The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer
Encyclopedia
The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer is an American sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...

 that aired on UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...

 in 1998. Before it was even debuted, the series set off a storm of controversy because of a perceived light-hearted take on the issue of American slavery.

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
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...

's valet. In the show, he serves as the intelligent and erudite backbone of a Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

-era White House populated by louts and drunkards.

Main characters

  • Desmond Pfeiffer (Chi McBride
    Chi McBride
    Kenneth "Chi" McBride is an American actor. He starred as Steven Harper on the series Boston Public, as Emerson Cod on Pushing Daisies, and recently appeared in Fox's drama Human Target.-Early life:...

    ) – Black English gentleman serving as President Lincoln's butler.
  • Abraham Lincoln
    Abraham Lincoln
    Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...

     (Dann Florek
    Dann Florek
    Ezekial Dann Florek , professional name Dann Florek, is an American actor and director.-Early life:Florek was born in Flat Rock, Michigan. He attended Eastern Michigan University, but never graduated...

    ) – 16th President of the United States.
  • Mary Todd Lincoln
    Mary Todd Lincoln
    Mary Ann Lincoln was the wife of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and was First Lady of the United States from 1861 to 1865.-Life before the White House:...

     (Christine Estabrook
    Christine Estabrook
    Christine Estabrook is an American television and film actress. She has been featured in several motion pictures mostly in supporting roles...

    ) – President Lincoln's wife.
  • Nibblet (Max Baker) – Pfeiffer's assistant
  • Ulysses S. Grant
    Ulysses S. Grant
    Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...

     (Kelly Connell
    Kelly Connell
    Kelly Connell is an American actor. He has appeared in numerous theatrical productions in New York and Los Angeles, starting with his off-Broadway debut in "The Butter And Egg Man" at Manhattan Punch Line Theatre...

    ) – General of the United States Army.

Controversy

Before the series' premiere, several African American activist groups, including the Los Angeles area NAACP, protested against the premise of the series. On September 24, 1998, a protest against the series was held outside Paramount Studios. Five days later, UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...

 released a statement regarding the controversy and stated that the network planned on delaying the controversial pilot episode (which never aired) and would instead air an alternate episode in its place. The first episode of the series aired on October 5, 1998, ranking 116th out of 125 television programs for that week. Desmond Pfeiffer was removed from UPN's schedule on October 24 and, after airing one episode two days after being removed from UPN's lineup, was canceled.

In 2002, TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...

 listed the show as the eleventh-worst TV series ever,, and in 2010 TV Guide Network listed the show at #15 on their list of 25 Biggest TV Blunders.

Episodes

Series # Title Notes Original air date
1 "A.O.L.: Abe On-Line" Lincoln engages in "telegraph sex" with a woman he's never seen. October 5, 1998
2 "Up, Up and Away" Desmond, Nibblet and the President wind up trapped behind enemy lines after a freak accident with an observation balloon, and President Lincoln must dress in drag to escape Southern territory. Meanwhile, General Grant tries sobriety. October 12, 1998
3 "Saving Mr. Lincoln" When Lincoln falls ill before a meeting with Queen Victoria, Mary Todd decides to hire a body double to impersonate the president. Little does the body double know that she's got another use in mind for him. October 19, 1998
4 "Once Upon a Mistress" When foreign dignitaries bring their mistresses to visit, President Lincoln finds temptation in a gift from a foreign dignitary. Meanwhile, Nibblet concocts a tonic for Mary's migraines. October 26, 1998
5 Pilot After managing to get himself hired as President Lincoln's butler, Desmond Pfeiffer schemes to return to his native England. Unaired
6 "Pigeon English" No synopsis available. Unaired
7 "Kidnapped" When Confederate soldiers kidnap Mrs. Lincoln, Grant retaliates by kidnapping Robert E. Lee's wife. Unaired
8 "School Daze" No synopsis available. Unaired
9 "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" No synopsis available. Unaired
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