To some it’s an Ozark Mountain Mardi Gras that includes live turkeys being dropped from a low-flying plane to an eager crowd below. To others, it’s just animal abuse.But you know, of course, it was going to happen.
The 72nd Yellville Turkey Trot opened Friday with questions over whether the turkey drop portion would continue. The Chamber of Commerce for the small northern Arkansas city has distanced itself from the tradition it once endorsed and is hoping a “phantom pilot” won’t fly over this weekend. But that hasn’t stopped thousands of people from emailing the chamber about doing more to protect the birds.
The Federal Aviation Administration says it will check to see whether any laws or regulations were broken when a low-flying pilot dropped live turkeys onto an Arkansas festival over the weekend.In case you didn't get the title reference.
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The FAA said Monday it was aware of Saturday’s drop. The agency hasn’t intervened in past years because the birds aren’t considered projectiles.
I haven't looked, but you had better be linking Les Nessman.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of those episodes you only need to see once.
33 (if I may call you by your first name),
ReplyDeleteWhile Nessman did, indeed, orchestrate the event, and did his Herb Morrison call ("oh, the humanity"), it was actually Arthur Carlson, who upon reporting back to the staff after he'd been summoned to the ASPCA, claimed, "as god is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."
I've maintained for years that that is the funniest line ever heard on TV.
LRod
ZJX, ORD, ZAU retired
YAASSSSSS WKRP reference for the win!
ReplyDeleteOur not-very-wild California turkeys fly STOL at about 45 degrees to the tops of mighty oak trees at dusk and down next morning, sometimes crashing limbs with no apparent damage. They'd have no problem with an air drop.
ReplyDeleteBTW, they seldom 'gobble', the danger noise sounds like 'pweet! pweet!'.