“How long do I cook it? “Where do I stuff the stuffing? Do I cook it inside the turkey?” “What is a turkey?” These are all questions a first-time turkey chef might have when the big day arrives. The holidays: when people who perhaps are unfamiliar with cooking wield basters and eye their fowl foes, when help is only a phone call away at the Butterball Turkey Talk help line. And this year, there could be male voices on the other end.

Yes, contain yourselves — as it turns out, men are also interested in cooking. Who knew? The Associated Press says this is a notable shift for Butterball, however behind-the-times though it may seem, as the help line ha sonly had female operators since its birth in 1981.

In that time, the group of on-call helpers answering phones in November and December has grown from six people to around 60. Starting Sept. 16, 2013, men will be able to apply to be a Turkey Talk spokesman or one of the operators.

“It’s the perfect time, because we have seen more and more men involved in Thanksgiving dinner,” said Mary Clingman, director of the Butterball Turkey line. She says only 9% of the calls that came in were from men back when Turkey Talk started. Now it’s up to about one in every four calls from men.

So how do you get one of these gobble gobble gigs? Do you need an extensive knowledge of fowlery, or perhaps a degree in ornithological cuisine? Well sure, a background in food nutrition or a culinary degree could help you out. Plus you’ll get a Butterball education if you’re chosen. But there’s one very important requirement:

“You have to want to help people,” Clingman says.

Translation: You better be good at talking people down when they blow up the MacGyvered deep-fryer they’ve set up in the backyard. I would also like to point out that any implication that men do not like/are not interested in cooking is sarcasm. My father is one of the best cooks ever. Dad, you should be a Turkey Talk operator.

Turkey Talk Line to have 1st male spokesman [Associated Press]

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