‘Fletch’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan
June 16, 2020 · Fletch (1985) · Comedy · Crime · Mystery · 1:17:35 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple 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▶ 29:08
Chris RyanOrganized 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▶ 34:36
Sean FennesseyInterrogation 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▶ 35:17
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsSecretary scene ('I'm sorry, who are you again?'), Fletch's pseudonyms list, Harold Faltemeyer's music, and Fletch's Lakers jersey▶ 41:21
Chris RyanFletch's apartment with the Magic Bird life-size poster and basketball hoop - 'the perfect bachelor pad' that captures his divorcee character▶ 42:19
Sean FennesseyDirector 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▶ 45:47
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsGeorge 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.▶ 52:32
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsAlan 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▶ 1:00:26
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsOffers alternative explanation that the character might know Tommy Lasorda was an asshole, showing deeper LA knowledge▶ 1:01:42
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsChevy 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▶ 1:02:12
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsWhat is the correct spelling of John Cocktoestone? Spells it K-O-K-T-O-S-T-O-N (Cocktostone)▶ 1:09:02
Chris RyanClaims it's Cocktolstoy (like Leo Tolstoy with cock at the beginning) based on IMDB▶ 1:08:38
Movies Referenced (27)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beverly Hills Cop (1984) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 43:21 |
| Seems Like Old Times (1980) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 4:32 |
| Moon (2009) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 29:20 |
| The Beach (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 34:10 |
| Batman (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:16:09 |
| Bright (2017) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:07:59 |
| Chef (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 48:08 |
| Clear and Present Danger (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:13:55 |
| Spies Like Us (1985) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:40 |
| The Fly (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 59:05 |
| The Godfather (1972) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:00:26 |
| Top Gun (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:03:09 |
Directors Referenced (7)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephanie Mills | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Fletch | ▶ 43:46 |
| Kevin Smith | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Clerks, Chasing Amy | ▶ 23:01 |
| Michael Ritchie | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey | Fletch | ▶ 45:47 |
| Hal Ashby | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | In the Heat of the Night, Harold and Maude | ▶ 46:31 |
| Peter Bogdanovich | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | The Last Picture Show | ▶ 54:57 |
| Todd Phillips | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Joker, Due Date, Old School | ▶ 9:37 |
| William Friedkin | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | To Live and Die in L.A., The French Connection, The Exorcist | ▶ 10:10 |
Actors Referenced (69)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevy Chase | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 62 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation | ▶ 1:15 |
| Barbara Stanwyck | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Double Indemnity | ▶ 31:49 |
| Val Kilmer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Doors, The Saint, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | ▶ 1:11:53 |
| Joe Don Baker | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | GoldenEye, Cape Fear | ▶ 17:22 |
| Tim Matheson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | National Lampoon's Animal House | ▶ 17:43 |
| Alpheus Underhill | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Ant-Man, Black Widow | ▶ 32:12 |
| Johnny Carson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Fargo | ▶ 3:33 |
| Tommy Lasorda | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:01:14 | |
| Bill Murray | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons | Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom | ▶ 11:06 |
| Ty Webb | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 7:00 | |
| Goldie Hawn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Private Benjamin | ▶ 4:15 |
| Harold Faltermeyer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II | ▶ 42:50 |
Writers Referenced (8)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 27:23 | |
| Raymond Chandler | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Double Indemnity | ▶ 21:10 |
| Igor Stravinsky | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | The Lobster, Bringing Out the Dead | ▶ 34:44 |
| Harvey Weinstein | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Shakespeare in Love, The Hateful Eight | ▶ 23:01 |
| Lev Tolstoy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Anna Karenina | ▶ 1:08:41 |
| Lorne Michaels | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:55 | |
| William Faulkner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | To Have and Have Not | ▶ 47:29 |
| William Goldman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride | ▶ 11:49 |