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‘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

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill SimmonsThe strawberry milkshake▶ 53:10

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Amanda DobbinsThe drive-in▶ 53:49
Bill SimmonsL.A. River▶ 53:35

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

Ron Burgundy Flute Award

Amanda DobbinsThe sports montage▶ 1:03:38
Bill SimmonsBeauty School Dropout▶ 1:02:55

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 RonstadtNotes 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 RonstadtDiscusses 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 ConnDiscusses 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
Bill SimmonsEdd ByrnesVince Fontaine, the national bandstand host▶ 1:16:36

Teddy KGB Award

Amanda DobbinsAnnette CharlesCha-Cha (agrees with SPEAKER_00's pick)▶ 1:17:10
Bill SimmonsAnnette CharlesCha-Cha▶ 1:17:05

Dion Waiters Award

Amanda DobbinsEve ArdenPatti Simcox (after confirming Jeff Conaway wasn't eligible)▶ 1:18:40
Bill SimmonsSusan BucknerSuggested 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 TravoltaAgrees with Travolta for Apex Mountain, noting his path after was totally screwy with no other streak or ascension▶ 1:25:41
Bill SimmonsJohn TravoltaTravolta - 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
Bill SimmonsHopelessly Devoted▶ 1:30:52

Just One Oscar

Bill SimmonsJohn TravoltaTravolta▶ 1:37:38

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 FeverSaturday 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
Bill SimmonsYou have to be a bad girl to keep your man happy▶ 1:44:34

Who Won the Movie

Amanda DobbinsJohn TravoltaTravolta, though also acknowledges Olivia Newton-John really benefits from this▶ 1:45:08

Movies Referenced (45)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
Saturday Night Fever (1977)IMDb ↗Lb ↗27Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 2:56
The Beach (2000)IMDb ↗Lb ↗16Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons▶ 24:33
Elvis (2022)IMDb ↗Lb ↗13Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 16:42
Sing (2016)IMDb ↗Lb ↗10Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons▶ 5:25
Titanic (1997)IMDb ↗Lb ↗9Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons▶ 1:56
Dirty Dancing (1987)IMDb ↗Lb ↗6Amanda Dobbins▶ 19:19
Pulp Fiction (1994)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons▶ 7:26
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons▶ 4:12
Top Gun (1986)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 13:32
Carrie (1976)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:42
Halloween (1978)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons▶ 12:12
Mean Girls (2004)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Amanda Dobbins▶ 57:49

Directors Referenced (5)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Lil PumpIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsDeadpool 2▶ 59:52
George ClooneyIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Amanda DobbinsThe Ides of March, Michael Clayton▶ 14:23
Martin ScorseseIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Amanda DobbinsTaxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 1:21:35
Mitch GaylordIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Amanda DobbinsBatman Forever▶ 1:29:52
Walt FrasierIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 1:06:54

Actors Referenced (55)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
John TravoltaIMDb ↗Lb ↗75Bill Simmons, Amanda DobbinsPulp Fiction, Get Shorty, Saturday Night Fever▶ 2:56
Jeff ConawayIMDb ↗Lb ↗16Bill Simmons, Amanda DobbinsGrease▶ 38:20
Elvis PresleyIMDb ↗Lb ↗13Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins▶ 16:42
Olivia Newton-JohnIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Amanda DobbinsGrease▶ 3:46
Tom CruiseIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill SimmonsTop Gun, Minority Report▶ 13:18
Didi ConnIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Amanda DobbinsGrease▶ 38:56
Patrick SwayzeIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Amanda Dobbins, Bill SimmonsDirty Dancing, Ghost, Point Break▶ 19:02
James DeanIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Amanda DobbinsEast of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause▶ 16:42
Carrie FisherIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi▶ 1:11:42
Linda RonstadtIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsThe Abyss▶ 1:11:19
Sid CaesarIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Amanda Dobbins, Bill SimmonsGrease, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World▶ 1:15:16
Stockard ChanningIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsPractical Magic, Grease, Six Degrees of Separation▶ 46:05

Writers Referenced (5)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
James L. BrooksIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsBroadcast News, As Good as It Gets, Terms of Endearment▶ 1:02:12
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Amanda Dobbins▶ 27:59
Buddy HollyIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsBig Fish, Almost Famous▶ 23:32
Jim JacobsIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsGrease, Easy A▶ 26:17
Warren CaseyIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsGrease, Easy A▶ 26:17