Cleveland corruption trial puppets

The stations make it clear that the segments aren't to be taken seriously. The puppets are not," says smirking anchor Danielle Serino. A talking, buck-toothed squirrel "reporter" provides the play-by-play in an exaggerated, "you won't believe this" tone. A black-robed puppet sits at the judge's bench. And in the jury box, the puppets yawn during the trial.

The station aired its first puppet segment Tuesday, satirizing a secretly recorded call between former county employee J. The puppets, borrowing quotes from wiretaps and others that prosecutors included in a federal indictment, joke about Dimora possibly contracting a sexual transmitted disease during the trip.

Salamone said he came up with the idea for the puppets. The station is using a producer to take notes of testimony and recorded phone calls from the courtroom, where cameras are not permitted. The producer then returns to the station and works with Natural Bridges Lots of Laughs, a Parma Heights puppet company.

But "it doesn't make you smile or laugh or think. Mitt Romney is more humorous than this. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. All rights reserved About Us. The city is the largest in Ohio, often a key state in U. He said the puppets are meant to lampoon the sometimes-steamy testimony, including details of a topless hot tub excursion in Las Vegas and taped phone calls with off-colour and often unprintable comments. Dimora, a former county Democratic chairman in Cleveland, has pleaded not guilty to bribery and racketeering.

When cameras are barred from courtrooms in the U. This time, the Ohio station uses the puppets repeating testimony and performing as witnesses, reporters and jurors to detail the case, which began last week. The station is awaiting the arrival of an updated puppet that looks like the newly clean-shaven Dimora.