Difference between revisions of "Television"

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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.  
 
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.  
  
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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]]
 
* [[What's My Line?]]
 
* [[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.
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* Zappa was a presenter for the [[Wikipedia:Financial News Network|Financial News Network]] at the end of the 1980s, start of the 1990s.
* [[Frank Zappa's Wild Wild East]]
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* [[Wikipedia:Financial_News_Network|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==
 
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* [[Ask Dr. Stupid]] is a reference to ''[[Ren And Stimpy]]''
* [[You Didn't Try To Call Me (1966 - Los Angeles)]]: ''"I was still watching television"''
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* [[Be In My Video]], a parody of [[MTV]].
* [[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".''
 
* [[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.
 
* [[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".''
 
* [[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
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* [[Brown Shoes Don't Make It]]: ''"TV dinner by the pool" and "Life's a ball, TV tonight".''
* [[I'm The Slime]]
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* [[Call Any Vegetable (1971 - Los Angeles)|Call Any Vegetable]] on [[Just Another Band From L.A.]]: the American comedic duo Bob & Ray are mentioned
* 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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* [[Conehead]], a reference to a sketch on [[Saturday Night Live]].  
* [[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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* [[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.
 
* [[Debra Kadabra]]: ''"Turn it to Channel 13!"''  
 
* [[Debra Kadabra]]: ''"Turn it to Channel 13!"''  
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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".''
 
* [[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)
* [[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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* [[I'm The Slime]]
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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".''
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* [[Jewish Princess]] and [[Massaggio Galore]] reference the yell ''[[Hi-ho, Silver! Away!]]'', a phrase from ''"The Lone Ranger"''.
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* [[Mr. Green Genes]] and [[Son Of Mr. Green Genes]] are based on the character Mr. Green Jeans from the children's show ''"Captain Kangaroo".''
 
* [[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".''  
* [[Conehead]], a reference to a sketch on [[Saturday Night Live]].
 
* [[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]].''
 
 
* [[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)]].
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* [[Outrage At Valdez]] was written for a TV documentary about the Exxon Valdez scandal.
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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."''
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* [[Promiscuous]]: ''"C-Span showed him, all dressed up"''
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* [[Theme From "Bonanza"]]
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* [[This Ain't CNN]]
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* [[Trouble Every Day]]: A response to the TV news coverage of the Watts Riots.
 
* [[We're Turning Again]]: ''"We can laugh at (...) the color TV"''
 
* [[We're Turning Again]]: ''"We can laugh at (...) the color TV"''
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* [[What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?]]: ''"Wall-mounted TV screens".''
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* [[You Didn't Try To Call Me (1966 - Los Angeles)]]: ''"I was still watching television"''
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* The title of [[Lumpy Gravy]] was based on Loma Linda Gravy mix.
 +
* 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.
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* The character Thingfish in [[Thing-Fish]] is based on the charer ''"Kingfish"'' from the TV show ''[[Amos & Andy]].''
 
* The theme from ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' is quoted in [[Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk]]
 
* The theme from ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' is quoted in [[Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk]]
* [[Promiscuous]]: ''"C-Span showed him, all dressed up"''
 
 
* The theme from ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' and ''[[The Untouchables]]'' are quoted in ''[[Rhymin' Man]]''.  
 
* The theme from ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' and ''[[The Untouchables]]'' are quoted in ''[[Rhymin' Man]]''.  
 
* 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"]]
 
 
* ''"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]].  
* [[This Ain't CNN]]
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* [[Robert Charlebois]]' "[[Petroleum]]": ''"I don't wanna die eatin' peanuts and watchin' t.v."''
* [[Outrage At Valdez]] was written for a TV documentary about the Exxon Valdez scandal.
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* [[Ask Dr. Stupid]] is a reference to ''[[Ren And Stimpy]]''
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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]]
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* [[Dano]] is a character from [[Wikipedia:Hawaii Five-O|Hawaii Five-O]]
* [[Ike Willis]] sometimes imitated [[Count Floyd]]'s howl on stage, much to Zappa's amusement.
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* [[Ike Willis]] sometimes imitated [[Joe Flaherty|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 some satirical songs about TV evangelists, most notably [[Jimmy Swaggart]].
 
* During the 1980s Zappa wrote some satirical songs about TV evangelists, most notably [[Jimmy Swaggart]].
  
 
[[Category:Targets]]
 
[[Category:Targets]]

Revision as of 08:57, 28 October 2021


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