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‘Forrest Gump’ Live From D.C. With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Mallory Rubin

February 13, 2024 · Forrest Gump (1994) · Drama · Romance · 1:47:50 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 19:10What's the most culturally significant contribution Forrest made to society over the course of the film?
Bill Simmons▶ 56:36On why Forrest's run ends: 'he developed plantar fasciitis or a torn meniscus — something is happening at some point over three years.'
Chris Ryan▶ 19:20Teaching Elvis to dance - because it was the most hands-on contribution where Forrest directly influenced someone
Mallory Rubin▶ 55:36Posed the question: Forrest is a sensation — everything he does inspires not just attention but rapture — and he doesn't give a shit; hands it to Sean to explain.
Sean Fennessey▶ 14:57Is Forrest Gump completely deluded and none of this stuff happened to him?
Sean Fennessey▶ 55:49It's a plot device: if Jenny wanted to be impregnated by Forrest she'd lock him down (he owns Bubba Gump, he's on the cover of Fortune) — instead the running set piece, an Eric Roth invention not in the book, distracts from the question and ages the kid up to Haley Joel Osment before she gets sick.

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 53:39the 15 Dr. Peppers

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 54:42The jogging sequence where Forrest runs for three years, two months, and 14 days straight
Chris Ryan▶ 55:04Agrees with Bill about the running scene, questioning the believability of someone running for three years straight
Mallory Rubin▶ 55:13Defends the jogging sequence as representing the movie in miniature and serving the film's themes
Sean Fennessey▶ 55:48Views the running sequence as a plot device to distract from Jenny's motivations and allow time to pass for the child storyline

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 57:28Warner Brothers trading away Forrest Gump for Executive Decision rights - a $650 million mistake

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:49There's an awful lot you can tell about a person by their shoes

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:49Forrest's mom was actually terrible at her job as a mother - named him after a KKK leader, gave nonsensical advice like 'life is like a box of chocolates' when there's literally a key showing what each chocolate is
Chris Ryan▶ 1:02:02Forrest Gump works way better if you look at it as an allegory for Jesus Christ - the beard, the apostles, Lieutenant Dan's conversion moment, Jenny as Mary Magdalene
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:03:09If Forrest Gump lived now, he would be canceled instantly - naming a Klan leader, shoving women, showing his ass to the President, constant fighting and public defecation
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:04:04If Forrest Gump was never born, the New York Jets would have zero Super Bowls because his punt returns gave Joe Namath the confidence he needed at Alabama

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:06:42Harry Anderson — Shared extensive casting what-ifs: Harry Anderson was Zemeckis's original choice for Forrest, Travolta turned down many major roles including Forrest Gump, Sean Penn claimed he was second choice, multiple actors turned down Bubba including Tupac who auditioned, and Joe Pesci was discussed for Lieutenant Dan
Chris Ryan▶ 1:09:22Joe Pesci — Highlighted Joe Pesci being discussed for Lieutenant Dan as a standout casting what-if, doing impressions of how Pesci would have delivered the shrimp dialogue
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:10:01Joe Pesci — Agreed that Joe Pesci as Lieutenant Dan would have been amazing but noted it would be harder to prop him up against the hospital bed
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:07:14John Travolta — Discussed how Travolta would have chosen Gump over Pulp Fiction and made Michael and Phenomenon to try to recreate Gump's success; found the visual of Joe Pesci with no legs incredible

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:10:53Nick Searcy — Lee Paxton from Justified
Chris Ryan▶ 1:10:47Sam Anderson — Sam Anderson (the principal)
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:10:49Sam Anderson — Supports Sam Anderson (the principal/Bernard from Lost)

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:03Mykelti Williamson — Listed multiple nominations: Michael T. Williamson as Bubba, the horny principal, Cunning Carla and Long Legs Lenore, Old Lady in Pink Dress at Bus Stop, or Dick Cavett aging himself 20 years
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:11:48Dorothy Harris (bus driver) — Dorothy Harris, the bus driver
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:11:22Afemo Omilami — Afemo Omilami as the Drill Sergeant

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:42Tom Hanks — Yes for Tom Hanks (this is his peak after back-to-back Oscars), Yes for Gary Sinise (over Apollo 13), No for Michael T. Williamson (Heat is his peak), Yes for 1994 Oscars ceremony, discusses multiple other subjects
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:17:13Robin Wright — Yes for Robin Wright with House of Cards (nominated for four Emmys), also mentions apex for shrimp references in movies
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:17:58Discusses boomer culture peak and provides Oscar viewership data showing 1995 Oscars had 49 million viewers vs 19 million in 2023, suggests Oscars peaked in the 90s era

Racehorse Name Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:11Magic Legs and I'm so dizzy

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:21No, probably not. Good title.

Is This Movie Better With

Chris Ryan▶ 1:36:16Byron Mayo and Danny Trejo - Byron for general participation, Danny Trejo for the Vietnam squad

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:12Tom Hanks — Tom Hanks (when asked to choose between Hanks or Zemeckis)

Hanks or Cruise

Bill Simmons▶ 1:42:47Tom Cruise — Tom Cruise - says it would be a funnier movie with Cruise, emphasizes the running scenes would go up five levels and Cruise would do his own stunts
Chris Ryan▶ 1:43:16Tom Cruise — Agrees Cruise would be good for running scenes and engages with hypothetical scenarios but doesn't give explicit preference
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:43:22Tom Cruise — Tom Cruise - suggests Cruise would bring magic to intimate scenes with Robin Wright, says 'It's got Cruise written all over it'

Best Double Feature

Mallory Rubin▶ 1:43:59Cast Away — Suggested Castaway for the Zemeckis/Hanks connection or The Water Boy as an alternative
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:43:55Cast Away — Castaway (pairing with Forrest Gump for Zemeckis and Hanks collaboration)

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:46:30You can believe in destiny and luck

Movies Referenced (48)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 4:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Elvis (2022)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin▶ 16:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Apollo 13 (1995)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 9:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Back to the Future (1985)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 17:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rain Man (1988)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 10:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Room (2003)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 5:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Boyhood (2014)

2 mentions · Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons▶ 13:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dumb and Dumber (1994)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Executive Decision (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 57:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Longlegs (2024)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 47:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Marriage Story (2019)

2 mentions · ▶ 3:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (5)

Sean Penn

32 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Sean Fennessey · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 1:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Zemeckis

19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin · Known for Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Contact▶ 16:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Lean

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on the River Kwai▶ 16:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Luther King

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 59:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Fincher

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Se7en, Gone Girl, Zodiac▶ 1:42:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (54)

Tom Hanks

19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin · Known for Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump▶ 2:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jim Hanks

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Forrest Gump▶ 8:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robin Wright

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Forrest Gump, Unbreakable▶ 21:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gary Sinise

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Forrest Gump, Of Mice and Men, Apollo 13▶ 1:10:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Travolta

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty, Saturday Night Fever▶ 12:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dick Cavett

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin · Known for Beetlejuice, Forrest Gump▶ 14:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Lennon

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Chris Ryan · Known for A Hard Day's Night, Yellow Submarine▶ 14:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Cruise

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Top Gun, Mission: Impossible II, Minority Report▶ 9:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Wallace

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for Batman Forever▶ 12:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Stiller

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Tropic Thunder, Zoolander▶ 0:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Haley Joel Osment

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for The Sixth Sense, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Pay It Forward▶ 45:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Pesci

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The Irishman▶ 1:09:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Eric Roth

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Forrest Gump, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button▶ 56:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 17:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Winston Groom

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Forrest Gump, My Dog Skip▶ 21:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Letterman

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗