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featured semi-scripted interview segments on the set of "Fran's Diner," where Dave and his guests would chat over coffee or a meal. Fran's Diner was also the setting for a running gag which appeared in every episode, in which Dave, as a customer, would chat with Fran and experience vivid daydreams which invariably spoofed stereotypical male sexual fantasies filled with beautiful women—only to be disappointed that the reality was Fran and her diner. In these segments, the punchline would typically involve Fran somehow knowing the content of Dave's daydream, or breaking the
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As Thomas explained in an interview with
Kenneth Plume on IGN.com, Thomas had originally conceived of the show as more experimental, especially in terms of interaction with the studio audience, but CBS executives told him to tone down the experimental aspects of the series—a decision which, Thomas
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Dave introduced every episode with a monologue that typically segued into the first sketch. Despite the often larger celebrity status of his guest stars, Thomas himself usually played the lead in the sketches, with his celebrity guests in co-starring roles. In addition to sketches, the show
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had a recurring role as a wise-cracking waitress also named Fran Ryan. In addition, the series usually featured big-name guest stars (
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played by Dave himself. John Roarke, Valri
Bromfield, and Rick Overton were also occasionally featured in supporting roles.
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Johnny J. Folsom - a fictional character portrayed by Dave Thomas - guest stars in the fifth and final episode of the show.
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as a depressed barber who inadvertently terrorizes his customers by chatting casually about his obsession with death.
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and other previous projects—although the musical guest for the series finale was actually a fictionalized version of
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and David Wiley made up the supporting cast of various characters in the sketches, while veteran character actress
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applauded a trio of sketches in which Thomas impersonated notable personalities in absurdist situations --
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character reimagined as "the
Humiliator" (who uses insults rather than guns to incapacitate criminals),
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Originally aired on
January 25, 1990 as a pilot, guest starring Chevy Chase and Martin Short.
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miscast as a creepy sitcom star (who still uses his catch-phrase from
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with references to the fact that they were on a television series.
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believes, ultimately contributed to the show's short life span.
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Catherine O'Hara guest stars in the fourth episode of the show.
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The Dave Thomas Comedy Show | TV Review | Entertainment Weekly
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Dan
Aykroyd guest stars in the second episode of the show.
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John Candy guest stars in the first episode of the show.
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636:1990s American sketch comedy television series
613:IGN: Interview with Dave Thomas (Part 4 of 5)
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651:American English-language television shows
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304:in the summer of 1990. The show starred
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326:. The series debuted May 28, 1990.
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422:Ripley's Believe it or Not!
291:The Dave Thomas Comedy Show
23:The Dave Thomas Comedy Show
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459:May 28, 1990
398:Entertainment Weekly
330:Cast and guest stars
163:Theme music composer
366:) Thomas knew from
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224:Bernie Brillstein
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360:Martin Short
340:Julie Fulton
338:, Don Lake,
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240:Running time
157:Rick Overton
149:Martin Short
113:Julie Fulton
109:Anson Downes
81:Anson Downes
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556:"Episode 5"
531:"Episode 4"
506:"Episode 3"
481:"Episode 2"
456:"Episode 1"
385:fourth wall
372:Johnny Cash
356:Chevy Chase
352:Dan Aykroyd
310:Dave Thomas
297:Dave Thomas
220:Dave Thomas
203:of episodes
145:John Roarke
137:Chevy Chase
125:Dan Aykroyd
105:Dave Thomas
95:Paul Miller
91:Dave Thomas
87:Directed by
73:Tom Gammill
53:Dave Thomas
43:Dave Thomas
625:Categories
589:References
580:Production
563:1990-06-25
538:1990-06-18
513:1990-06-11
488:1990-06-04
463:1990-05-28
348:John Candy
324:Mike Myers
320:Ed Solomon
280:1990-06-25
270:1990-05-28
243:30 minutes
211:Production
192:of seasons
167:Ian Thomas
133:John Candy
65:Ed Solomon
61:Mike Myers
57:Mike Short
49:Written by
39:Created by
412:Equalizer
344:Fran Ryan
308:comedian
69:Max Pross
403:TV Guide
306:Canadian
230:Producer
121:Don Lake
101:Starring
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409:as his
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263:Release
253:Network
184:English
378:Format
266:May 28
33:Comedy
445:Title
29:Genre
401:and
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315:SCTV
441:No.
302:CBS
257:CBS
201:No.
190:No.
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