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11/23/2006: The 1993 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!


Happy Thanksgiving, folks! This year has really flown by — tough to imagine that come tomorrow, we’re officially in the Christmas season and totally allowed to cover everything we own in blinking lights and baubles. I’m excited, but I’m also very busy today, so let’s make this quick. Yes, there’s a new Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade review. It’s true, I didn’t let you down. It’s also true that approximately six people read the site on Thanksgiving, but whatever. Finished writing this baby at like 5 in the freakin’ morning, and didn’t have enough gas to copyedit until just a few minutes ago.

It’s the 1993 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! And what a disaster it was! See the drama unfold as criminally powerful winds rip balloons to shreds! There are a lot of words, pictures and videos in this two page feature, which I hope you’ll enjoy, because the fact that I stayed up so late to write it spells a very cranky Matt for the remainder of the holiday. Hey, Aunt Mary? I am going to punch you in the tits and stab you if you take just one more slice of turkey with your god damned fingers.

Use the comments space to talk about your Thanksgiving adventures, thoughts on this year’s parade, Black Friday bullshit and/or what have you. Have a good one!


Posted by Matt. E-mail me!

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Discussion Thread: 111 comments

Matt, I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your staying up until the crack of dawn to finish your review…you’ve brought this reader a lot of joy over the past few years…I can’t wait for the Christmas countdown to begin!

Am I the only one that LIKES the broadway stuff? Sure, some of them are lame (Chorus Line, I’m looking in your direction), but you can’t deny that this morning’s performance of “Always look on the bright side of life” from Monty Python’s “Spamalot” made you smile…

Ghosted by Cameron T. @ 11/24/2006 1:06 AM EST

Thanks guys!

As for the Broadway stuff, speaking specifically about the parades of old and not so much about recent years, part of the problem was that all of the Broadway performances took place in the same, bare spot, and the performances were generally the longest “skits” in the parade. Some years, they’d even do Broadway medleys that lasted a solid 15 minutes. I think Monty Python would get a pass, though. :)

Didn’t get to see the parade today, but I saw some clips on the news — looks like the rain made it another banner year. ;)

Ghosted by Matt @ 11/24/2006 1:10 AM EST

I can’t believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone so quickly (I found a spider ring and some rubber bats lying around today).
For all of you Canadians who are feeling the “No-Thanksgiving Here Blues”, I gave you a tribute towards the bottom of the last thread.

And now, big thanks to Matt for another excellent parade review worthy of PARADE. Loved the “Do the Bartman” reference. Yeah, that girl on the “Baby Beluga” segment was pretty funny but the close-up girl ACTUALLY YAWNS THEN LOOKS AT HER SHOES! Classic. Also, it was interesting to see your fatigue/anger seep through (especially on that one costumed kid. Thanks for toning it down.):)

I know I am fighting last week’s battle but why do they show the PEANUTS specials but no Garfield’s??? Wouldn’t the GARFIELD THANKSGIVING make more sense than Charlie Brown vs. a bully? Especially when one considers the fact that Garfield is a much hotter commodity (with the movies and all) than PEANUTS (no disrespect intended). Your thoughts…

Ghosted by The Manimal @ 11/24/2006 1:19 AM EST

Manimal: Most won’t notice the edit, but both the original and edited versions of “that line” are just references to the squirrel suit ghost scene from The Shining. In that context, it’s a little less offensive, but I got a couple of e-mails about it and agreed that the original line wasn’t worth pushing on people who didn’t get the reference.

Yeah, I can’t believe Thanksgiving is over, either. This year has flown. I’m tempted to give into Black Friday temptations, but the thought of getting up at 7 AM to do that gives me a backache.

As for the Garfield specials, I’m with you. Garfield is pretty huge again thanks to those movies; at least, he’s huge enough to warrant airing a special that half the potential audience already knows and loves/loved anyway. Maybe they’ll surprise us come Christmas. :)

Ghosted by Matt @ 11/24/2006 1:26 AM EST

Sorry to post again so soon, but I just finished watching the NBC promo and all I can say is that Harry Weston sure delivered a lot of babies for being a PEDIATRICIAN.

Ghosted by Lori @ 11/24/2006 1:28 AM EST

Ahhhh, fair enough.
I’ve only seen THE SHINING once so I didn’t get that one.
As to the Garfield situation, we can dream…

Thanks again for putting in so much effort. We apppreciate it.

Ghosted by The Manimal @ 11/24/2006 1:29 AM EST

Despite the rain, the balloons all seemed to be intact today. It was nice seeing balloons of pretty much all “A”-list cartoons characters this year, including a new version of the classic “Flying Ace” Snoopy balloon. I do miss the “classic” Garfield balloon, but the new one holding Pooky is pretty cool, at least they didn’t make a balloon of creepy CGI movie Garfield.

Ghosted by Jon @ 11/24/2006 1:32 AM EST

Matt thanks for capping off my Thanksgiving on a high note. I swear this place has become a holiday tradition for me. From the Halloween Countdown to the impending arrival of Knacks and Kuse, this site is the perfect compliment to my holidays.
Speaking of Thanksgiving, as stoked as I was to see the lit-up Pikachu, I was not prepared for the Hess Truck float immediately following him. Talk about a one-two combination for fans of this site. Was I the only one who remembered the advert calendar from last year? All we needed was Bart to come down afterwards and it would have been overload. And why was Bart absent this year? Do they not have a movie to promote?

Ghosted by 9Line @ 11/24/2006 1:51 AM EST

Uh, am I the only one who thinks to watch the parade on CBS instead of NBC? CBS shows waaaay more footage of the actual parade, and skips most of the Broadway stuff NBC spends so much time on.

Ghosted by jazzy @ 11/24/2006 2:22 AM EST

Triples? Are you serious? I hated that stuff. My dad would buy boxes of that shit and we had to EAT ALL OF IT before we could open the new cereal. And this was a household were BooBerry was the only Monster cereal we got- and all the time to boot.

Ghosted by Spectre! @ 11/24/2006 3:16 AM EST

Matt,

Never did get that weirdo scene in The Shining. Stanley Kubrick is on f’d up mofo, I know that much.

Ghosted by Cotter @ 11/24/2006 3:43 AM EST

Actually, that scene was one of the few preserved from the book. Of all the things to keep…I always thought having Jack N. do the aspirin-chewing would have been a cool effect.
Awesome article! These are always among my favorites. “BAGGIES ON THE FEET!” still gives me a random giggle on occasion. Now I’ll be morphing Raffi to grunge too.

Ghosted by squee4242 @ 11/24/2006 4:18 AM EST

Just got back from the BLACK FRIDAY exploits. I only went to TOYS R US and our favorite magical slice of retail heaven, TARGET.
TARGET was swamped. Two items of interest: No bull, I got that Boba Fett Target Statue for (drumroll) 2.44!! Oh yes oh yes ohhhh yessss.
The other funny thing was that I may have picked up a soon to be collector’s item without even realizing it. I finally bought HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS on DVD. Nothing unusual about that except the packaging says “50th Annivesary Edition” yet my prior knowledge (and the back of the DVD) clearly state that this special was done in 1966. Now, either my math skills are worse than I thought or I pulled a mini-Rip van Winkle and woke up in 2016…

Ghosted by The Manimal @ 11/24/2006 9:17 AM EST

one word: well.. two: advent calendar

Ghosted by Photog @ 11/24/2006 9:30 AM EST

Wow, I actually still have a tape of the 93 parade…I taped it for my neice when her cable had gone out and never taped over it. As the Bethoveen balloon was weaving back and forth Willard comments that “The kids love it as long as they don’t break.” I wonder if an NBC guy ran up to him during the following Native American dance saying “Ixney on the break-ey”

Ghosted by Garrison @ 11/24/2006 9:40 AM EST

Matt, how exactly do you acquire tapes of entire Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades from ten to fifteen years ago? There are a few ways that come to mind, but I’m curious to know your way.

Ghosted by Der Super @ 11/24/2006 10:01 AM EST

Manimal – The “50th Anniversary” the new Grinch DVD is referring to is the anniversary of the first publication of the original book in 1957. Kind of confusing, I know…
BTW somebody at Warner Bros needs to be fired for thinking covering the outside of the DVD case with sparkley glitter (to look like snow) was a good idea. You can’t even touch the damn DVD case without getting your hands covered with glitter.

Ghosted by Jon @ 11/24/2006 10:54 AM EST

Burger King and XBOX?
Review

Ghosted by Dave @ 11/24/2006 11:07 AM EST

I was able to flip back and forth between the Macy’s parade and the parade in Philly, in front of the art museum. Both were pretty ho hum in my book, but at least the Philly parade didn’t have broadway numbers every 15-20 seconds. You should’ve seen how shocked and offended my gf and I were when we noticed during the Grinch number that his dog talked! His dog isn’t supposed to TALK! That’s just not right! I do have a question though. Does anyone know when they started having the Garfield balloon with binky as opposed to the old one with him sitting down? Thanks and I hope everyone had a good holiday!

Ghosted by Lammy742 @ 11/24/2006 11:25 AM EST

I think the new Garfield started about four years ago. Is there a website anywhere that lists all the balloons, and says how many had different versions (Garfield, Snoopy, Bullwinkle) and how many only ran one year?

Ghosted by Garrison @ 11/24/2006 12:06 PM EST

Happy Belated Turkey Lurkey Day, folks!

Being as I’m one of the poor bastids enlisted in sitting in my office until the stock market closes, I should be melancholy. Or pissy, as I’m still really hung over right now — it *IS* eggnogg season afterall.

BUT …

I just heard “Christmas in the Stars” from a certain holiday special featuring a certain set of droids on XM’s Special XMas channel, so it’s really, really hard not to grin like a fool. Especially when it’s followed up by Sesame Street’s Grover and Friends singing “Blue Christmas”.

Ghosted by LemurCat @ 11/24/2006 12:29 PM EST

I’ll take Jazzy’s advice and watch it on CBS next year. The NBC version has been sucking for years (although this years was pretty good since I recognized most of the songs). Heck, I think 1993 was the last good one, even as chaotic as it was. I remember all of the balloons in this one. The old Big Bird balloon was better then the new one (since when did BB need a combover?). Kind of sad that three of the people in the review aren’t with us anymore.

I spent yesterday reading a magazine and watching wrestling.

Ghosted by JLAJRC @ 11/24/2006 12:32 PM EST

Thanks to Jon for letting me know that the universe is still in balance and I didn’t hit some kind of time warp. :)
Honestly and embarassingly, I didn’t even think about the book.
Yeah, that glitter is nice now but I am thinking about 6 years down the line…
I watched the CBS version of the parade this year and, yes, it was better. Still too much Broadway stuff though. To me the Broadway segments either come off as a needless plug for N.Y. OR the city showing too much self-love.
It would be interesting to see if there is any data showing that viewership going down during those segments.

Ghosted by The Manimal @ 11/24/2006 1:14 PM EST

Happy Turkey Decimation!

I remember the whole ‘93 mess. For some reason, nobody seeme to be in synch with each other. Unfortunately, the Eagle Dancers were one of the worst examples of not being able to hear the music well. Totally changed my mood from “Hey, Native Americans! Cool!” to, “-The hell? That doesn’t look right.” What happened to Sonic was such a ironic stroke that Nintendo brought it up in a print ad a couple months later.

Meanwhile, in the Sooner State, the BC Clark jingle started playing yesterday. Now the season is officially gaining a full head of steam. Are any of your local traditional ads on yet?

Ghosted by kingklash doesn't have an XBox, but he wants those BK games anyway @ 11/24/2006 2:21 PM EST

Matt: Answer Der Super’s question, please–I’d like to know that myself. I want a ‘93 Thanksgiving Parade tape. Maybe Garrison can donate a copy….

I quit watching the CBS coverage because they kept switching between Macy’s and all these other parades from around the country, and I only came for one. Are they still doing that?

Ghosted by Mars @ 11/24/2006 3:32 PM EST

Thanks for the link, K-! I was going to watch that on one of my DVDs, but forgot what ep it was, then I found this!

I got off my KB job about an hour so, I’m I’m feeling pretty zzzzzz…..

Ghosted by Invader Norbert @ 11/24/2006 3:39 PM EST

Mars: CBS stuck to Macy’s this year. The only problem was they kept interviewing annoying soap stars. But they kept the interviews short and made sure to highlight all the important floats and balloons.

Kingklash: Yesterday I saw that ad with the Hershey’s kisses in different colored foil ringing like bells, and I literally almost squealed out loud.

Ghosted by jazzy @ 11/24/2006 5:03 PM EST

I was one of the six who read it on Thanksgiving, in fact I think I probably read it about an hour or so after you posted it, Matt! :D

Couldn’t afford to go anywhere this year, so spent it mostly online and with videos. The review was a nice replacement for missing the parade live. :)

Ghosted by Moony @ 11/24/2006 5:51 PM EST

Just for the record, I checked for a new Macy’s review on Thanksgiving morning!!! It wasn’t there yet, but I knew you’d come through. These have become a highlight of the holidays for me. Thanks for putting in the time!!

Ghosted by Domicinator @ 11/24/2006 6:27 PM EST

Mars,

I’m sure he tapes them himself…

Although it would be cool to buy one :D

Ghosted by Cotter @ 11/24/2006 8:12 PM EST

I loved Triples Cereal! It’s wierd but I have some cognitive ache in my tougue from the sight of that box. I bit my tougue when I was a kid eating the damn stuff. Oh well. Still good.

Ghosted by Bill @ 11/24/2006 8:31 PM EST

Cameron T, you’re not the only Broadway fan. I was disappointed I missed it before I headed out with my sister. Usually, that’s the only part of the parade I get to see before Dad says “get off, I have to watch the same DVD I’ve watched every day for the past month” or someone feels the need to play PS2.

Ghosted by starwenn @ 11/24/2006 9:48 PM EST

The Fisher Price 3-in-1 table gave me flashbacks. I think I saw it most during American Gladiators. Speaking of which, I lived in Germany for three years so when I first heard about the concept of American Gladiators I somehow thought that they had actually executed the concept of Arnie’s classic “The Running Man” in real life. I was a stupid lil kid. :)

Ghosted by 9Line @ 11/24/2006 9:53 PM EST

On a side note I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We had a great family T-Day and I hung out with my 6 year old cousine Kyle who showed me the way of Spongbob Square pants. We watched 3 hours of it on dvd and I have to tell you that’s the new favorite. That is the funniest cartoon i have seen in a while, or I had one too many Sam Adams Holiday brews. Any animated show that has music from Pantera and Ween gets an A+++++ in my book. Somtimes it takes the one person who’s career ambition is to become a Diver/Pirate astronaut to show you a new highlight of life. I can say that as a 28 year old because no one knows me here.
I think from now on I with chant my way to work saying, “I’m ready, I’m Ready, I’m Ready…”

Ghosted by Bill @ 11/24/2006 9:57 PM EST

Wasn’t Aaron Neville singing in those cotton commercials? I recall hearing some singing like his on those.

This is so fun to see all these old commercials after so long! I doubt you’ll want to see some of today’s commercials years from now though. (honestly, we could do without car insurance shilling amphibians and spy-type people)

Ghosted by mjf7583 @ 11/24/2006 10:25 PM EST

Very nice article, Matt. This is the first of your Thanksgiving Day parade reviews I’ve read, and I must say it definitely ranks up there with some of the best articles on the site.

Ghosted by Retro Playback @ 11/24/2006 10:54 PM EST

Oh man this is the year that Katie wore that jacked up oddly shaped red hat. That’s my most vivid memory of that parade. And how much the 10 year old me wanted that hat.

Ghosted by Anita @ 11/25/2006 2:26 AM EST

Just a comment about the Broadway acts (since I’ve noticed a lot of people complaining about too much coverage)–the parade actually starts about 2.5 miles (I think) away from Herald Square (which is where the majority of TV crews film). The Broadway acts are performed in Herald Square until the parade actually gets to the Square. So if the TV stations didn’t show all the Broadway stuff they would only be able to air interviews and such for at least the first hour.

Ghosted by snowfire @ 11/25/2006 2:51 AM EST

So Black Friday is over and done. How were the crime reports in everyone’s neighborhood?

We only had one shooting over a PS3. I was surprised.

Ghosted by ColonelCatsup @ 11/25/2006 4:11 AM EST

I have that Fisher-Price Tournament Table, it sits in my basement.

It doesn’t glow in the dark, though.

Ghosted by MJK @ 11/25/2006 12:14 PM EST

Matt, please don’t read this post.
(Right and who am I kidding, exactly?)

Anyway… Given the interest expressed in the previous thread, I’ve taken it upon myself to compile the Photog/Bitner thread into book form, whose file I will then send to Matt as a gift. He can then choose to publish and sell, or ignore. The choice is his. The reason I mention it here is that if anyone has any related material saved from that thread (pix, screencaps, etc…) please send it to me if you would be so kind. You can click my name for my e-mail. Thanks ever so.

Ghosted by Rhino @ 11/25/2006 1:07 PM EST

Ok, I guess I’m a spaz. Mail me at bboyelwood@aol.com

Ghosted by Rhino @ 11/25/2006 1:11 PM EST

Let me just say Black Friday sucked hard. I ended up punching someone myself, as some big gangster-type charcter thought he could just push through the line that was waiting outside of the store effectively skipping EVERYONE in line AND knocking my wife and my daughter up against the wall. When I saw that, my Incredible Hulk side came out and I knocked this guys teeth down his throat. I was kindly asked to leave the store… amidst cheers from all the downtrodden meek people who would never have dreamed doing something like this could happen in real life. I felt like a hero, I felt totally vindicated, and I felt like my hand was broken. The local Mall, however, was desolate. We were able to visit 7 different stores, pose with Santa, and gulp down a couple Orange Juliussesseses in under 2 hours. I would love to know what story that “gangsta guy” is gonna tell all his home-skillets about the no doubt gaping hole in his front teeth.

Ghosted by Old E @ 11/25/2006 1:18 PM EST

We saw Casino Royale. GAWD IT SUCKED!!! I mean, it really didn’t even feel like a Bond flick. Plus, I could’ve cut a whole hour out of that film. The lovey dubby scenes made me wanna puke!

Oh yeah, and dinner sucked too. We just ordered the thanksgiving dinner from Marie Callender’s, since the only member in my family who could ever cook (my grandmother) is no longer capable of doing so.

Plus, two family members I was once very close to totally blew me off.

Ghosted by Nate @ 11/25/2006 2:21 PM EST

It’s Charles Grodin, not Judge Reinhold in Beethovens 2nd…jeez man…apologize to Grodin.

Ghosted by Nick @ 11/25/2006 2:27 PM EST

Bullshit, apologize to Judge Reinhold!

Ghosted by Vanbilderass @ 11/25/2006 2:35 PM EST

Loved the review of the parade Matt, you are such a unique writer. Have you thought about writing a book of some sort? Maybe you already have and I am just out of the loop!

Ghosted by Heather @ 11/25/2006 2:40 PM EST

Played the new Nintendo Wii. Got to say I like it. I just can’t wait for a local TV station to do a story on a catastrophic injury from some kid throwing his arm out or smacking his younger sister in the eye with a simulated motion from a samari sword. Can not wait for a Jedi lightsaber battle on Wii.
http://www.threebrain.com/weeeeee.shtml
This is a perfect Wii theme song!

Ghosted by Bill @ 11/25/2006 5:50 PM EST

That song sounds like it was sung by Err.

Not that that is a bad thing in anyway shape or form. I just kept waiting for him to praise the Moon or something.

“That ain’t no school you’re writin’ on. That’s a damn rock. I like to rock. I will rock your face!!!!”

Ghosted by K- @ 11/25/2006 6:22 PM EST

“Gonads and Strife” always sounded like a old hygiene film I might have seen in high school.

This is a film about Billy. Billy is reading a so-called “Tijuana Bible.” Billy’s “friend” Frankie gave it to him. Billy is about to learn a lesson about….
GONADS AND STRIFE

Ghosted by kingklash @ 11/25/2006 6:52 PM EST

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