A-Z GUIDE TO MOVIES AND TV SHOWS PARODIED BY MAD, CRACKED, CRAZY, ETC. UP TO 1996. THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. SPOILERS AND OTHER NON-SEQUITURS, TOO. SOMETIMES THESE THINGS HAVE WORDS OR SITUATIONS WE DON'T USE ANYMORE. YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THEY'RE OLD.
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The premise of this sitcom was that wealthy banker Phil Drummond (Conrad Bain) adopted the two children of his late housekeeper an had them live in his Park Avenue home. It was basically a showcase for Gary Coleman, who played Arnold, the younger son.
The other adopted child was Willis (Todd Bridges). His natural daughter was Kimberly (Dana Plato). It was never explained who the mother was. The maid was Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae).
-The other two child stars are Rodney Allan Rippy and Mason Reese.
-A short-lived show after Diff'rent Strokes was Hello Larry starring McLean Stevenson, often mentioned as the Ishtar of TV. The two often had crossover episodes.
Diff'rent Strokes was NBC's only hit show when it first aired. NBC executives, led by Fred Silverman, make sure Gary Coleman stays short.
Here the cast shows their appreciation for the article.
Leave it to Cracked to exploit something big over and over and over.
DIFF'RENT STROKES
Cracked #162, September 1979
a: John Severin
If you think this joke in the first panel is racist, wait until you see the other Cracked covers coming up. [frown emoji]
They name of the show isn't punned but the names of the characters are.
Arnold has the comedic pacing of an adult because he's really Herve Villechaise of Fantasy Island, TV's other little person of the time.
See? I told you these parodies weren't quite woke yet.
IF ARNOLD WERE TREATED AND BEHAVED LIKE A REAL-LIFE KID
Cracked #171, September 1980
a: John Severin
Diff'rent Strokes was known for introducing the "very special" episodes of sitcoms in the 80s.
Cracked had a few other articles with Arnold, mostly crossovers with Arnold on other shows, which we'll post under the parodies for those programs.
DIFF'RENT STROKES
Cracked #178, July 1981
a: John Severin
Second full-on parody of the show. Charlotte Rae had left to star on her own series Facts of Life.
DIFF'RENT STROKES
Cracked #185, January 1982
a: John Severin
This and the cover above are at a tie for the most racist kiddie satire mag covers ever. Don't worry, this is the last one.
Third of the Cracked Diff'rent Strokes parodies.
"What you talkin' about?" was Arnold's big catchphrase. When Gary Coleman signed autographs at comic conventions there his handlers would tell you he would not write that while you were waiting on line to meet him..
Adelaide (Nedra Volz) was the maid who replaced Mrs. Garrett. She didn't really look like this.
VERY DIFF'RENT FOLKS
Bananas #46, 1981
w:Megan Stine & H. William Stine
a: Sam Viviano
Gary Coleman is older than Ricky Schroeder. Maybe his character isn't supposed to be.
Diff'rent Strokes actually did move to ABC in its final season.
UPDATE:
from TV Moments We'll Never See in Bananas #60, c. 1983, using the same publicity still they used for the cover earlier.
from Isn't It Time That... in Bananas Looks at TV, c. 1981, probably reprinted from an earlier issue.
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