70 Fun Facts About Thanksgiving TV

Whose giant balloon has appeared in the Macy's parade more often than any other character's?

Snoopy has been rebuilt again and again since his 1968 debut as a World War I flying ace, returning in new guises that include an astronaut and an ice skater.

Which network long aired its own unofficial coverage of the Macy's parade, billed without the Macy's name?

CBS billed its rival telecast 'The Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS' and for years anchored it from Times Square, while the official broadcaster kept the spot outside the store in Herald Square.

Which dancers have been Macy's parade regulars since the 1950s?

The Rockettes began in St. Louis as the Missouri Rockets, settled at Radio City Music Hall in the 1930s and have danced in the parade since 1957.

Which Today star co-hosted NBC's parade coverage every year from 1995 to 2024 except 2022?

Al Roker's 2022 absence, his first in 27 years, came while he recovered from blood clots in his leg and lungs; Dylan Dreyer filled in for him.

From 1963 to 1972, Bonanza's Lorne Greene hosted NBC's parade coverage with which future Golden Girls star?

Betty White was NBC's parade regular: she also narrated its New Year's Rose Parade for 19 years, until the network dropped her once she became a star on a rival's sitcom.

Which longtime Today regular hosted NBC's parade telecast from 1987 to 1997?

Willard Scott, who played the original Ronald McDonald in 1960s commercials before he turned to the weather, hosted from 1987 to 1997 with partners including Mary Hart, Sandy Duncan and Katie Couric.

Who performed a meme-famous 1980s hit at the 2008 Macy's parade?

Rick Astley cut in on the puppets of Cartoon Network's Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends float with 'Never Gonna Give You Up', rickrolling millions of viewers at once.

Why do most singers in the Macy's parade lip-sync?

Floats can't carry sound gear for a live vocal, John Legend explained in 2018 in defence of Rita Ora, who had been caught miming out of time; the stars mouth along to their own recordings.

NBC's 2025 Macy's parade deal also covers which other Macy's event?

July 4th Fireworks stay on NBC under the same ten-year deal, struck after the 2024 parade drew a record audience of more than 31 million; a new Macy's special, still unnamed, was promised too.

Which Spanish-language network carries a simulcast of the Macy's parade?

Telemundo has belonged to NBC since the early 2000s, so the parade's Spanish simulcast, fronted by the network's own hosts, stays in the family.

For the 1997 parade, MTV aired its own irreverent commentary special starring which animated duo?

Beavis and Butt-head heckled the floats from the sidelines in a special hosted by MTV's Kurt Loder, and the network even gave the pair a giant balloon of their own.

Which 1947 film, long a Thanksgiving TV staple, opens with scenes shot at the real Macy's parade?

Miracle on 34th Street filmed its opening while the real 1946 parade was under way, so the cast got one chance at each scene, as its star Maureen O'Hara recalled.

Which streaming service simulcasts NBC's telecast of the Macy's parade?

Peacock, NBCUniversal's streamer, carries the telecast alongside NBC, which tape-delays the parade outside the Eastern time zone so that it fills the same morning slot everywhere.

When their lifting gas ran short in 1958, how did Macy's parade balloons travel the route?

Dangling from cranes was the fix: after a round of calls to the balloons' maker, Goodyear, Macy's pumped its giants full of plain air and hoisted them along the route.

Which balloon hit a lamppost in the 1997 parade, injuring a spectator and prompting size limits?

The Cat in the Hat balloon's lamppost strike sent debris that fractured a spectator's skull and left her in a coma for nearly a month; the city then capped balloon sizes, which retired the Cat for good.

Which video game character's parade balloon hit a Columbus Circle lamppost in 1993, injuring two people?

Sonic the Hedgehog, the first video game character to fly in the parade, was blown into the post by a gust; the lamp snapped off and fell into the crowd, hitting an off-duty police officer.

Why was the parade suspended from 1942 to 1944?

Rubber and helium were needed for the war effort, so a dragon balloon was ceremonially deflated at City Hall and some 650 pounds of balloon rubber went for scrap.

In the early years, what happened to Macy's balloons after the parade?

Released into the sky, each balloon drifted for days and earned a reward for whoever returned it, until one nearly brought down a plane in the early 1930s and the practice ended.

From 2002, what aired on NBC after the parade, hosted by John O'Hurley and David Frei?

The National Dog Show looks live but isn't: it is judged on a weekend earlier in November, then edited down to two hours for Thanksgiving Day.

Which 2000 Christopher Guest mockumentary inspired NBC's post-parade Thanksgiving broadcast?

Best in Show, Guest's send-up of dog-show people, gave NBC Sports' Jon Miller the idea at a time when the old film NBC ran after the parade was sinking in the ratings.

Which organisation, older than the American Kennel Club itself, stages the Thanksgiving dog show that NBC televises?

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia had run its show since 1879; when NBC came calling in 2002, the old local fixture was given a grander name for television.

NBC's Thanksgiving dog show host John O'Hurley played which Seinfeld character?

J. Peterman, Elaine's globe-trotting catalogue boss, was based on a real company; when it relaunched after going under, O'Hurley put his own money in and became a part-owner.

Which network first televised NFL Thanksgiving games, three years before a rival took over in 1956?

DuMont carried the Detroit Lions' Thanksgiving games for three seasons before the network folded in 1956 and a rival took them over.

Which broadcaster began awarding a turkey leg to the NFL Thanksgiving game's star in 1989?

John Madden gave the first leg to Eagles pass rusher Reggie White; when one drumstick proved too few for a whole offensive line, a Texas barbecue owner built him a six-legged turkey.

Which team hosted the Chiefs in 2025's record-setting Thanksgiving game?

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott outduelled Patrick Mahomes before 57.2 million viewers, a record for an NFL regular-season game and about a third above the old one, set at Dallas's own 2022 Thanksgiving game.

Which WKRP in Cincinnati character says 'As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly'?

Arthur Carlson, the hapless station manager played by Gordon Jump, delivers it as the episode's last line, after his secret giveaway of live turkeys over a shopping mall ends in carnage.

Which WKRP reporter gives the Hindenburg-style play-by-play as turkeys crash into the mall?

Les Nessman, played by Richard Sanders, narrates the off-screen turkey drop with 'Oh, the humanity!', echoing Herbert Morrison's 1937 Hindenburg broadcast.

In WKRP's 'Turkeys Away', the station's Thanksgiving giveaway drops live turkeys from what?

A helicopter trailing a 'Happy Thanksgiving from WKRP' banner does the dropping; the real radio promotion behind the plot was humbler, with turkeys tossed off the back of a truck.

In WKRP's 'Turkeys Away', the horrified newsman says the falling turkeys are hitting the ground like what?

Sacks of wet cement is his image, and viewers have to take his word for it: the whole drop happens off screen, with the camera fixed on the reporter's horrified face.

The 1986 Cheers episode 'Thanksgiving Orphans' is famous for ending in what?

A food fight breaks out among the Cheers gang at Carla's house when the turkey stays undercooked and tempers boil over; the episode aired on Thanksgiving Day 1986.

In Cheers' 'Thanksgiving Orphans', Diane turns up at Carla's house dressed as what?

A pilgrim costume is what Diane is still wearing when she arrives from her professor's party, having learned there that she was invited to serve the guests, not to join them.

Whose face is about to be seen at last when Cheers' 'Thanksgiving Orphans' ends, only to be hidden again?

Norm's wife Vera finally appears in the doorway, only for Diane's pie to hide her face; Bernadette Birkett, George Wendt's real-life wife, supplied Vera's voice.

In Seinfeld's 'The Mom & Pop Store', which parade balloon is punctured when Jerry knocks an object out of a party window?

The Woody Woodpecker balloon limps through the parade the next day with Mr. Pitt struggling beneath it; Elaine had won him his place on its ropes in a radio contest.

In Seinfeld's Thanksgiving episode, George buys a LeBaron convertible because a salesman says it once belonged to which actor?

Jon Voight never owned it: the car belonged to a dentist friend of Tim Whatley's named John Voight, and the real actor's only part in the story is a cameo in which he bites Kramer's arm.

Which future Breaking Bad star debuted as dentist Tim Whatley in Seinfeld's Thanksgiving-eve episode?

Bryan Cranston first played Whatley here; the dentist's party overlooks the balloons being inflated the night before the parade, while Jerry frets over whether he was invited.

What does Chandler plan to eat instead of Thanksgiving dinner in Friends' first Thanksgiving episode?

Grilled cheese and tomato soup, plus a family-size bag of Funyuns, is Chandler's anti-Thanksgiving menu; after the real dinner burns while everyone is locked out, the whole group ends up sharing it.

Which film star played Will Colbert, who hated Rachel in high school, in Friends' 'The One with the Rumor'?

Brad Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston when he played the man who loathed her character, and the uncredited turn earned him an Emmy nomination as a guest actor.

Joey's head-in-a-turkey gag on Friends echoes a sketch from which British comedy?

Mr. Bean wore the turkey first, in a 1992 Christmas special; its co-writer Richard Curtis has said Friends stole the gag, though Rowan Atkinson shrugged that jokes are there to inspire.

In Friends' 'The One with the Rumor', what does Joey change into so he can finish a whole turkey by himself?

Phoebe's maternity pants give Joey room to finish the bird alone; Phoebe was vegetarian, Chandler hated the food, pregnant Rachel could not stand poultry and Will was dieting.

In Friends' 'The One with All the Thanksgivings', what does Chandler lose in a flashback to Thanksgiving 1988?

A toe goes when Monica, flirting with a knife to get even with him for calling her fat, drops it on his foot; in the panic she brings a piece of carrot to the hospital by mistake.

In The Simpsons' 'Bart vs. Thanksgiving', Bart runs away after accidentally destroying what?

Lisa's centerpiece, a tribute to trailblazing women, ends up in the fireplace during a tug-of-war over table space, and Bart bolts rather than apologise.

In The Simpsons' 'Bart vs. Thanksgiving', which relative tells Marge she never does anything right?

Her mother, Jacqueline, announces that laryngitis makes it hurt to talk, so she will say just one thing; Julie Kavner voices her as well as Marge, Patty and Selma.

In How I Met Your Mother's 'Slapsgiving', how does Marshall torment Barney in the days before his next slap?

With a countdown website ticking down to Thanksgiving; Lily, as Slap Bet Commissioner, bans the slap on the day, then relents with three seconds left, and Barney goes flying.

In How I Met Your Mother's 'Slapsgiving 2', which estranged relative of Lily's arrives with a homemade board game called 'Diseases'?

Her father Mickey, played by Chris Elliott, invents board games in his parents' basement; this one sprays the turkey with lead paint and horse bile, and Marshall throws him out.

In Bob's Burgers' first Thanksgiving episode, Mr. Fischoeder borrows the Belchers as his family to impress whom?

A former flame named Shelby has a taste for married men, so Fischoeder, voiced by Kevin Kline, rents the Belchers to pass off as a home for her to wreck.

In Bob's Burgers' first Thanksgiving episode, what does Bob drink that leaves him hallucinating in the kitchen?

Absinthe is Bob's only company as he cooks for someone else's party, and soon he is pouring his heart out to the turkey, which he calls Lance, as if it were a friend.

In Bob's Burgers' 'Turkey in a Can', who is dumping Bob's brined turkeys in the toilet each night?

Bob himself, sleepwalking on cat-allergy pills, is the culprit; his anxiety about Tina growing up has him 'potty training' the turkey in his sleep.

When turkeys run amok at a Bob's Burgers Thanksgiving festival, how does Linda end the attack?

She head-butts the lead bird, a one-eyed turkey dubbed Cyclops: Teddy had explained that mixing species wrecked the pecking order, so Linda pecks her way to the top and the flock falls in line.

In New Girl's first Thanksgiving episode, how does Jess try to thaw a frozen turkey, causing it to catch fire?

In the tumble dryer, the bird ends up charred, so the party moves to the flat of a neighbour who is supposedly out of town, where Justin Long's Paul finds her dead.

Which pair play Jess's divorced parents in New Girl's season 2 Thanksgiving episode 'Parents'?

Jamie Lee Curtis and Rob Reiner play Joan and Bob Day, whom Jess schemes to reunite; Rob Riggle also appears as Schmidt's cousin, also named Schmidt.

Who wins 'Boyle Bingo' in Brooklyn Nine-Nine's first Thanksgiving episode with a toast to the squad as a new family?

Jake starts the day loathing Thanksgiving, a holiday his parents were never around for, and ends it toasting the squad as his family, which fills the last square on his card.

Amy Santiago's Brooklyn Nine-Nine Thanksgiving dinner is inedible partly because she substitutes what for salt?

Baking powder went into her mashed potatoes in place of salt; the squad quietly flushes the meal away, and Boyle rescues the night with a spread of takeout.

In Gilmore Girls' third-season Thanksgiving episode, Rory horrifies Lorelai by revealing she applied to which college?

Yale is her grandfather Richard's old college, where he had already sprung a surprise interview on her; the news lands at his table, one of four Thanksgiving dinners in a single day.

At which Gilmore Girls Thanksgiving stop has the turkey, the lawn and 'just about everything else' been deep-fried?

Sookie's house is where Jackson and his relatives deep-fry everything in reach, while at Mrs. Kim's Lorelai is forced to eat tofurkey.

In The West Wing's 'Shibboleth', Bartlet pardons one turkey and does what with the other?

Drafts it into military service: a president can't really pardon a bird, Bartlet grumbles, so when C.J. pleads for the spare turkey he conscripts it to keep it off the table.

In The West Wing's 'The Indians in the Lobby', whom does President Bartlet phone for advice on cooking his Thanksgiving turkey?

The Butterball hotline takes the call; Bartlet poses as a man from Fargo, insists that stuffing belongs inside the turkey, then asks whether cooking it there could kill his guests.

In Everybody Loves Raymond's 'No Fat', why does Marie serve a tofu turkey?

Her cholesterol is near the danger zone, tests show, so Marie bans fat for the whole family; when Ray orders in a real dinner from a restaurant, everyone pounces on it and Marie ends up joining them.

What does Debra serve instead of turkey in Everybody Loves Raymond's first Thanksgiving episode?

Fish is Debra's bid to start a Thanksgiving tradition of her own in the episode 'Turkey or Fish', and Marie makes no secret of what she thinks of it.

Lena Waithe's Emmy-winning 'Thanksgiving' episode was from which show?

Master of None gave the whole episode to Denise, following her through two decades of Thanksgivings as she comes out to her family; Waithe drew the story from her own coming out.

Which actress plays Denise's mother, Catherine, in Lena Waithe's Emmy-winning 'Thanksgiving' episode?

Angela Bassett plays Catherine, who needs years of Thanksgivings to come round to her daughter's coming out; Waithe wanted her for the part because she is, in her words, 'a freaking legend'.

Which Peanuts holiday special came between A Charlie Brown Christmas and the Thanksgiving one?

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown came second, in 1966. The 1973 Thanksgiving special then served up toast, popcorn and pretzel sticks, leaving Peppermint Patty demanding to know where the turkey was.

Which service began streaming A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving exclusively in 2020?

Apple TV+ took the Peanuts specials exclusive in 2020; after viewer backlash the deal was amended so PBS could air A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving the Sunday before the holiday.

Which network aired A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving every year from 2001 to 2019?

ABC aired it every Thanksgiving week from 2001 to 2019; because the special barely fills half an hour, from 2008 the network padded the slot with 'The Mayflower Voyagers', a 1988 Peanuts history lesson.

Which TV duo hosted the Science Channel's 2010 Punkin Chunkin special?

Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage fronted the special for the contest's 25th year, when the longest shot of all came not from the main air-cannon class but from Hormone Blaster, a gun in the women's division.

Which state hosted the World Championship Punkin Chunkin when the Science Channel aired it at Thanksgiving?

Delaware's Sussex County staged the contest; in 2016 an air cannon's door tore off and critically injured a woman on the TV crew, and the Science Channel cancelled that year's special.

In This Is Us's first Thanksgiving episode, where does the Pearsons' road trip end?

A motel is where the trip ends after a blown tire puts the car into a fence; Jack puts on the motel man's hat, clowns for the kids, and the stranded night becomes the Pearsons' Thanksgiving tradition.

Adam Sandler first performed 'The Thanksgiving Song' on SNL's Weekend Update in 1992 with which anchor?

Kevin Nealon, then the Update anchor, sat beside Sandler for the debut. The song's baseball line is wrong, though: the Mets never traded Darryl Strawberry, who left as a free agent.

Which sitcom's Thanksgiving episode has its hero drunkenly phoning in an order of moo goo gai pan?

The Bob Newhart Show's 'Over the River and Through the Woods' leaves Bob with Jerry, Howard and Mr. Carlin while Emily is away; they drink through the football, he slurs a Chinese order, and she comes home to the wreckage.

In Buffy's 'Pangs', which vampire spends Thanksgiving dinner tied to a chair at Giles's flat?

Spike turns up starving because a chip in his head now stops him biting anyone; Jane Espenson's script has him hit by arrows while tied up, and still bound when the gang finally sits down to eat.

In Buffy's 'Pangs', into which animal does the spirit Hus transform during the Thanksgiving showdown?

A large black bear is Hus's last shape: Buffy stabs it and the spirit warriors vanish, while Xander, laid low by the spirit's curse, takes his revenge by pelting it with fruit.