Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog

Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog is a puppet created and performed by Robert Smigel premiering in 1997 on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Triumph was identified in the early appearances as a Yugoslavian Mountain Hound and speaks with a thick Slavic accent. Triumph often puffs a cigar, which usually falls out of his mouth when he begins speaking. The crudeness of the puppetry behind Triumph—Smigel's arm is often clearly visible in the shot—has added to the character's popularity.

Triumph's debut was in a comedy skit about unusually talented dogs. In addition to other dog puppets who played banjos and performed magic, Triumph appeared in his trademark persona of an obnoxious and ribald insult comic in the vein of Don Rickles. The character rapidly grew in popularity, and became a recurring fixture on the show, often mocking the show's celebrity guests and leaving the studio to harass the general public in pre-taped remote segments.

In 1999, pets.com filed a lawsuit against Late Night and Robert Smigel claiming that Triumph constituted a trademark violation because of possible confusion with their sock puppet dog mascot (which first appeared two years after the first appearance of Triumph); however, the bankruptcy and closing of the company during the dot-com bust of 2000 terminated this lawsuit before opening arguments had even been heard. Triumph responded in his typical fashion in a skit where he humped the "pets.com" dog in a restroom.

In the fall of 2003, NBC's intellectual property division (the same group that protested David Letterman continuing to use the character Larry Bud Melman and the "Stupid Pet Tricks" skit when he moved from NBC to CBS) threatened legal action against a number of fan websites devoted to Triumph, resulting in them closing down.

Similarities have also been noted between Triumph and Ed the Sock, a Canadian TV personality who is also an insult-hurling, cigar-chomping sock-puppet (though in Ed's case, he is actually a sock).

Some of Triumph's best known skits involved him visiting the Westminster Dog Show, where he would often be found "humping" (attempting to mate with) other dogs. Smigel and Triumph have been ejected from several events for Triumph's antics.

Triumph's longtime catch phrase is "...for me to poop on!" usually spoken to negate a compliment that precedes it, for example "You're a great audience... for me to poop on!"

In addition to regular appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Triumph has appeared on the MTV Video Music Awards, including a confrontation with Eminem which MTV later removed from rebroadcast airings. Eminem later referred to and impersonated Triumph on the track "Ass Like That" from his 2004 album Encore, and subsequently appeared in the video, with Eminem playing Triumph. Other appearances include Hollywood Squares and Smigel's TV Funhouse.

In 2003 Triumph released his first album, Come Poop With Me, featuring adult comedy and songs, plus a bonus DVD of live performances by Triumph. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.

On August 10, 2004, NBC released a DVD featuring select Triumph appearances from Late Night.

Examples of Triumph sketches

• Triumph the Insult Comic Dog at the Premiere Line for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones — "May the Force be with you... for me... to poop on." While talking to a pregnant fan: "Oh, is this a little Jedi? Your boy's due in two months? That'll be the last time he ever sees female genitalia!"

• Triumph visits Quebec — During Conan's special series of shows taped in Toronto, Canada, a segment in which Triumph pokes fun at the Quebec separation movement generated a firestorm of controversy from Canadian politicans, especially due to the fact the government had provided funding to help pay for Conan being taped in Toronto. — A sample insult, hurled at an overweight man, was "Are you a separatist?... Maybe you should try separating yourself from donuts first."

• Triumph commenting on the television show American Idol — "I ranked the contestants with three levels: gay, very gay, and Clay Aiken."

• Triumph visits Spin Alley — Triumph takes on Republican and Democratic spin doctors and political bigwigs after the 3rd U.S. presidential debate (2004) in what he refers to as Poop Valhalla. To Paul Begala: "Here, I'll talk to your butt...I'm sorry I forgot which side the poop comes out of."

• Triumph attends a Bon Jovi concert — Triumph interviews fans, the band, and sings on stage with the band. To Bon Jovi: "So you're acting now, you're in a vampire movie, yes? That's good. Finally, a role that requires you to suck."

• Triumph goes on Hollywood Squares — Triumph guest stars on the show and interviews celebrities such as Whoopi Goldberg and Al Roker, and hurls insults at Kathie Lee Gifford. When asked on the show which breed of dog is the heaviest, he responds, "That's the Lhasa-Oprah. I'm pretty sure. It's either that or the Roker-Spaniel."

• Triumph visits the Michael Jackson trial — Curious to know what a fellow reporter thinks of the trial hearings to date, Triumph asks, "on a scale of 1 to 10, how old is Michael's boyfriend?"

• Among the celebrities Triumph has interviewed: Simon Cowell of American Idol, Beck, Moby, Mark McGrath, Heather Locklear, and many others.

External links

• Triumph Video Clips (http://www.nbc.com/nbc/Late_Night_with_Conan_O%27Brien/video/triumph.shtml)
• Triumph takes on Star Wars geeks waiting to see Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones (http://www.milkandcookies.com/article/924/)
• Streaming NPR Interview with Triumph and Robert Smigel (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1514310)
• Triumph visits Spin Alley clip (2004) (http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2653646?htv=12&htv=12&htv=12)