NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- In a new interview, former Mayor Bill de Blasio looked to set the record straight about the infamous Groundhog Day of 2014, when he dropped a Staten Island groundhog that died days later.
De Blasio told New York Magazine in a story published Wednesday that he "100%" regrets dropping the groundhog in front of a group of kids at the Staten Island Zoo.
"I’m like, 'Don't make me hold a f***ing groundhog.' I mean, what the hell?" the ex-mayor told the outlet.
De Blasio recounted the events of the fateful morning that may have contributed to the rodent prognosticator's untimely death.
"I go there and it’s 7 in the morning, which means my motor skills are not at their best," he said.
"I put on these gloves, and they’re like, 'Here’s a groundhog.' I’m like, 'What the f***?' I’m like, 'Don’t you have a little more coaching to go with this or whatever?' It was idiocy. Why would you want an elected official to hold a groundhog?"
"I don’t know anything about holding groundhogs," de Blasio continued. "So the whole thing is just insane. There’s an original sin here. Don’t hand someone a groundhog, right?"
He said he wasn't sure how to handle a groundhog or if he should "squeeze it really tight."
"I mean, what do you do?" he said.
Video captured the moment the groundhog crawled onto de Blasio's arm and flopped to the ground to audible gasps and screams from the audience.
Unbeknownst to many at the event, the groundhog that was dropped wasn't the well-known Staten Island Chuck but a stand-in named Charlotte, according to the Staten Island Advance.
Charlotte was found dead seven days later, having suffered from "acute internal injuries" consistent with a fall, the New York Post reported.
The Staten Island Zoo said at the time that it "appeared unlikely" Charlotte's death was related to de Blasio dropping her.
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