GTA Radio: Difference between revisions

In ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV]]'', this even expanded to full TV shows and the Internet.

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* [[The Ahnold]]: Jack Howitzer, from the GTAIII saga.

* [[All Anime Is Naughty Tentacles]]: The ''Princess Robot Bubblegum'' cartoon on ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV|IV's]]'' CNT channel, which parodies many [[Japanese Media Tropes]]. There's also a trailer for a separate [[Humongous Mecha]] show with an equally [[Word Salad Title]].

* [[Conspiracy Theorist]]: Marvin Trill, host of the ''Area 53'' segment of West Coast Talk Radio (WCTR) in ''San Andreas'', a parody of ''[[Coast to Coast AM]]''.

** "John Smith" in ''IV's'' episodes, a parody of right-wing/libertarian [[Conspiracy Theorist|Conspiracy Theorists]].

* [[Deadly Game]]: ''Liberty City Survivor'', advertised in ''III''. The ad, complemented with fan footage from ''IV'', can be listened to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwRera2ig9k here.]

** Arguably the basis for ''[[Manhunt]]''.

''(WCTR News #06):'' "Is the world ending? We hope so -- we need the ratings. The news is next!" }}

* [[Defictionalization]]: [[wikipedia:Lazlow|Lazlow]], radio scriptwriter for most GTA games from ''III'' onwards, has an actual XM radio show, in large part because of his resurgent popularity stemming from his involvement with the series, including, but not limited to, hosting a radio show in each game. He directly references it in IV, when he uses lines about remembering a time "when 16-year-olds could drink, smoke at bars, listen to heavy metal, and get into high-speed accidents" which was lifted directly from the opening to his show.

* [[Distracted by the Luxury]]: ''San Andreas's'' DeKoch Diamonds commercial claims that diamonds can "chill that bitch out".

* [[The Ditz]]: Amy Sheckenhausen from ''Vice City's'' K-Chat fits this trope perfectly, flirting with her famous or attractive guests and, until the end of an interview, being completely oblivious to the fact that one of her guests was promoting {{spoiler|[[But You Screw One Goat!|bestiality]]}}.

* [[Dumbass DJ]]: Most of 'em DJs count.

* [[Fake Band]]: A staple in early ''GTA'' games, it was mostly dropped by the time ''III'' came around with all but two music stations (Head Radio and Lips 106) playing licensed music. In ''Vice City'', [[Hair Metal]] parody band Love Fist had two original songs -- "Dangerous Bastard" and "Fist Fury" -- on V-Rock (the game's rock station), and Unaesta and Alpha Banditos had three on the Espantoso station, (Yo te mire by "Tres Apenas como eso" and "La vida es la un lenteja" by Unaesta and "The Bull Is Wrong" by Alpha Banditos). ''Liberty City Stories'' was the last game in the series to have original music.

** ''III'' also has ads for ''Pogo the Monkey'', which is later referenced by a ''Pogo the Monkey'' arcade in the cab firm from ''Vice City''.

* [[Frivolous Lawsuit]]: In ''San Andreas'', there is a news story of a man suing the Renaissance Fair because a replica catapult he purchased didn't have a label warning him not to fire it at his insurance agent's house, accidentally setting the entire neighborhood on fire.

* [[Hummer Dinger]]: Parodied with the Maibatsu Monstrosity.

* [[I Am Not Spock]]: ''Vice City's'' Claude Maginot, a [[Classically-Trained Extra|classically-trained actor]] who is incredibly peeved about how he is best known as the star of the [[Sitcom]] ''Just the Five of Us'', which he calls "commercial dross." In an interview on K-Chat, he tries to steer the subject toward his interpretive dance show, ''In the Future, There Will be Robots'', and breaks down into a rant when [[The Ditz|Amy]] keeps trying to push the subject toward his show.

* [[In-Game TV]]: Starting with ''IV''. In past games, there were also ads for various TV shows, although you couldn't watch them.

* [[Kent Brockman News]]: Particularly in ''San Andreas''. Also, ''GTA IV'''s Weazel News

* [[Latin Lover]]: Fernando Martinez, {{spoiler|who turns out to not really be Latin, "but I provide real Latin love!"}}.

* [[Medical Drama]]: Parodied in ''IV'' with the ads for ''Medicate Me''.

* [[Mummies At the Dinner Table]]: Pet Stuffers... "for when you just can't let go."

** "And coming soon, [[Refuge in Audacity|Grandparents Forever]]!"

** Or it's just a different show on the same station. The game only has enough memory for one playlist per station, and electronic music is fairly popular in Eastern Europe.

* [[New Media Are Evil]]: Parodied in a segment of ''Vice City'''s 80's-era radio where a mother expresses concern about how her son runs around looking for gold coins to steal.

* [[Nightmare Fuel Station Attendant]]: Mary-Beth Maybell of ''San Andreas's'' [[Country Music]] station K-ROSE.

{{quote|'''Mary-Beth''': "That's the difference. I don't have ex-husbands, [[Black Widow|I just have a lot of widowers]]. I own a LOT of black dresses. I LOVE funerals; I get shit-faced every time..."}}

* [[Not Even Bothering with the Accent]]: The lead actor in ''Dragonbrain''.

{{quote|"I'm just a humble blacksmith with a Californian accent! How am I supposed to save the world and [[Merchandise-Driven|sell franchise rights to theme parks]]?"}}

* [[Parental Incest]]: Played for laughs with Nurse Bob.

{{quote|'''Nurse Bob''': "Now, remember what my daddy said: 'Don't you tell nobody about me coming in here at night!'"}}

* [[Rated "M" for Manly]]: The TV show ''The Men's Room'' in ''IV'', featuring [[Sensitive Guy and Manly Man|MMA fighter Bas Rutten (as himself) and his metrosexual co-host, Jeremy St. Ives]].

* [[Refuge in Vulgarity]]: Some of the ads and shows.

* [[Self-Deprecation]]: You would ''think'' Lazlow would make himself into a Canon Stu, being the producer of the radio shows in the series in [[Real Life]], but even in ''III'', when he had the most virtual air time, the best he could do was snark about his situation. By ''IV'', he has turned his character into a deluded, [[Small Name, Big Ego|egotistical]] [[Jerkass]] who believes himself to be [[The Last DJ]], and is genuinely surprised and offended when people call him out on it. Plus, he gave some of his [[Real Life]] buddies roles on the shows.

* [[Sequel Escalation]]: ''[[Grand Theft Auto Classic|GTA 1's]]'' tiny handful of radio stations had around 3 songs each. By the time ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV|IV]]'' was out, it had expanded to several hours worth of licensed music, dedicated chat shows, celebrity DJs, adverts, websites and TV channels.

* [[Serenade Your Lover]]: Fernando references this.

{{quote|"Have you noticed how popular synthesizers are getting? It's not the same as a lonely man with a pony tail, singing of his love on a guitar. At the door of a fair maid's hacienda. But it is not far short."}}

* [[Show Within a Show]]: One of the most elaborate ever made, stretching across every game in the series.

* [[Small Name, Big Ego]]: Lazlow (the in-series character) has seemingly turned into this come ''IV''.

* [[Stealth Pun]]: "Fizz!", the celebrity gossip show from WKTT, the [[Political Stereotype|right-wing]] talk radio station in ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV|IV]]'' is hosted by Jane '''Labrador''', who mentions field correspondent Susan '''Retriever''' by name. <ref> To [[Don't Explain the Joke|explain]], both their names spell out "Labrador Retriever", a breed of dog, and considering [[Bitch Alert|they are both females...]]</ref>

* [[Strawman News Media]]: Portrayed as Types 3 and 4.

* [[Strawman Political]]: Many times, directed against both sides.

** ''IV'' gives us Richard Bastion, a [[Patriotic Fervor|jingoistic]], mean-spirited conservative talk radio host (any similarities to [[Rush Limbaugh]] and Sean Hannity [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|are purely coincidental]]), and Brandon Roberts, a left-wing actor whose progressive activism is strongly implied to be more about improving his public image than anything else (any similarities to [[George Clooney]] and Sean Penn [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|are purely coincidental]]). There's also John Hunter and Michael Graves, two gubernatorial candidates who spend more time [[Attack of the Political Ad|attacking each other]] than explaining their policies, to the point where it's tough to tell who is meant to represent which end of the political spectrum... [[Fridge Brilliance|which makes sense]] [[Not So Different|when you think about it]].

** In ''Episodes from Liberty City'' there's [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi9DuHmJYKw "John Smith"], a parody of [[Alex Jones]] and right-wing [[Conspiracy Theorist|conspiracy theorists]] in general. He entertains (and often voices) every single crazy conspiracy theory and bit of general paranoia and racism that his listeners phone in with, and only hangs up on an obvious neo-Nazi because he doesn't want to receive another fine. He also interviews Abigail Grayson, a [[Crazy Survivalist]] soccer mom with [[Cloudcuckoolander|extra emphasis on the "Crazy"]].

* [[This Is for Emphasis, Bitch]]: After Jack Howitzer accidentally shoots Billy Dexter:

{{quote|'''Jack:''' Oh, there's only one thing to do -- I gotta defend freedom! No time to cry, only time to die! <three gunshots> '''[[Patriotic Fervor|WELCOME TO THE LAND OF FREEDOM, BITCHES!!!]] ''YAAAAAAHHHHH!!!''''' <starts firing his gun into the air; the station then goes static>}}

 

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