WWE's Strangest Moment Happened One Thanksgiving in New England

There has been a lot of change within World Wrestling Entertainment since New Hampshire native Triple H took over the company’s creative direction this past summer.

One switch was to move the company’s November premium live event, Survivor Series, back to Thanksgiving weekend. And this year, it will take place at the TD Garden in Boston.

It seems appropriate, as New England has long been home to WWE (once the WWF). Based in Stamford, Connecticut, WWE was an adopted franchise for millennials as Boston sports teams slogged and stumbled through a forgettable period in the 1990s.

But there remains one storyline, or, “angle”, that stands out as perhaps the most bizarre ever, concocted by former Chairman Vince McMahon.

It also took place at Survivor Series, and occurred right here in New England.

In the autumn of 1990, an imposing, oversized egg began appearing on WWE’s syndicated, Saturday morning programming. There was no explanation or backstory. Just a giant egg sitting in the middle of the arena on its own raised platform.

For weeks, rumors ran rampant through wrestling publications and playgrounds as writers and fans tried to guess who – or what – was inside this giant egg that (it was implied) would hatch on Thanksgiving in Hartford, Connecticut, home to that year’s Survivor Series.

Some speculated it would usher in the arrival of wrestling legend Ric Flair. In his documentary “The Last Ride,” The Undertaker, preparing to debut with WWE, shared how he feared the egg was for him; that he would be “The Eggman” rather than The Deadman.

Finally, Thanksgiving arrived. Dramatically, the egg began to hatch. And out came...a giant, human-sized turkey.

There, for all to see, was born the infamous Gobbledy Gooker.

That’s it. That’s the joke. There was no long-term plan or storyline. Vince McMahon apparently just thought it would be hilarious to see legendary interviewer Mean Gene Okerlund dance with a giant turkey.

Then as quickly as it had hatched, the Gobbledy Gooker disappeared.

I guess when you’re the hottest wrestling promoter on the planet riding the wave of Hulkamania, you can afford to just write something for yourself. It appears that’s just what McMahon did.

But for a few weeks in November of 1990, none other than The Undertaker (who also debuted that night in Hartford) feared the idea of being an Eggman even more than he fears cucumbers.