The Real WKRP Thanksgiving Turkey Drop – They Did What?
Did the WKRP thanksgiving turkey drop really happen? There are a lot of stories about frozen turkeys being dropped out of trucks or slung down bowling alley lanes (the creator of WKRP worked previously as an account executive at a marketing firm and heard all the stories). But did anyone REALLY think it was a good idea to try it “WKRP style”? Yep. It happened in Wisconsin in 1976.
The REAL WKRP Thanksgiving Turkey Drop
This audio (and transcript) comes from a radio convention where radio promotions guy Stephen Bellinger got up to tell his story involving a turkey, an airplane and some $100 bills:
You probably don’t remember me, but in 30 seconds you will, because of something I did. Let me take a moment to remind you.
I’m the guy who pulled off a promotion up in Wisconsin—a story that’s been written about recently in Highlights and a few other places. It all happened around Thanksgiving one year.
Here’s what went down: I was asked to come up with a Thanksgiving promotion. When they asked me what my idea was, I said, “I’ve got a great one.” They pressed for details, and I admitted, “I don’t know yet—I haven’t thought it up.”
The next morning at breakfast, inspiration struck. I fly airplanes—we’re in the aviation business—and I wanted to keep the plane tax-deductible. So here was the idea: we’d attach a $100 bill to each leg of a turkey, then let the turkey glide down into the middle of town, where thousands of people would be waiting. Brilliant, right?
It was the Friday before Thanksgiving. We got in the plane, and I grabbed the radio. I’m a ham, so I announced to the crowd below: “Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for the Giant Turkey Glide! In just a moment, someone is going to win their Thanksgiving dinner!” The crowd was huge, and the excitement was building.
I told the kid in the backseat, “Okay, let her go.” He shoved the bird out… and it went straight down. Didn’t flap its wings once. It plunged right through the roof of a women’s clothing store—blood and turkey feathers everywhere.
The aftermath was a disaster, but the funniest part came about a month later. I was sitting with the insurance adjuster, trying to explain what happened. He looked at me, barely able to believe it, and said, “Now, let me get this straight… you threw a what out of a which?”
WKRP Thanksgiving Turkey Drop – still iconic television
The above story happened in 1976, while WKRP aired their “turkey drop” in 1978. Did it influence the shows creator? Who knows – but it’s still one of the greatest sitcom moments of the 1970s. If you do catch a falling turkey – can we suggest how to cook it?
