Difference between revisions of "Television"

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* [[Steve Allen]]
 
* [[Steve Allen]]
* Zappa wrote the composition [[The Big Squeeze]] for a tv commercial for cough drops: [[Luden's Cough Drop Commercial]]
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* Zappa wrote ''[[Dear Jeepers]]'' and ''[[Letter From Jeepers]]'' for horror TV show host [[Bob Guy]], who played his character [[Jeepers]].
* Zappa wrote [[Boy Wonder I Love You]] for actor [[Burt Ward]], who played Robin the Wonder Boy on the TV series [[Batman]].  
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* Zappa wrote the composition ''[[The Big Squeeze]]'' for a tv commercial for cough drops: [[Luden's Cough Drop Commercial]]
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* Zappa wrote ''[[Boy Wonder I Love You]]'' for actor [[Burt Ward]], who played Robin the Wonder Boy on the TV series ''Batman''.  
 
* [[Saturday Night Live]]
 
* [[Saturday Night Live]]
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* [[What's My Line?]]
 
* [[Make Me Laugh]]
 
* [[Make Me Laugh]]
 
* [[Johnny Carson]]
 
* [[Johnny Carson]]
* [[Miami Vice]]
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* Zappa played a cameo role as a hunchback in ''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]''.
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* He played a drug dealer in the ''[[Miami Vice]]'' episode ''"Payback".''
 
* Zappa was a presenter for the [[Financial News Network]] at the end of the 1980s, start of the 1990s.
 
* Zappa was a presenter for the [[Financial News Network]] at the end of the 1980s, start of the 1990s.
 
* [[Frank Zappa's Wild Wild East]]
 
* [[Frank Zappa's Wild Wild East]]
* [[Ren And Stimpy]] (as the voice of the Pope)
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* ''[[Ren And Stimpy]]'' (as the voice of the Pope)
* [[Duckman]] (his music was used in the first season)
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* ''[[Duckman]]'' (his music was used in the first season)
  
 
==Documentaries and TV concerts==
 
==Documentaries and TV concerts==
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==References to television in Zappa's music==
 
==References to television in Zappa's music==
  
* [[You Didn't Try To Call Me (1966 - Los Angeles)]]: "I was still watching television"
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* [[You Didn't Try To Call Me (1966 - Los Angeles)]]: ''"I was still watching television"''
 
* [[Trouble Every Day]]:
 
* [[Trouble Every Day]]:
* [[It Can't Happen Here]]: "Just cook your TV dinner and make it."/"Oh, we're gonna get a TV dinner and cook it up".
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* [[It Can't Happen Here]]: ''"Just cook your TV dinner and make it."/"Oh, we're gonna get a TV dinner and cook it up".''
* [[Brown Shoes Don't Make It]]: "TV dinner by the pool"/"Life's a ball, TV tonight".
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* [[Brown Shoes Don't Make It]]: ''"TV dinner by the pool"/"Life's a ball, TV tonight".''
 
* The title of [[Lumpy Gravy]] was based on Loma Linda Gravy mix.
 
* The title of [[Lumpy Gravy]] was based on Loma Linda Gravy mix.
* [[Mr. Green Genes]] and [[Son Of Mr. Green Genes]] are based on the character Mr. Green Genes from the children's show "Captain Kangaroo".
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* [[Mr. Green Genes]] and [[Son Of Mr. Green Genes]] are based on the character Mr. Green Genes from the children's show ''"Captain Kangaroo".''
* [[What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?]]: "Wall-mounted TV screens".
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* [[What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?]]: ''"Wall-mounted TV screens".''
* [[Dental Hygiene Dilemma]]: "It's just as if [[Donovan]] appeared on my very own TV set with words of peace, love and eternal cosmic wisdom".
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* [[Dental Hygiene Dilemma]]: ''"It's just as if [[Donovan]] appeared on my very own TV set with words of peace, love and eternal cosmic wisdom".''
 
* [[Billy The Mountain]]: [[Jerry Lewis]]' telethons are referenced
 
* [[Billy The Mountain]]: [[Jerry Lewis]]' telethons are referenced
 
* [[Call Any Vegetable]] on [[Just Another Band From L.A.]]: the American comedic duo Bob & Ray are mentioned
 
* [[Call Any Vegetable]] on [[Just Another Band From L.A.]]: the American comedic duo Bob & Ray are mentioned
 
* [[I'm The Slime]]
 
* [[I'm The Slime]]
* The scene in [[Stink-Foot]] where the poodle brings the slippers was a parody on a TV commercial for Mennen foot spray.
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* The scene in [[Stink-Foot]] where the poodle brings the slippers was a parody of a 1974 TV commercial for ''Dr. Scholl's'' foot spray.
* [[Penguin In Bondage]]: "This song suggests to the suggestible listener that the ordinary procedure, uh, that I'm circumlocuting at this present time in order to get this text on television."
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* [[Penguin In Bondage]]: ''"This song suggests to the suggestible listener that the ordinary procedure, uh, that I'm circumlocuting at this present time in order to get this text on television."''
* [[Disco Boy]]: "She's gonna fall for your line and feed you a box full of chicken delight!" (reference to the fast food product "Chicken Delight", well known thanks to the TV jingles)
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* [[Debra Kadabra]]: ''"Turn it to Channel 13!"''
* [[Crew Slut]]: The line "add water, makes its own sauce" is a reference to a dog food commercial for Gravy Train. "So call before midnight tonight" is a typical line from tv commercials.  
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* [[Disco Boy]]: ''"She's gonna fall for your line and feed you a box full of chicken delight!"'' (reference to the fast food product ''"Chicken Delight"'', well known thanks to the TV jingles)
* [[No Not Now]], the [[Thing-Fish]] version of [[You Are What You Is (The Track)]] and [[The Untouchables]]: the line "Book 'em Dano" is a reference to "Hawaii Five-O".  
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* [[Jewish Princess]] and [[Massaggio Galore]] reference the yell ''[[Hi-ho, Silver! Away!]]'', a phrase from ''"The Lone Ranger"''.
 +
* [[Crew Slut]]: The line ''"add water, makes its own sauce"'' is a reference to a dog food commercial for Gravy Train. ''"So call before midnight tonight"'' is a typical line from tv commercials.  
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* [[No Not Now]], the [[Thing-Fish]] version of [[You Are What You Is (The Track)]] and [[The Untouchables]]: the line ''"Book 'em [[Dano]]"'' is a reference to ''"Hawaii Five-O".''
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* [[Conehead]], a reference to a sketch on [[Saturday Night Live]].  
 
* [[Be In My Video]], a parody of [[MTV]].
 
* [[Be In My Video]], a parody of [[MTV]].
* The character Thingfish in [[Thing-Fish]] is based on the character "Kingfish" from the TV show [[Amos & Andy]].
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* The character Thingfish in [[Thing-Fish]] is based on the character ''"Kingfish"'' from the TV show ''[[Amos & Andy]].''
 
* [[One-Adam-Twelve]] is referenced on the [[Thing-Fish]] version of [[You Are What You Is (The Track)]].
 
* [[One-Adam-Twelve]] is referenced on the [[Thing-Fish]] version of [[You Are What You Is (The Track)]].
* [[We're Turning Again]]: "We can laugh at (...) the color TV"
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* [[We're Turning Again]]: ''"We can laugh at (...) the color TV"''
* The theme of [[The Twilight Zone]] is quoted in [[Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk]]
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* The theme from ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' is quoted in [[Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk]]
* [[Promiscuous]]: "C-Span showed him, all dressed up"
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* [[Promiscuous]]: ''"C-Span showed him, all dressed up"''
* The theme of [[The Twilight Zone]] and [[The Untouchables]] are quoted in [[Rhymin' Man]].  
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* The theme from ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' and ''[[The Untouchables]]'' are quoted in ''[[Rhymin' Man]]''.  
* The title of [[The Untouchables]] is a reference to the TV crime series. The song itself also references "Felix the Cat", by demanding that [[John Poindexter]] returns to that show. Admiral Poindexter was a character on this animated TV series.  
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* The title of ''[[The Untouchables]]'' is a reference to the 1950s TV crime series. The song itself also references ''"Felix the Cat",'' by demanding that [[John Poindexter]] returns to that show. Admiral Poindexter was a character on this animated TV series.  
 
* The title of [[Night School]] is a reference to a TV project that Zappa was unable to fulfill.
 
* The title of [[Night School]] is a reference to a TV project that Zappa was unable to fulfill.
* The version of [[The Torture Never Stops]] on [[The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life]] features a musical quote from "The Addams Family".  
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* The version of [[The Torture Never Stops]] on [[The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life]] features a musical quote from ''"The Addams Family"'' and ''"I Love Lucy".''
 
* [[Theme From "Bonanza"]]
 
* [[Theme From "Bonanza"]]
* "Battlestar Galactica" is referenced at the end of the [[Sharleena]] version on [[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3]].  
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* ''"Battlestar Galactica"'' is referenced at the end of the [[Sharleena]] version on [[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3]].  
 
* [[This Ain't CNN]]
 
* [[This Ain't CNN]]
 
* [[Outrage At Valdez]] was written for a TV documentary about the Exxon Valdez scandal.
 
* [[Outrage At Valdez]] was written for a TV documentary about the Exxon Valdez scandal.
* [[Ask Dr. Stupid]] is a reference to [[Ren And Stimpy]]
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* [[Ask Dr. Stupid]] is a reference to ''[[Ren And Stimpy]]''
  
 
==Conceptual Continuity==
 
==Conceptual Continuity==
* "Hi-ho Silver" is a reference to [[The Lone Ranger]].
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* [[Ike Willis]]' frequent yell of ''"[[Hi-ho, Silver! Away!]]"'' is a reference to The Lone Ranger.
 
* [[Dano]] is a character from [[Hawaii Five-O]]
 
* [[Dano]] is a character from [[Hawaii Five-O]]
 
* [[Ike Willis]] sometimes imitated [[Count Floyd]]'s howl on stage, much to Zappa's amusement.
 
* [[Ike Willis]] sometimes imitated [[Count Floyd]]'s howl on stage, much to Zappa's amusement.
 
* TV's are mentioned in [[Hunchentoot]]
 
* TV's are mentioned in [[Hunchentoot]]
* During the 1980s Zappa wrote a lot of satirical songs about TV evangelists, most notably [[Jimmy Swaggart]].
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* During the 1980s Zappa wrote some satirical songs about TV evangelists, most notably [[Jimmy Swaggart]].
  
 
[[Category:Targets]]
 
[[Category:Targets]]

Revision as of 16:58, 5 November 2014

Television was a frequent target in Zappa's music, even though he made use of the medium to promote his music. He made a few appearances in TV shows and made references to TV series in his lyrics.

Favorite TV shows

Category:Favorite TV shows

TV Presenters, actors and comedians

Appearances in TV shows as guest, performer or actor

Documentaries and TV concerts

See Category:Videography

References to television in Zappa's music

Conceptual Continuity