This Thanksgiving, like every other in the past, millions of Americans will dive into their turkey dinners, feeling full (and rather sleepy) afterwards.
But before you get your fill of that delicious bird, take a look at the top 10 Irish not-so yummy “turkeys” of the Thanksgiving season.
Some have offended the Irish, others have embarrassed the “Irish” name, but all of them have one thing in common: they’re well-deserving of IrishCentral’s first annual Turkey of the Year awards.
1. Thierry Henry – French soccer player
Everyone cried “fowl” when he handled the ball against Ireland, but it made no difference to the result.
It was France captain Thierry Henry’s hand ball that led to France defeating Ireland in the World Cup qualifier last week, and now the Frenchman has become the most hated man in the Emerald Isle.
As the soccer controversy rages on, Henry says he’s feeling “truly alone,” and feels like quitting.
One thing’s for sure – the Irish sure wouldn’t mind if he did!
2. Piers Morgan – Judge on “Britain's Got Talent”
Piers Morgan flips the bird at his Irish ancestry when he says he's Irish because he drinks.
The “Britain’s” and “America’s Got Talent” judge and Susan Boyle confidante surprised fans of the show by describing himself as “Irish” in the aftermath of the World Cup clash between France and Ireland when France won by a controversial goal thanks to fellow turkey Henry.
Morgan then turned offensive by saying they should already know he’s Irish they “because of his drinking.”
3. U2 – Rock band
U2 is crowing over the fact that their 360 stadium tour is incredibly successful. But it actually turns out it is barely breaking even.
Bono and his fellow Irish rockers will have to skip out on lavish holiday celebrations this year – as the band wraps up the 2009 part of their world tour, they have yet to hit the breakeven point.
Despite breaking attendance records, selling out stadia and reinventing the concept of outdoor concerts, U2’s accountant still haven’t found what they are looking for – a profit, or even enough to cover expenses.
The Irish band has their overhead costs to thank: Whether they’re playing a show that night or not, U2 spends no less than $750,000 daily.
4. Colin Farrell – Film actor
Baby number 2 for Colin Farrell is a bit of a lark, it seems.
After dating “Ondine” co-star Alicja Bachleda Curus for just several months, the Polish beauty became pregnant with the bad boy Irish actor’s second child.
Farrell, who recently has been working on developing a cleaner image since his sex tape, red carpet antics and various stints in rehab, already has a son James with model and ex-girlfriend Kim Bordenave.
The “In Bruges” star is devoted to his little boy, taking the time to fight for a cure for Angelman Syndrome, which James suffers from.
Hopefully Farrell continues to take fatherhood seriously.
5. Jonathan Rhys Myers – “Tudors” star
This Irish actor is starting to parrot that line that he's just misunderstood after his numerous public scrapes with the law.
Rhys Meyers, best known for his role as King Henry VIII on HBO’s “The Tudors,” has lived a life of excess, with three consecutive stints in rehab and run-ins with the Garda (Irish police).
His drunken and erratic behavior in a Dublin airport landed him an arrest and one-way ticket back to rehab in 2008.
Most recently, in June of this year, the Dubliner was arrested after allegedly attacking staff members at a bar at the Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris, and then threatening to kill them.
Get off the booze, Johnny boy.
6. Ronan Tynan – Irish tenor
Tynan eats crow after he upset Jewish groups with an anti-Semitic remark.
The Yankees fired the Irish singer as their regular 7th inning stretch performer after the 49-year-old offended a Jewish doctor.
Tynan met a real estate agent who was showing an apartment on his floor to a potential buyer, a Jewish pediatrician from NYU Medical Center.
The real estate agent said to the tenor: “Don’t worry they are not Red Sox fans,” to which Tynan replied” "I don’t care about that, as long as they are not Jewish.”
The classical singer claims it was all just a big misunderstanding, but we think he should just stick to the high notes.
7. Brian Cowen – Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister)
If he had ducks they'd drown.
The talented but unlucky Irish Prime Minister leads Ireland during the worst recession in history, and has been accused of a lack of leadership at a time of national crisis.
He now faces the worst floods the country has seen in 800 years.
Here’s to a better 2010, Taoiseach!
8. Louis Walsh – “X Factor” judge and Boyzone founder
Walsh is a peacock when it comes to self-publicity.
The music mogul and “X Factor” judge was all over the media yapping about Boyzone member Stephen Gately’s tragic death. Based on his dramatic quotes, it seemed like he was in a suffering contest with Ronan Keating and the other members of the band!
Walsh is back in the papers with his undying love and support for Jedward.
Irish “terrible twins” John and Edward Grimes were the talk of the town after debuting their ridiculously over-the-top act on “The X Factor,” and Walsh wasted no time in hopping on their bandwagon.
Perhaps it’s time for a lower profile, eh Lou?
9. Jedward – “X Factor” phenomenon
Speaking of Jedward: These twins were birds of a feather on “X Factor,” but more talent can be seen in a hummingbird's eyebrow.
Teenyboppers love them, and hundreds of teen girls have been camped outside the house they are staying in for weeks. But heaven knows why.
These Irish 18-year-olds can’t sing, can’t dance, and when asked questions like where they see themselves in 10 years, say things like “older.”
The Grimes twins’ former school principal says it is all an act, saying: “It’s a bit staged because they're not arrogant.”
God, let’s hope so.
10. Big Bird – “Sesame Street” star
2009 marks the 40th anniversary of beloved educational children series “Sesame Street.”
This means Big Bird is 40-years-old.
Despite his middle age, every kid’s favorite yellow bird-puppet is still pretending he's only five or so.
Come on.
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