References to Duluth in Film/TV or Other Media
Snoopy thinks Woodstock’s mom could be in Duluth
This weekend’s syndicated Classic Peanuts comic includes a mention of Duluth. The strip was chosen for Mother’s Day weekend because Snoopy speculates on the location of Woodstock’s mother, who “could be in Anchorage, or in the Caribbean or Duluth for all you know.” (more…)
PDD Quiz: Duluth Movie Mentions II
In honor of the Academy Awards on March 12, this week’s PDD quiz takes a look at mentions of Duluth on the silver screen. A previous quiz on this topic was published in August). If you’re looking to cheat study up on references to Duluth in popular culture, check out this sweet PDD tag.
The next PDD quiz will review the month’s headlines; it will be published on March 26. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by March 22. (more…)
The Merry Kiss Cam Cinematic Universe
Kip Praslowicz is perhaps best known in Duluth as a photographer and on YouTube as a ranter, but did you know he’s also a championship bowler? A movie shot in Duluth in 2022 has the proof. In his latest video, Praslowicz delves into Merry Kiss Cam from a local’s perspective.
Merry Kiss Cam and Bizzaro Duluth
Noting when movies reference Duluth is a top hobby on Perfect Duluth Day, but when its comes to Merry Kiss Cam — the flick that has more Duluth scenes than any before it — we hesitated. So now we’ll let Minnesota Public Radio explain the convenient taxi system, clean street-side snow and disappointing hockey team that make our city great.
Mike Lindell dragged out of Duluth Buffalo Wild Wings
Duluth was mentioned on the Nov. 2 episode of the NBC comedic talk show Late Night with Seth Meyers. During a segment titled “A Closer Look,” Meyers cuts into My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, suggesting it’s strange he made so much money on pillows because he doesn’t look well rested.
“He has the energy of a guy being dragged out of a Buffalo Wild Wings in Duluth for stuffing barbecue sauce in his pockets,” Meyers quips at the 9:25 mark in the video above.
When Bobby Heenan broke Greg Gagne’s nose in Duluth
Retired professional wrestler Greg Gagne mentions a match in Duluth on the new Vice cable television series Tales from the Territories. The anecdote occurs after the 19-minute mark in episode 3, titled “AWA: Bodyslams in the Heartland.” (more…)
Mary Mack ribs Duluth on Tonight Show
Comedian Mary Mack performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Friday. During the set she mentions her mother is “from that very bland Scandinavian country called Duluth, Minnesota.”
Mack’s parents are both Duluth natives and Mack herself was raised in Webster, Wis., about 50 miles south of Duluth.
Alyson Hannigan: Duluth Streetwalker
During its nine-season run on the CBS television network, the sitcom How I Met Your Mother dropped numerous references to Minnesota, the home state of one of the show’s primary characters, Marshall Eriksen. In season 8, episode 10, titled “The Over-Correction,” Duluth finally got mentioned.
The episode aired 10 years ago today — Dec. 10, 2012. (more…)
The War Widow from Duluth Who is Worried About Frances
Forty years ago today — Dec. 3, 1982 — the dramatic film Frances premiered in American theaters. In addition to featuring Cloquet native Jessica Lange in the leading role as Frances Farmer, the film also includes a reference to Duluth. (more…)
Why Duluthians might be annoyed with Andrew Ti
For the second time in four months — and third time overall — Duluth has been mentioned on the podcast Yo, is this Racist? In the show’s opening banter, Andrew Ti mentions his fingers are cold. Co-host Tawny Newsome quickly points out how someone in Los Angeles complaining about cold fingers might be annoying to people in places like Buffalo, Fargo or Duluth.
All the hipsters in New York want to be from Duluth
This Twin Cities Public Television segment challenges the notion that Minnesotans are all blond-haired, blue-eyed Scandinavians. Although the piece is Twin Cities-focused, the final clip includes a nod to Duluth.
Duluth Canal/Lift Bridge stock footage in ghost ship doc
I was watching this YouTube documentary on the Big Old Boats channel, like ya do. It is about the Carroll Deering, which wrecked on Cape Hatteras without her crew in a nautical mystery. But a lot of the footage used is stock footage from other sources, for seaside vibes. So when I saw Ol’ Lifty on screen @17:30-17:46, I wasn’t too surprised. Duluth as generic sea location, thrown into amateur doc about unrelated East Coast disaster.
A nice girl from Duluth on S.W.A.T.
The CBS network television drama S.W.A.T. has a reference to Duluth in its second episode, titled “Cuchillo.” The show aired five years ago today — Nov. 9, 2017.
In the scene, Sergeant “Hondo” pulls over a nice girl from Duluth who has been mixed up with a bad boy.
The Duluth Strangler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2s72q83VbA
The 1998 satirical comedy Wrongfully Accused, starring Leslie Nielsen, is available to watch in its entirety on YouTube. A reference to “The Duluth Strangler” shows up around the 18-minute mark. (more…)
‘The bridge between Duluth and Superior’
1950s MOBILE HOME PROMOTIONAL FILM ALASKA to CANADA TRAILER TRIP 56784 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
AL-CAN TRAILER TREK is a short film, produced by Kennedy Productions in 1957 or 1958, that promotes and popularizes trailer traveling and RV'ing. Sponsored by...
archive.org
“The bridge between Duluth and Superior” appears at just after the 1-minute mark in the circa-1957 short film Al-Can Trailer Trek, which promotes trailer traveling. After the quick bridge shot, zoom, it’s straight to International Falls.
This bridge is the Duluth/Superior Interstate Bridge, which was replaced when the Blatnik Bridge opened in 1961. Parts of the Interstate Bridge still exist as a fishing pier on Rice’s Point. (more…)
Admiral Fallow and El Niño IPA
Ten years ago today — Oct. 11, 2012 — the Scottish alternative rock band Admiral Fallow performed on KEXP-FM in Seattle, Wash. What does that have to do with Duluth? Well, note the familiar-looking shirt worn by singer-songwriter Louis Abbott. (more…)
Five Movies that Almost Reference Duluth
Among the many silly obsessions on Perfect Duluth Day is the practice of noting whenever Duluth is mentioned in a mainstream film — which by our count has happened more than 40 times. But what about when the script calls for a Duluth namedrop and the director or editor nixes it? Well, there are at least five examples of that.
Here’s PDD’s look at movies that were supposed to reference Duluth but ultimately didn’t. (more…)
Snoop Loopz wisecrack lands Duluth on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live guest host Nicole Byer referenced Duluth during the opening monologue of the Aug. 17 episode. She introduced a clip from Fox 21 in which news anchor Dan Hanger and meteorologist Ken Slama shared their thoughts on Snoop Dogg’s new breakfast cereal, Snoop Loopz.
Byer referred to Hanger’s response to a quip made by Slama as “the cattiest moment in the history of broadcast television.”
Hanger also appeared in a clip used on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2018 when his banter with sports anchor Sam Ali turned awkward.
White Lady Cornrows in Duluth
For the second time, Duluth has been mentioned on the podcast Yo, is this Racist? The show, hosted by Andrew Ti and Tawny Newsome, answers questions from listeners about whether given subjects are an example of racism or not. The Aug. 3 episode was recorded live in Minneapolis, so Newsome’s reference to Duluth was perhaps more carefully selected than random. (more…)
“Duluth’s Most Mighty”: Duluth mention on “The Boys”
Today’s episode of The Boys (season 3, episode 4) contains the following sarcastic line: “I’m sure you and Duluth’s Most Mighty can get the job done.” It occurs at the 15-minute mark in the show. The remark is intended to mean “your unpowered friends and boyfriend are pipsqueaks.” Contains salty language.
It’s LTD Duluth!
This Twin Cities Public Television documentary, broadcast circa 1980, has a brief but kind-of-sexy Duluth moment. A clip from a Northland Ford commercial at the 12:12 mark of the video shows actors playing a Duluth couple standing in front of the Ford product chosen to represent the Zenith City — an LTD Country Squire station wagon with simulated woodgrain siding. (more…)
Jiminy Glick on hanging out with O. J. Simpson in Duluth
Twenty years ago today — March 30, 2002 — Jiminy Glick shared with Andy Richter his story of hanging out with O.J. Simpson in Duluth.
Jiminy Glick, of course, is a character played by comic actor Martin Short. The scene is from season 2, episode 6 of Primetime Glick, a series that aired on Comedy Central.
Uncle Jim and Aunt Susie in Duluth
Episode 5 of Pam & Tommy, the biographical drama series about Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, mentions Duluth. The same Duluth joke comes up twice, and it’s also used as the title of the episode: “Uncle Jim and Aunt Susie in Duluth.” The episode premiered today on the streaming service Hulu.
The two scenes with the Duluth mentions are strung together in the video above. The setting for both scenes is the writer’s room for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1995.
Final Jeopardy Duluth clue a real stumper
The episode of Jeopardy! that aired on Valentine’s Day ended with this clue: “At about 90,000 it’s the most populous U.S. city on North America’s biggest lake.” All three contestants failed to answer Duluth. Two answered Green Bay and one answered Minneapolis. (more…)