President Bartlet and the Butterball Hotline

From Season 3, Episode 8 of "The West Wing."

[@mrpatel100]

“Zip Code Fargo, North Dakota. Right now” - love that Toby just knows what to do, without any idea what is happening

[@schnapps77]

But the zip code he gave isn't Fargo, it's not even a real zip code!

[@Kevin-tz2lv]

​@@schnapps77 Obviously

[@sbgwll]

I love the look of awe and excitement on the President's face when Charlie tells him about the hotline.

[@WTFisTingispingis]

'MERICA.

[@eeduranti]

I love my country.

[@pyrovet]

"Can I have your name?" "Im a citizen!" Fuck yes.

[@NeoAnguiano]

how do you do fellow human

[@harborwolf22]

@@NeoAnguiano Hello, I too am very human. How has it gone for you recently fellow human?

[@jimmy2k4o]

And how can I help you Mr Citizen? Or May I call you Ima?

[@EchoMirage72]

The most disconcerting thing about this whole scene is that only 82% of people are in favor of fixing potholes.

[@elizabethk605]

the other 18% are those that just want to watch other's suffer or they don't believe in potholes

[@18Hongo]

@@elizabethk605 If 2020 is anything to go by, they probably think it's a liberal hoax.

[@joshuakass-amsterdam8474]

If I remember correctly it was a study showing that 82% of people would prefer for the federal budget to be used for smaller things as opposed to big projects. (ie) fixing potholes not building bridges or something

[@Rushinator1]

Probably has to die with using PUBLIC FUNDING to fix them. I wouldn’t be surprised if 18% of the country believed people should pay to fix the potholes out of their own pocket.

[@Sizey3]

@@Rushinator1 I, for one, am very much opposed to dying using public funding.

[@RogueShadows]

The way Barlet's eyes just light up when he hears about the Butterball hotline, it's like Christmas has come early for him.

[@1tishhead]

two funniest lines from WW: "is there a chance i could kill my guests -- i'm not saying that's necessarily a deal-breaker." and, from the ainsley hayes meets the president scene, to leo: "how are you doing?" "i'm concerned about peeing on your carpet." "ok -- now so am i."

[@Tuneman1984]

"Why were you in the closet?" "I had to pee." "They won't let me smoke inside but you can pee in Leo's closet."

[@mooseonfire5826]

"Charlie could you pull the fist lady out of whatever she's in right now?" "She's with the women's caucus" "Well put on a helmet and pads and get in there"

[@Ozefan2580]

"Ginger, get the popcorn! Sam's getting beaten up by a girl!"

[@Centrinario]

3:15 "If I cook it inside the Turkey, is there a chance I could kill my guests? I'm not saying that's necessarily a deal breaker." Fuckin' awesome!!

[@kz1000p1991]

Golden Boy mn

[@Woody615]

Bartlet (one T) for President in 2020

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

But without an h in there.

[@fawnebrown4619]

Perfect time of the year to rewatch this. Loved the Butterball Hotline scenario. I feel a WestWing binge coming on.

[@puckuk1984]

why the west wing is the best show ever on tv

[@danfreese18]

"That was excellent, we should do that once a week" Brilliant!!!!

[@sheilaflanagan2200]

Sigh...one of the BEST TV shows, and a terrific scene. Miss you, West Wing!! "I gotta get better with the names..."

[@Lepidopray]

I love Tobey's deadpan delivery. "You think people should care where I have Thanksgiving?" "I know I don't give a damn."

[@irishguy051]

Zip code Fargo North Dakota. Now. Favorite part right there.

[@WKYanks]

One of my favorite (of many) West Wing moments. What a tremendous series!

[@MikelosM]

Butterball Hotline Caller File Joe Bethersonton 11454 Pruder Street (Very Important) Apt 23 RRR Fargo, ND 50504 Additional Consumer Feedback: is a citizen; does radio commercials for...products; killing Thanksgiving guests not necessarily a deal-breaker; presented with thermometer as a gift from the personal sous chef to the King of...Auto Sales, in Fargo (Phil Baharnd)

[@iandhr1]

The man can sell a car well like anything.

[@Me88321]

Only one T though. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sILWp5apbq51bqM

[@davidlamb1107]

Funniest thing I've seen today. I'm at work and trying not to snicker aloud.

[@timothywhieldon1971]

HAHAHA man i have not laughed this hard in years. thankyou

[@jimd385]

Gotta get better at the names.

[@hanscombe72]

This show has been a part of my life for 14 years! I watched the season 1 DVD in one day! I was watching the end of season 2 in Western Sydney the night of 9/11. It was my staple birthday present for years! Just the best show ever!

[@michealdetrick3803]

I was delighted to see that while the task of making America great, a close second was the proper preparation of turkey via the very knowledgeable staff operating the Butterball Hotline

[@vpaturi]

The amount of awesomeness in this scene just cannot be put in words

[@pleappleappleap]

Phil BAHARND? I gotta get better with the names.

[@feral26]

Wait a minute; "Bethersonton" has only one 't'? Smooth, Jed. Smooth. : )

[@ZachHopeful]

+Jesse Berman It could be Bedhersonton -- ð instead of þ, essentially.

[@MrZAP17]

+Jesse Berman I figured he was just clarifying about the lone "t" in the later part of the name.

[@salicemccool9268]

I've wondered about that for years!

[@pac401]

There's also an H in there too.

[@Transitfan93]

Maybe its Bethersondon, that way it could have 1 T and a H

[@lillianward2810]

Some of the best product placement in the history of television.

[@rocketman544]

Imagine the President prank-calling a random business once a week. I would SO vote for that candidate!

[@pjabrony8280]

...I think we got that.

[@henrimatisse7481]

yes we've got the crank caller

[@jimmy2k4o]

pjabrony he did prank phone call once pretending to be his own employee or something. Gotta love that guy. Proof anybody can be president.

[@MrDavesf]

"Phil Baharnd?" Slays me every time.

[@York22]

This is one of favorite scenes from the show. I wonder if her supervisor told her when she get of the phone that she spoke to the president.

[@ejh4isu]

“...I’ve gotta get better at the names” one of the best lines in that scene.

[@antoineboileau4194]

Bartlett - Nah you don’t have that kind of wit. Leo - Yeah. The best “yeah” ever delivered in tv history! Scored 100000 on the “don’t give an F” scale.

[@MaddeMay33]

hahahaha "ooh yeah, it was presented to me by..." I miss this show!!

[@aaronjjacques]

One of the best product placement integrations in the decade if not all time.

[@joelheller8822]

That there is one of my two single favorite moments in this show !!

[@salicemccool9268]

To this day I occasionally ponder how "Bethersonton" could contain only one "t." Other than that, great job, Mr. President! (But do work on getting better with the names.)

[@jameshanscombe2530]

Phil Beharned?

[@salicemccool9268]

+James Hanscombe - was definitely an even poorer creation! (Assuming this is your meaning.)

[@marcopl17]

Toby thinking ahead and getting that zip code research

[@cellphonekid2]

Essential viewing for Thanksgiving!

[@prometheus23c]

Rewatching this TV show for the umpteenth time. And I have to say this is the funniest scene in all 7 seasons.

[@OcarinaLink24]

They left out the part where they put him on hold XD This is so funny and I just can't even

[@Kilgore1004]

"I'm not saying that's necessarily a dealbreaker" hahahah

[@MrTestMusic]

Oh God, I loved this show. I was so sad to see it go off the air. :/

[@alexreid4131]

Thank goodness for the interwebs these days :-)

[@JamesSmith-rh4is]

Nowadays, this phone call will be reported on the national news.

[@Gingrnut]

“I’m a citizen!” -Joe Bethersonton, North Dakota

[@djstubbs]

Phil Baharnd

[@tylerhinman2815]

“Well frankly I thought he did something stupid and inconsiderate last week but it turns out I was just in a bad mood” 😂 Me: What did Rene Do? 😂

[@ningenJMK]

"I gotta get better at the names."

[@qwevs]

It would’ve just been perfect if when they say their goodbyes, the butterball hotline lady goes goodbye Mr. President

[@wesmoffett6886]

CJ should have given the press corps a detailed timeline of when Bartlet was scheduling his next prank call.

[@glennwatson3313]

His amazement comes from the fact that private enterprise efficiently provides this service and not the government, as he would prefer.

[@jf_c137]

TIL of Butterball's turkey/thanksgiving hotline. THANKS REDDIT!

[@kemando12]

Gus just standing there with his arms crossed. What.

[@lizbetann]

Charlie, dear -- Gus was his role on Psych. ;)

[@PeterSedesse]

I think it would be hilarious if every year the President called the Butterball hotline and put it on youtube. Such a humanizing thing, like when Obama used to release is March Madness brackets.

[@JnEricsonx]

True, except one would think the President could get a damn excellent chef to cook the turkey pretty easily.

[@lebojay]

There aren’t nearly enough Canadians to justify a Butterball Hotline. These are the times when being America’s neighbor really pays off. 🇺🇸 🍻 🇨🇦 (Canada and the US share the same country code, so a 1-800 number is toll-free for Canadians, too)

[@csr326]

This was awesome! I wonder how much Butterball paid them for this product placement? lol

[@-THE_META]

Bethersonton with one "t".

[@visakanv]

That's because TIM is voiced by this very guy, Martin Sheen- and modelled after him, too.

[@MattWOrton]

I love the West Wing, everything about it. but for heck sake, zip code 50504 is in Illinois.

[@mattboesch8907]

im trying to think which is funnier: this scene or when stephen colbert worked for the turkey hotline and trolled all the callers.

[@dallasgoodman1989]

Even while watching this I can only imagine Jacob and the Illusive Man calling Kelly Chambers

[@BillF1967]

"Phil Baharnd?"

[@Kenzie_Hill]

Customer Service mellenials should take notes on how to do a great job being patient and tolerate the customer! ❤

[@MrJtl73]

Hmmm, I'm not in the US so I couldn't tell you that much. I know there are sites out there which stream TV shows, you could try those. Or Amazon will likely have the DVD sets for the first four seasons (the last three are still more than decent, but the main writer quit after the 4th season and the writing did take a slight downturn).

[@MrLovegrove]

I really wish they had done that once a week

[@elizabetholiviaclark]

I should open another You Tube account with the name "Phil Baharnd."

[@cbdsteve]

My son is also called Phil Bahaarnd

[@JesseNiou]

@harlequin115 I think TIM's older- both those are probably both because in that day and age, medicine makes it so you can reach your genetic potential and smoking doesn't cause you harm anymore.

[@captmurdock]

Two codas from this: 1. For the rest of his presidency, once a week Bartlett calls any number of 800 numbers to test the knowledge of these "experts".: 2. Some poor US Post Office worker in Fargo, ND goes crazy: "Pruder Street?!? There is no Pruder Street! Who is this Phil Baharrnd a-hole anyway?"

[@casey6556]

How many cars do you have to sell to be able to afford not just a personal chef but a souschef?

[@kossttamojaan]

absolute classic Bartlet. Sorry: President Bartlet.

[@conservativehawk]

This show is brilliant. In today's climate it'd be controversial. I am glad I got to enjoy it when I did.

[@michaelmeir-wright6204]

Phil Baharndt ❤️

[@maryroark469]

This is hilarious. Love it

[@educatedrock]

it was a launch code

[@Macintosh1001]

Its the simple things in life

[@TheAudioman15]

Phil Baharnd? Just great great writing

[@constantinezh7156]

Phil Baharnd, man.

[@DaveTingwaldd]

"Baharnd?" LOL

[@Skyebright1]

David Tingwald I got to get better at these names ;)

[@ered203]

Cajun andouille sausage is a bold choice in stuffing for a New England boy. I've never actually used water chestnuts before however, and that does sound intriguing.

[@Legba85]

There could be a nuclear war; attempt on his life (again!!), reelection like here or the Republicans acting like jerks but he's willing to ignore all of it for the Butterball Hotline.

[@paultilling7851]

what season is it

[@firepaw2010]

Not a Fargo zip code

[@cshubs]

The greatest advert Butterball ever received.

[@alperenbulbul6367]

cshubs wait it’s a real thing

[@rhas356]

@@alperenbulbul6367 It is indeed!

[@joemckim1183]

This is how product placements are done right.

[@rcladygreywolf6567]

@@joemckim1183 And they have saved many a Thanksgiving. Bless them.

[@joshuadelafuent3]

Didn't know it was real till I looked it up. And it's still here! It has truly stood the test of time.

[@PhinfanUK]

"God, I'm sorry, I love my country!" Just brilliant. Everything about this is just brilliant.

[@erikfenster4512]

Jim Dandy lôo

[@RogueShadows]

Oh you’re no fun.

[@KrisCasey4]

Jim Dandy ...it is an Emmy winning show you jackass

[@sallychipman9857]

One of my favorite episodes.

[@wilakt4fud]

I love that Toby has no idea what's going on but instantly gets on board.

[@vdinh143]

That's the mark of a problem solver

[@suduttharne490]

that's how bros work.. they don't ask, they just wing it out magnificently

[@markhenderson9801]

It’s the rule of in the room if one of your people starts something crazy they back them up

[@somecunninglinguist]

I feel like his instincts went "ah, shenanigans afoot"

[@jimmy2k4o]

Reminds me of Sayid in Lost 2x3 Told he has to fix a computer in 40 mins, doesn’t ask about the hatch or anything. Just solves his problem as fast as possible for his bros, knowing there must be a good reason.

[@SarahRenz59]

I wonder if Butterball still gets calls from people saying they're Joe Bethersonton at 11454 Pruder St in Fargo...

[@cmsspanish]

Hahahahahahaha!

[@nayhem]

Or those damn imposters over on Pruder Ave.

[@wesmoffett6886]

...and how on Earth is Bethersonton spelled with ONE T. LOL

[@joelheller8822]

I used it this year !!

[@williammassey911]

@@joelheller8822Did the Butterball expert play along or what?

[@dennis4189]

Two great lines: "If I cook it inside the turkey, isn't there a chance I could kill my guests? I'm not saying that's necessarily a deal-breaker." and "I gotta get better at the names."

[@henrimatisse7481]

Have you seen Betty White with the census taker? Brilliant ad lib on a name

[@dukevega1972]

"I'm not saying that's necessarily a deal-breaker." One of my favorite lines from that President.

[@oscarphile]

I suspect the second line was an inside joke from Aaron Sorkin regarding Martin Sheen's notorious trouble remembering people's names. He's more of a face guy.

[@MissGrapeNehi]

I just love watching Toby's facial expressions during the last scene. He has no idea why the President is calling a turkey hotline, but he plays along anyway. It's one of the few scenes where he's genuinely tickled by something. "Phil Baharn-D?" xD

[@AAARRRGGGHHHHHH]

That wave he does to stop Jed from continuing his sous-chef story is my favourite touch. Toby was always the President's biggest fan. It's why he argued with him so much when he thought he was wrong. If Leo is Jed's big brother, Toby is his little one.

[@nostalgiatrip1]

He did eventually, I would say right when he asked Charlie to quickly get the zip code, because as the President said in the beginning, Toby was the one that told him about the possible danger of undercooking the stuffing.

[@winstonsmith7125]

I heard "Barnhardt"

[@nodakliberalhawk]

Toby had that amused smile on his face. he was trying not to laugh out loud.

[@ethanseagraves6338]

I gotta get better with the names.

[@hunteruiacke1102]

I love how the most powerful man in the world is afraid of his personal chef

[@ninjadarthjuju117]

I would be. He's the one person who could poison the president and get away with it.

[@2batgirl]

Dude, chefs be crazy.

[@jimmy2k4o]

@@ninjadarthjuju117 he could certainly poison him…. Getting away with it doesn’t sound likely. I think you meant, he could poison him successfully.

[@samiam619]

@@2batgirl And they are good with KNIVES…

[@ariellenightmare451]

Never get on the bad side of the person who makes the food. First rule of camping in a group

[@IndomitableAde]

I love how Bartlet had to pivot to the king of auto sales because he couldn't resist flexing about his accurate thermometer. Cracks me up every time.

[@ThomasFromTN]

Actually, he did resist. He just forgot that he wasn't supposed to be the President of the United States in that split moment.

[@tobyparadis9364]

It's the idea that the King of Auto Sales of Fargo, ND has a personal sous chef that gets me!

[@pembertr0n]

@tobyparadis9364 The man can sell a car like anything!

[@mongoman81]

"I'm a citizen!" Kills me every time.

[@NardoVogt]

"And while he didn't deserve it, he will someday soon." Ah, at heart, Bartlet is first and foremost a dad.

[@MEKKANNOID]

Jo Betherson....ton, I do radio comercials for.......products

[@Kasparovwannabe]

It's funny because that sounds exactly like something Tennant would say

[@commentoria]

Joe Bethersonton. He added an extra syllable like George Constanza.

[@discodesanti2459]

A nice touch at the end would have been "You have a good thanksgiving Mr. President" from the hotline staffer. Like she got wise to the voice.

[@brianpugh6707]

She didnt identify him. Nice try...

[@MrMichealHouse]

@@brianpugh6707 "Would have been" Reading comprehension.

[@paulthough4653]

I hear you, but that's part of what I loved so much about this show - the things they left unsaid. All these juicy moments that they could have utilized but decided not to because it probably would have effectively cheapened the moment and weakened the story. To each their own of course :)

[@ryancoulter4797]

Trust me. She probably wouldn’t. I work at a call centre. A coworker who’s since retired had previously worked at a phone company and spent a half hour helping a guy named Kurt set up his new phone. She was so good at it he called back and talked to her supervisors to compliment her. After the supervisor call, the supervisor came over and said, “Do you know who that was?” My coworker shook her head. All the calls were pretty much the same to her. “You just spent a half hour talking to Kurt Russell, the actor.”

[@oscarphile]

That actually happened to President Kennedy once! Kennedy of course preferred to downplay his Catholicism while in office, to calm down voters who feared he would be taking his orders from the Pope in Rome. The one time he tried to go to confession while in office, the priest recognized his voice, and Kennedy never went to a confessional again.

[@Positive916]

I love this scene, but my favorite part of this is this: Bartlet: "This time of the year, there should be a hotline you can call with questions about cooking turkeys; a special 800 number where the phones are staffed by experts." Charlie: "There is." Bartlet: "What do you mean?" Charlie: "The Butterball Hotline." Bartlet: (performs Caruso like eye-wear removal) " ... Butterball has a hotline?"

[@leonkernan]

"Zip code, Fargo North Dakota, Right now." This is why you keep Toby in the room.

[@jmnemonic99]

or a computer

[@vdinh143]

@@jmnemonic99 Computers are for miscellaneous factoids; Toby can read a situation and solve a problem for you in a timely manner before you can even ask him to. Also, that somehow thumbs up exchange with Charlie. This whole scene is so wholesome

[@stevenloube6784]

Or just a cell phone now :)

[@shiftfocus1]

Also: “It was a gift from the personal sous chef to the King of...” Toby raises a hand “...auto sales in Fargo.”

[@Lepidopray]

The king of auto sales in Fargo has a personal sous chef???

[@haselni]

Even funnier, this implies he has at least a head chef as well!

[@diggler2002]

Well he is a king.

[@joemckim1183]

@@WilliamSmith-vo8zu People drive from 2 or 3 states away to be cars in Fargo.

[@BOLANAREDE321]

@@WilliamSmith-vo8zu The man can sell a car like, well like anything.

[@bored1ca]

Well if you're the King of Auto Sales in Fargo, you'd better have a personal sous chef!

[@nnthayer]

I watch this scene around every Thanksgiving.

[@bsgtrekfan88]

+nn thayer same

[@jonnnyren6245]

Watching it now.

[@johnprieto435]

This and Alice's Restaurant

[@peterbryson7135]

I love the idea of the writers trying to come up with names that are just slightly ….off. Joe Bethersonton and Phil Baharnd are just perfect examples of “not a real name but not definitely a fake name”.

[@JohnWilson-zh3il]

Oh yes. I got one for you: Zickafoose. Actual customer name.

[@JnEricsonx]

"God, I'm sorry, I love my country." The Illusive Man, ladies and gentlemen.

[@beccal7133]

I'm now picturing the Illusive Man calling the Butterball hotline

[@chasekiddy8864]

if only the west wing was built near a dying star instead of the Potomac River.

[@VTX00128]

What wait wait you're telling me that is The Illusive Man (TIM) why the hell i didn't make the connection. Now in hindsight i thought that voice sounded familiar it just never clicked until now.

[@JnEricsonx]

@@chasekiddy8864 That would be a hell of a view.

[@guitarvocs]

For the second time in my life, I mourn the fact that Bartlet is not my president.

[@JnEricsonx]

Only the second? I do it on damn near a daily basis.

[@graceskerp]

"Is there a chance I could kill my guests? I'm not saying that is necessarily a deal breaker." and Toby's expression.

[@movingforwardLDTH]

Fun fact: Per Aaron Sorkin himself on Rob Lowe’s podcast “Literally” (ep 17, 10/14/2020), the voice of the Butterball Hotline woman was none other than Ana Gasteyer from SNL. 🦃

[@ryanladd1714]

Butterball sure got its money's worth out of product placement fees on this episode...

[@saltycrunch]

Or they're just referencing a well known service. Not EVERYTHING is product placement.

[@cwildeman]

If I ever go into witness protection, I want my name to be Joe Bethersonton.