70 Fun Facts About Thanksgiving TV

In what year was the Macy's parade first televised, as an experimental local broadcast in New York City?

The parade was first televised in 1939, an experimental local broadcast over W2XBS, NBC's pioneering New York television station.

Which network carried unlicensed Times Square parade coverage, avoiding the Macy's name?

CBS shot the parade from Times Square, outside Macy's Herald Square exclusivity zone, and billed it as 'The Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS' without the Macy's name.

Since what year has NBC been the parade's official broadcaster?

NBC became the parade's official broadcaster in 1953, when its telecast ran only an hour of the three-hour march.

Which Today weather anchor co-hosted NBC's parade from 1995 to 2024, missing only 2022?

Al Roker co-hosted from 1995 through 2024; his 2022 absence, while recovering from blood clots, left Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb to host without him.

From 1963 to 1972, NBC's parade coverage was hosted by Betty White alongside which Bonanza star?

Bonanza's Lorne Greene co-hosted with Betty White from 1963 to 1972, a decade-long pairing that anchored NBC's coverage.

Which longtime Today weatherman hosted the NBC parade telecast from 1987 to 1997?

Willard Scott hosted from 1987 to 1997, paired over that decade with Mary Hart, Sandy Duncan, Deborah Norville and Katie Couric.

In which year did the parade telecast begin airing in color?

NBC first televised the parade in color in 1960, years before the network's prime-time schedule went almost entirely color in 1965.

As of 2024, roughly how much did NBC pay Macy's per year for the licence to broadcast the parade?

As of 2024 NBC paid about $20 million a year, a bargain set against a telecast whose 30-second spots sold at NFL-level prices.

A renewal announced in February 2025 extended NBC's parade rights through which year?

The February 2025 renewal keeps the parade and the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks on NBC through 2035, extending a partnership of some seven decades.

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

Telemundo carries the Spanish-language simulcast with its own hosts, keeping the event inside the same NBCUniversal family as the English telecast.

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

Beavis and Butt-head starred in MTV's 1997 special Beavis and Butt-head Do Thanksgiving, with Kurt Loder hosting as the pair lampooned the Macy's parade coverage.

Until 2008, NBC followed its parade coverage with which 1947 film that opens with the parade?

Miracle on 34th Street was shot partly at the real 1946 parade; NBC later filled its afternoon slot with a same-day rebroadcast of the parade itself.

Which streaming service carries the Macy's parade live for viewers outside the Eastern time zone?

Peacock, NBCUniversal's streamer, carries the parade live nationwide, while NBC's own broadcast is tape-delayed west of the Eastern time zone to fill the same morning slot.

Starting with the 2023 edition, NBC's parade coverage was moved to begin at what time Eastern?

Coverage moved to an 8:30 a.m. Eastern start in 2023, squeezing the Thanksgiving edition of Today down to 90 minutes.

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 24 days; the city then capped balloon sizes.

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

The Sonic the Hedgehog balloon struck a Columbus Circle lamppost in 1993, knocking part of the post loose onto the crowd below.

Why was the parade suspended from 1942 to 1944?

Rubber and helium were needed for the war effort, so Macy's deflated its balloons and donated the rubber; the three-year gap made the 2026 parade the 100th edition.

What reward did Macy's offer in 1928 to whoever found the balloons released at the end of the parade?

The bounty fell to $50 the next year, and in 1931 aviator Clarence Chamberlin decapitated a dragon balloon with his wingtip to claim it.

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

The National Dog Show took NBC's noon-to-2 p.m. Thanksgiving slot from 2002, with John O'Hurley hosting and David Frei, a veteran Westminster commentator, as analyst.

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

Best in Show, Guest's dog-show comedy, prompted NBC Sports' Jon Miller to propose airing a real dog show after the parade once NBC had lost its 1998 Thanksgiving NFL game.

Which organisation, a founding member of the AKC, stages the Thanksgiving dog show that NBC televises?

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia stages the show, one of the few remaining benched shows, where entered dogs stay on display for spectators all day.

Roughly how many viewers watched NBC's 2024 Thanksgiving dog show?

NBC's Jon Miller credits an 'alma mater effect': viewers root for whatever breed they own.

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 player received John Madden's first on-air 'Turkey Leg Award' in 1989?

Reggie White of the Eagles received the first turkey leg after the 1989 'Bounty Bowl' win over Dallas; Madden later escalated to six-legged turkeys and the turducken.

Roughly how many watched the record-setting 2025 Chiefs–Cowboys Thanksgiving game?

All three 2025 Thanksgiving games set records; the Chiefs–Cowboys audience peaked at 61.4 million and was then the most-watched NFL regular-season game ever.

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, says it after his secret promotion drops live turkeys from a helicopter over a shopping mall.

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.

WKRP's 'Turkeys Away' was based on Atlanta manager Jerry Blum's real stunt tossing live turkeys from what?

A pickup truck in a Dallas shopping-center parking lot was Blum's launch platform; writer Bill Dial turned the fiasco into the 1978 episode.

Where did TV Guide rank 'Turkeys Away' on its 1997 list of the 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time?

TV Guide placed 'Turkeys Away' at Number 40 on its 1997 list, honouring the 1978 episode's off-screen turkey drop.

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 wears, a holdover from the faculty Thanksgiving party she had planned to attend before ending up at Carla's.

Whose face finally appears at the end of 'Thanksgiving Orphans', only to be covered by a pie thrown by Diane?

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', Elaine's trophy falls from Tim Whatley's window and pops which parade balloon?

The Woody Woodpecker balloon deflates after the trophy punctures it, leaving Mr. Pitt, for whom Elaine had won a spot on its rope line, struggling under it at the parade.

George buys a LeBaron convertible because a salesman claims it once belonged to which actor?

Jon Voight never owned it: the manual is signed 'John Voight', a periodontist; writer Tom Gammill had himself bought a car sold with the same story, and Voight appears in the episode biting 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 dinner burns while everyone watches the Underdog balloon, Monica serves it to all.

Brad Pitt's uncredited turn as Will Colbert in Friends' 'The One with the Rumor' earned him which Emmy nomination?

Brad Pitt's Will Colbert earned a 2002 nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series; Will was the former classmate who co-founded an 'I Hate Rachel Green' club with Ross.

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

Writer Richard Curtis later complained his team had been accused of copying Friends when their version came first, in 'Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean'.

In 'The One with the Rumor', what does Joey change into so he can finish an entire 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.

What Nielsen rating did 'The One with All the Thanksgivings' earn on its 1998 debut, second only to ER?

That equated to roughly 15.5 million households, and the episode picked up an Emmy nomination for costume design.

In '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.

Which Simpsons character debuts in 'Bart vs. Thanksgiving', telling Marge she never does anything right?

Jacqueline Bouvier, Marge's mother, makes her debut here, voiced by Julie Kavner, who also voices Marge and her sisters; laryngitis limits her to that one barb.

In 'Slapsgiving', Lily invokes what title to rule that Barney cannot be hit on Thanksgiving?

As Slap Bet Commissioner, Lily bans the slap, then relents with three seconds left on Marshall's countdown; Barney goes flying before the song 'You Just Got Slapped'.

In 'Slapsgiving 2', which estranged relative of Lily's shows up with a homemade board game called 'Diseases'?

Her father Mickey, played by Chris Elliott, arrives with 'Diseases'; Marshall, meanwhile, has gifted his fourth slap on Barney to Ted and Robin.

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

A former flame named Shelby is the target: Fischoeder, voiced by Kevin Kline, passes the Belchers off as his family, and the turkey Bob named Lance ends the day shot.

Which indie rock band covered Linda Belcher's 'Thanksgiving Song' from Bob's Burgers in 2012?

The National recorded a brooding cover of Linda's ditty in 2012; John Roberts, who voices Linda, sang the original in the season 3 episode 'An Indecent Thanksgiving Proposal'.

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.

In 'Dawn of the Peck', Linda asserts dominance over a one-eyed turkey nicknamed what?

Teddy, who spent a boyhood summer on a turkey farm, explains the birds went berserk because mixing species destroyed the pecking order.

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 is where Jess puts the frozen bird, and it catches fire; Justin Long's Paul then finds neighbour Mrs. Beverly dead on her toilet.

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?

Jake spends the episode hating the holiday because of his absent parents, then makes a toast that finally makes Boyle cry.

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

Everyone flushes the food down the toilet, and Boyle rescues the night with a spread of multi-ethnic takeout.

How many dinners do Lorelai and Rory attend in 'A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving'?

Four dinners fill the day, the last at the elder Gilmores', where Lorelai learns that Rory has applied to Yale.

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' is the fate of Troy, the turkey Bartlet does not pardon after C.J. picks Eric; Bartlet also gives Charlie a carving knife made by Paul Revere.

Which ER actress directed 'Shibboleth' and earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Drama?

Laura Innes, ER's Dr. Kerry Weaver, directed 'Shibboleth' and was nominated for the 2001 directing Emmy, one of 18 nominations The West Wing earned for its second season.

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

Her cholesterol is near the danger zone, her doctor warns, so Marie goes on a health kick; Ray secretly orders a real dinner from a restaurant and the family pounces on it.

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

Fish is Debra's choice in the episode 'Turkey or Fish', a break from tradition that Marie answers by showing up with her own bird anyway.

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

Master of None's 'Thanksgiving' won Waithe and co-writer Aziz Ansari the 2017 comedy-writing Emmy; it tracks Denise's coming out across Thanksgivings from 1995 to 2017.

Which actress plays Denise's mother Catherine in the Emmy-winning "Thanksgiving" episode?

Angela Bassett plays Catherine, whose slow acceptance of Denise's coming out anchors the episode; Kym Whitley plays Aunt Joyce.

Which two holiday specials came before the 1973 Peanuts Thanksgiving special?

A Charlie Brown Christmas and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, from 1965 and 1966, preceded the 1973 Thanksgiving special, which won an Emmy in 1974.

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 held the special from 2001 to 2019, padding the hour with 'The Mayflower Voyagers' from This Is America, Charlie Brown.

Which MythBusters pair hosted the Science Channel's 2010 Punkin Chunkin special?

Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage fronted the 2010 special; the show's Build Team of Tory Belleci, Kari Byron and Grant Imahara later took over the hosting.

In which state was the World Championship Punkin Chunkin, aired on the Science Channel in 2009 and 2010, held?

Delaware's Sussex County hosted it from 1986, latterly at Bridgeville; a 2016 air-cannon accident that injured a TV producer led the channel to drop the special.

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

A motel, reached on foot after the family car breaks down, is where Jack invents Pilgrim Rick; in the present, Randall finds Rebecca's letter in William's apartment and confronts her at the table.

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

Kevin Nealon, Weekend Update's anchor from 1991 to 1994, introduced Sandler's 1992 debut of 'The Thanksgiving Song' on the segment.

Which sitcom's Thanksgiving episode ends with a drunken order of moo goo gai pan?

The Bob Newhart Show's 'Over the River and Through the Woods' has Bob, Jerry, Howard and Mr. Carlin drunkenly phoning for Chinese food, the episode ending on the slurred 'moo goo gai pan' order.

Who wrote Buffy the Vampire Slayer's 1999 Thanksgiving episode 'Pangs'?

Jane Espenson wrote 'Pangs', in which Buffy cooks Thanksgiving at Giles's flat while the vengeful Chumash spirit Hus stalks Sunnydale.

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

A large black bear is Hus's final form; a tied-up Spike panics at the sight and knocks his chair over before Buffy finishes the spirit with his own knife.