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Matthew Rhys Carries Around a Dead Horse Head While Singing on New Year's Day
Interviews ·

Matthew Rhys Carries Around a Dead Horse Head While Singing on New Year's Day

Matthew Rhys reveals the strangest New Year’s custom you’ve never heard of — and he performs it with unapologetic pride.

1 min readAll news

Mari Lwyd: A Tradition Stranger Than Fiction

In this cultural deep-dive disguised as a comedy segment, Rhys explains Mari Lwyd, a Welsh holiday ritual involving:

  • a horse’s skull

  • singing

  • door-to-door challenges

  • and a surprising amount of cultural symbolism

Fallon Struggles to Keep Up

The Tonight Show host keeps trying to wrap his head around it, but Rhys is so earnest and delighted that the whole segment becomes charming instead of bizarre.

A Celebration of Heritage

Rhys treats the tradition with respect, while Fallon reacts like someone encountering folklore for the first time.

Why It Works

It’s funny, informative, and the perfect reminder that traditions worldwide range from touching to truly outrageous.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

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