What Do You Call a Turkey With No Legs? The Hilarious Punchline Explained

As Thanksgiving approaches you may hear this classic riddle pop up in conversations

“What do you call a turkey with no legs?”

It’s a simple silly riddle that has been around for ages. But what’s the punchline? And why is it so funny? In this article I’ll break down the origins of this riddle, reveal the humor behind the answer, and share some funny variations you can try out on your family this holiday season.

The History Behind the Riddle

While the exact origins of this turkey riddle are unclear it likely emerged decades ago as a playful joke told around the Thanksgiving table. The nonsensical imagery of a legless turkey lends itself perfectly to cooking up a surprising and funny punchline.

The riddle has spawned many versions over the years. But they all follow the same basic format of setting up an absurd scenario involving a turkey without legs, before delivering a clever pun answer.

It’s a classic example of humorous wordplay using the flexibility of language to surprise us with an unexpected twist.

The Punchline Revealed

So what’s the answer to this famous riddle?

A turkey with no legs is called…a ground turkey!

The answer plays on the double meaning of “ground turkey.” It can refer to both a turkey with no legs that sits on the ground, and the type of turkey meat that has been ground up.

This subversion of a common phrase is what gives the punchline its delighted, groan-inducing humor. It’s so obvious in retrospect, but manages to catch us off guard with its clever wordplay.

Why Is It So Funny?

There are a few elements that make this riddle humorously entertaining:

• The ridiculous imagery of a legless turkey
• The surprise of the unexpected answer
• The play on words using “ground turkey”
• The grin-inducing silliness of the punchline

By blending absurdity with clever language, the riddle tickles our funny bone through the unexpected. It also appeals to our sense of the preposterous – we can’t help but laugh at the idea of a turkey minus its limbs.

The simple format makes the punchline satisfyingly easy to remember. Kids and adults alike can appreciate the innocent, smile-producing fun of this timeless Thanksgiving joke.

Fun Variations to Try

Once you know the basic punchline, it’s fun to get creative with your own variations on this riddle. Here are a few zany options:

• What do you call a turkey with rubber legs? A poultry-theist.
• What do you call a turkey that got run over? Squashed turkey.
• What do you call a turkey escapologist? Houdinki.
• What do you call a psychic turkey? A four-seer.

See if you can come up with your own silly versions to stump and delight your family and friends this holiday season. Just be prepared for lots of groans along with the laughs!

So next time someone asks you “What do you call a turkey with no legs?” you’ll know the iconic punchline. Share this funny riddle to spread some Thanksgiving mirth and create new traditions of terrible turkey jokes. Gobble gobble!