to earth in Pennsylvania.

In Times Square they drop the ball. And in Key West, Fla., they drop a shoe carrying a live drag queen.

A frozen carp named Lucky descended to the throne in Wisconsin.

At Clay's Corner gas station in Brasstown - sort of the Times Square of North Carolina - they were doing a traditional dropping of the opossum.

Clay Logan, founder of the opossum drop, would like you to know that their opossum is lowered, not dropped, as delicately as New York's Waterford crystal ball.

"If we said 'Come to the lowering of the opossum,' well, nobody would enjoy that," Logan said.

He denied it was dangerous: "As a matter of fact, there are probably opossums up around my house with little signs saying, 'Use me next year!'"

Clay says the town is proud to call itself the opossum capital of the world, and pays tribute to the critters each year at a pre-drop spectacular that draws thousands - and where Opie, this year's designated opossum dropee, was the star.

Opie could look down through his plexiglass cage and see the remarkably eclectic extravaganza below.

A Baptist church choir sang, followed by a cross-dressing beauty pageant.

There was the Brasstown Brigade, an outfit that blesses people at the New Year by chanting, "We wish you a happy new year! Great health! Long life!" and firing black powder muskets and playing tuba solos.

And there was a truly moving tribute to fallen soldiers.

. . . which only in Brasstown could be followed by the opossum drop.

It was midnight: Time to "get the opossum down!"

Happy New Year!

When the crowd had finally gone, Opie was released.

Geist asked Logan if that separation was a stirring, emotional moment.

"Well, you know, we say good-bye. We don't kiss. But we say good-bye," he replied.

Happy New Year, Opie. Stay out of traffic.

[JillBear]

Disgusting rednecks of North Carolina! I would much rather see Clay Logan strung up in the tree. However don't put him in a plexiglass box. Have him stand on it. Tie a rope around his neck and then kick the box out from under his feet. Now that would be fun to watch. White trash slobs..everyone that attends that event.

[Singaporesling]

IF it is so humane and fun, why don't you put your 2 year old child into the cage and drop him? Just sayin.
Again, very sad that a church would support "God's creatures" to be used for cheap entertainment and cruelty. WWJD????

[SledDogAction]

Not only is this event cruel, but it also encourages animal cruelty. Event organizers are sending the message that it's OK to terrorize animals. Any opossum would be terrified to be dropped.

[msalabama]

We can always count on Bill Geist to do a report which calls attention to some stupid animal cruelty event. Just because humans are entertained by being frightened, doesn't mean wildlife is likewise thrilled. That opossum was scared out of his wits. The segment was ignorant - just like the participants. Time to EVOLVE Brasstown citizens . . . and find a cruelty free way to mimic New York City's crystal ball dropping New Year's custom.

[carlasita]

I have attended the event...have you (or perhaps you consider yourself too intellectual)??? I am an avid animal-lover and the opossum was in NO way treated inhumanely. It was a very wholesome, family oriented, fun event. Maybe you should EVOLVE and not be so critical of such an innocent spoof! There are many more worth-while causes to support.

[erasmus111]

by carlasita January 3, 2011 2:39 PM EST
I am an avid animal-lover and the opossum was in NO way treated inhumanely.


And you are an absolute idiot if you believe that. That opossum had to be caught. Then it was caged inside something. Then raised up high in the air and lowered. Tons of people surrounding it, screaming and yelling. It's a WILD animal and it would have been TERRIFIED. It would have no way of knowing that someone wasn't going to hurt it. It would have thought it was going to die. You don't call that cruel?

[AlanW3225]

Erasmus, you're an obnoxious and clueless troll. I think I speak for 90% of the CBS readers when I say I wish you would just go crawl off in a hole somewhere, and die.

[erasmus111]

I think that I can safely say that 100% of the readers think you are a total moron.

[AlanW3225]

Erasmus, you're an obnoxious and clueless troll. I think I speak for 90% of the CBS readers when I say I wish you would just go crawl off in a whole somewhere, and die.

[ANIMALAURA9]

Opossums are such unique animals! Very adaptable to urban surroundings. They have been on the planet for over 40 million years and are still going strong! Being marsupials, they have a lower body temperature, so the rabies virus cannot survive in them. They cannot catch/transmit/or harbor the rabies virus! The sad part is their lifespan is only 3-4 years, max. So, being lowered (and hopefully then released) for one celebration isn't going to harm a possum (it will roll over and play "dead" if it gets too agitated).
However so called "varmit" sport hunting IS bad for the critter... I mean, it already has a short lifespan and sport hunting is not a good thing for them.

[ANIMALAURA9]

Opossums are such unique animals! Very adaptable to urban surroundings. They have been on the planet for over 40 million years and are still going strong! Being marsupials, they have a lower body temperature, so the rabies virus cannot survive in them. They cannot catch/transmit/or harbor the rabies virus! The sad part is their lifespan is only 3-4 years, max. So, being lowered (and hopefully then released) for one celebration isn't going to harm a possum (it will roll over and play "dead" if it gets too agitated).
However so called "varmit" sport hunting IS bad for the critter... I mean, it already has a short lifespan and sport hunting is not a good thing for them.

[all4education]

We drove up from Mobile, AL to see the opossum drop. It was great. We really enjoyed it. Thank you Clay. We have been visiting your town for many years. The event was tasteful, humane, and very funny. Loved it. We will go again for sure.

[mask2697]

He denied it was dangerous: "As a matter of fact, there are probably opossums up around my house with little signs saying, 'Use me next year!'"

...


LOL