Original air date: 11/30/2008
Stan learns that the CIA can no longer afford torture devices as the Democrats are shifting money to teach inner city children to read. Roger suggests that the CIA hold a telethon, which Stan says is a stupid idea. But the next day, Stan suggests the same idea Roger told him about and takes all the credit and does not admit that it was Roger's idea in the first place. Roger takes his revenge by ruining the show in a persona he deems as "The Phantom Of The Telethon".
"Phantom of the Telethon" contains examples of:
- Actually Pretty Funny: Upon hearing that Steve's actual CIA joke is that it stands for "Central Insanity Agency", Stan laughs and comments that it's pretty good.
- Bait-and-Switch Comment: Roger skews his priorities by telling the audience what his one-liner will be rather than doing his job.Roger: The bomb is disarmed! (audience cheers) That's what I'm gonna say when I disarm the bomb!
Stan: Roger! - Blatant Lies: Stan steals Roger's idea and doesn't own up to any of it.
- Cassandra Truth: Roger tries to explain to the family that the telethon was his idea and not Stan's, but everyone laughs him off.
- Comically Missing the Point: In the flashback, Roger swears revenge after Stan steals his telethon idea, and demands to be told when dinner is ready. Stan then thinks Roger is coming after him for not being told about dinner.
- Didn't Think This Through: Roger releases the terrorist as part of his plan to wreck the telethon, only for him and Stan to then find a massive bomb that he set up.
- Genre Savvy: The terrorist tells Stan that he rigged the bomb to prevent any attempt at disarming it, and also rigged all of the exits so that no one can escape. He sheepishly admits that he's watched a lot of American movies.
- In Medias Res: The episode opens with the CIA telethon underway, then we get a flashback to How We Got Here.
- Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: The purpose of the telethon is to allow the CIA to keep being able to do this, and it's used on the terrorist to find the disarm code for the bomb he made.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: This is apparently the case for the terrorist Stan shows off in the telethon in the Arabic language. Seeing that his name is "The Common Garden Snake of Rumallah", it's doubtful.
- Noodle Incident: Roger laments that letting Jerry Lewis live was a big mistake, implying that something went down between the two after Lewis stole his idea for a telethon.
- Oh, Crap!: When Snot comments "Who'd want to sabotage the telethon?", Stan says "Oh, no!" as he has a How We Got Here flashback, revealing who would have a reason for sabotaging the telethon.
- Ominous Pipe Organ: Roger wanted one, but because he had only $39.95, he could only afford to get a small keyboard.
- The Password Is Always "Swordfish": The code to disarm the bomb is 1-2-3-4-pound.
- Rage Breaking Point: At the end, after Stan casually admits he won't tell everyone he stole Roger's idea, Roger starts beating Stan with his keyboard.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Roger kidnaps Steve and puts him in a dress, possibly intending for him to be Christine like in the Phantom musical, but he just walks away.Roger: Steve! Steve, come back here! I am trying to do something!
- Script Swap: One of the tricks Roger pulls is altering the teleprompter so that Stan says "Stan Smith was born with both male and female genitalia", to Stan's embarrassment and the audience's confusion.
- Self-Deprecation: Stan tells the audience that they're in the same soundstage where they faked the moon landing and planned the JFK assassination, though given the depiction of the CIA on the show, one wonders if he's admitting the truth under the guise of a joke.
- Shout-Out: The Phantom of the Opera, which Roger gets his latest persona from.
- Spoonerism: Roger flubs his one-liner after successfully disarming the bomb.Roger: The arm is disbombed! (under his breath) Dammit...
- Stealing the Credit: Roger's motivation. After he suggested the idea for a telethon to Stan, who shot the idea down saying it was stupid, he turned around and pitched it to Bullock, angering Roger.
- Theatre Phantom: Roger takes up one of these as his latest persona.
- Telethon: Stan sets one up so the CIA can afford to torture prisoners.
