Make-a-wish

Someone lies and says a kid is dying in order to get something, like money or meeting a celebrity.

Diff'rent Strokes

Appearances

• Sanford and Son: Season 2, episode 16, "A Visit from Lena Horne" (1973). While Fred and Lamont are visiting NBC studios, Fred bumps into the love of his life, Lena Horne, and he convinces her to come to his house by telling her that Lamont is dying. Lena mistakenly assumes that Lamont is a child, and Fred doesn’t correct her.
• Diff'rent Strokes: Season 2, episode 6, "Arnold's Hero" (1979). Arnold told all his friends at school that he was going to meet Muhammad Ali, but Mr. Drummond's connection fell through, and now the school bully is coming after Arnold, so Willis and Kimberly go to Mr. Ali's hotel room and tell him that Arnold is dying from a "tropical disease" that they can't pronounce, and Arnold gets to meet his hero after all.
• Just Shoot Me!: Season 5, episode 16, "Sid & Nina" (2001). To convince Nina to stay at a bar mitzvah he's DJing, Finch tells her it's a volunteer party because Sid, the birthday boy, is dying.
• Malcolm in the Middle: Season 3, episode 18, "Poker #2" (2002). Hal is hosting poker night, and one of the guys brought his daughter and her friend, so Hal asks Malcolm and Dewey to entertain them. When Stevie shows up, the girls immediately start fawning over him, so Reese, in an uncharacteristically altruistic move, decides to help Stevie out by telling the girls he only has two months to live; it works.