Home/Episodes/The Legend of Billie Jean
‘The Legend of Billie Jean’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan
September 9, 2025 · The Legend of Billie Jean (1985) · Action · Drama · 1:23:12
Categories
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsHelen Slater — Discussed Helen Slater's career peak during mid-80s run (Supergirl, Billie Jean, Ruthless People, Secret of My Success, City Slickers) and Christian Slater's first big movie before Heathers breakthrough▶ 20:21
Chris RyanChristian Slater — Agreed with discussion of Christian Slater's early career moment and provided context about the competitive movie landscape of July 1985▶ 24:19
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsOpening credits with The Divinyls 'Boys in Town', Billie Jean harassment scene with Mr. Pyatt, mall exchange with sped-up 'Rebel Yell', Billie Jean watching Joan of Arc and new haircut reveal, Billie Jean's tape being played at police station▶ 28:56
Chris RyanAgrees with opening credits for authentic location feel, discusses mall scene extensively wanting more 80s mall stores, and Lloyd's rich guy house with bedroom slide to pool▶ 29:09
Craig HorlbeckFocuses on mid-80s mall nostalgia and how it's the most nostalgic era, discusses the cultural significance of mall scenes▶ 32:22
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsStranger Things creators studied this movie (along with E.T., Goonies, and Karate Kid) and would admit it if given truth serum▶ 46:54
Chris RyanAgrees with the Stranger Things take and adds that there was Karate Kid influence, specifically Eleven's haircut▶ 46:50
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Chris RyanDiscussion about the character's unrealistic expectations of Vermont based on a poster▶ 49:41
Craig HorlbeckTangential question about whether kids still hang up posters of women in their rooms▶ 49:55
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsEither Billie Jean saving Kenny the Random Abuse Kid section, or Billie Jean getting shot at by two people trying to get a ransom section▶ 50:23
Chris RyanThe child abuse section where it's just like 'you got to save Kenny' but 'I'm on the run from the law, so I can't do that'▶ 50:47
Best Double Feature
Bill SimmonsThe Terminator — The Terminator - for female empowerment heroes from the mid-'80s pairing Sarah Connor and Billie Jean▶ 1:20:37
Chris RyanThe Last Starfighter — Last Starfighter or Rad - classic cult VHS movies from this time period▶ 1:20:46
Movies Referenced (42)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Gun (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 9:46 |
| The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 33:22 |
| Just One of the Guys (1985) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 5:42 |
| Pump Up the Volume (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 11:04 |
| The Beach (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 40:43 |
| Back to the Future (1985) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 24:20 |
| Beverly Hills Cop (1984) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 24:46 |
| Civil War (2024) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:08:30 |
| Nope (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 38:22 |
| Alien (1979) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:10:07 |
| All the Right Moves (1983) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:11:13 |
| American Gangster (2007) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:07 |
Directors Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Gordon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 13:02 | |
| Ken Burns | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:08:30 | |
| Paul Bellany | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Craig Horlbeck | Stardust | ▶ 1:21:16 |
| Paul Thomas Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood | ▶ 11:43 |
Actors Referenced (58)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pat Benatar | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 21 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Deadpool 2, The Italian Job | ▶ 8:51 |
| Helen Slater | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | City Slickers | ▶ 9:53 |
| Hubie Kerns Jr. | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Island | ▶ 8:36 |
| Anthony Pyatt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Craig Horlbeck | ▶ 6:29 | |
| Christian Slater | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Very Bad Things, True Romance, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves | ▶ 4:23 |
| Billy Idol | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Craig Horlbeck | The Wedding Singer, Speed | ▶ 31:36 |
| Peter Coyote | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Craig Horlbeck | A Walk to Remember, Patch Adams | ▶ 4:27 |
| Barry Tubb | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Top Gun, The Legend of Billie Jean | ▶ 59:27 |
| Kid Cudi | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Harder They Fall, Don't Look Up, Need for Speed | ▶ 21:36 |
| Lou Reed | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Blue in the Face | ▶ 1:07:09 |
| Rick Baker | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Planet of the Apes, Men in Black | ▶ 11:56 |
| Karl Malone | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 20:51 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Robbins | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 15:39 | |
| Noah Baumbach | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | The Squid and the Whale, Marriage Story | ▶ 27:11 |
| Dominique Piat | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:11:35 | |
| Paul Schrader | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | First Reformed | ▶ 1:11:47 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 27:29 |