# Any TV Shows That Feature Fictionalized Versions Of Living Persons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581 "2018-12-23T19:32:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/1 "2018-12-23T19:32:10Z")
_[The Goldbergs](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2712740/?ref_=nv_sr_1)_ is one of only two TV shows that I can think of that features fictionalized versions of real, living people. Adam F. Goldberg, the narrator and star of the show, is still alive, as are his brother Barry and mother Bev. He also has a living older brother, Eric, who isn’t portrayed on the show; TV Adam has a fictionalized sister (Erica) instead. The other one is _[The Kids Are Alright](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7440732/?ref_=nv_sr_1)_, which is basically _The Goldbergs_ but Catholic instead of Jewish, SoCal instead of Philly, 70’s instead of 80’s. The main character/narrator is obviously still alive, since he’s in an office in L.A. somewhere writing new episodes of the show even as these words are being typed. I’m sure at least some of his brothers, possibly even his parents, are still alive as well. Are there any others? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/2 "2018-12-23T19:40:27Z")
Does George Steinbrenner on \*\*\*Seinfeld \*\*\*count? ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/3 "2018-12-23T19:53:35Z")
The show _Dave’s World_ was about Dave Barry: > **[Dave's World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave%27s_World)** > > Dave's World is an American sitcom television series, created by Fred Barron, that aired on CBS from September 20, 1993, to June 20, 1997. The series is based on the writing of Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry. > The show focuses on the daily trials and tribulations of columnist Dave Barry (Harry Anderson) and his wife, Beth (DeLane Matthews), along with their sons, Tommy (Zane Carney) and Willie (Andrew Ducote). Dave worked at the Miami Record-Dispatch (a fictionalized version of the Miami Heral... ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/4 "2018-12-23T19:56:49Z")
Don’t trust the B in apartment 23 had James Van Der Veek playing a fictionalized version of himself. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/5 "2018-12-23T19:59:18Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > _[The Goldbergs](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2712740/?ref_=nv_sr_1)_ is one of only two TV shows that I can think of that features fictionalized versions of real, living people. Adam F. Goldberg, the narrator and star of the show, is still alive, as are his brother Barry and mother Bev. He also has a living older brother, Eric, who isn’t portrayed on the show; TV Adam has a fictionalized sister (Erica) instead. Isn’t that likewise the point of _Fresh Off The Boat_ showcasing Eddie Huang? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/6 "2018-12-23T20:08:39Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Isn’t that likewise the point of _Fresh Off The Boat_ showcasing Eddie Huang? OMG, I can’t believe I missed that! Another ABC Family Comedy© loosely based\* on real people. \*To hear Eddie Huang tell it, not real at all. Doesn’t stop him from cashing those checks, though. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/7 "2018-12-23T20:10:23Z")
_Picket Fences_ once had blowhard defense lawyer Douglas Wambaugh argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The actors who played the justices in the oral-argument scene were pretty close to the real thing - including a meticulous, tiny little RBG. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/8 "2018-12-23T20:14:01Z")
In the same genre as the two in the OP, and Waldo Pepper’s suggestion of Fresh Off the Boat - fictionalizing the creator’s childhood - is Everybody Loves Chris, where Chris Rock does it. (Which predated all of the above.) If we don’t require more than one character have a close real-life counterpart (ie: sharing the name, personality, and significant biographical aspects), Jerry Seinfeld did it in Seinfeld, and his co-creator Larry David does it on Curb Your Enthusiasm. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/9 "2018-12-23T20:20:32Z")
They did it on a few episodes of _Friends_ – of the top of my head, Isabella Rossellini and Jean-Claude Van Damme both played fictionalized versions of themselves. However, I’m not sure if it meets the OP’s requirements if the actual person is playing themselves. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/10 "2018-12-23T20:24:24Z")
_Baa Baa Black Sheep_ — aka _Black Sheep Squadron_ — featured Robert Conrad starring as Greg Boyington while the real Medal of Honor winner was still alive. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_McQwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Steve\_McQwark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_McQwark)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/11 "2018-12-23T20:32:12Z")
_Episodes_ stars Matt LeBlanc playing a fictionalized version of Matt LeBlanc. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/12 "2018-12-23T20:56:27Z")
Taking the OP means alive when the show aired, it was pretty common in the 1950s and 1960’s. The most well known is \*I Love Lucy \* (1951-1957) starred Desi Arnez and Lucille Ball as the Ricky and Lucy Ricardo. Desi was a big band leader on the show and in real life. And when Lucy was pregnant with their second child, Desi Jr., she was also pregnant on the show and the original episode was aired the same day she gave birth to him (via C-section). There was also: _The Jack Benny Show The Danny Thomas Show / Make Room For Daddy The Joey Bishop Show The Burns and Allen Show_ They all played fictionalized versions of their real selves, sometimes with the same or similar professions. _The Andy Griffith Show_ was based on Andy Giffith’s comedy act. Then there was _It’s Garry Shandling’s Show_ (1986-1990) where make-believe and reality was heavily blurred. "The 30-minute series stars Garry Shandling as, more or less, himself: A neurotic, somewhat self-obsessed stand-up comedian who just happens to be aware he is a television sitcom character. Garry spends just as much time interacting with the studio audience as he does the regular cast members, offering up opening monologues and show-closing summations of the episode’s events (much like George Burns on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show). However, on Garry’s show, all the supporting characters know they are on a TV show, not just Garry; and the studio audience is often in the storyline. At the time of the series’ production, Shandling actually lived in Sherman Oaks, California, just like the character on the series. His condominium on the series was styled to be just like his real-life condo, down to the room layout and the furnishings." [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s\_Garry\_Shandling%27s\_Show](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_Garry_Shandling%27s_Show) ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/13 "2018-12-23T21:05:20Z")
Ohh…and of course _Mister Rogers Neighborhood_ where Fred Rogers was just being himself on a TV set. As I think about it, it was brilliant of him to create the “Neighborhood of Make-Believe” in which he voices many of the characters himself. A real person, playing himself on a a TV set, creating an imaginary Kingdom where he voiced most of the puppet characters himself. Mind-blowing! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/14 "2018-12-23T21:08:30Z")
I would mention the political skits on _SNL_ except I’ve decided those are documentaries. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > They did it on a few episodes of _Friends_ – of the top of my head, Isabella Rossellini and Jean-Claude Van Damme both played fictionalized versions of themselves. However, I’m not sure if it meets the OP’s requirements if the actual person is playing themselves. 😃 I know there’s at least one thread on famous people playing a fictionalized version of themselves. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/15 "2018-12-23T21:33:58Z")
Cosmo Kramer and The Soup Nazi were based on real people. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/16 "2018-12-23T21:40:05Z")
I take the OP as reading that the person is played by someone other than the real, living person that is portrayed. Care to clarify, **homie**? mmm ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/17 "2018-12-23T22:02:45Z")
_The Untouchables_ centered around Elliot Ness (who passed before the original novel was published) and his men going after real life 1930’s gangsters, some who were still alive at the time of the filming. The various _Law and Order_ series often take real life news and creates stories around them. I generally like the various series, but I can’t bear to watch the one obviously based on Anna Nichole Smith and her son. In a roundabout way, the characters of M_A_S\*H and many other wartime series are based on real people and their experiences, sometimes having multiple people portrayed by a single character. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/18 "2018-12-23T22:10:04Z")
_The Crown_ has quite a few examples. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/19 "2018-12-23T22:18:36Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > _The Crown_ has quite a few examples. Another one I didn’t think of! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/20 "2018-12-23T22:58:19Z")
If you ask Allison DuBois, she’ll tell you that she’s a medium who’s used her special powers to help the authorities solve crimes in Arizona, where she was employed by the district attorney’s office. And it’s true that the character of Allison DuBois on **Medium** would, in fact, also say that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581.md?page=2)