Believe it or not, that episode was based on a real-life event.
Two, actually.
Hugh Wilson, the show’s creator, was working at WQXI in Atlanta, when, for a promo in 1968, DJ’s threw live turkeys from the back of a pickup (the plan being that the turkeys, once thrown, would use their wings to settle gently back down to earth – needless to say, they didn’t).
The other took place in Dallas, TX, with the station releasing them from a plane near the then-recently completed Towne East Mall in Mesquite.
“Baby, if you ever wondered,
Wondered whatever became of me,
I’m livin’ on the air
In Cincinnati
Cincinnati WKRP…”
Great show — and one of the very last funny sitcoms, along with Barney Miller and Night Court. Everything aired since is only worth changing the channel . . .
April 7, 2020 at 10:32 am
WayneM
I don’t know why sitcoms got a horrid. All tv shows, really. I cut the cable more than 5 years ago as I’d stopped watching long before that.
April 7, 2020 at 9:18 pm
Jefferson A Selvy
They preach rather than entertain. The coastal bubbles can only maintain their sense of superiority by preaching at and further mocking the rubes in flyover country.
April 7, 2020 at 1:34 pm
JTC
Nothing could ever beat Barney Miller. And got to get MASH in there…and yes absolutely Seinfeld.
But not originally. Only in the second or third look do you see so much of the understated and sublime cultural reference written into the script by the genius Larry David; well delivered by the personalities, but they are secondary to the brilliance of the writing.
Closest thing to Barney since Barney. But Barney still wins.
April 7, 2020 at 4:00 pm
Tunadavis
Hey Senior, gotta add Cheers to that list, but stop there.
April 7, 2020 at 5:09 pm
David Smith
Just broke out the Northern Exposure dvds and had a similar thought. Haven’t missed cable a bit.
heck we have turkey dinners several times a year !
Now are SAM’s turkeys “heat seeking” , “laser guided” or “radar” ?
Proximity fuse and terminal detonator ?
Though he was by far the most entertaining of the Founders, it’s good that the otherwise brilliant Ben Franklin’s proposal that the turkey, instead of the eagle, be the national symbol was not approved.
Ah, but he was talking about the wild turkey. A creature of high intelligence, strength, speed and endurance. They are community oriented, take care of their own — and, oh yes, they can really fly.
Their domesticated cousins, on the other hand . . .
Wild turkeys fly, and are fairly intelligent. If Ben Franklin had hid way, turkeys would never have been domesticated, and all the brains bred out of them for their breasts… Hmm sounds like a few blondes I know!
Brains AND boobs? Not mutually exclusive, not unheard of, but rare.
April 7, 2020 at 11:32 pm
John M
True, look at Sam… well, other than her kitchen skills!
April 7, 2020 at 9:36 am
nonncom
The episode on WKRP will forever live in the annals of time honored episodic television….Les Nessman describing the scene as if he were witnessing the crash of the Hindenburg….”Oh the humanity!”….Carlson’s bewildered, somewhat lost look…..
Sam’s turkey episodes are every bit as classic….This rendition could’ve been titled “Safe at 21,000 feet?”…
I thought Sam’s turkeys were capable of low earth orbit. Granted, they are purely ballistic at that point, but I’d keep a sharp eye out while approaching the DD.
Sam~ You can raise the turkeys but have someone else cook them going forward.
There are going to be protein shortages and the thought of serving a lab grown meat for any meal is off putting.
Our present situation with social distancing is showing us just how dependent we are on our technological life support system and the situation will only grow worse. For a long time we’ve been sacrificing independence for the sake of efficiency, and the poor sods who think milk comes from the grocery store will not think twice about their hamburger being manufactured out of recycled sewage.
Until the power fails.
32 Comments
It’s not Thanksgiving – why the concern??? 🙂
Naomi is a cautious person! 😀
An honest to God S.A.M. missile
That’s NOT what “Turkey Shoot” means!
Didn’t one of those SAM missiles go into orbit?
Since no-one else said it yet…
“As Gawd is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!”
Yes, Mr Carlson, Sam can make it so…
Believe it or not, that episode was based on a real-life event.
Two, actually.
Hugh Wilson, the show’s creator, was working at WQXI in Atlanta, when, for a promo in 1968, DJ’s threw live turkeys from the back of a pickup (the plan being that the turkeys, once thrown, would use their wings to settle gently back down to earth – needless to say, they didn’t).
The other took place in Dallas, TX, with the station releasing them from a plane near the then-recently completed Towne East Mall in Mesquite.
“Baby, if you ever wondered,
Wondered whatever became of me,
I’m livin’ on the air
In Cincinnati
Cincinnati WKRP…”
Great show — and one of the very last funny sitcoms, along with Barney Miller and Night Court. Everything aired since is only worth changing the channel . . .
I don’t know why sitcoms got a horrid. All tv shows, really. I cut the cable more than 5 years ago as I’d stopped watching long before that.
They preach rather than entertain. The coastal bubbles can only maintain their sense of superiority by preaching at and further mocking the rubes in flyover country.
Nothing could ever beat Barney Miller. And got to get MASH in there…and yes absolutely Seinfeld.
But not originally. Only in the second or third look do you see so much of the understated and sublime cultural reference written into the script by the genius Larry David; well delivered by the personalities, but they are secondary to the brilliance of the writing.
Closest thing to Barney since Barney. But Barney still wins.
Hey Senior, gotta add Cheers to that list, but stop there.
Just broke out the Northern Exposure dvds and had a similar thought. Haven’t missed cable a bit.
They hit ground like bags of wet cement….
One of the funniest moments in TV history, IMHO
heck we have turkey dinners several times a year !
Now are SAM’s turkeys “heat seeking” , “laser guided” or “radar” ?
Proximity fuse and terminal detonator ?
Volley launched, kinetic kill.
Zar Belk!
Though he was by far the most entertaining of the Founders, it’s good that the otherwise brilliant Ben Franklin’s proposal that the turkey, instead of the eagle, be the national symbol was not approved.
Ah, but he was talking about the wild turkey. A creature of high intelligence, strength, speed and endurance. They are community oriented, take care of their own — and, oh yes, they can really fly.
Their domesticated cousins, on the other hand . . .
Wild turkeys fly, and are fairly intelligent. If Ben Franklin had hid way, turkeys would never have been domesticated, and all the brains bred out of them for their breasts… Hmm sounds like a few blondes I know!
Brains AND boobs? Not mutually exclusive, not unheard of, but rare.
True, look at Sam… well, other than her kitchen skills!
The episode on WKRP will forever live in the annals of time honored episodic television….Les Nessman describing the scene as if he were witnessing the crash of the Hindenburg….”Oh the humanity!”….Carlson’s bewildered, somewhat lost look…..
Sam’s turkey episodes are every bit as classic….This rendition could’ve been titled “Safe at 21,000 feet?”…
I thought Sam’s turkeys were capable of low earth orbit. Granted, they are purely ballistic at that point, but I’d keep a sharp eye out while approaching the DD.
Sam~ You can raise the turkeys but have someone else cook them going forward.
There are going to be protein shortages and the thought of serving a lab grown meat for any meal is off putting.
Our present situation with social distancing is showing us just how dependent we are on our technological life support system and the situation will only grow worse. For a long time we’ve been sacrificing independence for the sake of efficiency, and the poor sods who think milk comes from the grocery store will not think twice about their hamburger being manufactured out of recycled sewage.
Until the power fails.
And the EU is going forward with approval of insect based foods. Blech!
Well, what else are the lower orders supposed to eat since that really bad meat has been on the menu for how many eons…
I feel the same about lab-grown meat as I do about margerine v. butter… I trust the animals more than I do the scientists…
You want to see a turkey go into orbit? Put a frozen one in a deep fryer. Then stand WAY back.
Shonkin, you must be new here. Sam has already done that a couple times. The ISS had to deconflict its orbit to avoid the unidentified frying object
Not that that being new here is a bad thing. Congratulations on finding the best site on the interwebs, and welcome aboard!