Sarah Palin in The Silence of the Turkeys

Today would be a good day to invest in a company that makes "Tofurkey."

Sarah Palin, the former GOP VP candidate and current Alaska Governor, was part of perhaps the most surreal photo-op ever yesterday. She was doing the standard "Pardon the Turkey" routine, when things went horribly wrong.

David Knowles posted the short, uncensored version last night (which adds a layer of disturbing, as I now get to picture DK hunched over the computer, fervently watching this video at 1:30 in the morning in his pajamas. God, please, let there have been pajamas), but Countdown has the full video of the pardon, and a censored version of the aftermath. If you ask me, the blurring makes it worse. I was like, "Um, why are they blurring that area?"



This video is a "Where's Waldo?" of creepy. I have to admit to having a Rich Lowry moment when Palin was instructed to pick out a "Big Tom" to be pardoned, but that was immediately dashed when she could barely bring herself to hug the dung-covered pardonee.

But the whole thing goes to 11 when she steps outside for a quick interview, and Ed Gein's slightly less well-adjusted grand-nephew starts slaughtering turkeys in the background, while mugging for the camera. The whole thing goes on long enough, too, for the viewer to conjure unfortunate theories as to what goes on directly in front of the slaughterer.

Apparently, Palin didn't mind the backdrop, but why would she? I think there was a little bit of mischief here on the part of that news producer, and a legend is born. Do let me know when those turkeys stop screaming, Governor Palin.

Tommy Christopher co-hosts "Unusable Signal" , on BlogTalkRadio Tues - Thur at 10pm, and Fri, & Sat at 11pm. Click here for the Unusable Signal homepage.