# 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:** 3
**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 24, 2018, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/41 "2018-12-24T15:38:55Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > How you going to mention _Seinfeld_ and not think of attorney Jackie Childs? Wasn’t he based on a real life attorney in a famous trial at the time?\* > > \*For all you youngsters, that bit of sarcasm brought to you by the law firm of Johnnie Cochran, getting murderers found “not guilty” since 1995. I am shocked and chagrined, mortified and stupefied! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/42 "2018-12-24T15:47:38Z")
The TV show _Bull_ is a highly fictionalized take on the life of Phil(Dr. Phil) McGraw, who created the show. Bull’s “Trial Analysis Corporation” is based on Dr. Phil’s Courtroom Sciences, Inc. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/43 "2018-12-24T16:01:27Z")
The main characters in [_$#_! My Dad Says\*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%24h*!_My_Dad_Says) were nominally based on Jason Halpern and his father. ---
**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 24, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/44 "2018-12-24T17:47:23Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Um, Jerry is based on Jerry. George is based on Larry David. Kramer is based on David’s friend Kramer. Elaine is sort of based on Carol Leifer… George Steinbrenner, not George Costanza. Larry David voiced Steinbrenner on early episodes, but later Steinbrenner himself made a cameo. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/45 "2018-12-24T18:10:15Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > 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: I wonder if Friday and his bunch knew they were living in a simulation. ---
**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 24, 2018, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/46 "2018-12-24T18:11:02Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > George Steinbrenner, not George Costanza. Larry David voiced Steinbrenner on early episodes, but later Steinbrenner himself made a cameo. Jason Alexander started out doing a Woody Allen impression, but as time went by he based George Costanza more on Larry David, mainly because of Larry writing so much of his material. I saw a clip from _ **Curb Your Enthusiasm** _ the other day where they were arguing about this, with Larry saying something like “Don’t tell me I couldn’t have you do that. Exactly the same thing happened to me!” If you watch the behind-the-scenes videos from \*\*\*Seinfeld \*\*\*on YouTube, the actors talk a lot about how their different characters developed. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/47 "2018-12-24T18:15:52Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > George Steinbrenner, not George Costanza. Speaking of George Costanza, a few years ago Jason Alexander played Tony Kornheiser in a show that lasted about 5 minutes. ---
**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 24, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/48 "2018-12-24T18:19:34Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Or maybe even John Kennedy Jr? 😉 We never saw John-John, did we? We just heard his voice. ☹ ---
**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 24, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/49 "2018-12-24T18:29:51Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Speaking of George Costanza, a few years ago Jason Alexander played Tony Kornheiser in a show that lasted about 5 minutes. I liked the reference on _ **Corner Gas** _ when Oscar wanted to watch _ **Pretty Woman** _ (I think it was) on his VCR: "It’s got that guy from \*\*\*Seinfeld \*\*\*in it! ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/50 "2018-12-24T18:47:26Z")
“[Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068072/?ref_=nv_sr_2)” included childhood versions of Bill Cosby and his brother Russell, as well as, supposedly, other kids from their neighborhood. Back when everybody loved Bill Cosby. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/51 "2018-12-24T18:49:55Z")
Louis C. K. played himself on _Louie_. On _King of Queens_ Lou Ferrigno played himself as the Heffernan’s neighbor. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/52 "2018-12-24T19:09:46Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > I feel this is the best actual answer, as pretty much everything else is either something where the person writing/starring in the show plays the main character or is using the fictional analog for comedic effect. The OP makes no such restriction, and in fact the examples he uses are of this kind. ---
**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 24, 2018, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/53 "2018-12-24T19:34:33Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > How you going to mention _Seinfeld_ and not think of attorney Jackie Childs? Wasn’t he based on a real life attorney in a famous trial at the time?\* > > \*For all you youngsters, that bit of sarcasm brought to you by the law firm of Johnnie Cochran, getting murderers found “not guilty” since 1995. Nitpick: It’s Chiles, not Childs. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/54 "2018-12-24T21:29:51Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Adam West did it on _Family Guy_ for many years. He also played Adam West on an episode of Big Bang Theory. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/55 "2018-12-24T21:36:49Z")
How about _The Monkees_? ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/56 "2018-12-24T22:29:33Z")
I’m not sure if this counts or not but in one episode of Star Trek:The Next Generation Data plays cards on the Holodeck with holographic representations of Sir Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking. Hawking played himself in the episode; he was the only person to play himself in the history of the Star Trek franchise. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/57 "2018-12-24T23:55:26Z")
You know Erica Goldberg? She’s loosely based off of Dr. Eric Goldberg, my mother’s headache doctor. True story; he told that to us last time we were there. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2018, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/58 "2018-12-25T14:16:39Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > How about _The Monkees_? It’s sort of the other way. The fictional persons became living people. ---
**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 25, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/59 "2018-12-25T15:13:27Z")
Feels like someone should mention _That’s My Bush!_ ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581/60 "2018-12-26T04:01:59Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > _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. Boston Legal did the same thing twice. Arguments went before the SCOTUS and the justices matched up exactly with the current real-life ones. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-tv-shows-that-feature-fictionalized-versions-of-living-persons/826581.md?page=4)