‘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
Categories
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsWhat's the most culturally significant contribution Forrest made to society over the course of the film?▶ 19:10
Chris RyanTeaching Elvis to dance - because it was the most hands-on contribution where Forrest directly influenced someone▶ 19:20
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsThe jogging sequence where Forrest runs for three years, two months, and 14 days straight▶ 54:42
Chris RyanAgrees with Bill about the running scene, questioning the believability of someone running for three years straight▶ 55:04
Mallory RubinDefends the jogging sequence as representing the movie in miniature and serving the film's themes▶ 55:13
Sean FennesseyViews the running sequence as a plot device to distract from Jenny's motivations and allow time to pass for the child storyline▶ 55:48
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsWarner Brothers trading away Forrest Gump for Executive Decision rights - a $650 million mistake▶ 57:28
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsForrest'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▶ 1:04:49
Chris RyanForrest 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▶ 1:02:02
Mallory RubinIf 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▶ 1:03:09
Sean FennesseyIf 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▶ 1:04:04
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsHarry 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▶ 1:06:42
Chris RyanJoe 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▶ 1:09:22
Mallory RubinJoe 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▶ 1:10:01
Sean FennesseyJohn 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▶ 1:07:14
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsMykelti 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▶ 1:11:03
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsTom 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▶ 1:16:42
Mallory RubinRobin Wright — Yes for Robin Wright with House of Cards (nominated for four Emmys), also mentions apex for shrimp references in movies▶ 1:17:13
Sean FennesseyDiscusses 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▶ 1:17:58
Is This Movie Better With
Chris RyanByron Mayo and Danny Trejo - Byron for general participation, Danny Trejo for the Vietnam squad▶ 1:36:16
Hanks or Cruise
Bill SimmonsTom 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▶ 1:42:47
Chris RyanTom Cruise — Agrees Cruise would be good for running scenes and engages with hypothetical scenarios but doesn't give explicit preference▶ 1:43:16
Sean FennesseyTom Cruise — Tom Cruise - suggests Cruise would bring magic to intimate scenes with Robin Wright, says 'It's got Cruise written all over it'▶ 1:43:22
Best Double Feature
Mallory RubinCast Away — Suggested Castaway for the Zemeckis/Hanks connection or The Water Boy as an alternative▶ 1:43:59
Sean FennesseyCast Away — Castaway (pairing with Forrest Gump for Zemeckis and Hanks collaboration)▶ 1:43:55
Movies Referenced (48)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulp Fiction (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 4:55 |
| Elvis (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 16:19 |
| Apollo 13 (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 9:29 |
| Back to the Future (1985) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 17:46 |
| Rain Man (1988) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 10:34 |
| Boyhood (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | ▶ 13:31 |
| Cube (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:08:15 |
| Dumb and Dumber (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:20:43 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:21:30 |
| Longlegs (2024) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 47:07 |
| Marriage Story (2019) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | ▶ 3:53 | |
| Oppenheimer (2023) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:14:28 |
Directors Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 32 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Sean Fennessey | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 1:38 |
| Robert Zemeckis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 19 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin | Back to the Future, Forrest Gump | ▶ 16:37 |
| David Lean | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Lawrence of Arabia | ▶ 16:45 |
| Martin Luther King | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 59:07 | |
| David Fincher | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Se7en, Gone Girl, Zodiac | ▶ 1:42:27 |
Actors Referenced (54)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Hanks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 19 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin | Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump | ▶ 2:26 |
| Jim Hanks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Forrest Gump | ▶ 8:48 |
| Robin Wright | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Forrest Gump, Unbreakable | ▶ 21:45 |
| Gary Sinise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Forrest Gump, Of Mice and Men, Apollo 13 | ▶ 1:10:19 |
| John Travolta | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons | Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty, Saturday Night Fever | ▶ 12:41 |
| Dick Cavett | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin | Beetlejuice, Forrest Gump | ▶ 14:13 |
| John Lennon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Chris Ryan | A Hard Day's Night | ▶ 14:10 |
| Tom Cruise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Top Gun, Minority Report | ▶ 9:44 |
| George Wallace | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Batman Forever | ▶ 12:44 |
| Ben Stiller | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Tropic Thunder, Zoolander | ▶ 0:11 |
| Haley Joel Osment | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | The Sixth Sense, Pay It Forward | ▶ 45:36 |
| Joe Pesci | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The Irishman | ▶ 1:09:25 |
Writers Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Roth | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Forrest Gump, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | ▶ 56:34 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 17:51 | |
| Winston Groom | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Forrest Gump | ▶ 21:24 |
| David Letterman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:19:04 |