# The origin of the "turbo entabulator" video?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-turbo-entabulator-video/609271>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 12, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-turbo-entabulator-video/609271 "2012-01-12T13:04:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-turbo-entabulator-video/609271/1 "2012-01-12T13:04:05Z")

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My dad sent me an email that included [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac7G7xOG2Ag&feature=related), along with the following description:

> [@my dad](#):
>
> Many, many, many years ago…
> 
> Rockwell International decided to get into the heavy duty automatic transmission business. They were getting ready to tape their first introductory video. As a warm up, the stage crew began what has become a hilarious legend within the training industry. This man should have won an academy award for his stellar performance. Now remember this is strictly off the cuff, nothing is written down. Nothing he says is true. He had NO script! He made it all up as he went along. This was merely a rehearsal for camera, lighting and stage crew purposes.  
> Oh, by the way…I am advised that this video is still being utilized as a training aide for new politicians, lawyers, and current White House Administrators. It has great potential use for college professors, junk bond salesmen, and stockbrokers as well.

The poster of the YouTube version of the video claims that he was present during the filming of the video in the late 70’s:

> [@the YouTube video owner](#):
>
> This is the first time Turbo Encabulator was recorded with picture. I shot this in the late 70’s at Regan Studios in Detroit on 16mm film. The narrator and writer is Bud Haggert. He was the top voice-over talent on technical films. He wrote the script because he rarely understood the technical copy he was asked to read and felt he shouldn’t be alone. We had just finished a production for GMC Trucks and Bud asked since this was the perfect setting could we film his Turbo Encabulator script. He was using an audio prompter referred to as “the ear”. He was actually the pioneer of the ear. He was to deliver a live speech without a prompter. After struggling in his hotel room trying to commit to memory he went to plan B. He recorded it to a large Wollensak reel to reel recorder and placed it in the bottom of the podium. With a wired earplug he used it for the speech and the “ear” was invented. Today every on-camera spokesperson uses a variation of Bud’s innovation. Dave Rondot (me) was the director and John Choate was the DP on this production. The first laugh at the end is mine. My hat’s off to Bud a true talent.

The latter story seems more plausible than the former. Can anyone confirm this?

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**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-the-turbo-entabulator-video/609271/2 "2012-01-12T20:40:05Z")

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The text has been a running joke since 1946. The video you saw was definitely the latter.[Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo_Encabulator) entry.