… the original version of the plastic flamingo may be singing its swan song after inspiring countless pranks — and being alternately celebrated as a tribute to one of nature’s most graceful creatures and derided as the epitome of American pop culture kitsch.

Union Products Inc. stopped producing flamingos and other lawn ornaments at its Leominster factory in June, and is going out of business Nov. 1 — a victim of rising expenses for plastic resin and electricity, as well financing problems.

We hardly knew ye.

Well, my folks had a pair in the back yard for a while. It’s not tacky if you have them in the back, you know.

This is hardly a canary in the coal mine folks. All the canaries have been feet-up in their besotted newspaper for a while now. Is anything Made in America anymore? Dang.