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Almost Live!

235 statements
45 feature instances
36 referencing feature instances

Almost Live!	type	TVTItem
Almost Live!	label	Almost Live!
Almost Live!	page	AlmostLive
Almost Live!	comment	Almost Live! was a long-running television sketch-comedy produced in Seattle by the local NBC affiliate, KING-TV, channel 5. Lasting from 1984 to 1999; it started out as an hour-long talk/comedy show inspired by Late Night With David Letterman, including guest chat, music, and sketch comedy segments; and was hosted by local stand-up comic Ross Shafer, who would later go on to host Fox's The Late Show and the 1990-91 revival of Match Game. In 1989, the format was changed to a half-hour and focused almost entirely on sketch comedy (dropping the music and most of the chat segments); with staff writer and supporting performer John Keister taking over as host. For most of its run, the show aired every week just before Saturday Night Live. While much of the humor was aimed at local targets, an edited version of the show aired nationally on cable TV (briefly on Comedy Central in 1992-93), and more than one other show re-used some of its ideas.Served as the springboard for Bill Nye the Science Guy's career. Joel McHale also did a stint on the show, but it took a little longer for him to reach the national spotlight. Ditto with David Scully, best known as Halo's Sergeant Johnson.The Other Wiki has a comprehensive rundown on the show.
Almost Live!	fetched	2023-10-29T09:01:02Z
Almost Live!	parsed	2023-10-29T09:01:02Z
Almost Live!	processingComment	Dropped link to Mockumentary: Not a Feature - ITEM
Almost Live!	processingComment	Dropped link to TheFugitive: Not a Feature - ITEM
Almost Live!	isPartOf	DBTropes
Almost Live! / int_141f6a73	type	Artistic License â€“ Martial Arts
Almost Live! / int_141f6a73	comment	Artistic License – Martial Arts: Billy Quan's Signature Move - a running jumpkick which can remain airborne for over a minute, while turning corners and going up and down staircases, among other things - is completely and obviously impossible. Which is part of why the sketches are so funny.
Almost Live! / int_141f6a73	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_141f6a73	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_141f6a73
Almost Live! / int_1d435a4d	type	A Boy and His X
Almost Live! / int_1d435a4d	comment	A Boy and His X: "Sluggy", which is a heartwarming tale about a young boy and his pet slug.
Almost Live! / int_1d435a4d	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_1d435a4d	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_1d435a4d
Almost Live! / int_2112092c	type	Lifetime Movie of the Week
Almost Live! / int_2112092c	comment	Lifetime Movie of the Week: "Give Me Back My Whee-Whoopee-Do," though it was making fun of NBC's awful "Made for TV movies" that followed a similar format. In this one, the "victim" is an alien abductee who behaves insanely after her return.
Almost Live! / int_2112092c	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_2112092c	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_2112092c
Almost Live! / int_2411d5fb	type	Parody Sue
Almost Live! / int_2411d5fb	comment	Parody Sue: Billy Quan.
Almost Live! / int_2411d5fb	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_2411d5fb	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_2411d5fb
Almost Live! / int_27a42ebc	type	Spiritual Successor
Almost Live! / int_27a42ebc	comment	Spiritual Successor: Has one in the form of The 206 note (the phone area code for Seattle), which involves several of the old cast and continues the tradition of sketch comedy mocking the local area. They broadcast locally, but also put their sketches up on their YouTube channel, including full episodes.
Almost Live! / int_27a42ebc	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_27a42ebc	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_27a42ebc
Almost Live! / int_50b05d30	type	Disproportionate Retribution
Almost Live! / int_50b05d30	comment	Disproportionate Retribution: Many Billy Quan sketches revolve around Quan beating the crap out of John Keister's character for committing minor ethical transgressions, being rude, or littering. Other times, it's revenge for Life's Work Ruined.
Almost Live! / int_50b05d30	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_50b05d30	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_50b05d30
Almost Live! / int_51561f43	type	Hurricane of Euphemisms
Almost Live! / int_51561f43	comment	Hurricane of Euphemisms: Pat Cashman unleashes one in The "Roscoe's Oriental Rug" skit. Going out of business since 1957 (Opening soon in Northgate!note A well-known mall in the area - and in fact the first such shopping center in the US)
Almost Live! / int_51561f43	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_51561f43	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_51561f43
Almost Live! / int_518911b	type	Etiquette Nazi
Almost Live! / int_518911b	comment	Etiquette Kung Fu Master: Billy Quan, who violently assaults people (or rather the same guy over and over again) for minor improprieties such as being too loud in the library or failing to tip a waitress.
Almost Live! / int_518911b	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_518911b	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_518911b
Almost Live! / int_51a12a6f	type	Hong Kong Dub
Almost Live! / int_51a12a6f	comment	Hong Kong Dub: Pariodied with Billy Quan.
Almost Live! / int_51a12a6f	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_51a12a6f	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_51a12a6f
Almost Live! / int_58d24389	type	Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs
Almost Live! / int_58d24389	comment	Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs: Billy Quan and his nemesis sometimes beat on each other in this fashion.
Almost Live! / int_58d24389	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_58d24389	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_58d24389
Almost Live! / int_5e032315	type	One-Book Author
Almost Live! / int_5e032315	comment	One-Book Author: Many of the cast nearly fall into this category, but in particular, Darrell Suto, who played Billy Quan, was normally one of the show's cameramen.
Almost Live! / int_5e032315	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_5e032315	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_5e032315
Almost Live! / int_675056e4	type	Signature Move
Almost Live! / int_675056e4	comment	Signature Move: Again, Billy Quan's double-footed jump kick.
Almost Live! / int_675056e4	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_675056e4	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_675056e4
Almost Live! / int_68424916	type	Eating the Eye Candy
Almost Live! / int_68424916	comment	Eating the Eye Candy: This sketch.
Almost Live! / int_68424916	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_68424916	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_68424916
Almost Live! / int_6a2ae11f	type	Improbable Weapon User
Almost Live! / int_6a2ae11f	comment	Improbable Weapon User: In the Billy Quan skits, the two opponents would use whatever random objects available in their current battleground. (See directly below)
Almost Live! / int_6a2ae11f	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_6a2ae11f	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_6a2ae11f
Almost Live! / int_7b3ebb57	type	Buxom Beauty Standard
Almost Live! / int_7b3ebb57	comment	Buxom Beauty Standard: Played with in a man-on-the-street sketch where they asked people which they liked better: normal breasts or sudden big boobs.
Almost Live! / int_7b3ebb57	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_7b3ebb57	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_7b3ebb57
Almost Live! / int_7e41715b	type	News Parody
Almost Live! / int_7e41715b	comment	News Parody: "The Late Report" (or "The John Report" from 1990-95) segments were this, with John Keister reading the news, particularly about issues local to the Seattle community, and spinning jokes off of it.
Almost Live! / int_7e41715b	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_7e41715b	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_7e41715b
Almost Live! / int_7f9b4510	type	Human Knot
Almost Live! / int_7f9b4510	comment	Human Knot: In the Billy Quan episode "Fumes of Fury", Quan jumps on the shoulders of his nemesis to choke him with his thighs, but his target ties his legs in a knot.
Almost Live! / int_7f9b4510	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_7f9b4510	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_7f9b4510
Almost Live! / int_7fb81c9d	type	Strawman U
Almost Live! / int_7fb81c9d	comment	Strawman U: The show often made fun of the local colleges, particularly The Evergreen State College in the state capital of Olympia and the Washington State University ("Wazzu") in Spokane in the eastern part of the state.
Almost Live! / int_7fb81c9d	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_7fb81c9d	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_7fb81c9d
Almost Live! / int_808cbaeb	type	Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking
Almost Live! / int_808cbaeb	comment	Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: "The Lame List" would throw in something incomprehensible to the group. More literally, the parody of The Fugitive had this: Made funnier if you remember how serious jaywalking tickets were in Seattle while the show was on, particularly in the 80s and early 90s. At $250 a throw, they weren't cheap, and cops would write you every time they saw you jaywalk. There were several instances of people racking up multiples, from the same cop, on the same day.
Almost Live! / int_808cbaeb	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_808cbaeb	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_808cbaeb
Almost Live! / int_823c6e3e	type	Large Ham
Almost Live! / int_823c6e3e	comment	Large Ham: Numerous examples, though Darrell Suto and John Keister in the Billy Quan skits particularly stand out.
Almost Live! / int_823c6e3e	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_823c6e3e	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_823c6e3e
Almost Live! / int_8f5247eb	type	Arrow Cam
Almost Live! / int_8f5247eb	comment	Arrow Cam: The "Mind Your Manners with Billy Quan" sketches, parodies of old kung fu movies, would always feature Billy doing a running jump-kick using this technique. Which could travel for blocks, go around corners, wait for the elevator, etc.
Almost Live! / int_8f5247eb	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_8f5247eb	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_8f5247eb
Almost Live! / int_905438eb	type	Recycled IN SPACE!
Almost Live! / int_905438eb	comment	Recycled In Seattle: COPS in (insert Seattle area neighborhood here)
Almost Live! / int_905438eb	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_905438eb	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_905438eb
Almost Live! / int_950bbfa7	type	Take a Third Option
Almost Live! / int_950bbfa7	comment	Take a Third Option: The "You Make The Call" sketches.
Almost Live! / int_950bbfa7	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_950bbfa7	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_950bbfa7
Almost Live! / int_a220d528	type	What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Almost Live! / int_a220d528	comment	What Could Possibly Go Wrong?: The April 1, 1989 episode had an April Fools' Day prank in the form of a fake news broadcast depicting the Space Needle collapsing. What they didn't expect was people taking it seriously, prompting so many calls to the police that the Seattle 911 system crashed. Keister aired an apology the next week.
Almost Live! / int_a220d528	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_a220d528	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_a220d528
Almost Live! / int_a43a691b	type	Finishing Move
Almost Live! / int_a43a691b	comment	Finishing Move: Billy Quan usually finishes his fights by unleashing his double-footed jump-kick.
Almost Live! / int_a43a691b	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_a43a691b	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_a43a691b
Almost Live! / int_b109e518	type	Twisting the Words
Almost Live! / int_b109e518	comment	Twisting the Words: "Street Talk" would ask a local celebrity several questions, then splice their answers together for humorous effect.
Almost Live! / int_b109e518	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_b109e518	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_b109e518
Almost Live! / int_b6db5695	type	Political Overcorrectness
Almost Live! / int_b6db5695	comment	Political Overcorrectness: Fodder for almost as many sketches as grunge rock and coffee, but usually treated with good-natured humor. A good example is here.
Almost Live! / int_b6db5695	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_b6db5695	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_b6db5695
Almost Live! / int_bc74ef27	type	Berserk Button
Almost Live! / int_bc74ef27	comment	Berserk Button: Every episode of "Billy Quan" starts with the same thoughtless oaf pushing one of Billy's.
Almost Live! / int_bc74ef27	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_bc74ef27	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_bc74ef27
Almost Live! / int_bddb820f	type	Must Have Caffeine
Almost Live! / int_bddb820f	comment	Must Have Caffeine: Seattle likes its coffee. This series of sketches demonstrates how Seattle's coffee addiction is Serious Business.
Almost Live! / int_bddb820f	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_bddb820f	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_bddb820f
Almost Live! / int_c29a3521	type	Improv Fu
Almost Live! / int_c29a3521	comment	Improv Fu: This was comically sent up in the Billy Quan sketches. Billy and his antagonist would always fight using items around them as stand-ins for martial arts weapons. (In a computer room, floppy disks became shirukens; in a meat market, links of sausages became nunchaku, etc.)
Almost Live! / int_c29a3521	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_c29a3521	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_c29a3521
Almost Live! / int_c3f991fd	type	Wok Fu
Almost Live! / int_c3f991fd	comment	Wok Fu: One of the "Billy Quan" shorts takes place in a Chinese restaurant.
Almost Live! / int_c3f991fd	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_c3f991fd	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_c3f991fd
Almost Live! / int_c70aceaa	type	Baguette Beatdown
Almost Live! / int_c70aceaa	comment	Baguette Beatdown: This Special-K moment.
Almost Live! / int_c70aceaa	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_c70aceaa	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_c70aceaa
Almost Live! / int_c74fba76	type	Cast Full of Writers
Almost Live! / int_c74fba76	comment	Cast Full of Writers: Pretty much everybody got double credits.
Almost Live! / int_c74fba76	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_c74fba76	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_c74fba76
Almost Live! / int_d4349d5b	type	Insane Proprietor
Almost Live! / int_d4349d5b	comment	Insane Proprietor: Roscoe's Oriental Rug Emporium is the classic example. The proprietor starts out reasonable, and quickly unravels like his cheap rugs.
Almost Live! / int_d4349d5b	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_d4349d5b	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_d4349d5b
Almost Live! / int_dd3272bb	type	What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?
Almost Live! / int_dd3272bb	comment	What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?: Speedwalker! note power-walking and Capable Woman! note common sense (Although at least the latter was able to fly..)
Almost Live! / int_dd3272bb	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_dd3272bb	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_dd3272bb
Almost Live! / int_e4f48a7f	type	The "Fun" in "Funeral"
Almost Live! / int_e4f48a7f	comment	The "Fun" in "Funeral": This sketch.
Almost Live! / int_e4f48a7f	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_e4f48a7f	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_e4f48a7f
Almost Live! / int_e6df8814	type	Screaming Warrior
Almost Live! / int_e6df8814	comment	Screaming Warrior: Billy Quan, whenever his Berserk Button gets pushed yet again.
Almost Live! / int_e6df8814	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_e6df8814	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_e6df8814
Almost Live! / int_e71db2e	type	Depraved Kids' Show Host
Almost Live! / int_e71db2e	comment	Depraved Kids' Show Host: "Uncle Fran's Musical Forest"
Almost Live! / int_e71db2e	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_e71db2e	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_e71db2e
Almost Live! / int_e818a2eb	type	Top Ten List
Almost Live! / int_e818a2eb	comment	Top Ten List: Spoofed with "The Lame List." ("Or what's weak this week!") Often played straight in the Opening Narration.
Almost Live! / int_e818a2eb	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_e818a2eb	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_e818a2eb
Almost Live! / int_eaf5a1ac	type	Groin Attack
Almost Live! / int_eaf5a1ac	comment	Groin Attack: All the time in the Billy Quan segments.
Almost Live! / int_eaf5a1ac	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_eaf5a1ac	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_eaf5a1ac
Almost Live! / int_eb6912	type	Pretty Fly for a White Guy
Almost Live! / int_eb6912	comment	Pretty Fly for a White Guy: The "High-Fivin' White Guys" sketches played with this trope.
Almost Live! / int_eb6912	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_eb6912	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_eb6912
Almost Live! / int_eb8e4fa8	type	Jerkass
Almost Live! / int_eb8e4fa8	comment	Jerkass: Billy Quan's reoccurring unnamed nemesis starts every skit gleefully violating some new rule of etiquette and/or propriety.
Almost Live! / int_eb8e4fa8	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_eb8e4fa8	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_eb8e4fa8
Almost Live! / int_eef90616	type	Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick
Almost Live! / int_eef90616	comment	Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: Played in reverse with "A Woman's Place" (advertisment for a fictional female interest show) where Tracy Conway's character would set up an outrageous scenario like how to hide a corpse or seduce a teenaged boy and run away with him. Her partner would then quip something like "And a delicious recipe for brownies" or "And how to make a super-cute toilet paper cozy."
Almost Live! / int_eef90616	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_eef90616	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_eef90616
Almost Live! / int_f5418d03	type	Kitschy Local Commercial
Almost Live! / int_f5418d03	comment	Kitschy Local Commercial: Local commercials bad enough to reach Memetic Mutation were mercilessly spoofed, and many of the sketches took the form of these, advertising things like "new shows on NBC" note The station airing the show was the NBC affiliate for Seattle), fictitious fly-by-night trade schools, and "community events." Seeing as most of the staff had worked on some of those awful local commercials and the show had the approximate budget of said commercials, it was a natural match.
Almost Live! / int_f5418d03	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_f5418d03	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_f5418d03
Almost Live! / int_name	type	ItemName
Almost Live! / int_name	comment
Almost Live! / int_name	featureApplicability	1.0
Almost Live! / int_name	featureConfidence	1.0
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Almost Live! / int_name
Almost Live! / int_name	itemName	Almost Live!

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

Almost Live!	hasFeature	Acceptable Ethnic Targets / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Arrow Cam / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Artistic License â€“ Martial Arts / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Bad Boss / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Cast Full of Writers / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Depraved Kids' Show Host / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Eating the Eye Candy / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	'80s Hair / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Etiquette Nazi / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Fetishized Abuser / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Finishing Move / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Forgotten Trope / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Hong Kong Dub / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Human Knot / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Hurricane of Euphemisms / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Improv Fu / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Insane Proprietor / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Instant Chucks / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Kitschy Local Commercial / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Life's Work Ruined / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Monumental Damage / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Parody Commercial / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Phony Newscast / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Political Overcorrectness / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Pop-Culture Isolation / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Screaming Warrior / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Second-Face Smoke / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Spoof Aesop / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Staring Contest / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	This Loser Is You / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Undercrank / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Who Shot JFK? / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Wok Fu / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	You Know What You Did / int_370e34a1
Almost Live!	hasFeature	Baguette Beatdown / int_370e34a1

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