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‘Fletch’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan

June 16, 2020 · Fletch (1985) · Comedy · Crime · Mystery · 1:17:35 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 29:08Multiple scenes including: the physical exam with Dr. Rosenpenis, Lakers dream sequence, airplane mechanic scene with buck teeth, second tennis club visit with caviar ordering and Gail Stanwyck towel scene, Fletch stealing the Camaro as smog patrol, Fred Dorfman lunch speech, and the beach ending
Chris Ryan▶ 34:36Organized by character names: Mr. Barbar, Dr. Rosenpenis (including autopsy scene), John Cocktolzen, Mr. Poon (SEC scene), and Igor Stravinsky (motel in Utah). Favorite is the airplane mechanic character
Sean Fennessey▶ 35:17Interrogation scene with Chief Carlin where Fletch says he's a shepherd and tells officers to 'go pump each other', then says 'I like men' and winks at Joe Don Baker

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 41:21Secretary scene ('I'm sorry, who are you again?'), Fletch's pseudonyms list, Harold Faltemeyer's music, and Fletch's Lakers jersey
Chris Ryan▶ 42:19Fletch's apartment with the Magic Bird life-size poster and basketball hoop - 'the perfect bachelor pad' that captures his divorcee character
Sean Fennessey▶ 45:47Director Michael Ritchie - calling him 'the all time best sports movie director ever' with his run including Downhill Racer, Bad News Bears, Semi-Tough, and others

What's Aged the Worst

Chris Ryan▶ 51:47We don't get enough time getting to know Sally Ann Kavanaugh

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 52:32George Segal — Discusses various actors considered for Fletch including Burt Reynolds, Jeff Bridges, Charles Grodin, Mick Jagger, Barry Bostwick, Richard Dreyfuss, and George Segal. Notes author rejected Reynolds and Jagger. Says George Segal 'might have been good' in the late 70s.
Chris Ryan▶ 53:04Does Richard Dreyfuss impression but doesn't give clear opinion on casting
Sean Fennessey▶ 53:13Richard Dreyfuss — Richard Dreyfuss would not work for Fletch

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 56:41Richard Libertini — Richard Libertini as Frank, the newspaper editor
Sean Fennessey▶ 54:51M. Emmet Walsh — Emmett Walsh (the guy who does the physical)

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:26Alan Stanwyck's house used in The Godfather horse head scene; original movie posters show Fletch in hockey disguise; cut fantasy sequence of Fletch pitching in World Series with Lasorda

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:42Offers alternative explanation that the character might know Tommy Lasorda was an asshole, showing deeper LA knowledge
Chris Ryan▶ 1:01:35Why a huge LA sports fan character would have a problem with Tommy Lasorda

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:12Chevy Chase — Yes for Chevy Chase (1985-86 reclaiming A-list status), Harold Faltemeyer (leading to Top Gun), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1985 Finals MVP but notes 1980 might be correct answer), and Chik Hearn
Chris Ryan▶ 1:06:02Cans of Coors - great beer drinking by Chevy in this movie

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:02What is the correct spelling of John Cocktoestone? Spells it K-O-K-T-O-S-T-O-N (Cocktostone)
Chris Ryan▶ 1:08:38Claims it's Cocktolstoy (like Leo Tolstoy with cock at the beginning) based on IMDB
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:09:15Agrees with Cocktostone spelling but insists it starts with C, not K

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:10:39Chevy Chase — Chevy Chase is the obvious answer. No question.

Sean's power rankings of how strongly people feel about The Saint

Ranked list · Sean Fennessey · ▶ 1:12:50

  1. 1Val Kilmer▶ 1:12:50
  2. 2Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:53
  3. 3the nine guys who worked at Paramount Pictures who were immediately fired after The Saint came out▶ 1:12:55

Movies Referenced (32)

Caddyshack (1980)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 4:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 43:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fletch Lives (1989)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 11:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Foul Play (1978)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 4:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Night Shift (1982)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 24:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Seems Like Old Times (1980)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 4:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Caddyshack II (1988)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:10:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Batman (1989)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clear and Present Danger (1994)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:13:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spies Like Us (1985)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 10:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Big Sleep (1946)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 28:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Fly (1986)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 59:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (7)

Stephanie Mills

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Cop Out, Fletch▶ 43:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Smith

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Clerks, Chasing Amy, Clerks II▶ 23:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Ritchie

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Golden Child, Fletch▶ 45:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Hal Ashby

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for In the Heat of the Night, Harold and Maude, Being There▶ 46:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Peter Bogdanovich

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon▶ 54:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Todd Phillips

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Joker, Due Date, Old School▶ 9:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Friedkin

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for To Live and Die in L.A., The French Connection, The Exorcist▶ 10:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (68)

Chevy Chase

62 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation▶ 1:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Barbara Stanwyck

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Double Indemnity, The Lady Eve▶ 31:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Val Kilmer

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Doors, The Saint, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang▶ 1:11:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Don Baker

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for GoldenEye, Congo, Cape Fear▶ 17:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tim Matheson

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for National Lampoon's Animal House▶ 17:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alpheus Underhill

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Ant-Man, Black Widow▶ 32:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Johnny Carson

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Fargo▶ 3:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tommy Lasorda

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:01:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Murray

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom▶ 11:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ty Webb

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 7:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Goldie Hawn

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The First Wives Club, Private Benjamin▶ 4:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harold Faltermeyer

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II▶ 42:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (10)

Roger Ebert

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 27:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raymond Chandler

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Double Indemnity, The Big Sleep▶ 21:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Igor Stravinsky

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Lobster, Bringing Out the Dead▶ 34:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harvey Weinstein

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Shakespeare in Love, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Hateful Eight▶ 23:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Lawrence

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 23:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gregory McDonald

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Fletch, Confess, Fletch▶ 25:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lev Tolstoy

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Anna Karenina▶ 1:08:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lorne Michaels

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 10:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Faulkner

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep▶ 47:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Goldman

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride▶ 11:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗