Kentucky Only Ever Mentioned Twice on ‘WKRP in Cincinnati,’ and Not in the Turkey Episode [VIDEO]
It is my all-time favorite TV series of any kind and I suppose it always will be. And it would be accurate to say it had some influence on my career choice.
THE ICONIC WKRP THANKSGIVING EPISODE
While never the biggest hit CBS ever gave us (unfortunately), WKRP in Cincinnati returns to the spotlight every year at this time because of its first-season Thanksgiving episode, during which a turkey giveaway goes horribly wrong.
It is arguably the most FAMOUS Thanksgiving episode ever aired. While there are others from other series, I can't think of them right now. The "Turkey Drop" episode, for which it has become known, has achieved icon status and is really a sneaky good example of black comedy.
NOT THE BIGGEST SITCOM EVER, BUT THE BEST
But for me, there are SO MANY iconic episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati, attributed to the fact that I'm a huge fan But there ARE two that stand out, and not just because of the quality OF the episodes. It was because these are the only two episodes in which Kentucky was ever mentioned during the series' four-season run. And you could possibly count a third, but you'd need to slap an asterisk on it. I'll get to that later.
WHEN KENTUCKY WAS MENTIONED ON 'WKRP IN CINCINNATI'
There's an episode in which sales manager Herb Tarlek's notoriously ugly wardrobe is a topic of conversation in which Tarlek admits he buys his deadly duds at a "golf pro shop over in Kentucky."
And on another, news director Les Nessman is denied access to a press conference regarding President Ronald Reagan's impending arrival in Cincinnati--a ban that was put in place due to Nessman's "Communist ties," of which there are none. After some investigation, Les learns his father (who he KNEW had died) was actually alive and "owned a barbershop in Kentucky." And it's THIS man who'd attended one meeting back in the 1950s. Hence the red flag.
The third episode--about Jennifer, the secretary, buying a mysterious old house--doesn't really mention "Kentucky," but the script DOES say that the house is "across the river." That can only BE Kentucky.
It's nice to be able to write about the best sitcom ever made. So I am thankful FOR Thanksgiving...AND for a now-43-year-old episode that keeps on giving.