I have spent far too much time and energy this week trying to track down a copy of the famous flying turkey episode of WKRP - - a long lost TV show close to the heart of anyone who's ever worked in radio.

It's just not available on DVD.

Part of the problem is that the show was produced by MTM---which was bought and sold and dismantled and is now a part of Fox. That's why we can't find St Elsewhere anywhere. Nor Hill STreet. (which kills me---these crap comedies show up in boxed sets before the first run is even over...and these classics are lost forever)

The second problem has to do with music licensing. A big part of WKRP was the music. Which is what you'd expect from a series taking place at a radio station! When the licenses ran out, the rights holders simply stripped the songs out of the episodes, and dubbed in either generic music, or redubbed dialogue...and in doing so ruined the continuity of the program.

Anyway, back to the point: which is I've been joansing (hah!) to see the famous Thanksgiving episode....you know, the one that gave use the immortal line "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." If you've seen it, you've probably dissolved into laughter by now. If you haven't seen it, well go here:
http://radio.about.com/library/blwkrpturkey.htm


It's almost as funny as the famous Mary Tyler Moore episode "Chuckles Bites the Dust," the signle tv episode ranked #1 on TV Guide's The Greatest Episodes of All Time.

Speaking of Chuckles, that's one I haven't seen in decades, either. But it is available on DVD.

I do see that WKRP episode is available as a torrent. Hmmm. It just isn't Thanksgiving without Les Nessman telling me about those turkeys hitting the ground "like sacks of wet cement."