Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Airplane! The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson Trust a distinct comic instinct and commit to the straight-faced casting choice. In the discussion (1) Approx. transcript time · 01:30:43Read transcript The filmmakers’ decision to cast dramatic actors and trust their own unusual comic instinct is selected as the lesson. — Bill Hader
Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Best Double Feature Airplane! + The Naked Gun The Naked Gun Zero Hour! Zero Hour! In the discussion (2) Approx. transcript time · 01:31:13Read transcript The Naked Gun is proposed as a companion comedy. — Bill Hader Zero Hour! followed by Airplane! is proposed to reveal the parody’s direct borrowings. — Bill Hader
Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Airplane! Who Won the Movie? Stephen Stucker; Leslie Nielsen In the discussion (3) Approx. transcript time · 01:31:35Read transcript Stephen Stucker is chosen for an unusually funny performance preserved by the film. — Bill Hader The Zucker brothers and Jim Abrahams are considered for the careers the film launched. — Bill Hader Leslie Nielsen is selected because the film transformed his career and enabled another two decades of comedy work. — Bill Simmons Podcast choices Bill HaderLeslie Nielsen Bill HaderStephen Stucker
Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Airplane! The Sean Penn “I Brought My Own Pack” Award for Excellence in On-Screen Smoking Robert Stack and Lloyd Bridges In the discussion (1) Approx. transcript time · 00:53:17Read transcript Stack and Bridges are selected for smoking as if they were already doing it off camera. — Bill Simmons
Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Airplane! The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award Lorna Patterson should have become a bigger star. In the discussion (1) Approx. transcript time · 01:00:23Read transcript Lorna Patterson is proposed as deserving a larger career after this and Private Benjamin. — Bill Simmons
Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Airplane! Casting What-Ifs Keep Robert Hays as Ted, Julie Hagerty as Elaine, and Leslie Nielsen as Rumack In the discussion (12) Approx. transcript time · 01:01:22Read transcript David Letterman auditioned for Ted Striker, but the panel prefers that he was not cast. — Bill Hader The studio reportedly pushed Barry Manilow for Ted. — Bill Hader Fred Willard reportedly declined Ted because he did not understand the script. — Bill Hader Tim Matheson reportedly could not take Ted while filming 1941. — Bill Simmons Caitlyn Jenner auditioned for Ted and did not get the role. — Bill Simmons Robert Hayes is preferred because he plays the absurdity straight. — Bill Hader Sigourney Weaver and Shelley Long auditioned for Elaine before Julie Haggerty was cast. — Bill Hader Dom DeLuise, Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, and Jack Webb reportedly declined Doctor Rumack. — Bill Hader Leslie Nielsen is preferred for Rumack. — Bill Hader Pete Rose was wanted for Roger but baseball scheduling led to Kareem’s casting. — Bill Simmons Harriet Nelson was wanted as the jive translator before Barbara Billingsley was cast. — Bill Simmons Peter Graves initially rejected the script as tasteless before being persuaded to play Over. — Bill Hader
Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Airplane! The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award Jonathan Banks In the discussion (2) Approx. transcript time · 01:10:10Read transcript Jonathan Banks is selected from the air-traffic-control cast. The sick passenger actor is recognized as the sick passenger and from later father and chancellor roles. — Bill Hader
Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Airplane! The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance Stephen Stucker In the discussion (2) Approx. transcript time · 01:11:23Read transcript Ethel Merman, Kareem, the jive passengers, Lloyd Bridges, and Stephen Stucker are distinct nominees. — Bill Simmons Stephen Stucker is selected because he appears from nowhere and dominates his moments. — Bill Hader
Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Airplane! Recasting Couch Lynda Carter as an added passenger In the discussion (1) Approx. transcript time · 01:12:29Read transcript Lynda Carter is proposed as one more passenger for a roughly ninety-second appearance. — Bill Simmons
Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Airplane! Cruise or Hanks? Cruise In the discussion (1) Approx. transcript time · 01:20:04Read transcript Cruise is selected because Hanks already has extensive comedy experience and serious Cruise would create the stronger contrast. — Bill Simmons
Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Airplane! Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake The existing sequel is acknowledged and criticized for escalating the original jokes. In the discussion (2) Approx. transcript time · 01:25:45Read transcript The group notes that a sequel exists. — Bill Hader The sequel is criticized for repeating and intensifying jokes from the first movie. — Bill Simmons
Airplane! · The Rewatchables ·September 23, 2025 Airplane! Just One Oscar The screenplay In the discussion (2) Approx. transcript time · 01:27:31Read transcript The screenplay is proposed for the single Oscar. — Bill Hader Leslie Nielsen is proposed as a supporting-actor alternative. — Bill Hader
