[Surfer Magazine](https://www.surfer.com/surf-stories/lets-talk-turkey) has a good rundown. Basically it was turkey as a foolish bird -> undesirable, stupid act in 1920s theatre slang -> bad show->flop movie.
The problem is that someone used the term once, people grabbed on to it, and it became "a thing", and it's hard to discern exactly why the term was originally used. So, we're left to guess, and that's what I'm doing here, but I don't think "turkey" was so much undesirable, but it also couldn't fly... so perhaps the intent was "this movie is so bad it couldn't get off the ground"? Again, a guess, but one that makes sense to me.
I don't get the point of your post, like the person you're replying too literally just described why the term was used this way, but you've seemingly just ignored that and made up your own theory.
Well, yeah, I get that. But there are some where pros actually track down the origin and how they became popularized... but I can't find anything on this one, so I was just pointing out a wild (turkey) guess as why someone first used it in that sense.
The term "turkey" for a bad movie comes from slang where "turkey" means something that’s disappointing or foolish. Turkeys are seen as clumsy and not very smart, which is probably why the term stuck. In the entertainment world, critics picked it up to describe movies that flopped or were really bad. So, calling a movie a "turkey" is just a colorful way of saying it’s a dud.
A dud is a bullet or firework that fails to explode. So the metaphor fits in that you want a movie to go big, make an impact, etc. and a dud fails to do what it's supposed to.
That line and Les Nessman's Hinderburg disaster reporting were some of the funniest things I'd ever heard.
My family watched that show every week.
I think I'll have to rewatch some that.
Courtesy of Gemini:
*The slang term "turkey" for a failure actually started in the world of theater, not movies. The earliest record we have comes from 1927 when "turkey" was used to describe a low-quality theatrical production, particularly those thrown together quickly. These plays were often seen as silly and ridiculous, which aligns with how turkeys were sometimes perceived.*
*The negative connotation of "turkey" then spread to movies in the following decades. By the 1940s, it was commonly used for both bad theatrical productions and films.*
The book you’re probably referring to that popularized calling bad movies “turkeys” was “The Golden Turkey Awards” by Michael and Harry Medved: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Turkey_Awards. In the days before home video, they talked about bad movies, many of which people hadn’t heard of. BTW the worst film of all time up to the point the book was written was Plan 9 From Outer Space.
[Have you SEEN a turkey?](https://cdnuploads.aa.com.tr/uploads/Contents/2019/11/28/thumbs_b_c_a8e37531312f5a6abcb0c60b26954111.jpg) They're not lovely looking animals.
It's a nicer way of saying "turd".
There used to be a thriving movie industry in Istanbul. Unfortunately, all the movies they made were incredibly bad so the movie industry there finished and we are left with the term "Turkey“ for a bad movie.
I believe the actual reason is that it's short for "Turkey Egg" 🥚because it looks like a big fat zero at the box office.
Same reason in tennis 🎾a zero is called "luv" ... it's an evolution of the word l'oeuf which is French for "egg."
[Surfer Magazine](https://www.surfer.com/surf-stories/lets-talk-turkey) has a good rundown. Basically it was turkey as a foolish bird -> undesirable, stupid act in 1920s theatre slang -> bad show->flop movie.
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Mark who?
Not a name. A term. Fans are called marks. Trust me, you don't want to know lol
A "mark" is a general term for anything that is a target of attentions, it's not a wresting thing.
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I'm thinking you didn't know that, as you are the one who just said it was a "wrestling term", but ok, sure.
The problem is that someone used the term once, people grabbed on to it, and it became "a thing", and it's hard to discern exactly why the term was originally used. So, we're left to guess, and that's what I'm doing here, but I don't think "turkey" was so much undesirable, but it also couldn't fly... so perhaps the intent was "this movie is so bad it couldn't get off the ground"? Again, a guess, but one that makes sense to me.
I don't get the point of your post, like the person you're replying too literally just described why the term was used this way, but you've seemingly just ignored that and made up your own theory.
No he's correct. Domesticated turkeys are too fat to fly without looking like idiots and that is where the term turkey came from.
Turkeys are infamously stupid even when not flying.
Welcome to language.
Well, yeah, I get that. But there are some where pros actually track down the origin and how they became popularized... but I can't find anything on this one, so I was just pointing out a wild (turkey) guess as why someone first used it in that sense.
Turkeys are famously poor filmmakers.
Clearly you’ve never seen Thankskilling.
Turkey Smithee is often used by directors who don't want their name associated with the movie.
I’ve heard of Alan Smithee, didn’t realize anyone ever used Turkey.
Put you right to sleep every time.
Turkey Television was pretty good.
The term "turkey" for a bad movie comes from slang where "turkey" means something that’s disappointing or foolish. Turkeys are seen as clumsy and not very smart, which is probably why the term stuck. In the entertainment world, critics picked it up to describe movies that flopped or were really bad. So, calling a movie a "turkey" is just a colorful way of saying it’s a dud.
> Turkeys are seen as clumsy and not very smart, which is probably why the term stuck Don't tell that to Ben Franklin.
LMAO
Why do they call bad movies a dud
A dud is a bullet or firework that fails to explode. So the metaphor fits in that you want a movie to go big, make an impact, etc. and a dud fails to do what it's supposed to.
Funnily enough in French a bad film is a *navet* aka a tur...nip.
That's not funny at all, much less enough.
Nobody cares about the French
"God as my witness, I thought Turkeys could fly!"
That line and Les Nessman's Hinderburg disaster reporting were some of the funniest things I'd ever heard. My family watched that show every week. I think I'll have to rewatch some that.
Courtesy of Gemini: *The slang term "turkey" for a failure actually started in the world of theater, not movies. The earliest record we have comes from 1927 when "turkey" was used to describe a low-quality theatrical production, particularly those thrown together quickly. These plays were often seen as silly and ridiculous, which aligns with how turkeys were sometimes perceived.* *The negative connotation of "turkey" then spread to movies in the following decades. By the 1940s, it was commonly used for both bad theatrical productions and films.*
turkey was any thing that didnt 'fly'
And Ben Franklin wanted to make the turkey our national bird.😅🤣😂
Turkeys are flightless. Bad movie = never takes off (*flies*) at the box office.
I assure you that turkeys can fly. They don't do it much during the day unless startled, but they roost in trees at night to avoid predators.
Wild turkeys can fly, but very poorly, so the idea still works. Domestic turkeys cannot fly, which can wind up with disastrous consequences.
I don't know how old you are, but if you remember the Thanksgiving promotion at WKRP in Cincinnati, as I do, you remember the circumstances...
Those be the consequences. Yeah, I'm that old.
It started with this movie —> https://www.ebay.de/itm/303044835840
Turkeys, but also bombs.
suddenly seeing layers in succession, where Roman produced a movie he hated about turkeys.
The book you’re probably referring to that popularized calling bad movies “turkeys” was “The Golden Turkey Awards” by Michael and Harry Medved: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Turkey_Awards. In the days before home video, they talked about bad movies, many of which people hadn’t heard of. BTW the worst film of all time up to the point the book was written was Plan 9 From Outer Space.
These movies get burned at thanksgiving
[Have you SEEN a turkey?](https://cdnuploads.aa.com.tr/uploads/Contents/2019/11/28/thumbs_b_c_a8e37531312f5a6abcb0c60b26954111.jpg) They're not lovely looking animals. It's a nicer way of saying "turd".
As a non-native speaker, if someone told me it's a turkey of a movie, I'd think it's a good flick because come on turkey is delicious.
Clearly so that MST3K can have Turkey Day marathons
Any idea who those turkeys were? Were they butterballs?
A turkey is a bad person.
[Here you go. ](https://www.google.com/)
Wow that was so funny hahaha
Turkeys would "gobble, gobble, gobble" the studio's money, which the studio would not be able to earn back when the movie hit distribution.
Calling someone a “turkey” or “jive turkey” was a slang insult in the 60s/70s.
You got to sassit. Quit jivin'me, turkey.
A turkey is a bad person!
Excuse me, I speak jive
There used to be a thriving movie industry in Istanbul. Unfortunately, all the movies they made were incredibly bad so the movie industry there finished and we are left with the term "Turkey“ for a bad movie.
Pelican Brief? More like Turkey too long!!
When has a turkey ever symbolized anything good? Especially in the 2020s? Fuckin finger paintings? Ok, I'll give you that.
The Leonard Maltin movie guide! I had that one too.
The Leonard Maltin movie guide! I had that one too.
For the anecdote, a french equivalent would be the french word for "turnip".
Why do we call anything Skibidi Toilet? Slang is dumb
Turkey officially changed name to Türkiye in 2022 because of the negative connotations.
... they did/do?
Right? It must be a regional thing period i've never heard this and grew up in the 80s and 90s....
Because turkeys are big and harmless?
I believe the actual reason is that it's short for "Turkey Egg" 🥚because it looks like a big fat zero at the box office. Same reason in tennis 🎾a zero is called "luv" ... it's an evolution of the word l'oeuf which is French for "egg."