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May 5[edit]

Plays/movies/other media with the same or a similar tradition as The Mousetrap[edit]

Agatha Christie's play The Mousetrap is (in)famous for its tradition to ask its (at least London West End) viewers to not spoil its ending to other people. Christie and her descendants have always been upset whenever the ending of the play is disclosed, especially here at the play's Wikipedia article. Since this tradition has perhaps become as much of the trademark of the play as its twist ending, I was wondering; before and/or after the premiere of The Mousetrap, have there been other plays, or otherwise TV series, movies etc. which request viewers to not reveal the ending? Or is it only The Mousetrap? The closest example I could think of is that cinemas showing Psycho did not allow people to enter once the movie had started, although of course it didn't have a screen at the credits which commands viewers to not spoil the ending to others. Narutolovehinata5 ^tccsdnew 08:28, 5 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

The Crying Game had a lot of fan lore about it being fantastically important not to reveal the plot twist, but I'm not sure whether the makers made any such request. -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 08:36, 5 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

"Do Not Spoil This Ending" (TV Tropes) has some more examples. ---Sluzzelin talk 13:50, 5 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I remember that The Andromeda Strain (film) was released with the hype that "No one will be allowed in the theater during the last 10 (or 15 or 20 the memory is getting a bit hazy) of the film." I also remember hearing a story (I think that it was Michael Palin who told it but, again, it could be someone else) (update: My memory is now leaning towards Stephen Fry telling this story - maybe on The Graham NOrton Show) about some tourists going to see The Mousetrap who got out of their cab and tipped the cabbie poorly. Then the cabbie shouted "The ... did it" as they walked toward the theatre. MarnetteD | Talk 17:38, 5 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I know a lot of people were upset when they found out that The Crying Game co-star Jaye Davidson was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role before they had had a chance to see the movie. RNealK (talk) 22:58, 8 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Not as many as those who are upset at your revelation before they've still not had a chance to see the movie. -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 22:54, 10 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

The Sixth Sense, where you don't realize till the end that the shrink is really Bruce Willis Gzuckier (talk) 02:57, 10 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

fictional talk show host[edit]

Recently, I watched an episode of Hawaii Five-0. In it, Aisha Tyler guest-starred as a fictional talk show host named Savannah Walker. There were also several members of her audience who wore Savannah Walker tee shirts. Have there been any other fictional talk show hosts on other TV shows?142.255.103.121 (talk) 20:27, 5 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

There have been several on the various U.S. iterations of Law and Order. MarnetteD | Talk 20:31, 5 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Alan Partridge. Mrs Merton. - Cucumber Mike (talk) 20:44, 5 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Larry Sanders. Highly recommended. Birch Barlow on The Simpsons. Clarityfiend (talk) 22:08, 5 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

According to Virginia Graham's article, "in 1982, Graham played fictional talk show host Stella Stanton in the final episodes of the soap opera Texas." Clarityfiend (talk) 22:17, 5 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Guy Smiley. Staecker (talk) 23:47, 5 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Norman Gunston. HiLo48 (talk) 23:59, 5 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

On the Dick Van Dyke Show, Dick was supposedly a writer for the fictional Alan Brady Show. However, I think that was more of comedy "talk show", as in Johnny Carson, rather than a serious talk show, as in Oprah. StuRat (talk) 07:26, 6 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Didn't Newhart have a few different fictional TV talk show hosts, with "Michael" even running the small TV stations for a few seasons. It was kind of a running gag and plot device for the series.
Also SNL makes this one of their favorite skits, such classics as Coffee Talk and Goth Talk among others.^{Market St.⧏}_{⧐ Diamond Way} 11:22, 6 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, that reminded me that the talk-show host is one of the most popular skits among comedy sketch show writers in the UK (or so it seems). The one that I'm reminded of at the moment is on Alas Smith and Jones, where two rival MPs are being interviewed: one falls dead while the other is talking, and his speech changes instantly from slagging off to a glowing obituary. --TammyMoet (talk) 14:18, 6 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

See Fernwood 2 Night. --Jayron32 14:26, 6 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

That later changed to America 2 Night.142.255.103.121 (talk) 18:15, 6 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

These last two were the summer replacements for Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman so those actors could have a vacation from their 5 day a week show. They "broadcast" from Fernwood the first summer and then they Barth and Jerry and the Happy allegedly moved to LA Alta Coma CA for the second summer - thus the name change. It was truly a hilarious show and is long overdue for a DVD release. Thanks for jogging the memory about it. MarnetteD | Talk 18:40, 6 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Sure thing.142.255.103.121 (talk) 21:43, 6 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

The Mentalist has a connection with talk shows. Not only is the backstory set in motion by the main character appearing on a talk show, but a talk show featured heavily as a plot point at one time. ("Blinking Red Light" in season 4, the host being "Karen Cross".) -- 205.175.124.30 (talk) 23:58, 6 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Make a browser search (usually Ctrl+F) for "talk show" at List of fictional television shows. PrimeHunter (talk) 00:42, 7 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

There have been a couple on Parks and Recreation. One is Ya Heard? With Perd! with host Perd Hapley. And the other is with a female host who is sort of the lead character's nemesis in the show. ~~Her name escapes me at the moment.~~ Her character's name is Joan Callamezzo and the show within the show is Pawnee Today. Dismas|^(talk) 02:52, 7 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I also remember Wake Up San Francisco on Full House. Space Ghost was host of Space Ghost Coast to Coast.142.255.103.121 (talk) 21:22, 10 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Many talk-show skits in Monty Python's Flying Circus and A Bit of Fry and Laurie. —Tamfang (talk) 09:28, 4 November 2013 (UTC)[reply]