Difference between revisions of "Television"

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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 ''[[Dear Jeepers]]'' and ''[[Letter From Jeepers]]'' for horror TV show host [[Bob Guy]], who played his character [[Jeepers]].
 
* Zappa wrote the composition ''[[The Big Squeeze]]'' for a tv commercial for cough drops: [[Luden's Cough Drop Commercial]]
 
* Zappa wrote the composition ''[[The Big Squeeze]]'' for a tv commercial for cough drops: [[Luden's Cough Drop Commercial]]
* 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 ''[[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]]
* Zappa played a cameo role as a hunchback in [[Faerie Tale Theatre]].
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* Zappa played a cameo role as a hunchback in ''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]''.
* He played a drug dealer in the [[Miami Vice]] episode ''"Payback".''  
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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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* [[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."''
 
* [[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."''
 
* [[Debra Kadabra]]: ''"Turn it to Channel 13!"''  
 
* [[Debra Kadabra]]: ''"Turn it to Channel 13!"''  
 
* [[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)
 
* [[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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* [[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.  
 
* [[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.  
 
* [[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".''  
 
* [[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]].''
 
* The character Thingfish in [[Thing-Fish]] is based on the character ''"Kingfish"'' from the TV show ''[[Amos & Andy]].''
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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 ''[[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]].  
 
* ''"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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==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.

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