Line #32 Series/DCFollies


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dc_follies_fred_willard.jpeg]]
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3	Created by TV puppet show legends [[Creator/SidAndMartyKrofftProductions Sid and Marty Krofft]], this 1987–89 syndicated American show could be seen as a less biting version of the UK's ''Series/SpittingImage''. Set in the Washington, DC bar "D.C. Follies", the series featured life-size puppets depicting celebrated people from both the political and entertainment worlds, as they engaged in various storylines.
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5	Joining the puppet cast were Creator/FredWillard (who played [[TheDanza Bartender Fred Willard]]) and a Special Guest Star of the Week.
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7	----
8	!!"D.C. Tropes":
9	* AuthorAvatar: For the second season two puppets named Sid and Marty ran a newsstand in front of the bar. See also RunningGag.
10	* BigEater: A number of the jokes focusing on then-Attorney General Edwin Meese fit this, such as one episode featured a commercial UsefulNotes/GeraldFord did for a [[AmbulanceChaser personal injury firm]] where Meese does a testimonial of winning $20,000 when he got his hand stuck in a cookie jar.
11	** From the ChristmasEpisode:
12	--->'''Santa''': And what would you like for Christmas, Mr. Meese?
13	--->'''Meese''': Fewer chins.
14	* BunnyEarsLawyer: UsefulNotes/GeraldFord is capable of disarming a nuclear bomb disguised as a caste-tape using the below mentioned NoodleImplements.
15	* ChristmasEpisode: Reagan gives what he thinks is an audio cassette tape as a present to Fred, only for them to later realize it was actually a new A-bomb developed by the Defense Department, and it needs to be defused, and quickly.
16	** Throughout the rest of the episode, various characters appeared sitting on Santa's lap, asking for ridiculous and childlike things for Christmas.
17	* CloudCuckoolander: UsefulNotes/GeraldFord.
18	* DeadpanSnarker: Most often UsefulNotes/RichardNixon.
19	* ElvisLives: Elvis becomes a recurring character during season 2. [[spoiler:Elvis faked his death thanks to the Ford Administration so he could work undercover for Ford. Unfortunately Ford was too busy with the 76' campaign that he forgot all about it. Elivs, who was working odd jobs as a busboy for 12 years waiting for his mission, is not happy he faked his death for nothing]]
20	* EvenEvilHasStandards: The only reason [[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Krueger]] doesn't go through with killing UsefulNotes/GeorgeHWBush is because it would make UsefulNotes/DanQuayle [[TakeThat President of the United States]].
21	* ExpansionPackPast: A RunningGag was that Fred had shared history with nearly every regular cast member.
22	* JuryDuty: One early 1988 episode, airing prior to the South Carolina primary, has the Presidential candidates still in the race at that point having been campaigning in the state so long that they get called in for jury duty in a room with no air conditioning, resulting in Pat Robertson praying for the air to turn on and Dick Gephardt complaining that the air conditioner failed because it was [[MadeInCountryX made in South Korea]].[[note]] A reference to Gephardt's "[[https://youtu.be/wiTg7zcNgP0 Hyundai]]" ad often credited with giving him enough union support to win that year's Iowa Caucus. [[/note]]
23	* LaughTrack
24	* MultipleChoicePast: there are three backstories to how Fred got DC Follies. One Episode claimed he got the idea to build it in the 60's. Another claimed it was past down from generation. Another claimed he won it from the previous owner back during his conman days.
25	* {{Muppet}}: Many, many puppets of the Krofft variety.
26	* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: aside from the "Guest of the Week"
27	* NoodleImplements: The items UsefulNotes/GeraldFord needs to disarm the Operation: Doomsday A-bomb tape include wire cutters; jumper cables; jar of leeches; [[{{Squick}} enema bottle]]; jaws of life; wet swimsuit; sand wedge; [[VodkaDrunkenski bottle of vodka]] [[note]]which UsefulNotes/MikhailGorbachev emphasizes is "a gift from the [[GloriousMotherRussia people of Russia]]" when he brings it in[[/note]]; a [[ProfessionalSlacker Teamster]] (who quickly asks "Which way to the donuts?"); two plastic explosives and an Symbionese Liberation Army beret once worn by Hearst heiress and hostage-turned-accomplice Patty Hearst".
28	* RippedFromTheHeadlines: Marty said in one interview about the show, "If you were in the paper, you were going to be on this show."
29	* RunningGag:
30	** The first season ended each episode with Fred chatting with UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan over something pertaining to his movie career, which Reagan is shown never quite getting the details right on.
31	** In the second season, each episode would end with the puppet caricatures of Sid and Marty arguing or bantering with each other; some thing like Sid and Marty themselves later said it was an in-joke for the writers.
32	** Every time Creator/WoodyAllen appears in a scene with Fred, Allen will whine about his really being a guy named Karl Malden.[[note]] Though not '''THE''' [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Malden Karl Malden]]. [[/note]]
33	** Fred helps a celebrity figure figure out what something means with a dictionary that helps translate what it means.
34	* ScatterbrainedSenior: The Season 1 running gag of Ronald Reagan – chatting with Fred at the end of an episode – not getting the details of his movie career quite right, which became HarsherInHindsight in light of Reagan eventually being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
35	* TitleDrop: Each episode begins with a ColdOpening sketch, ending with a character saying some form of "Let's go to D.C. Follies!"
36	* TransAtlanticEquivalent: Of ''Spitting Image''
37	* VoiceActor: Although there were puppeteers working the puppets, the Kroffts usually employ voice actors to dub the voices; this series had the likes of Creator/JoeAlaskey and Creator/MauriceLaMarche (both of whom also having done voices for one of the Creator/{{NBC}} ''Spitting Image'' specials).
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Context Series / DCFollies