Remove the Amy romance and center Jim’s relationship with Lamar, including the ethical conflict of point shaving and the athlete’s exceptional talent. — Bill Simmons
Myers is reaffirmed as winner; whether this was his last great moment divides the discussion between comedy specifically and Shrek's larger cultural importance. — Bill Simmons
Jay Roach is affirmed for Apex, with the film's success launching a substantial comedy career and later political films and television work. — Sean Fennessey
Mike Myers is emphatically affirmed for Apex based on his post-film power, and Verne Troyer is affirmed without hesitation. — Bill Simmons
Heather Graham is affirmed for Apex, with the film's commercial scale, Bowfinger and magazine prominence outweighing Boogie Nights' prestige. — Bill Simmons
Dr. Evil impressions are proposed for Apex rather than assuming audiences recognized Lorne Michaels; the revived VW Beetle gets only a maybe, and mailbags are rejected. — Sean Fennessey
Random-song soundtracks receive an affirmative Apex response; Lenny Kravitz is tentatively proposed through American Woman and its Graham video. — Sean Fennessey
Rob Lowe's comic reinvention, resilience and concurrent West Wing role prompt a late Apex reconsideration, but his 1980 s leading-man period is preferred for greater power. — Bill Simmons
Myers reportedly declined a third Wayne's World to develop Austin Powers, prompting renewed interest in the Myers–Carvey split. — Bill Simmons
The reported origin story has The Look of Love on the car radio prompting Myers to use a swinging-English character voice for his wife, then write the film in three weeks. — Bill Simmons
The original film's MTV promotional special is recalled as a strange artifact of extensive movie-centered television promotion before internet marketing became dominant. — Bill Simmons
Fat Bastard's daily makeup time is corrected from the circulated seven hours to two and a half. — Bill Simmons
Heather Graham reportedly appeared in a much longer Goldmember cut before her scenes were removed; her gold-painted Details cover is recalled, with speculative connection to her casting. — Sean Fennessey
Demi Moore's executive-producer credit on all three films prompts uncertainty about her involvement; the Todd sisters' producing relationships are offered as a possible explanation. — Sean Fennessey
For Polly, recasting considers Paltrow too polished, Ryder plausible, and a younger Meg Ryan or Geena Davis a natural fit. Holmes is floated but rejected while her missing romantic-comedy career is lamented. — Bill Simmons
Heather Graham is considered almost too striking; Michelle Williams is the final preferred replacement and a chance to give her happier material. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is plausible but possibly too old, Courteney Cox rejected, and Kudrow plausible but also too old. — Bill Simmons
A point is started about the gentleman who played Random Task. — Chris Ryan
That actor is called a complicated figure, to be covered later. — Bill Simmons
An actress named on air as Ali Larder is proposed as the lead fembot; the fembots needed one future star, and Helen Mirren is jokingly suggested. — Bill Simmons
The Irish henchman (the Lucky Charms guy) should be replaced by a young host then working at Newbury Comics; Bono is joked about, and edgy British method actors such as Gary Oldman or Tim Roth are proposed.
Ben’s awkward self-abuse advice to his son is the first pick.
Key parties as a pop-culture gimmick age well; CBS’s Swingtown tried and failed, and Mad Men had adultery but no key party. — Bill Simmons
The 1970s house with a single step up between rooms is a style never seen again, recalling the sunken living room in Help! — Bill Simmons
The Nixon and Watergate shadow is cited again. — Chris Ryan
Kline and Weaver, who played a president and first lady four years earlier, reuniting as adulterers is enjoyed. — Bill Simmons
Bong scenes and the Amaretto-and-brandy combination are enjoyed. — Bill Simmons
This was the Paul actor’s breakout before Pleasantville and Katie Holmes’s first film, before Dawson’s Creek and Disturbing Behavior; admiration for Holmes and a sneaky-tall anecdote follow. — Bill Simmons
Paul’s boarding-school posters, including Planet of the Apes, the Doors, and Nixon, reward set-dressing attention. — Bill Simmons
Francis and Paul’s roommate banter, including their reading-recommendation exchange, is a welcome change of gear. — Chris Ryan
Asked who should have been Oscar-nominated since the film had no acting nominations, the hosts agree on Joan Allen, citing her tearing up when the Reverend hits on her. — Chris Ryan
Reviewing that year’s supporting-actress field, the Titanic nomination is called an abomination that took Allen’s spot, and Heather Graham in Boogie Nights is also raised. — Bill Simmons
The movie is perfectly cast and none of the top eight would be recast; names are offered for the Olivia Diabo role. — Bill Simmons
Heather Graham is rejected, with a joke that her in this, Boogie Nights and Swingers would have meant moving to LA. — Andy Greenwald
Kate Winslet is interesting and could probably have made it work at 20, but as a stage-style actor she might have performed the quirks and made it a different movie. — Andy Greenwald
Diabo's gawky, flawed performance, with the retainer and the country-western dance, is imperfectly perfect for him to lose himself over.
Joey Lauren Adams would have felt cliche; Gwyneth Paltrow, not yet famous and the right age, is called the best alternative, though her star charisma might not fit the "you didn't notice me" line. — Bill Simmons
The hosts say Charlie Sheen was considered for Brian Flanagan, which makes sense, and that Robin Williams also was, perhaps when the character was older. — Bill Simmons
IMDb suggests every white actor of the late 80s was considered; only Charlie Sheen is believed. — Bill Simmons
The hosts say Heather Graham was offered Jordan Mooney but declined because she was committed to License to Drive with Corey Haim. — Bill Simmons
Asked whether the movie is better with Shue or a young Heather Graham, the answer is that it is great with Shue, and another agrees. — Bill Simmons
Most unrealistic part of the Mikey-Lorraine scene; Trent's after-school special story; whether Trent made it as an actor; why anyone hung out with Mike; salami for breakfast
Most unrealistic in the Mikey-Lorraine scene: Heather Graham alone at a bar with no one circling, both swing dancing at a high level, her asking him to dance and being attracted to him.
The swing dancing is the most unrealistic, like figure skating, when Mike cannot get dressed.
Trent's after-school special story is judged embellished, since the oral history says the dialogue was drawn from their lives.
Asked whether Trent made it as an actor, the answer is no; guesses include the par three, waiting tables at the 101, and bartending back in Chicago after two or three years. — Chris Ryan
When was Mike ever fun? He had to be talked into Vegas, cannot gamble, is an unfunny comedian, throws friends under the bus, is stuck on an ex dating Pierre, cannot golf, is somehow an accomplished swing dancer, and cannot seal the deal with Heather Graham. — Bill Simmons
Pushback: that makes the others monsters, since Mike is homesick and relatable; the glory-days answer is a joke about the set of Rudy, and neither Cameron nor Mike is someone you would actually hang out with, though both are great characters.
Is Ron Livingston's character unwrapping a roll of salami for breakfast the most unrealistic thing? One host defends it and fetches soppressata from his kitchen on air. — Chris Ryan
Script origins; table reads for buyers; music budget; real party scene; Vegas casinos; original ending; Sundance rejection and Miramax sale; Jaws theme and Spielberg; bear speech origin
The hosts say that after the script they held full-cast readings for potential buyers for a year, compared with Jason Reitman's readings. — Bill Simmons
Vaughn is quoted that buyers missed the universality: a breakup, coming of age, a journey with friends, wanting to meet someone. — Bill Simmons
The hosts say they paid most for Dean Martin, with half a million dollars in music licensing against a quarter-million production cost. — Bill Simmons
The party scene is said to have been a real party they threw for friends without explaining; Adam Scott and Mike White of Chuck and Buck were there. — Bill Simmons
The Vegas exterior is said to be the Stardust and the interior the Glitter Gulch; gulch never works. — Bill Simmons
Favreau is quoted that the script ended on the Lorraine phone call and an unaffordable helicopter shot; Liman added the new ending, seeing a platonic love story between Mikey and Trent, and they scrambled to find a baby for it. — Bill Simmons
The hosts say Sundance rejected it; a screening at the Fairfax $2 theater for about 500 people, 490 friends and 10 possible buyers, crushed, and it sold to Miramax for $5 million, premiering at the Vista. — Bill Simmons
The hosts say they got the Jaws theme by sending scenes to Spielberg for approval, who asked about Vaughn and cast him in The Lost World. — Bill Simmons
Vaughn apparently really gave Favreau a version of the bear speech, and the story of leaving a girl behind is autobiographical for Favreau. — Bill Simmons
