Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon

Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon

• Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon: The Ingredients
• The Presidents' Pardon
• Cincinnati Has A Ball
• Turkey on Prozac

Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon: The Ingredients

Firstly, imagine this: you are president of the United States, and at Thanksgiving you are given yet another turkey; what do you do?  Secondly, consider the question, 'What are all presidents, especially presidents of the United States, skilled at?'  Why public relations, hype and maximising media opportunities.  Thirdly, what do all journalists seek?  If they can't get a scoop, then newspaper hacks create an urban myth by massaging the truth.

The Presidents' Turkey Pardon

The presidents' turkey pardon has all the above ingredients of a feel-good story.  Way back in 1947 the National Turkey Federation had the PR master-stroke of donating one of their finest turkeys to the President of the United States.  For 25 years the mutual publicity stunt proceeded without a hitch, until in 1963 when President Kennedy, looked at his turkey and said, 'Let's just keep him'.  For the next 25 years nothing of note happened until in 1989 President George H.W. Bush (snr) officially pardoned that year's turkey.

Politicians are masters of jumping on a popular band-wagon and Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush carried on pardoning the Thanksgiving turkey, and strangely, 'An Alternate in case the principle cannot carryout its duties'.  No doubt a euphemism for insurance in case the first one is so fat it has a premature heart attack and dies before it can be pardoned. 

In a modern day twist, the American public are now allowed to vote for the turkeys' names on the White House web site. The reprieved turkeys in 2008 were Pumpkin and Pecan, in 2007 May and Flower were spared, as were 2006's Flyer and Fryer.  Going back to 2005 it was Marshmallow and Yam; while 2004's were Biscuit and Gravy.

Thanksgiving Turkey

If You Think This Turkey Is Big? Wait Until You See The Gravy Boat

Cincinnati Has A Ball 

Bowlers Have A Fun Time: A Short, Clean Thanksgiving Story

Each year Cincinnati, USA, warms up for Thanksgiving with its traditional Turkey Bowl, an annual outdoor event using frozen turkeys in place of bowling balls.  Contestants will try to knock down 10 pins by sliding 'rock-hard' birds down a lane on the holiday season ice skating rink based in Fountain Square. The person with the highest score after three rounds wins $100 cash.

You may be pleased to know that Will and Guy have established that the frozen birds used in 'Turkey Bowl' are discarded store turkeys not intended for anyone's consumption. We would hate to see eatable birds going to waste.

Happy Thanksgiving

See more November Thanksgiving jokes and funny pictures

● Thanksgiving home   ● Funny thanksgiving pictures   ● Thanksgiving turkey pictures   ● Turkey Pardon

● Thanksgiving jokes   ● Funny Thanksgiving stories   ● Thanksgiving trivia   ● Turkey PPT   ● Home

● Supper: pork or ham?   ● Thanksgiving poems   ● Pilgrims   ● November Thanksgiving traditions