Flooding flops, fans’ profanities and more: Philly’s most Philly moments of 2021

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — If Four Seasons Total Landscaping didn’t solidify Philly’s niche category of weirdness in 2020, then show-offs jumping into a flooded I-676 definitely did in 2021.

Philadelphia clapped back with more viral moments of its own this year, doubling down on all the things that make this city … well, let’s just say, unique.

Eagles fans went viral for, of course, mocking their own coach’s flower analogy. The Phillie Phanatic gave us an epic return to his true trademarked form. And, some of our beloved Tastykakes were recalled for metal fragments — the latter of which sounds like an all-true subplot you’d see on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”

Here are some of Philly’s most Philly moments of 2021.

Let’s start with the most obvious: the Vine Street “Canal” jumpers.

When Hurricane Ida swept through the region, it flooded the Schuylkill River to a record-breaking height. All that water had to go somewhere — including the Vine Street Expressway.

Unsurprisingly, daredevils and attention-seekers were quick to flock to the highway. One chaotic Philadelphian backflipped into the brown slush from the 22nd Street overpass, where the water was almost up to the street signs. Yuck.

Seems like Philly is underwater often. Back in July, a water main broke in Queen Village, flooding residents’ basements and forming a massive sinkhole at the intersection of Sixth and Bainbridge streets.

But when something ugly happens in Philadelphia, we just put a sticker on it. A street artist planted a satirical historical marker at the site of the crater, titled the “GREAT PHILLY SINKHOLE.”

It read: “A historic 130-year-old 30-inch water main under this intersection burst, creating a massive geyser, turning 6th street into a raging river, and making beautiful waterfalls in people’s basements. This scenic sinkhole is all that remains, and it has been delighting both residents and tourists ever since.”

Would you tip this bartender? In July, our one-and-only Jason Kelce played guest bartender at the Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City.

We came for the Eagles Autism Foundation fundraiser, we stayed for the drunken beer chugs and photo ops.

You can take the kid out of Philly, but you can’t take Philly out of the kid.

In September, a video went viral of Philly native Eugene Pozzi luring an alligator into a trash can right outside the front door of his Florida house. He ended up releasing it across the street into a nearby retention pond.

It sounds like your typical “Florida Man” story, but it certainly took Philly guts to do it.

Over the summer, a crew on a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami duct-taped an unruly passenger who police say assaulted several flight attendants.

Video shows some of the drunk 22-year-old’s verbal and physical tirade. The crew ultimately duct-taped him to his seat. When he continued to scream profanities and threats, a flight attendant taped his mouth shut.

It seems like flight crews have been de-escalating one chaotic passenger after another during the pandemic. We really think they deserve a raise.

Is there anything more Philly than Mary Kate from Delco? The Eagles fan became an instant internet sensation when national TV cameras caught her passionately mouthing “That’s f***ing bulls***” at a home game in November.

This must be where Kate Winslet got her inspiration for “Mare of Easttown” — er, Mare of Havertown? She puts the Phandemic Krew’s hollers outside the Phillies ballpark to shame.

Speaking of fans, this one got a little too overzealous at a 76ers home game. In May, Wizards star Russell Westbrook was walking to the locker room when a Sixers fan poured popcorn on him below. The popcorn-pourer was eventually banned from the Wells Fargo Center.

Did the organization try to eliminate future so-called “knucklehead behavior”? Yes. Will Philadelphians behave? Eh, probably not. The phrase “Broad Street Bullies” was coined for a reason, after all.

Leave it to Philadelphians to completely trash something they don’t like. Back in the spring, Center City’s Steak 48 got grilled by patrons and non-patrons alike for its $100 minimum per person policy.

The rules were pinned outside its door: “There is a $100 per person food & beverage minimum for each person at your table in order to ensure that each guest enjoys the total experience of food, service and atmosphere. This does not include tax or tip.” It also enforced a business casual dress code for dinner service.

All that amid a pandemic, mind you, that has tormented the restaurant industry.

Whether or not you asked for an opinion on the steakhouse’s policies, Philly will give it to you. And we kinda love that.