Home/Episodes/Just One of the Guys

‘Just One of the Guys’ With Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, and Joanna Robinson

January 20, 2026 · Just One of the Guys (1985) · Comedy · Romance · 2:02:27 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Picking Nits

Bill SimmonsWorkplace harassment behavior that made sense in 1985 but now the teacher would get fired and the contest would be protested▶ 11:06
Joanna RobinsonThe premise is unbelievable but it doesn't matter because we're having a great time▶ 8:16
Kyle BrandtJoyce Heiser has a rough early scene where she's arguing with the teacher and appears to forget her line but they kept it in▶ 12:38

Dion Waiters Award

Bill SimmonsBilly JayneBilly Jacoby - agreed with the comparison to '14 year old Bill Murray' and praised his commitment, comparing his approach to Chevy Chase in Fletch▶ 16:20
Kyle BrandtBilly JayneBilly Jacoby - struggled with the category because he gets significant screen time and is awesome in every scene, mentioned planning to use him for another category▶ 15:55

Watch Party

Bill SimmonsFamily viewing with his son and wife, mentions having 'peanut gallery' as a pregame option▶ 34:30
Joanna RobinsonPeanut gallery ladies night▶ 34:14
Kyle BrandtDudes in a basement, like a grown up sleepover with four buddies, root beer, and video games▶ 34:19

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsBuddy's first scene, which includes lines like 'I've had lots of sex. It's just now I'd like to try with a partner' and 'horny will kick embarrassment's ass anytime'▶ 35:34
Kyle BrandtBuddy teaches Terry to act like a guy scene▶ 36:42

What's Aged the Best

Bill SimmonsParents being gone for the entire movie - this was half the plots in the 80s but wouldn't happen now due to technology and helicopter parenting▶ 56:22
Joanna RobinsonWomen-directed sex comedies of the 80s like this one are more soulful and haven't aged poorly like other 80s sex comedies such as Revenge of the Nerds▶ 55:27
Kyle BrandtHaving an older sibling whose friends come over as an all-time adolescent experience, and outdoor high schools with outdoor lockers and outdoor proms▶ 53:17

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill SimmonsCindy Lauper - they didn't do a second take▶ 1:10:32
Joanna RobinsonRick as a character needs more work - James Brown is not enough of a draw for the leading lady▶ 1:10:38

What's Aged the Worst

Bill SimmonsSherrilyn Fenn's 90s rise tying into the legend of the movie - she doesn't have the same oomph now as she did during the Twin Peaks era▶ 1:13:00
Joanna RobinsonTrans jokes and gender commentary in the movie that haven't aged well▶ 1:15:09
Kyle BrandtShirts and skins in gym class - it doesn't exist anymore and would be unfathomable for youth sports coaches today▶ 1:13:41

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill SimmonsBilly Jacoby gives an all-time 80s comedy performance in this movie with a 90+ percent batting average, comparable to Eddie Murphy and Chevy Chase▶ 1:25:24
Joanna RobinsonJoyce Hyser should have had a bigger career and Debbie Mazar took Joyce Hyser's career▶ 1:23:47
Kyle BrandtPaul Thomas Anderson ripped off this movie for Boogie Nights - the whole structure of a character hiding something with a big reveal at the end, and PTA was inspired by the Terry reveal for Dirk Diggler's reveal▶ 1:22:44

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsPatrick DempseyPatrick Dempsey as Rick - someone more nerdy for a believable rags to riches transformation instead of Clayton Rohner▶ 1:29:56
Joanna RobinsonSandra BullockSandra Bullock as Joyce - she was 19 when the movie came out and has the tomboy nature for the role▶ 1:30:32
Kyle BrandtDavid FincherDavid Fincher as director - would make the movie darker and more disturbing▶ 1:29:39

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsMartin ScorseseNot Sherrilyn Fenn for actors. Yes for funny teenage boy characters in 80s movies (Buddy). Dave Jacobi over other Jacobis. Tom Cruise over Tom Hanks. Scorsese over Spielberg.▶ 1:33:41
Joanna RobinsonMartin ScorseseAgrees the no-name cast helps the movie's legacy. Wouldn't put Buddy at Apex Mountain for funniest 80s teen. Dave Jacobi. Scorsese over Spielberg.▶ 1:33:55
Kyle BrandtMartin ScorseseAgrees most actors are no-names which helps the movie. Buddy is funnier than Ferris Bueller. Jacobi Jones or Cruz as Zabka/Hanks as Buddy. Scorsese over Spielberg due to sexual content.▶ 1:33:47

Is This Movie Better With

Bill SimmonsSuggested Tony Romo doing football commentary but didn't commit to a specific pick▶ 1:46:53
Kyle BrandtFergie the Florist as the newspaper editor who threatens Terry to write another article▶ 1:46:09

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill SimmonsIt's okay to transfer schools, dress up like a boy and ruin multiple lives just to win a newspaper contest▶ 1:49:11
Joanna RobinsonAll Balls itch. It's a fact.▶ 1:50:27
Kyle BrandtHorny will kick Embarrassing's ass anytime - from the gym coach's advice▶ 1:50:18

Who Won the Movie

Movies Referenced (54)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
She's the Man (2006)IMDb ↗Lb ↗8Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 27:14
The Beach (2000)IMDb ↗Lb ↗6Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons▶ 24:23
Can't Buy Me Love (1987)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 4:20
Weird Science (1985)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 7:23
Star Trek (2009)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson▶ 1:08:23
Superbad (2007)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 26:46
What Lies Beneath (2000)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Kyle Brandt▶ 1:22:23
Boogie Nights (1997)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Kyle Brandt▶ 1:22:44
Can't Hardly Wait (1998)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Joanna Robinson▶ 25:19
Easy A (2010)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2▶ 27:11
Elvis (2022)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Joanna Robinson▶ 1:59:22
Mean Girls (2004)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons▶ 28:00

Directors Referenced (15)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Warren BeattyIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna RobinsonHeaven Can Wait▶ 20:14
Lisa GottliebIMDb ↗Lb ↗10Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna RobinsonThe Blues Brothers▶ 8:40
Iyi TubiIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Kyle BrandtEx Machina, World War Z▶ 27:43
John HughesIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna RobinsonPlanes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club▶ 5:51
Brit ManorIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck, Joanna Robinson▶ 17:08
David FincherIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Kyle Brandt, Joanna RobinsonSe7en, Gone Girl, Zodiac▶ 1:29:39
Martin ScorseseIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons, Kyle BrandtTaxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 1:00:43
Paul Thomas AndersonIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Kyle BrandtPunch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 1:22:44
Martha CoolidgeIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Joanna Robinson▶ 21:41
Benoit LegrosIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Kyle BrandtEdge of Tomorrow, No Time to Die▶ 1:27:43
Brian De PalmaIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Joanna RobinsonBody Double, Dressed to Kill, The Bonfire of the Vanities▶ 1:24:28
Cameron CroweIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsAlmost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky▶ 1:22:26

Actors Referenced (95)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Bill MurrayIMDb ↗Lb ↗24Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Craig HorlbeckLost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom▶ 2:38
Sherilyn FennIMDb ↗Lb ↗14Bill Simmons, Joanna RobinsonOf Mice and Men, Wild at Heart▶ 37:47
Cyndi LauperIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons, Joanna RobinsonThe Goonies▶ 43:50
James BrownIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna RobinsonThe Blues Brothers, Django Unchained▶ 1:02:56
Kevin BaconIMDb ↗Lb ↗10Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson, Bill SimmonsFootloose, Hollow Man▶ 24:30
Kid CudiIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna RobinsonThe Harder They Fall, Don't Look Up, Need for Speed▶ 4:15
Nicole EggertIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 1:44:06
Rosanna ArquetteIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Joanna Robinson, Bill SimmonsPulp Fiction, After Hours▶ 1:00:58
Chevy ChaseIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna RobinsonMemoirs of an Invisible Man, Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation▶ 18:42
Corey HaimIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Joanna Robinson, Bill SimmonsThe Lost Boys▶ 1:44:06
Lorraine BraccoIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Kyle Brandt, Bill SimmonsGoodfellas▶ 21:07
Michael JacksonIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:59:02

Writers Referenced (6)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Bruce SpringsteenIMDb ↗Lb ↗12Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Joanna RobinsonThe Wrestler, Philadelphia▶ 19:35
William ShakespeareIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Kyle Brandt, Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons▶ 10:57
Ernest HemingwayIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Kyle BrandtTo Have and Have Not▶ 1:42:26
Jeff FranklinIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 29:41
Dennis FeldmanIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsSpecies▶ 29:41
Kurt WarnerIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Joanna Robinson▶ 1:24:12

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Kevin CadwalladerIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsReal Steel▶ 46:20