Turkey Slurpee Challenge

About

The Turkey Slurpee Challenge, sometimes spelled Turkey Slurpie Challenge, is an internet challenge in which participants hold a slice of turkey in front of their mouths, then inhale the lunch meat, the goal being to eat the piece of turkey without choking. The earliest known video participating in the challenge was posted to YouTube in 2012, with the challenge becoming increasingly popularized over the next decade-plus and inspiring several viral videos of people attempting it.

Origin

On August 30th, 2012, YouTuber^[1] Jenfolio uploaded a video titled "Turkey Slurpee" of someone named Lacey inhaling and eating a slice of turkey, garnering over 143,000 views in 12 years (shown below). This is the earliest known video of the turkey slurpee challenge.

Spread

The challenge spread over the next decade-plus, inspiring numerous videos of people participating in the challenge. On December 4th, 2014, YouTuber^[2] Tim Sessions posted a video of the couple doing the challenge, garnering over 1.7 million views in 10 years (shown below, left). In the description, they claim this as the "original" turkey slurpee video, although Jenfolio's video predates it, suggesting this may either be inaccurate or a reupload from another source where the video would have to have been uploaded prior to August 30th, 2012.

On December 9th, YouTuber^[3] GOTDAMN ZO posted a compilation video of people undergoing the turkey slurpee challenge, garnering over 544,000 views in 10 years (shown below, right).

On December 11th, 2019, TikToker^[4] @karlieelainedavid posted a video of herself attempting to do the turkey slurpee challenge but immediately choking on the turkey after she's inhaled it, garnering over 26.9 million views in five years (shown below). On December 22nd it was reposted by YouTuber^[5] Neo Neo, garnering over 700,000 views in the same span of time.

On December 26th, 2019, TikToker^[6] @nataliefriedman posted a video attempting the challenge, garnering over 550,000 views in five years (shown below, left). On July 30th, 2023, the Smosh TikTok^[7] page posted a video of Ian attempting to do the challenge, but failing because the turkey slices are too thick, garnering over 340,000 views in a year (shown below, right).

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References