Make:

This is down the street from my house. Just to clarify, it hasn't been smashed open yet. A thousand or so people gathered on the 2nd of November when they originally planned for it to happen; we waited for a good three hours until they told us that, due to some technical difficulties, they would not be smashing it that day.

So it still stands.

It is the world's largest pinata; it was built by Carnival Cruise Lines. They recently set the record for the world's largest beach ball as well.

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Okay, now I've seen the video on YouTube. First you see the Pinata, then you see some candy falling from the bottom, then you see four tons of candy on the ground. There is no pinata carnage, and the legs of the pinata are still standing tall and stable in the background.

I'm now convinced they never intended to smash this thing with a wrecking ball, and they didn't, but they are now spreading an internet rumor that they did.

Gahh! Be very wary when large corporations attempt 'viral' marketing campaigns...

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An earlier comment of mine didn't post, so my above comment doesn't entirely make sense. Here is what I said at first...

I was there too, and I can honestly say I feel dumber for it.

You advertise this thing in the media and then act surprised and unprepared when thousands of people show up. Then, because you're worried they might knock down the fence, you line them up to wait for hours behind traffic cones with boxes of candy a few feet in front of them (in addition to the candy allegedly in the pinata), tell them to "make their city proud" or somesuch by behaving, and then accuse them of being "unruly" because they try to get close to the pinata. Then you want to start swinging a wrecking ball over all this? Is it any surprise that the Philly police finally said, "uh... no."

Here is a local blog post with some more info. Especially interesting is the first comment, posted by someone who was a paid extra that day.

http://www.phillychitchat.com/2008/11/philadelphia-pinata-big-pr-stunt-for.html

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For some reason, a longer comment I made before the one above isn't posting after two tries, maybe because it had a URL that needs to be approved first.

I just wanted to clarify that I was there on the day this was supposed to happen, and they did not smash the pinata with a wrecking ball that day. The YouTube video certainly doesn't convince me that they did on any day after that, either.

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Okay, now all of my comments have posted and I look like an idiot. Oh well...

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Wrecking ball or not, it's still impressive and they did set a new World Record. That ain't so bad people. ;) Plus, a bunch of people still got their hands on that candy...

http://www.dailymotion.com/thatsfunny/video/12353860

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