As Thanksgiving approaches, after pilgrims, the harvest and giving thanks, we are then reminded of William Shatner.
Why do Captain Kirk and Thanksgiving go together like sweet potato and marshmallows, you ask? Well, Shatner made an indelible impression on Thanksgiving for us back in 2011, and now we’d like to pass this on as a little gift for the upcoming holiday. You simply cannot unsee this beautifully comedic yet instructional cautionary video on the dangers of deep-frying your own turkey (which is indeed a very big thing Stateside, believe it or not).
“Deep-Fried Turkey Remix”, released in 2013, which you’ll find below, went on to become one of our top-three most-watched YouTube videos of all time (along with Christian the Lion and Fenton in the park – #personalpreference). It’s possible you might just add it to your own top list after seeing it or it may simply become one to watch whenever Turkey Day rolls around.
Before we launch into it, you may be wondering why Star Trek’s most famous son decided to put forth his considerable talents warning people of the dangers of deep-frying, all done in collaboration with State Farm Insurance. It’s because of his own fraught experiences with the oft ill-fated turkey-cooking technique.
Shatner said in a press release before the release of the video “Eat, Fry, Love: A Turkey Fryer Fire Cautionary Tale”, “I love to fry turkey and have been doing it for years, but I am not immune to frying accidents. In fact, my family now gathers together to watch my mishaps. Several years ago, I was even burned on my arms after accidentally dropping the turkey in the hot oil. People need to remember that hot oil and turkey can be a dangerous combination.”
No word on if the frying incidents have decreased post-video, but we like to think that this little beauty had an impact.
And here is the original video in full – it’s also worth a watch for a bit more backstory about the dangers of turkey-frying fires and how to prevent them:
Stay safe, deep-fried turkey lovers!
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