The Naked Truth (TV series)

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

The Naked Truth was an American television sitcom staring Téa Leoni and Holland Taylor. It ran from 1995 to 1998. The show is set at The Comet, a celebrity tabloid magazine. Nora Wilde, a notable photographer, joins the paper out of a lack of other options and soon finds herself engaged in wacky schemes to dig up dirt on the celebs. Later series greatly changed the basic nature of the show.

(Not to be confused with the 1958 film of the same name, also involving tabloid journalism.)

Tropes used in The Naked Truth (TV series) include:
  • As Himself: A number of stars.
  • Celebrity Paradox: The main character could only remember that David Duchovny's wife was "that goofy blonde sitcom bimbo", whom we know as Téa Leoni, the actress speaking the line!
  • Christmas Episode: At least in the first season.
  • Comically Missing the Point: Dave is such a good kisser, Nora says "Would you like some coffee?". Dave doesn't realize it's a sex invitation, and turns it down, saying caffeine would just keep him up.
  • The Other Darrin: Nora's ex was played by Michael York, and then by Iam Mc Shane.
  • Pretty in Mink: Nora had a white fur coat for a Christmas episode.
  • Retool: The show was drastically retooled and almost entirely recast each season. In season 1 Nora (Leoni) works at a sleazy celebrity tabloid and had Tim Curry and Amy Ryan for co-stars. Season 2 de-tabloided the paper she worked for and de-zanified the format; only Nora and Camilla (Holland Taylor) remained of the original cast. Mary Tyler Moore and George Segal were added as Leoni's parents. Season 3 saw Nora and Camilla jump ship to another paper with a staff that included Chris Elliot.
  • Rich in Dollars, Poor In Sense: Nora has trouble adjusting to working and living for herself. When she tries to make Thanksgiving dinner, she mistakes the neck of the turkey for the Alien.
  • Slipping a Mickey: A character who drinks a drugged drink the previous evening gets Micky Finned again, from the very same bottle. At the very same place.
  • Tempting Fate: Buys a cheap table, and claims it was all she had to spend. It breaks, and then made her weary of the ceiling fan she got.
  • Touché: In the first season, Nora gets her Camilla's job back by tricking the owner of The Comet. He said earlier "Who said life was fair?", and after she tricked him, she said the same thing. He said "Touché", although did give her a crappy assignment as payback.
  • Welcome Back, Traitor: Nora sells off a prime photo of a celebrity slip-up to another paper, but does get a picture of Tom Hanks getting his zipper caught and people trying to help him. Camilla learns about the first picture being sold, tells Nora she's fired, Nora shows her the Hanks picture.