Home/Episodes/The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

‘The Naked Gun’ With Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt

July 2, 2024 · The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) · Comedy · Crime · 1:36:19 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill SimmonsDismisses the category, saying it's hard to pick nits with The Naked Gun since it's a movie made of nits, but acknowledges there are weak elements▶ 4:24

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsInitially wrote down every scene but narrowed it down to seven; specifically mentioned the bingo joke scene where the character opens a drawer and pulls out a bingo card▶ 4:34

What's Aged the Best

Bill SimmonsThe Naked Gun's visual presentation and timeless setting - it looks like it could be from 2005, unlike Airplane which looks dated from being set on old-fashioned planes▶ 10:16

What's Aged the Worst

Bill SimmonsO.J. Simpson/The Juice - called it possibly the strongest 'what's aged the worst' in Rewatchables history▶ 26:00

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill SimmonsThe Chinese food from Wong Wu's▶ 49:03
Kyle BrandtGeorge Kennedy at the ball game eating beer, creamsicle, grapes, and then an entire cake one after another▶ 49:12

Is There a Better Title?

Bill SimmonsNo better title - loves 'Naked Gun' as a great title even though he doesn't know what it means▶ 55:59

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill SimmonsLeslie Nielsen should have been a bigger star - handsome, charismatic, good comic timing, but never appeared in an Oscar-nominated movie▶ 59:51

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsBo DerekDiscussed Bo Derek for Jane role (would have worked), mentioned Vin Scully and Bob Costas for baseball announcing scene but had conflicts, noted George Kennedy campaigned for his role▶ 1:03:47

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill SimmonsShared multiple trivia facts: Queen Elizabeth attended an A's vs Orioles game with Reggie Jackson coaching; three 1988 comedies had steamroller deaths (Naked Gun, Fish Called Wanda, Roger Rabbit); Johnny Disco performed Drebin's umpire dancing; Ludwig's fish scene copied Game of Death; filmmakers wanted Brewers but got Mariners; Dodgers refused participation but provided stadium▶ 1:09:11

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsLeslie NielsenYes for Leslie Nielsen, no for O.J. Simpson, yes for umpiring in movies, no for George Kennedy, no for Reggie Jackson, no for Montalban, yes for California Angels, yes for Priscilla Presley as actress, yes for bad guy toupees, yes for National Anthems with Enrico Palazzo scene▶ 1:11:36

Picking Nits

Bill SimmonsMultiple baseball nits: leadoff hitter not swinging at three strikes down the middle, Reggie Jackson wearing a watch during the game, giant boobs billboard being in wrong location (south of Orange County, not near LAX), toxic waste in meatpacking factory, and why Mariners are fighting Angels when Frank only tackled Reggie Jackson▶ 1:20:09

Is This Movie Better With

Bill SimmonsSamuel L. JacksonSam Jackson - could work him in as the pap smear character, the George Kennedy part, or the guy at Pier 32 that Frank negotiates with▶ 1:22:21

Just One Oscar

Best Double Feature

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill SimmonsYou take a chance getting up in the morning, crossing the street, or sticking your face in a fan▶ 1:28:30

Who Won the Movie

Movies Referenced (46)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
The Naked Gun (2025)IMDb ↗Lb ↗13▶ 2:11
Platoon (1986)IMDb ↗Lb ↗7▶ 36:26
Step Brothers (2008)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4▶ 1:17:07
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3▶ 22:54
Sing (2016)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3▶ 1:18:04
There's Something About Mary (1998)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3▶ 11:28
Elvis (2022)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2▶ 8:08
Police Academy (1984)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2▶ 55:51
Rushmore (1998)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2▶ 1:14:39
Scary Movie (2000)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2▶ 22:18
Something to Talk About (1995)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2▶ 1:17:08
Star Trek (2009)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2▶ 17:49

Directors Referenced (3)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
David ZuckerIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Airplane!, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!▶ 4:55
Phil DonahueIMDb ↗Lb ↗2▶ 16:16
Mel AllenIMDb ↗Lb ↗1The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, Born on the Fourth of July▶ 43:53

Actors Referenced (75)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Naked EyesIMDb ↗Lb ↗44▶ 2:11
Reggie JacksonIMDb ↗Lb ↗20The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!▶ 2:32
Anaheim AngelsIMDb ↗Lb ↗17▶ 41:38
Hannah NordbergIMDb ↗Lb ↗15▶ 25:00
Leslie NielsenIMDb ↗Lb ↗15Airplane!, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!▶ 2:19
Ricardo MontalbanIMDb ↗Lb ↗9The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!▶ 2:28
Joyce BrothersIMDb ↗Lb ↗8The King of Comedy▶ 11:58
O.J. SimpsonIMDb ↗Lb ↗8The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!▶ 2:20
Priscilla PresleyIMDb ↗Lb ↗8The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!▶ 2:25
Marshawn LynchIMDb ↗Lb ↗6▶ 27:37
Dan AykroydIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Ghostbusters▶ 14:58
John CandyIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, Spaceballs▶ 14:51

Writers Referenced (6)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗4▶ 15:26
'Weird Al' YankovicIMDb ↗Lb ↗2▶ 3:32
Lorne MichaelsIMDb ↗Lb ↗2▶ 14:53
Danny McBrideIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Underworld▶ 1:02:29
James CameronIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Avatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 50:28
Pat ProftIMDb ↗Lb ↗1▶ 5:00

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Kai BlameyIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Annihilation▶ 1:11:15
Lotfi El GordaIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Aquaman, Noah▶ 48:06