‘Grease’ With Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, and Amanda Dobbins
August 15, 2022 · Grease (1978) · Comedy · Musical · Romance · 1:50:14
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Amanda DobbinsSummer Nights - calls it one of the most iconic scenes ever seen in a movie and imprinted on their brain▶ 35:24
Bill SimmonsSummer Nights as the main pick, plus opening credits, Look at Me I'm Sandra Dee, Greased Lightning, diner scenes, sports tryouts montage, Rizzo pregnancy reveal, and Sandy▶ 34:34
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Amanda DobbinsDiscussed multiple issues including Rizzo being unlikeable/mean, Jan's personality being only about eating, and car racing technology being unexciting▶ 57:27
Bill SimmonsThe ages of some of the 'kids' in this movie - actors too old to be playing teenagers▶ 54:24
Is There a Better Title?
Amanda DobbinsRejected 'Summer Nights' because most of the movie isn't summer nights, doesn't think 'Grease' is great but doesn't mind it▶ 1:04:31
Bill SimmonsSuggested 'Summer Nights' as alternative but ultimately likes the title 'Grease'▶ 1:04:20
Best Quote
Amanda DobbinsJohn Travolta's lines including 'sloppy seconds ain't my style' and 'that's my name, don't wear it out'▶ 1:05:06
Bill SimmonsMultiple quotes including 'flog the log', 'true love, didn't lay a hand on you. Sounds like a creep', and 'tell me about it, stud'▶ 1:05:33
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Amanda DobbinsSandy looked better before her makeover - doesn't like the perm and preferred her original look▶ 1:10:35
Bill SimmonsSandy kind of sucked as a character - had no sense of humor, was constantly surprised, super sensitive, didn't put out, and wasn't compelling until the leather outfit▶ 1:06:01
Casting What-Ifs
Amanda DobbinsLinda Ronstadt — Notes that Linda Ronstadt would have brought totally different energy and made it a different movie. Suggests Marie Osmond might be trying to associate herself with Grease's success after the fact▶ 1:11:36
Bill SimmonsLinda Ronstadt — Discusses Linda Ronstadt as seriously considered for Sandy - thinks she could have pulled it off but glad they went with Olivia Newton-John. Also mentions Carrie Fisher, Susan Day, and Marie Osmond were considered, but doubts Marie Osmond's story about almost taking the role▶ 1:11:19
Half-Assed Internet Research
Amanda DobbinsProvided commentary on the trivia, questioning Henry Winkler's dancing ability, agreeing the movie worked out better with Travolta, and expressing surprise about Stephen Ford being in When Harry Met Sally▶ 1:13:13
Bill SimmonsShared extensive trivia including: Marie Osmond turned down Grease for Going Coconuts, Olivia Newton-John took reduced pay for star billing, Lucy Arnaz lost Rizzo role due to her mother's interference, Henry Winkler turned down Danny Zuko, Elvis was considered for Teen Angel before he died, Lorenzo Lamas replaced Gerald Ford's son Stephen Ford, and porn star Harry Reams was originally cast as Coach Calhoun before being replaced by Sid Caesar▶ 1:12:05
Overacting Award
Amanda DobbinsDidi Conn — Discusses Sid Caesar (says you're either in or out, personally in), but thinks it's Didi Cohn as Frenchie, and also mentions the T-Birds as providing too much comedic relief▶ 1:16:21
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsSusan Buckner — Suggested Patti Simcox and Vince Fontaine as options, with emphasis on Patti Simcox doing a lot with not much material▶ 1:18:22
Apex Mountain
Amanda DobbinsJohn Travolta — Agrees with Travolta for Apex Mountain, noting his path after was totally screwy with no other streak or ascension▶ 1:25:41
Bill SimmonsJohn Travolta — Travolta - nobody was higher on Apex Mountain after this movie, he could have made any movie and it would have been greenlit▶ 1:24:57
Hall of Fame Plaque
Bill SimmonsNo for Travolta (Saturday Night Fever would be his plaque movie), but yes for Olivia Newton-John▶ 1:30:38
Racehorse Name Award
Amanda DobbinsNational Bandstand, Pink Lady (for a filly), and Knicky (as the weird long-shot horse)▶ 1:31:01
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Amanda DobbinsPink Ladies are like Mean Girls plastics, Rizzo song intentionally vague about abortion, Danny/Sandy beach sex is possible (50s movie code) but creates character inconsistencies, Kenickie likely a virgin despite his image▶ 1:38:09
Bill SimmonsMultiple questions about Pink Ladies membership/structure, Rizzo abortion theory, and whether Danny and Sandy had sex at the beach (leans no based on her later behavior)▶ 1:37:47
Best Double Feature
Amanda DobbinsSaturday Night Fever — Saturday Night Fever (primary pick) and Dirty Dancing (alternative pick)▶ 1:42:32
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Amanda DobbinsAgrees with Rizzo that there are worse things you could do than sleep with a guy or two, and endorses 'turn in your teasing comb and go back to high school' as good life advice▶ 1:44:49
Who Won the Movie
Amanda DobbinsJohn Travolta — Travolta, though also acknowledges Olivia Newton-John really benefits from this▶ 1:45:08
Movies Referenced (45)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Night Fever (1977) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 27 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 2:56 |
| The Beach (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | ▶ 24:33 |
| Elvis (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 16:42 |
| Sing (2016) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | ▶ 5:25 |
| Titanic (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:56 |
| Dirty Dancing (1987) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 19:19 |
| Pulp Fiction (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | ▶ 7:26 |
| Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 4:12 |
| Top Gun (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 13:32 |
| Carrie (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:11:42 |
| Halloween (1978) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | ▶ 12:12 |
| Mean Girls (2004) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 57:49 |
Directors Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lil Pump | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Deadpool 2 | ▶ 59:52 |
| George Clooney | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Amanda Dobbins | The Ides of March, Michael Clayton | ▶ 14:23 |
| Martin Scorsese | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Amanda Dobbins | Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets | ▶ 1:21:35 |
| Mitch Gaylord | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Amanda Dobbins | Batman Forever | ▶ 1:29:52 |
| Walt Frasier | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:06:54 |
Actors Referenced (55)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Travolta | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 75 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty, Saturday Night Fever | ▶ 2:56 |
| Jeff Conaway | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | Grease | ▶ 38:20 |
| Elvis Presley | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 16:42 | |
| Olivia Newton-John | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | Grease | ▶ 3:46 |
| Tom Cruise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons | Top Gun, Minority Report | ▶ 13:18 |
| Didi Conn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | Grease | ▶ 38:56 |
| Patrick Swayze | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | Dirty Dancing, Ghost, Point Break | ▶ 19:02 |
| James Dean | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause | ▶ 16:42 |
| Carrie Fisher | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi | ▶ 1:11:42 |
| Linda Ronstadt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | The Abyss | ▶ 1:11:19 |
| Sid Caesar | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | Grease, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World | ▶ 1:15:16 |
| Stockard Channing | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Practical Magic, Grease, Six Degrees of Separation | ▶ 46:05 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James L. Brooks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Broadcast News, As Good as It Gets, Terms of Endearment | ▶ 1:02:12 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 27:59 | |
| Buddy Holly | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Big Fish, Almost Famous | ▶ 23:32 |
| Jim Jacobs | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Grease, Easy A | ▶ 26:17 |
| Warren Casey | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Grease, Easy A | ▶ 26:17 |