The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer
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| The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer | |
|---|---|
 Pfeiffer cast. From left to right: Nibblet, Desmond Pfeiffer, Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln |
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| Genre | Situation Comedy |
| Creator(s) | Barry Fanaro, Mort Nathan |
| Starring | Chi McBride Dann Florek Christine Estabrook Max Baker Kelly Connell |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 8, 4 actually broadcast |
| Production | |
| Running time | 21 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | UPN |
| Original run | October 5, 1998 – October 26, 1998 |
| Links | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer was a UPN half-hour sitcom shown in 1998. It was likely influenced by the British show Blackadder, and similarly features famous and revered figures of history portrayed in a lesser light. Before it was ever shown the series set off a storm of controversy because of its light-hearted take on the issue of American slavery. It was canceled after one month mostly due to low ratings.
Contents |
[edit] Story
A Black English nobleman named Desmond Pfeiffer (the "P" is not silent) is kidnapped by his enemies and sent to America on a slave ship. He eventually becomes President Abraham Lincoln's valet. In the show, he serves as the intelligent and erudite backbone of a Civil War-era White House populated by louts and drunkards.
[edit] Main characters
- Desmond Pfeiffer (Chi McBride) - Black English gentleman serving as President Lincoln's butler.
- Abraham Lincoln (Dann Florek) - 16th President of the United States.
- Mary Todd Lincoln (Christine Estabrook) - President Lincoln's wife.
- Nibblet (Max Baker) - Pfeiffer's assistant
- Ulysses S. Grant (Kelly Connell) - General of the United States Army.
[edit] Controversy
The show was attacked by many because of some of the jokes, particularly in the pilot episode, made light of the history of slavery in America. UPN delayed showing the pilot and edited some of its scenes in response to this. This failed to calm opponents.
[edit] Trivia
- One of the episodes lampooned the Internet by showing Abraham Lincoln addicted to telegraph pornography.
- Abraham Lincoln was also portrayed as a shameless womanizer.
- The show was lampooned numerous times in Clerks: The Animated Series including a mock episode where Desmond Pfeiffer has to get rid of the Whiter House of the Future. Supposedly the show was being aired on UPN. The show was not only depicted as being a long running & successful series, but also having spawned a franchise chain of fast food hamburger restaurants.
