Line #10 WebVideo/Fred


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2	[[quoteright:211:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/qqaqm_2781.png]]
3	[[caption-width-right:211:HEY IT'S FRED!]]
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5
6	->'''Fred:''' You didn't tell him about me, did you?\
7	'''Fred's mother:''' No, I lied and told him you're sane.
8	-->--''Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred''
9
10	''[[https://www.youtube.com/user/Fred Fred Figglehorn]]'' is six years old. [[AgeLift (Fifteen in the film series.)]] He's a {{cloudcuckoolander}} {{keet}} with a near-lethal case of HeliumSpeech, his mother an alcoholic drug addict who's practically abandoned her son, his father locked in the slammer, slated for capital punishment.[[note]]In the film series, he doesn't know who his father is, so he imagines/hallucinates that it's Wrestling/JohnCena.[[/note]] [[SarcasmMode You know, just like when you were a kid!]]
11
12	Fred was created and portrayed by young comedian Lucas Cruikshank, acting hyperactive and [[HeliumSpeech pitching up his voice]]. That alone created one of the biggest Website/YouTube phenomena of its time, spawning merchandise, music, a TV series, and a trilogy of films. ''Fred'' is also one of the oldest phenomena on [=YouTube=], starting around Halloween 2006 (a year after the site's inception), when Cruikshank was only 13 years old. His videos have gained lots of attention, regularly getting tens of millions of views, with his most viral video clocking out at over 70 million views, which is all the more impressive when you consider that this was all back when [=YouTube's=] userbase was so small that you could count the number of channels with more than a million subscribers ''with your fingers''. Oh, and speaking of subscribers, ''Fred'' was also ''the first'' channel on [=YouTube=] to hit 1 million subscribers, so there's that.[[note]][[https://www.google.com.br/amp/variety.com/2009/digital/news/the-first-youtube-channel-to-hit-one-million-subscribers-33382/amp/ source]][[/note]]
13
14	The channel went through some [[AudienceAlienatingEra strange phases]] after Cruikshank sorta retired Fred as his animated equivalent in ''It's Fred!'' took over, culminating in the irreversible changes made after the series of [[ReplacementScrappy universally hated]] ''New Fred'' videos made when the channel was supposedly owned by Yuksung Corporation, a fictional South Korean company. After the channel was "reclaimed" by Cruikshank in a stunt that revealed Fred to be held hostage by Yuksung, the channel started putting out new series of skits that [[InNameOnly weren't even slightly pertinent to Fred]] and only gained a fraction of the original Fred videos' views. The channel has since stopped uploading. The closest thing to real Fred content we have nowadays is Cruikshank's personal channel, which can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/user/lucas here]].
15
16	----
17	!!''Fred'' provides examples of:
18	* AbortedArc: Some of the early Fred videos had a subplot that involved the original owner of Fred's youtube channel sending threatening messages to him with Fred worried about what would happen if he ever showed up...but this went nowhere and was dropped in the 2nd Season. However in the final installment of the New Fred series [[spoiler: [[ArcWelding it's revealed that Claudio was the original owner]] closing off the arc right at the very end.]]
19	* AbusiveMom: Fred's mother locks him up in a dog kennel whenever she thinks he misbehaved.
20	* ActuallyNotAVampire: [[spoiler:Mr. Devlin from the second [[TheMovie movie]], though the final scene suggests otherwise.]]
21	* AlliterativeName:
22	** Ferdinand "Fred" Figglehorn.
23	** Fred's dad, Fergus Figglehorn.
24	** Ted Tigglecorn from ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibqidh3ihhA Ted Tigglecorn Interviews Fred Figglehorn]]''.
25	** Hunter H. Hunterson
26	* AntiChristmasSong: Fred's 12 Days of Christmas and Christmas is Creepy.
27	* AlphaBitch: Judy.
28	* AnimatedAdaptation: The ''[[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9567D748F53E40B9 "It's FRED!"]]'' series.
29	* ArtShift:
30	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPVNvJoljD0 Christmas is Creepy]]'' features animation and StopMotion.
31	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l27otMzmWCQ Tater Haters]]'', ''[[http://www.miniclip.com/games/fred-figglehorn Fred Figglehorn]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0seHRrmei0 FRED Gets Animated part 1]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w32AxBn5S8 FRED Gets Adopted]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm1rJpktG9M FRED Makes a Campfire]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAgAsuIbO0A FRED Makes a Diorama]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVZxvjA2XDk FRED Goes on a Field Trip]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfYaKIWXNoI FRED Gets a Monkey]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU4ocqWBflo FRED Uses a Spork]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dctLzVwQv1A FRED Goes to a Funeral]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsZhm-rVotA FRED Brings Cherie To School]]'', and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0P8Qq7uhss Fred Gets a Foreign Exchange Student]]'' feature animation as well.
32	* BerserkButton: One particularly hilarious example in the film; when Fred is told his "girlfriend" has moved, he goes on a rampage and destroys his living room. Because of his sunny disposition, he cleans up afterward.
33	* BigDamnMovie: ''Fred TheMovie'', ''Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred'' and ''Fred 3: Camp Fred''.
34	* BigOlUnibrow: Fadila from ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0P8Qq7uhss FRED Gets a Foreign Exchange Student]]'' turns out to have one.
35	* BrokenAesop: The first film has Fred try and impress Judy, but after being humiliated by her, he finds that Bertha, who was practically right in front of him the whole time, was the companionship he was looking for...until Judy seems to act remorseful, and Fred takes her back.
36	* CampStraight: Fred the character. Cruikshank himself is CampGay.
37	* ChristmasEpisode: There've been a few.
38	** 2007: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTetkt6mnek FRED on Christmas]]''
39	** 2009: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWCidnkhPtQ Christmas Cash]]'' and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPVNvJoljD0 Christmas is Creepy]]''.
40	* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Season 1 = Blue hand-lettered shirt. Season 2 = Red shirt. Seasons 3 and 4 = Blue printed (see below) shirt.
41	* CreepyChild: The basic premise of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylrz20YkgFA FRED Babysits a Psycho]]''.
42	* {{Crossover}}:
43	** With ''Series/{{iCarly}}'' in ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3ndUWNSR38 Fred on iCarly]]'' and the ''iCarly'' episode ''iMeet Fred''--Fred is fictional in the ''iCarly'' universe, but ''iMeet Fred'' features two exclusive Fred videos, both featuring ''iCarly'' characters (the second of these videos can be seen [[http://www.icarly.com/iVideo/index.html#vid1516 here]]).
44	** With WebVideo/TheAnnoyingOrange in ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjVKYzy4ek8 FRED Goes Grocery Shopping Feat. Annoying Orange]]'' and '''''Annoying Orange''': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EiM8Pa91SQ vs. FRED!!!]]''
45	** With ''Adventures of Power'' in ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-learns-to-air-drum-with-power-5682570 FRED Learns to Air Drum with Power]]'' and ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-interviews-sneezle-the-cat-bonus-footage-5682285 FRED Interviews Sneezle The Cat]]''.
46	* DarkHorseVictory: Fred and Kevin compete for class president. The winner is a girl called Cleopatra who Fred claims "didn't have any ideas" and was just sort of there.
47	* DarkerAndEdgier: Averted, the TV show is brighter than the web series.
48	** In the web video, it is implied that Fred's mother is a prostitute.
49	** Fred's father is [[DisappearedDad never there]] in the web series. He's not there in the films or TV series either, but we get [[ImaginaryFriend John Cena]] to make up for it.
50	* DaydreamSurprise: A large portion of {{the movie}}s are this. In some places, it's hard to tell what's a DaydreamSurprise and what isn't. There are even a few DaydreamSurprise ''characters'' ...or are they?
51	* DeadpanSnarker: Fred's mother in the film series.
52	* DisappearedDad: Fred's father lives in the State Pen.
53	** In the films, however, his "dad" takes on the flesh of Wrestling/JohnCena.
54	* DontTryThisAtHome: In ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZVrTS04d5U FRED Gets Animated Pt.2]]''.
55	* DependingOnTheWriter: On just how dark it gets. The original Website/YouTube videos depend on a lot of BlackComedy, the animated series is dark as well, and manages to be even crueler to the characters than the videos. The films are relatively clean, with some things from the original hinted at and some dark humor by Nickelodeon standards. The TV series is squeaky clean, with maybe a couple adult jokes scattered throughout.
56	* EvenEvilHasStandards: At one point, Kevin pretended to be Judy, saying that he and Judy had broken up, and wanted to date Fred. When Judy found out, she stated that was too far, though Fred thought Judy was only acting.
57	* FourthWallMailSlot: In ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0seHRrmei0 FRED gets Animated part 1]]''.
58	* GrossUpCloseUp: In ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l27otMzmWCQ Tater Haters]]''.
59	* GuideDangIt: Likely just a glitch, but six videos will only play if the quality is turned down to 240p: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCQaa9CUJcw FRED ThrowDown #1 - Peace Around the World for Generations]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CMJaJIrPzQ FRED ThrowDown #2 - Homie G pic]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjc5fOhGWpU FRED: "Figglehorn '08" Campaign Video]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5_ZBigLFBw FRED: Kevin's Attack Ad]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsnh18Xstqw FRED ThrowDown #3 - Creepiest Picture with your Pet]]'', and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jZo7bhQ4Tc FRED Sings at YouTube Live!!!]]''
60	* HalloweenEpisode: There've been a few.
61	** 2006: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DL7zP7Da1o FRED on Halloween]]'' (the first ''Fred'' video)
62	** 2007: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJF7R2uFKW8 FRED on Halloween 2]]''
63	** 2010: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyzN2AHcKek The Babysitter's a Vampire]]''
64	* HeliumSpeech: Seen as the TropeCodifier for the use of this trope for humor on [=YouTube=]. Basically all of the people that embraced the "chipmunk voices are funny" rule on that site after Fred became popular were [[FollowTheLeader directly inspired by him]].
65	* HiccupHijinks: In the love potion episode of the tv series, Fred tries it out on Bertha at one point, and she gets hiccups.
66	* IAmNotWeasel: Non-talking animal example. Fred always mistakes small dogs for squirrels.
67	* IdenticalStranger: [[spoiler:Fadila from ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0P8Qq7uhss FRED Gets a Foreign Exchange Student]]'' turns out to look like Fred with a BigOlUnibrow.]]
68	* InsistentTerminology: It's a ''Master Blaster''!
69	* {{Interquel}}:
70	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3b2Bmk0f7w Watch Every Episode of Figgle Chat!!]]'' is set between ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiRSw4dKBFM FRED Gets a Talk Show]]'' and ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-interviews-obama-bonus-footage-5578107 Fred Interviews Obama]]''.
71	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RKCPG6Vpfc Up Next on Figgle Chat: Perez Hilton!!]]'' is set between ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-interviews-obama-bonus-footage-5578107 Fred Interviews Obama]]'' and ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-goes-through-puberty-special-guest-perez-hilton-figgle-chat-ep-2-5599694 FRED Goes Through Puberty]]''.
72	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qISmOXvraP4 Next on Figgle Chat: Eduardo Fresco]]'' is set between ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-goes-through-puberty-special-guest-perez-hilton-figgle-chat-ep-2-5599694 FRED Goes Through Puberty]]'' and ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-interviews-eduardo-fresco-ep-3-exclusive-bonus-footage-5619964 Fred Interviews Eduardo Fresco]]''.
73	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l61FMMJhnQ Up Next on Figgle Chat...We got Brad Pitt!]]'' is set between ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-interviews-eduardo-fresco-ep-3-exclusive-bonus-footage-5619964 FRED Interviews Eduardo Fresco]]'' and ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-interviews-hunter-hunterson-bonus-footage-5640339 FRED Interviews Hunter Hunterson]]''.
74	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93rEZYmPhtY Up Next on Figgle Chat: iJustine!]]'' is set between ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-interviews-hunter-hunterson-bonus-footage-5640339 FRED Interviews Hunter Hunterson]]'' and ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-interviews-ijustine-bonus-footage-5658915 FRED Interviews iJustine]]''.
75	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlPYrYvQ8t0 Up Next: The Biggest Guest EVER!!]]'' is set between ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-interviews-ijustine-bonus-footage-5658915 FRED Interviews iJustine]]'' and ''[[http://blip.tv/fred/fred-interviews-sneezle-the-cat-bonus-footage-5682285 FRED Interviews Sneezle The Cat]]''.
76	* ItsAllAboutMe: According to Cruikshank, Fred is a StealthParody of narcissistic video bloggers. Fred's age is him literally comparing them to bratty children.
77	* {{Keet}}: ... '''YES'''.
78	* LovePotion: In the ''[[http://www.nick.com/shows/fred Fred: The Show]]'' episode [[http://www.nick.com/videos/clip/fred-the-show-101-love-potion-full-episode.html "Love Potion"]].
79	* LoyalAnimalCompanion: Even if Fred has no human friends, Sparky, the Neighborhood Squirrels and the Cat With Rabies will never leave him.
80	* TheMovie: Three of 'em, which were intended for theatrical releases but ended up premiering on Nickelodeon. (The first film ''did'' make it to theaters in the United Kingdom due to the distributor capitalizing on the popularity of Music/PixieLott there, but it [[BoxOfficeBomb bombed spectacularly]].) [[http://www.deadline.com/2011/12/nickelodeon-greenlights-third-fred-movie-picks-up-20-episode-fred-series/ Nickelodeon has also]] picked up a [[RecycledTheSeries TV series]] (''[[http://www.nick.com/shows/fred Fred: The Show]]'') and then a third film (''Fred 3: Camp Fred'').
81	* NoEnding: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyzN2AHcKek The Babysitter's a Vampire]]''.
82	* NoIndoorVoice: Fred always talks loudly. He also screams his lungs out once every video.
83	* OverlyLongGag: In the first film, when Fred's faced with a car repairman who doesn't speak English, he thinks he is being messed with and proceeds to run away screaming, while we are shown brief shots of different areas (like near a fence, on a railroad track and even on a roller-coaster track). This continues until he runs into a live dam.
84	* ParentalAbandonment: His mom loves bars and staying out late and is almost never there, and his "rock star" dad is on Death Row. [[spoiler:The first film implies that Fred's father actually lived nearby (until the film's events actually occur), and was never in jail (or a rock star), but ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAgAsuIbO0A FRED Makes a Diorama]]'' has Fred's dad appear in jail]].
85	* PotteryBarnPoor: Fred and his mother. Also Judy, to a degree. Fred {{lampshade\|hanging}}s this, saying that her trailer is {{bigger on the inside}}.
86	* PreviouslyOn: ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZVrTS04d5U FRED Gets Animated Pt.2]]'' opens with a clip from the end of ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0seHRrmei0 FRED gets Animated part 1]]''.
87	* ProductPlacement:
88	** Newer episodes have the title character wearing [[TheMerch the official licensed Fred(TM) t-shirt]] rather than the original hand-lettered one.
89	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QURja9e_EnQ Fred Finds a]] CreepyDoll'' is all about Fred(TM) discovering one of [[TheMerch the officially licensed talking Fred(TM) dolls]]. This kid doesn't miss a trick...
90	** Even before that he was plugging Zip-its.
91	** The films have [=YouTube=] visible on computers.
92	* RandomEventsPlot: The film series.
93	* SantaClaus: Appears in ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTetkt6mnek FRED on Christmas]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWCidnkhPtQ Christmas Cash]]'', and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPVNvJoljD0 Christmas is Creepy]]''.
94	* SdrawkcabName: Derf from the film series.
95	* SeriesContinuityError: In ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrQirNOv7HI I Wanna Be A Celebrity]]'', Fred mentions his "first CD" while holding up a few copies of his second CD, ''Who's Ready to Party? With FRED''. His first CD, mentioned in ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QURja9e_EnQ FRED Finds a Creepy Doll]]'' and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir_pw90_3-c Fred Talks About His Christmas Music]]'', was ''It's Hackin' Christmas! With FRED''. This error is especially JustForFun/{{egregious}} since both [=CDs=] actually exist and are available for purchase.
96	* ShoutOut: In a shot in the first movie where Fred is sitting in the bathtub, there is bacon taped to the bathroom wall, a reference to a similar shot in the surrealist, avant-garde film ''Film/{{Gummo}}''. [[https://www.reddit.com/r/criterion/comments/m3qn6b/update_over_possible_gummo_reference_in_fred_the/ Yes, seriously]].
97	* StalkerWithACrush: Talia, Kevin's little sister from the second film.
98	** Fred himself to Judy in the original series and first film.
99	* StealthInsult: The entire "Fred" character is one to video bloggers. Cruikshank is literally comparing them to obnoxious, self-absorbed children.
100	* TalkShow: The ''[[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=E6744BB2BEE3602F Figgle Chat]]'' series.
101	* TalkyBookends:
102	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zc7Wt4WBEE Watch How I Do This]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWCidnkhPtQ Christmas Cash]]'' and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyzN2AHcKek The Babysitter's a Vampire]]'' have them at their beginnings.
103	** ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l27otMzmWCQ Tater Haters]]'' has one at its end.
104	* TrailersAlwaysLie: Nickelodeon's commercials for the second film, '''AND HOW'''. Practically THE ENTIRE COMMERCIAL was just Cena's appearances, the [[Literature/TheTwilightSaga Twilight]] {{Homage}}/TakeThat, the wrestling scene and the first water g-[[InsistentTerminology IT'S A MASTER BLASTER!]] scene, ALL OF WHICH WAS IMAGINARY.
105	* TrainingMontage: In the ''[[http://www.nick.com/shows/fred Fred: The Show]]'' episode [[http://www.nick.com/videos/clip/fred-the-show-102-full-episode.html "The Expired Cow"]].
106	* {{Tuckerization}}: The films reveal that Kevin's family's last name is Libo, the same as writer David Goodman's cousins (as mentioned in the first film's DVDCommentary).
107	* UninvitedToTheParty: Fred spends half the movie on a quest to find Judy's new house, thinking she's either miserable or in danger. By the time he gets there, he finds her having a party he wasn't invited to, meaning he accidentally crashes. After being humiliated by his bully Kevin at said party with the footage posted online to boot, Fred seeks revenge by throwing his own party and making it clear to everyone that they are not invited to his party. However, when it comes to his friend Bertha, he decided to invite her as she was the only person who didn't think the video was funny, and the two of them throw such a great fake party that it makes the rest of the school feel jealous and desperate to get back on Fred's good side.
108	* UnreliableNarrator: Even more so in the films, where (at least) half of the events don't even happen.
109	* UnnamedParent: Both of Fred's parents were this, but their names were eventually revealed:
110	** His mother's name is Hildegard (Hilda for short) in the second film and Cherie in ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm1rJpktG9M FRED Makes a Campfire]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAgAsuIbO0A FRED makes a Diorama]]'', and ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsZhm-rVotA FRED Brings Cherie To School]]''.
111	** His father's name is Fergus in ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAgAsuIbO0A FRED Makes a Diorama]]''.
112	* TheVoice: Everyone that isn't Fred, except in a few specials, most of the fourth season, the films, the {{talk show}} ''[[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=E6744BB2BEE3602F Figgle Chat]]'', the AnimatedAdaptation ''[[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9567D748F53E40B9 "It's Fred!"]]'', and the [[RecycledTheSeries TV series]] ''[[http://www.nick.com/shows/fred Fred: The Show]]''.
113	* VomitIndiscretionShot:
114	** In "FRED Has a Snow Day" after Fred is hit by a snowball by Kevin. It's even shown in slow motion.
115	** To an absolutely ridiculous extent near the end of the film at the party.

Context WebVideo / Fred