The holiday season can be a real test for even the best planners, and celebrities are no exception.
From kitchen blunders like those experienced by Martha Stewart and Guy Fieri to the Baldwin family’s chaotic holiday photo op, the mishaps during Thanksgiving remind us that fame doesn’t exempt anyone from the mayhem typically associated with the holidays.
Let’s take a look at some memorable Thanksgiving catastrophes that quite frankly didn’t go as expected.
Guy Fieri
One year, Guy Fieri’s attempt to fry a turkey went terribly wrong. He recounted the incident, noting how he jumped on the deep-fried turkey bandwagon. “I really got into it when this fried turkey trend started,” said Fieri. He learned how to fry poultry from a friend, Kim Gardner, and wanted to impress his family. However, a mistake with the oil led to a fiery disaster.
“It was just like those wild videos you see online,” he said, reflecting on the incident. Oil spilled, flames erupted, and chaos ensued. “My flip-flops actually melted to the ground,” he recalled, and to top it off, the turkey made a daring escape, landing on the grass. Fieri, in a panic, chased after it, getting it covered in leaves while hosing it down. By the end, he realized there was no way he could serve that turkey.
Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart has a well-known reputation for hosting extravagant dinners, but even she faced her share of holiday mishaps. In a past interview, she reminisced about her first Thanksgiving as a newlywed, which turned into a disaster. Eager to impress her in-laws, Stewart woke up at the early hour of 3 a.m. to prepare the turkey. But, unfortunately, she forgot to lower the oven temperature after preheating it to a scorching 500 degrees.
When she awoke to smoke and flames, she dashed to a nearby farm to grab the last turkey available, and despite the drama, she somehow managed to salvage dinner—though it ended up being six hours late. Reflecting on her journey, she now shares her culinary successes, recently posting a picture of a well-cooked turkey for a friends’ Thanksgiving gathering.
Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen also had her fair share of cooking adventures. In 2018, she experienced a kitchen failure when a sweet potato pie she baked turned out to be a burnt mess. She humorously shared a photo of it on Instagram with the caption, “In case you’re wondering why I didn’t post the finished pie.” Teigen quickly made another pie and laughed off the culinary mishap.
Alec and Hilaria Baldwin
Alec and Hilaria Baldwin’s family photo attempts in 2022 clearly didn’t end up as planned. The couple, trying to take a portrait with their seven children, ended up with a comical scene of chaos. “Happy Gratitude Day from our epic botched family photo to maybe yours,” Hilaria joked on social media, capturing the reality of family life amidst the festive spirit.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Bowen
Their Thanksgiving was unexpectedly eventful, as both Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Bowen ended up visiting the ER with their children. Bowen shared a picture from outside the hospital, humorously noting that it seemed like a regular occurrence. Ferguson later posted a selfie in a hospital bed with his child, reassuring everyone that all was well.
Caroline Bryan
Caroline Bryan, wife of country star Luke Bryan, provided a glimpse into the not-so-ideal side of hosting. In 2021, she shared a video showing a cooking mishap where bubbling rice overflowed and created a mess in her oven. “When I say I’m going to cook something for Thanksgiving, this is what happens,” she said, humorously holding up the wrecked pot. Her accompanying caption was relatable, as she expressed her frustration with cooking disasters.
Cardi B
In terms of wardrobe disasters, Cardi B had her moment in 2022. Before family arrived, she realized her dress was too sheer, prompting her to add a bra just in time for a photo opportunity. She shared a snapshot posing with her friend, updating fans on her last-minute fix.
Camilla Luddington
Lastly, Camilla Luddington found out firsthand that making a turkey from scratch is no easy feat. On a podcast, she discussed her own Thanksgiving mishap, having spent hours preparing the bird. To her dismay, she later learned that several guests ended up getting food poisoning because of her cooking.
