The Egg That Laid A Turkey: The Infamous Debut Of WWE’s Gobbledy Gooker

On November 22, 1990, the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) conceived one of the most infamous gimmicks in professional wrestling history. As people attended the annual Survivor Series pay-per-view show at the Hartford Civic Center in Connecticut, the excitement was high for the introduction of a secret giant egg teased for weeks. Instead, out came not the new big star, but a turkey-clad man named the Gobbledy Gooker – a scene that would haunt wrestling lore for decades to come.

The Build-Up: Eggcitement and Speculation

During the weeks preceding the 1990 Survivor Series, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, presently WWE) promoted its introduction by displaying an oversized egg at house shows, generating a lot of hype among wrestling fans. This promotional device was intended to create suspense and leave fans wondering what or who could be inside the giant prop.

Gossip went into high gear. As “Mean” Gene Okerlund, the WWF’s go-to interviewer, said: “Everybody has speculated about what could be inside the egg. Is it a rabbit? Is it a dinosaur? Balloons? Is it the Playmate of the Month?” Some fans even wished that it could be a first-time appearance by debuting Ric Flair, one of the biggest stars for the WWF’s arch-rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW) promotion.

Even Mark Calaway, who was to make his debut as The Undertaker that night, had initially feared that the egg was meant for his character.3 This is a fascinating tidbit to add to the tale, as it highlights how even the performers themselves were unaware of what lay inside the egg.

The Great Reveal: A Turkey is Born

When the time came, the crowd’s anticipation was quickly replaced by confusion as Héctor Guerrero appeared in full turkey attire. The response wasn’t the deafening boos that wrestling heels usually receive but instead a stunned silence that said everything about the crowd’s sentiments.

He then came over to Okerlund to be interviewed but communicated only in gobbling sounds. This caused Okerlund to refer to him as “the Gobbledy Gooker.”. As fans at ringside began to boo, a rock and roll version of “Turkey in the Straw” started to play, and Okerlund and Guerrero danced in the ring.

The atmosphere was unreal. Here was a well-respected wrestler, Héctor Guerrero—brother of the great Eddie Guerrero—strutting around in a turkey suit, gobbling nonsensically, and trying to amuse a crowd that had been anticipating something much more spectacular.

In spite of the crowd’s disdain for the segment, commentator Roddy Piper declared that the Gobbledy Gooker had “won the heart of Hartford!” and his broadcast colleague Gorilla Monsoon called it a “big smash.” This misalignment between the announcers’ euphoria and the crowd’s obvious dismay only served to heighten the surreal quality of the debut.

Behind the Feathers: The Concept and Creation

The idea for the Gobbledy Gooker was to have it be a turkey mascot for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), similar to the San Diego Chicken. Besides being a mascot, WWF booker Vince McMahon wanted the character to wrestle and hired a talented wrestler to portray it.

Following a suggestion from Dusty Rhodes, the WWF started reaching out to Héctor Guerrero in early 1990. Guerrero was offered the part following a successful face-to-face audition several months later and was going to make his debut at the forthcoming Survivor Series event. The selection of Guerrero, a good wrestler from a renowned wrestling family, indicates that the WWF had high expectations for the character even with its over-the-top nature.

Vince McMahon himself went in search of a talented performer who would be able to entertain as a mascot and also wrestle, so the search for the ideal candidate was long.3 This information tells us that the Gobbledy Gooker was not meant to be a one-time joke but a character with staying power who could become a favorite among fans.

The Immediate Aftermath: A Foul Reception

Crowd response to The Gobbledy Gooker was very negative, with fans booing loudly as the costumed Héctor Guerrero danced in the ring with announcer Gene Okerlund. While the character appeared a few times in taped promos after the Survivor Series, the Gobbledy Gooker quickly vanished and was not spoken of again until the Gimmick Battle Royal at WrestleMania X-Seven.

The WWF soon found they had erred with the Gobbledy Gooker. The character was so unpopular that it became an immediate punchline among wrestling fans. It later gained notoriety as being amongst the worst characters in professional wrestling history.

No one has ever really been able to explain why the WWE brought in a good worker such as Guerrero for the express purpose of putting him into a giant turkey costume, but it is one of the more objectionable things about the whole mess. Now, contrary to popular perception that the Gooker was a one-shot deal, Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer pointed out on the November 19, 2012, edition of Wrestling Observer Radio that Gooker was intended to be a mascot, maybe long-term.

Context and Timing: Why the Gooker Flopped

Several factors contributed to the Gobbledy Gooker’s disastrous debut:

Misplaced Expectations: So, to set the record straight, the second a giant egg cracked open and out came a man wearing an inexpensive turkey suit, fans had built expectations from The Undertaker’s introduction, dreaming they could possibly be witnessing Ric Flair and wishing someone would come to rescue their hero Hogan from a handicapped beating. What did they receive instead? The Gobbledy Gooker.

Timing in the Show: 1990 Survivor Series was a PPV featuring Hogan, Hart, Mr. Perfect, Texas Tornado (Kerry Von Erich), Jim Neidhart, Jake Roberts, Jimmy Snuka, Shawn Michaels, and Marty Jannetty. Good wrestlers. This was also long before the arrival of some of wrestling’s more dubious characters like The Mantaur, Giant Gonzalez, The Goon, and Repo Man.9

Compare with Other Debuts: When the time came, the audience’s anticipation immediately turned to confusion as Héctor Guerrero showed up all dressed in turkey attire. The crowd’s response was not the deafening boos that usually meet wrestling heels but a puzzled silence that told much about how the crowd felt. This was especially jarring considering that The Undertaker, one of wrestling’s greatest characters, made his debut on the same evening.

Mismatch with Audience Expectations: In addition, as context, Survivor Series 1990 began with three half-naked gimps (Demolition) making their way to the ring to battle three deranged guys with face paint (Ultimate Warrior, Road Warrior Hawk, and Road Warrior Animal). The Warriors had also recently cut an incomprehensible yell promo. It’s rather obvious that the Gobbledy Gooker was merely a silly moment to endear itself to the younger viewer. So why was the Gobbledy Gooker so viciously mocked? The character was out of place even within the frequently cartoonish realm of 1990s WWF.

The Legacy of the Gobbledy Gooker

In spite of its initial flop, the Gobbledy Gooker has gained a strange sort of immortality in wrestling history:

A Benchmark for Bad Gimmicks: A few years later, WrestleCrap employed the name for its “Gooker Award,” given for the worst gimmicks, storylines, or events in wrestling. This yearly “honor” guarantees that the Gobbledy Gooker’s memory lives on as a benchmark for wrestling blunders.

Sporadic Returns: WWE revived the character sporadically after a long absence, and a number of other wrestlers have also worn the Gobbledy Gooker costume. These appearances usually reference the character’s infamous reputation for the sake of comedy.

Cult Following: Despite not getting off the ground with audiences, the Gobbledy Gooker has done something that is all too rare in professional wrestling: it has overcome its initial designation as a creative miss to become a beloved addition to WWE’s impressive repertoire of characters. The mascot last appeared on the November 26, 2020, episode of WWE Main Event. During the program, the character was attacked by Mace and T-Bar, members of the Retribution stable, who double chokeslammed him down.

Championship Glory: Thirty years after its initial release, in a surprising twist of fate, it captured the WWE 24/7 Championship at the 2020 Survivor Series.1 This redemption, though in a humorous context, demonstrates how the character has come full circle in WWE history.

The Man Behind the Feathers: Héctor Guerrero’s Story

But the character would have worked just because of who was wearing the suit. Hector Guerrero took on the role even though he couldn’t really see inside the getup and was dedicated to the gag. He’s talked about how much he would have wanted more time to attempt to get the character over. His brother Eddie and Uncle Chavo were huge sensations in the WWE. Hector, for his part, was an incredible performer who held several NWA titles.

Guerrero’s dedication to the character and his in-ring background also indicate that with more time to develop and improve creative direction, the Gobbledy Gooker could have developed into a productive character. Its fate was sealed with the strongly negative initial reception, though.

Cultural Influence and Reflection

The Gobbledy Gooker debut serves as a cautionary tale in the world of professional wrestling. It demonstrates the risks of overhyping a reveal, the importance of meeting audience expectations, and the fine line between entertaining absurdity and alienating silliness in wrestling characters.

The Gooker’s influence reaches outside the ring. The character created WrestleCrap’s yearly “Gooker Award,” which is given to the year’s worst wrestling storylines or gimmicks. This questionable distinction has been given to many of wrestling’s most notorious moments, including David Arquette’s WCW Championship reign and more recent happenings such as CM Punk’s AEW stint.

In hindsight, the Gobbledy Gooker is a singular moment in wrestling history—a period when the WWF was trying out more and more cartoon-like characters and storylines. While most of these attempts were successful, the Gooker is an excellent example of creative zeal exceeding audience acceptance.

Conclusion: The Gobbledy Gooker’s Lasting Legacy

The Gobbledy Gooker’s initial appearance at the 1990 Survivor Series is still one of the most notorious moments in professional wrestling history. What was meant to be a light-hearted, family-friendly character turned into a cautionary tale about the dangers of building up a reveal and underestimating audience expectations.

But in its failure, the Gobbledy Gooker gained a sort of immortality. It is now a cherished piece of wrestling history, a joke that all fans get, and a standard by which other dubious gimmicks are judged. Its occasional resurrections over the years have been greeted with a combination of boos and cheers, a sign of its special status in wrestling history.

Ultimately, the tale of the Gobbledy Gooker is greater than one of a gimmick that failed. It is a testament to wrestling’s ability to be ridiculous, to be willing to take a chance, and to be able to make even its greatest blunders into long-lasting works of pop culture. The Gobbledy Gooker might have cracked in its first appearance, but it spawned a legacy that still makes people laugh and fascinates wrestling enthusiasts today.