Dog and Phony Show (Dog and Phoney Show)
Politics has sometimes been called a “dog and pony show.” This is sometimes also expressed as “dog and phony show” (or “dog and phoney show”), describing an event featuring insincere people.
“Dog and phony show” has been cited in print since at least 1950 and 1986. “Dog and phoney show” has been cited in print since at least 1998.
Wikipedia: Dog and pony show
“Dog and pony show” is a colloquial term which has come to mean a highly promoted, often over-staged performance, presentation, or event designed to sway or convince opinion for political, or less often, commercial ends. Typically, the term is used in a pejorative sense to connote disdain, jocular lack of appreciation, or distrust of the message being presented or the efforts undertaken to present it.
Origins
The term was originally used in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to refer to small traveling circuses that toured through small towns and rural areas. The name derives from the common use of performing dogs and ponies as the main attractions of the events.
Newspapers.com
21 April 1950, The Delta Democrat-Times (Greenville, MS), “Brodie Crump’s Mostly Old Stuff,” pg. 4, col. 6:
Any of our readers who are ancient enough to have taken in Gentry Brothers Dog and Phony Show will remember the monkey who rode the Shetland around the ring.
Google Books
Back to the ‘80s
By Jack Ohman
New York, NY: Simon & Schuster
1986
Pg. 52:
There’s something for everyone in this firepower/flowerpower dog and phony show.
Newspapers.com
6 July 1987, Los Angeles (CA) Times, “Revival of a ‘Frozen’ Dog—Some Cold New Disclosures” by T. W. McGarry, pt. 1, pg. 18, col. 4:
‘Dog and Phony Show’
Alcor denounced Segall’s experiment in its newsletter as a “dog and phony show.”
Google Books
Marge Schott:
Unleashed
By Mike Bass
Champaign, IL: Sagamore Pub.
1993
Pg. 44:
Already, Howsam wasn’t too thrilled about Marge’s dog-and-phony show at her initial press conference,
4 September 1998, Toronto (ON) Star, “Spotting the celebs is no picnic,” pg. B4:
The picnic was almost a bold-face free zone. It was a dog-and- phoney show, whose canines included Boo Boo, owned by Susan Marfleet, proprietor of Hollywood Hounds, the hot doggie store in L.A.
Twitter
Amy Z. Quinn
@AmyZQuinn
This dog and phony show at the White House is disgusting. McCain sitting there grinning like a fool?
4:20 PM · Sep 25, 2008·Twitter SMS
Twitter
Mark Crispin Miller
@mcrispinmiller
NewsFromUnderground: Obama/Cheney’s Dog and Phoney Show http://snipurl.com/ijvk3
8:55 AM · May 22, 2009·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
#New World Order
@nwohashtag
RT: [sosamerica1962] NoreenR1 .this crap going on in dc. is literally a dog and phoney show . . both these parties wouldnt do shit w/o p…
3:18 AM · Oct 5, 2013·IFTTT
Twitter
Richard J. Marini
@richardjmarini
@MSA_Security chatting up the ladies during their “#security theater” dog and phoney show. #war #torture #obama
9:47 PM · Mar 28, 2014·Twitter for Android
Twitter
Young Ideas
@DickYoungsGhost
Replying to @olapeyrolerie @NYCMayor and @NYCHA
Another dog-and-phoney show, tightly controlled. #Wilhelm
6:36 PM · Dec 19, 2019·Twitter for iPhone
Twitter
Young Ideas
@DickYoungsGhost
Replying to @andrewsiff4NY and @Pollytrott
Another dog-and-phony show @nyc_dot where is Mr. #ZeroVision himself @nycmayor @BilldeBlasio? Out of touch with his multi-SUV @nypdnews detail blocking the bike lane at the @ProspectParkY?
10:40 AM · Dec 23, 2019·Twitter for iPhone