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Dick

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Dick
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A 1999 comedy film, directed by Andrew Fleming and starring Kirsten Dunst, Michelle Williams, and Dan Hedaya, about a pair of teenage girls bringing about the fall of President Richard Nixon (yes, that's who the title refers to; get your mind out of the gutter).Betsy (Dunst) and Arlene (Williams) are kind-hearted but not overly bright best friends who, while sneaking out late at night to mail an entry to a "meet Bobby Sherman" contest, inadvertently cause the Watergate break-in to be discovered. Later, on a school trip to the White House, they are recognized and spirited away to be interrogated, which indirectly results in them meeting President Nixon (Hedaya) face to face. Nixon, recognizing their lack of interest in politics of any kind along with their great interest in petting his dog Checkers, buys their silence by naming them the "official White House dog walkers", meaning that they are present for all the major moments of Nixon's presidency.But their naive loyalty is shattered when they discover evidence that Nixon is mean to his dog (oh, and of his large-scale criminal activities and corruption) and vow to bring him down. And so, with the help of the title of Betty's brother's favourite porn movie and the bungling Woodward (Will Ferrell) and Bernstein (Bruce McCulloch) of the Washington Post, Deep Throat is born...
 Dick
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2023-04-03T09:59:25Z
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parsed
2023-04-03T09:59:25Z
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processingComment
Dropped link to AllThePresidentsMen: Not a Feature - ITEM
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processingComment
Dropped link to DoubleEntendre: Not a Feature - ITEM
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Dropped link to OliviaNewtonJohn: Not a Feature - ITEM
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DBTropes
 Dick / int_24321e44
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Only Sane Man
 Dick / int_24321e44
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Only Sane Man: Kissinger, for the Nixon administration.
 Dick / int_24321e44
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1.0
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1.0
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Dick / int_24321e44
 Dick / int_267ce120
type
Dirty Old Man
 Dick / int_267ce120
comment
Dirty Old Man: Averted. Nixon's horrified at the implication of a teenager crushing on him, though he's more disturbed at the thought of the press finding out about it.
 Dick / int_267ce120
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-1.0
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Dick / int_267ce120
 Dick / int_2de5077d
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Power is Sexy
 Dick / int_2de5077d
comment
Power is Sexy: Arlene falls hard for Nixon (to the point where the entire "18 1/2 gap" was taken up by her message of love to him). Naturally, it doesn't last after they find out Nixon's true nature.
 Dick / int_2de5077d
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1.0
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Dick / int_2de5077d
 Dick / int_34dcfc96
type
Kick the Dog
 Dick / int_34dcfc96
comment
Kick the Dog: A literal use of this trope, with Nixon mistreating his own dog.
 Dick / int_34dcfc96
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1.0
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1.0
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Dick / int_34dcfc96
 Dick / int_375bb8f2
type
Good Is Dumb
 Dick / int_375bb8f2
comment
Good Is Dumb: Bless them, but while Betsy and Arlene are sweet and lovely girls, they are far from being the brightest bulbs in the workshop.
 Dick / int_375bb8f2
featureApplicability
1.0
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1.0
 Dick
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Dick / int_375bb8f2
 Dick / int_3cb1d38d
type
Bad Boss
 Dick / int_3cb1d38d
comment
Bad Boss: Tricky Dick threatens to fire John Dean for suggesting he show Checkers more affection.
 Dick / int_3cb1d38d
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1.0
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Dick / int_3cb1d38d
 Dick / int_3e8d9cd3
type
Historical Hero Upgrade
 Dick / int_3e8d9cd3
comment
Historical Hero Upgrade: Henry Kissinger is portrayed as the affable, ignored Only Sane Man Butt-Monkey of the Nixon Administration. In real life, he was involved in many shady foreign policy decisions and is considered by many to be a war criminal.
 Dick / int_3e8d9cd3
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Dick / int_3e8d9cd3
 Dick / int_3e95582f
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The Greatest Story Never Told
 Dick / int_3e95582f
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The Greatest Story Never Told: Because Woodward and Bernstein are too embarrassed to admit they brought down the White House with the help of two teenage dog walkers.
 Dick / int_3e95582f
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1.0
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Dick / int_3e95582f
 Dick / int_47fea76b
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Butt-Monkey
 Dick / int_47fea76b
comment
Butt-Monkey: Henry Kissinger gets no respect from anyone.
 Dick / int_47fea76b
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1.0
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1.0
 Dick
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Dick / int_47fea76b
 Dick / int_4e6e9b64
type
A Child Shall Lead Them
 Dick / int_4e6e9b64
comment
A Child Shall Lead Them: Parodied; in front of Nixon and his Cabinet, Arlene blurts out a rather naive anti-war statement ("War is not healthy for children and other living things.") This leads to a stunned silence, and then a lot of bickering about Vietnam ("If you want to complain about Vietnam, talk to Johnson!").
 Dick / int_4e6e9b64
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1.0
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1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_4e6e9b64
 Dick / int_5008a1bb
type
Mysterious Informant
 Dick / int_5008a1bb
comment
Mysterious Informant: Parodied; "Deep Throat" is definitely not what Woodward and Bernstein were expecting. Their keeping the girls' identity secret is because it's too embarrassing.
 Dick / int_5008a1bb
featureApplicability
1.0
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1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_5008a1bb
 Dick / int_56515a39
type
Artistic License – History
 Dick / int_56515a39
comment
Artistic License – History: Since it's a goofy comedy rather than a Docudrama, it plays fast and loose with the actual Watergate timeline, which took two years to fully play out. Olivia Newton-John's "I Honestly Love You", Arlene's serenade for Nixon on the Watergate tapes, debuted on the charts a few weeks after Nixon resigned. By that point, Checkers would've been long dead and Nixon had different dogs, but of course, Checkers is the one most associated with him. There's a short line where John Dean asks Nixon if he should be calling the dog King Timahoe by now, implying Nixon just calls all his dogs Checkers.
 Dick / int_56515a39
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_56515a39
 Dick / int_57918465
type
Seven Minute Lull
 Dick / int_57918465
comment
Seven Minute Lull: "You can't let Dick control your life!"
 Dick / int_57918465
featureApplicability
1.0
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1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_57918465
 Dick / int_5f52cfcf
type
Intrepid Reporter
 Dick / int_5f52cfcf
comment
Intrepid Reporter: Parodied — Woodward and Bernstein are portrayed as clowns with overdeveloped egos.
 Dick / int_5f52cfcf
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1.0
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1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_5f52cfcf
 Dick / int_629de9ad
type
'70s Hair
 Dick / int_629de9ad
comment
'70s Hair: Carl Bernstein sports a luxurious pompadour, spoofing Dustin Hoffman's look in All the President's Men.
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featureApplicability
1.0
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1.0
 Dick
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Dick / int_629de9ad
 Dick / int_63575aae
type
Smitten Teenage Girl
 Dick / int_63575aae
comment
Smitten Teenage Girl: Arlene becomes infatuated with Nixon.
 Dick / int_63575aae
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
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Dick / int_63575aae
 Dick / int_687a7cf6
type
 Dick / int_687a7cf6
comment
"Meet the Celebrity" Contest: The film opens with the protagonists sneaking out to mail a letter so Arlene can win a date with Bobby Sherman. In the process, they witness the Watergate break-in.
 Dick / int_687a7cf6
featureApplicability
1.0
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1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_687a7cf6
 Dick / int_688238d6
type
Wimp Fight
 Dick / int_688238d6
comment
Woodward and Bernstein's interview at the opening of the film, which degenerates into a bitchy, passive-aggressive slap fight. It indicates both that these two are buffoonish egotists and that this film will be a rather irreverent take on the Nixon administration.
 Dick / int_688238d6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Dick / int_688238d6
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1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_688238d6
 Dick / int_6a39ee91
type
Flag Bikini
 Dick / int_6a39ee91
comment
Flag Bikini: The girls make bikini tops out of a flag.
 Dick / int_6a39ee91
featureApplicability
1.0
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1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_6a39ee91
 Dick / int_6ec4232f
type
Casting Gag
 Dick / int_6ec4232f
comment
Casting Gag: Both Dan Hedaya and Saul Rubinek had minor roles in Oliver Stone's biopic Nixon. In this movie, they're promoted to Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger respectively.
 Dick / int_6ec4232f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Dick / int_6ec4232f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_6ec4232f
 Dick / int_7febc23b
type
Establishing Character Moment
 Dick / int_7febc23b
comment
Establishing Character Moment: Woodward and Bernstein's interview at the opening of the film, which degenerates into a bitchy, passive-aggressive slap fight. It indicates both that these two are buffoonish egotists and that this film will be a rather irreverent take on the Nixon administration. Betsy and Arlene are introduced writing a letter to Bobby Sherman. Arlene gets a bit caught up in waxing lyrical over her crush on him; she's quickly established as rather shy, romantic and quick to get caught up in her feelings. Betsy, meanwhile, gets cheerfully excited about managing to peck out two whole words on the typewriter throughout Arlene's whole monologue before Arlene kicks her off; she's sweet and enthusiastic, but a bit of a ditz. He turns the charm on immediately on seeing the girls, but our first glimpse of Nixon himself, wherein he's distracted from a meeting with the White House Counsel by griping about how his dog never shows him any affection only to then threaten to fire the man when he suggests treating the dog more affectionately, tells us everything we need to know; he's a bitter, insecure jerk.
 Dick / int_7febc23b
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1.0
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1.0
 Dick
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Dick / int_7febc23b
 Dick / int_808cbaeb
type
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking
 Dick / int_808cbaeb
comment
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Sure, planning a break-in, spying on his political opponents, bribing witnesses and engaging in large-scale corruption, but it's the fact that Nixon is mean to his dog that gets the girls really outraged.
 Dick / int_808cbaeb
featureApplicability
1.0
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 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_808cbaeb
 Dick / int_823c6e3e
type
Large Ham
 Dick / int_823c6e3e
comment
Large Ham: Nixon when he's pissed.
 Dick / int_823c6e3e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Dick / int_823c6e3e
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1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_823c6e3e
 Dick / int_8513bc0f
type
Accidental Public Confession
 Dick / int_8513bc0f
comment
Accidental Public Confession: The girls confront Nixon "with what they know". Panicked, Nixon launches into a furious rant denouncing "the radical muckraking bastards at the Washington Post", inadvertently confessing in the process. After a stunned pause, the girls reveal that they were just taking about his abuse to his dog.
 Dick / int_8513bc0f
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_8513bc0f
 Dick / int_9a1d239e
type
Been There, Shaped History
 Dick / int_9a1d239e
comment
Been There, Shaped History: In addition to accidentally exposing the entire Watergate scandal and being responsible for the 18-and-a-half minute gap on the Nixon tapes, Betsy and Arlene teach Nixon the V Sign, and the Hello Dolly cookies they bring in get Leonid Brezhnev high and get help the Moscow Summit peace talks run smoothly.
 Dick / int_9a1d239e
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1.0
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featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_9a1d239e
 Dick / int_a1b141f4
type
My God, What Have I Done?
 Dick / int_a1b141f4
comment
My God, What Have I Done?: The girls cry at John Dean that Nixon is a bad person and so is Dean if he helps him. Dean has a personal revelation at the remark and looks hilariously crushed.
 Dick / int_a1b141f4
featureApplicability
1.0
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 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_a1b141f4
 Dick / int_a3c0c1df
type
Dance Party Ending
 Dick / int_a3c0c1df
comment
Dance Party Ending: After the "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue announces that Betsy and Arlene went on to open a successful roller disco, the credits roll over the two skating around an elaborately lit replica of the Oval Office.
 Dick / int_a3c0c1df
featureApplicability
1.0
 Dick / int_a3c0c1df
featureConfidence
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 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_a3c0c1df
 Dick / int_b4a6ae4c
type
Everyone Has Standards
 Dick / int_b4a6ae4c
comment
Everyone Has Standards: While Nixon's characterized as an abusive asshole, he's downright horrified at the prospect of a teenage girl being in love with him, though this is partly because he's worried what voters might think.
 Dick / int_b4a6ae4c
featureApplicability
1.0
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 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_b4a6ae4c
 Dick / int_b9c4a653
type
Character in the Logo
 Dick / int_b9c4a653
comment
Character in the Logo: The "i" in the film's logo is a silhouette of Nixon making his iconic "V for Victory" hand gesture.
 Dick / int_b9c4a653
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_b9c4a653
 Dick / int_bb18a227
type
It's All About Me
 Dick / int_bb18a227
comment
It's All About Me: At one point, Betsy and Arlene happen to catch the tail-end of Nixon's famous "I am not a crook" speech. This is admittedly after discovering they are under surveillance, having received what are hinted to be some veiled threats from Nixon's goons, and consequently leading to them feeling a bit personally threatened for understandable reasons. Nevertheless, the speech itself — a significant public address broadcast live to the entire nation, let us not forget — provokes this particular response:
 Dick / int_bb18a227
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
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 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_bb18a227
 Dick / int_bd29e069
type
PreciousPuppies
 Dick / int_bd29e069
comment
Precious Puppies: Nixon's dog Checkers is oh so this to the girls. Not exactly so to Nixon.
 Dick / int_bd29e069
featureApplicability
1.0
 Dick / int_bd29e069
featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_bd29e069
 Dick / int_c55269ac
type
Dumbass No More
 Dick / int_c55269ac
comment
Dumbass No More: Betsy and Arlene start out as ditzy, but they become savvier over the course of the movie.
 Dick / int_c55269ac
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_c55269ac
 Dick / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 Dick / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: To All the President's Men and various other movies about Watergate and Nixon. In particular, the opening scene, a tight close-up on a typewriter, deliberately mirrors the opening scene of All the President's Men.
 Dick / int_c75df49a
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
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 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_c75df49a
 Dick / int_c9588dd8
type
Asians Eat Pets
 Dick / int_c9588dd8
comment
Asians Eat Pets: Referenced when Nixon threatens to feed Checkers to the Chinese.
 Dick / int_c9588dd8
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_c9588dd8
 Dick / int_cfe9b605
type
Docudrama
 Dick / int_cfe9b605
comment
Since it's a goofy comedy rather than a Docudrama, it plays fast and loose with the actual Watergate timeline, which took two years to fully play out.
 Dick / int_cfe9b605
featureApplicability
1.0
 Dick / int_cfe9b605
featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_cfe9b605
 Dick / int_d2102da0
type
Bad People Abuse Animals
 Dick / int_d2102da0
comment
Bad People Abuse Animals: Nixon mistreating his dog is part of why the girls turn on Nixon.
 Dick / int_d2102da0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Dick / int_d2102da0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_d2102da0
 Dick / int_dc7c48c6
type
Historical Downgrade
 Dick / int_dc7c48c6
comment
Historical Downgrade: Woodward and Bernstein are depicted as a pair of bumblers.
 Dick / int_dc7c48c6
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_dc7c48c6
 Dick / int_dd40fbd
type
CelebrityCrush
 Dick / int_dd40fbd
comment
Celebrity Crush: Arlene is originally infatuated with Bobby Sherman before settling on Dick. By the end of the movie, she's moved on to David Cassidy.
 Dick / int_dd40fbd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Dick / int_dd40fbd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_dd40fbd
 Dick / int_dfe57573
type
Historical In-Joke
 Dick / int_dfe57573
comment
Historical In-Joke: The movie was made before W. Mark Felt admitted he was the true identity of 'Deep Throat'. Additionally, the marijuana-laced cookies the girls give Nixon help the talks with Leonid Brezhnev go smoothly, leading to the end of the Vietnam War; the eighteen-minute gap in Nixon's tapes is because Arlene confessed her love for him on it and he erased the confession; and the two give Nixon the idea to do the V Sign.
 Dick / int_dfe57573
featureApplicability
1.0
 Dick / int_dfe57573
featureConfidence
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 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_dfe57573
 Dick / int_e0d20ea6
type
Intentionally Awkward Title
 Dick / int_e0d20ea6
comment
Intentionally Awkward Title: The movie is called Dick purely because that was the nickname Nixon preferred to be addressed by. Why? Surely you don't think it could be referring to anything else...
 Dick / int_e0d20ea6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Dick / int_e0d20ea6
featureConfidence
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 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_e0d20ea6
 Dick / int_e13b799
type
A Dick in Name
 Dick / int_e13b799
comment
A Dick in Name: Nixon wants to be called "Dick" at times for the sake of (false) friendship. Obviously, more than one time this is used as an (unknown to the girls) double-entendre insult (see the quote at the top).
 Dick / int_e13b799
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
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 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_e13b799
 Dick / int_e2d457
type
The Ditz
 Dick / int_e2d457
comment
The Ditz: Neither Betsy nor Arlene are the sharpest of nails initially, but they gradually become more savvy.
 Dick / int_e2d457
featureApplicability
1.0
 Dick / int_e2d457
featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_e2d457
 Dick / int_eb8ec7c8
type
Jerkass
 Dick / int_eb8ec7c8
comment
Jerkass: Richard Nixon, obviously.
 Dick / int_eb8ec7c8
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
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 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_eb8ec7c8
 Dick / int_edfacbac
type
Covert Pervert
 Dick / int_edfacbac
comment
Covert Pervert: It's hinted that Bernstein is one of these; Woodward objects to so much as being touched by him, he reveals that he's seen the porn movie Deep Throat that the main characters take their pseudonym from, and Woodward seems specifically concerned for a woman in the office after Bernstein spontaneously kisses her in a moment of excitement.
 Dick / int_edfacbac
featureApplicability
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featureConfidence
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 Dick
hasFeature
Dick / int_edfacbac
 Dick / int_f032f3c0
type
Hippie Teacher
 Dick / int_f032f3c0
comment
Hippie Teacher: Arlene's teacher.
 Dick / int_f032f3c0
featureApplicability
1.0
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featureConfidence
1.0
 Dick
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Dick / int_f032f3c0
 Dick / int_f10d3363
type
Distracted by the Sexy
 Dick / int_f10d3363
comment
Distracted by the Sexy: Two of the lookouts for the Watergate burglars get distracted by watching a nubile and scantily-dressed Betsy happily bounce around Arlene's bedroom.
 Dick / int_f10d3363
featureApplicability
1.0
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Dick / int_f10d3363
 Dick / int_f247d841
type
Intoxication Ensues
 Dick / int_f247d841
comment
Intoxication Ensues: Betsy and Arlene bake the President cookies, using their brother's secret recipe; however, they aren't aware this includes marijuana... The guards seemed to like em too:
 Dick / int_f247d841
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Dick / int_f247d841
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ItemName
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Dick

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Dick
hasFeature
A Dick in Name / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Asians Eat Pets / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Been There, Shaped History / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Celeb Crush / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Character in the Logo / int_b3699a27
 Dick
seeAlso
Dick
 Dick
hasFeature
Ditzy Secretary / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Films of 1995–1999 / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Flag Bikini / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Historical Downgrade / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Historical In-Joke / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Intentionally Awkward Title / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Intoxication Ensues / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
/ int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Protagonist Title / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Seven Minute Lull / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
The '70s / int_b3699a27
 Dick
hasFeature
Wearing a Flag on Your Head / int_b3699a27