25 foot tall popscicle floods New York's Central Park

[Ian David]

Giant Popsicle Melts, Floods N.Y. Park
Wednesday, June 22, 2005


NEW YORK — An attempt to raise the world's largest ice pop in a city square ended with a scene straight out of a disaster film — but much stickier.

The 25-foot-tall, 171/2-ton treat of frozen Snapple (search) juice melted faster than expected Tuesday, flooding Union Square in downtown Manhattan (search) with kiwi-strawberry-flavored fluid that sent pedestrians scurrying for higher ground.

Firefighters closed off several streets and used hoses to wash away the sugary goo. Some passers-by slipped in the puddles, but no serious injuries were reported.

Snapple had been trying to promote a new line of frozen treats by setting a record for the world's largest ice pop, but called off the stunt before it was pulled fully upright by a construction crane. Officials said they were worried the thing would collapse in the 80-degree, first-day-of-summer heat.

"We planned for this. ... We just didn't expect for it to happen so fast," said Snapple spokeswoman Lauren Radcliffe (search). She said the company would offer to pay the city for the cleanup costs.

More:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160383,00.html

[sleipnir]

1. Ummm...I think this happened at Union Square, NOT Central Park

Might want to change the title, the two are miles apart. Just a friendly heads up!

[NV Whino]

2. Somehow I think summer in New York is the wrong time for this.

[Ian David]

4. This is the type of thing my Public Relations textbook warned me about

Snapple... made from the messiest things on Earth.

[Devlzown]

3. Yuck!

I've never liked any of their beverages and I can't imagine their popsicles tasting any better. And I'd be royally pissed if I had a pair of shoes ruined by that little stunt.

[Ian David]

6. Snapple used to be good back in the 1980s when you had to search for it

Not everybody carried it, and when you found it, it was kind of a treat.

They had much bettern stuff back then that I miss. Like their all-natural, clear Rootbeer.

[darkism]

5. And so it flooded the storm sewers with pink goo...

...ala Ghostbusters. Wish I could've found a screencap for it :p

[Ian David]

7. You want pictures? You got 'em

In this photo released by Snapple, Snapple and CoolBrands, Int'l. attempted to set a Guinness World Record with this giant ice pop on the first day of summer as they launched new Snapple on Ice pops Tuesday, June 21, 2005 in New York City's Union Square Park.
(AP)
June 21, 2005



In this handout photo provided by Snapple, a crane hoists a 24 ft. long, 17.5 ton giant ice pop attempting to set a Guinness World Record by Snapple and CoolBrands, Int'l. on the first day of summer as they launched new Snapple Ice pops Tuesday, June 21, 2005 in New York City's Union Square Park.
(AP)
June 21, 2005



Wendy the Snapple Lady helped launch Snapple on Ice pops with an attempt at breaking the Guinness World Record for the World's Largest ice pop. Even though the 35,000 pound, 24 foot tall ice pop didn't break the world record, New Yorkers had a great time kicking off the first day of summer.
(Business Wire)
June 21, 2005



Melting ice, part of a Snapple promotional event featuring the " world's largest ice", pours into the street at Union Square in Manhattan today, June 21, 2005.
(WB 11)
June 21, 2005



And the final aftermath...

[fujiyama]

8. Between this

and a guy leaving a job application with his real name at a place he robbed, I don't which is more stupid.

God, expecting a popsicle to melt in the middle of summer? My God!, Who would a thunk it?

[Up2Late]

9. I'd really like to meet the idiot who thought this was a Good Idea in JUNE

Oh, and here's the link to the AP website so you don't have to get the Fox "news" stink on you or your computer.

<http://staging.hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/POPSICLE_DISASTER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-06-22-20-53-19>