Thanksgiving evokes a strange mix of sentiments in the American psyche.
First, there is gratitude, which is what the holiday is supposed to be about. Then there's the crazed gluttony involved in celebrating the Pilgrim's escape from starvation by stuffing ourselves with food. There's those extraordinarily disturbing displays of lust and greed that mark the start of the holiday shopping season. And there's the anger and dysfunction that mark lots of family gatherings.
But perhaps the most unexpected of holiday emotions is that Americans have come, somehow, to think of turkeys as funny.
Sure, turkeys are strange-looking birds. And they can't really fly. They're like the dodos of North America. But it's still sort of weird how we make fun of them, then we eat them, to celebrate life in the land of plenty,
Just what is it about those birds that make marketers turn to humor when it's time to talk turkey?
We have no idea.
But do take a look at five of the craziest TV commercials of all time in which turkeys get laughs.
1. SWANSON BROTH
The lesson here, apparently, is that you should cook your turkey in chicken juices—otherwise the turkey carcass will run away in an amusing fashion.
2. JENNIE-O
Forgive us for wondering what is so funny about someone dropping a turkey on the floor, then breaking a window, and then knocking someone unconscious? But judging from the comments we see on YouTube about this ad, people think it's hilarious.
3. NEW YORK CITY TOURISM
Old actors in costume—OK. This one we think is funny. Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal discuss acting and turkeys. It's perfect.
4. TURKEY-COOKING SAFETY
The big turkeys-are-funny ad of 2013 is from State Farm, which uses two of the stars of Duck Dynasty to highlight the dangers of deep frying turkey.
5. CAPTAIN KIRK AND THE TURKEY FRYER
In our opinion, the greatest turkey commercial of all time also came from State Farm, and it too warned about the dangers of deep-fried birds. There was a short version that aired on TV, but who cares. Here's the full-length (3:42) masterpiece: William Shatner doing William Shatner stuff while talking about turkeys.
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