Eel Tossing Contest Canceled

It's just gotten where you can't have any fun, anymore. First, you've got the Muslims issuing death warrants over a few cartoons in Denmark and now an animal rights activist throws a wet blanket on the conger cuddling tournament in Lyme Regis, England. He's concerned that a dead eel might get its feelings hurt.

Crowds have flocked to Lyme Regis since 1974 to watch rival teams of nine men swing the giant conger eel suspended in the harbor by a rope and local residents said they are dismayed at the demise of their historic event.

Andrew Kaye, a resident and spokesman for the Lyme Regis lifeboat crews who raise money through the tournament, said an anonymous e-mailer had called the practice disrespectful to the dead eel.

"We decided that it really wasn't worth upsetting anybody by going ahead with using a dead conger," Kaye said. "But it's a dead conger, for Pete's sake. I shouldn't think the conger could care one way or another."

abcnews

Is there no sanity left in the world. I can just see PETA getting its collective panties in a wad over a dead eel slapping contest.

I find this disrespectful myself. I'm glad it's been cancelled. Everything deserves it's dignity in death.

Maybe they could use a rubber eel.