WASHINGTON — Deep frying accidents were not something Capt. Kirk had to deal with on the Starship Enterprise, but for William Shatner, they’re all-too-real.
The former Star Trek actor is turkey fryer burn survivor, he says, and this Thanksgiving he’s teamed with State Farm Insurance to get the word out about the dangers of deep frying your bird.
“Hi, I’m William Shatner, and I love fried turkey,” the actor says in a new ‘mockudrama’ he produced about turkey fryer fires. “But, turkey and oil are a dangerous combination.”
The video begins by showing Shatner so enamored with his new turkey fryer that he fails to read the lengthy instruction manual.
“I was young and arrogant,” the actor says. “Blinded by my hunger, I ignored safety.”
Shatner then fails to turn off the flame below the fryer and puts his turkey into a pot filled with too much hot oil. The oil spills over and catches fire on the flame — creating a computer-generated explosion as Shatner himself catches fire.
Check out the clip here:
According to State Farm, cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving more than any other time of year. As a result, grease and cooking-related claims more than double on Thanksgiving Day compared to an average day in November.
Shatner says he still loves a fried turkey, but he uses the proper safety precautions when cooking it.
“In fact, my family now gathers together to watch my mishaps. Several years ago, I was even burned on my arms after accidentally dropping the turkey in the hot oil. People need to remember that hot oil and turkey can be a dangerous combination.”
WTOP’s Brennan Haselton contributed to this report. Follow WTOP on Twitter.
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