James Bonding - The Spy Who Shagged Me

Episode Date: May 1, 2024

The Matt's dive into the second installment of the Austin Powers trilogy and address some business of the show. And Irvin Kershner and Boss Nass show up. Naturally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi listeners, Thug Passion Presents is a new show on Stitcher Premium hosted by stand-up comics, Shalewa Sharp, and Courtney Fearington. Listen as they share their love for underrated black movies by breaking down scenes with fellow comedians and celebrating the influence these films and characters have had in molding today's culture. Thug Passion Presents is now out on Stitcher Premium. Go to Stitcher Premium.com slash Thug Passion and use the promo code bond for a free month of Stitcher Premium. James Bonding Podcast Oh, that sound means it's time for another James Bonding.

We like the bruise here. Yeah, except this is just sparkling water. It's a LaCroix. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to James Bonding. I'm Matt. And I'm Matt as well, deep-voiced, whiskey-throated. First time in podcast history, I have arrived at someone's house for a podcast, and they were asleep. You were a half hour early.

It says we say 10. It's look in our text massages, and you'll see that it is... No way. Oh my God, I was early. That's crazy. I was a half hour. I feel so bad. Don't you feel bad?

I feel terrible. I had a long day yesterday, so I was just catching some rest before you came over. Do you know what's amazing, Matt? I was driving here, and I was like, boy, this is the first Sunday in a while. I've actually been on time. I usually am like 10 minutes late. and the fact that this is just me being silly, it had to be 10 at some point, right?

Yeah, but let's not, you know, let's not us fight over that. Guys, I ruined it. It was 10.30, for a minute. We're here to continue on the arc of the Austin Power series. Before we get that, let's cover a little bit of business, shall we? Sure, I like business. Well, first of all. I like Boss Nass.

Boss. Me's a liking this. Me-s-a-thinking. Wee-sha-been friends. Wow. Wow, Boss Nass was here, Matt. You missed it. Oh, I stepped out.

I was talking to Ian Fleming in the other room. It's crazy because Boss Nass... Do you think he's slimy? Do you think he's... I can guarantee. And I have that on first-hand experience. He slimed in here. Yeah, it was great.

A lot of people think he's a CG creation. He's pure, tactile slime. Me and Brian Blessed. Well, he lives under the water. In what appears to be water and airtight domes. Yeah, jelly bubble domes. Yeah, so I guess they're... Permeable.

Their species can swim for great distances. Yeah, they're amphibious. The gungids? But they seem to need air. Yeah, you're right. Yeah. Which makes you think, are they mammalian? That's sort of what I'm thinking.

They seem to live in air. but under the water. They don't have gills, do they? Not that I've seen. That's Captain Tarples. I got all the gungons. All the gungens down. Oh, boy.

So that's what we're here to talk to you about, guys. Gungens. That's right. We're starting a new podcast called Opa Gungan style. Nick Wager was kind enough to let us use that. It's called, You Can Have My Gungan when you pry it from my cold dead hands. Oh. Look, I think that the Gungans are the second worst race in Star Wars.

Who's the first? The Trade Federation guys. The Nemoids? Yeah. Oh, my God. Is that true? Uh-huh. As you know, our blockade is a perfectly ariego.

What? I can't believe you know their name. I mean, I can believe it. I'm impressed and also shock that I... Do you know how high my midi-clorian count is? It seems to be through the roof. It's up there. Have you, let me...

Can you get me in touch with your mom? Because I want to ask who your father might be. My mom carried me. She gave birth to me. Yeah, but who's your father? You're trailing off every time. Answer that question. Anyway, it's time for some business, Matt.

That's right. So we are reaching the end of our year-long foray with this podcast. We've covered all the films. Next week we're going to do us all the service of covering never say never again. Which is crazy. It feels completest. Because I said last time that we would never cover that again. You did?

No, I didn't. Never say never again. I didn't even get your joke set up. I apologize. And then we're going to take a little bit of a break, but don't worry. We will be back and we're discussing how we're going to come back, whether that's in the same form or possibly a Patreon angle. We're thinking of some new ideas for shows that we might want to do. on a semi-regular basis that might work well on a Patreon model.

Look, the point is we've promised you guys Star Warsing and Indiana Jonesing, and we're going to deliver that in some form. As well as some other new ideas possibly and the options of the commentary track. So there's definitely going to be some James Bonding in the future. It will be regular James Bonding exactly when and exactly how much we don't know yet, but we're working that out. And especially if we take a nice break, we'll be kind of ramping up again around the time that we're starting to get a steady stream of info from Brown 25.

On set photos, rumors, happenstance, casting. It's all coming. Yeah, like Angelina Jolie's. Script problems. Her script problems. Has she been rumored? Yeah? Oh, I didn't know that.

And Helen Abottom Carter. That one I knew. And also Sarah Paulson. Oh. Which I really like the idea. Hello, Sarah Paulson. I love the idea. Oh, I really like Sarah.

Now, that comes from our man in the east via a rumored source on Reddit. Now, so take that with at least two grains of salt. That's two generations removed. But I would love some Sarah Paulson as a Bond villain. I'd be into it, especially if she wore the Marsha Clark wig. Yeah. Yeah. Or Daniel Craig did.

Oh, Daniel Craig and a Marsha Clark wig throughout the movie for some reason. Weird. Weird that Danny Boyle would really. request. I know. That is weird. Do you think that they'd ever cast a curly-haired bond? Do you think that would be more of an uproar than the blonde hair? I, this is probably, this is interesting to take the, uh, the way the world is today, and you can't really, um, you can't say anything bad against someone with curly hair, but I remember when they did, um, uh, greatest American hero thinking, like,

I'm having trouble buying this guy as a hero because he's got curly hair. Who ironically was also up for Luke Skywalker, William Cat. Yes, I do know that. And I don't think I could have dealt with it. The follow-up to that is like, I think that was sort of really worked for the character, though, because it was sort of an anti-hero. He didn't really know what he was doing with that suit. I actually really like curly hair. He lost the construction book.

I know. I wish I had curly hair. I've just got... Do you really? Well, wavy hair at least. You have wonderful hair, man. No, that's not true. I know that you just wanted to get on the subject, so I compliment.

at your hair. I don't. But it's gorgeous. It's straight. It's thick. You're, you're just, you just got it all going on. Your beard's out. Oh, boy.

Look out ladies. You, come on. Look at that beard. Well, this is, this is too thick a beard. And I don't like it because it curls. You know, my beard's very curly. Your beard is very beardly. No, isn't it funny how the grass is always greener?

Because I think you've got a great, great beard. When I look at your beard and I see how much gray is in it, I envy that. Do you know how badly I want a gray beard? Well, you'll get there. I have the gray on the sides going. But you'll get, like, that's an assured thing. Well, hurry up already. God.

Okay. So, yeah, anyway, this is the kind of discussion you'll be getting once again after a break. This is the thing. Part of it is we'll put in some quality control, especially if it's Patreon related. Finally. No, I think so, because we're talking maybe even doing a bit of character episodes where we get some broccoli and some Fleming, maybe some Kersner, maybe some Alec Guinness or whatever. also possibly a cocktail hour episode, these might be regular things behind the Patreon wall.

Yeah, I think there also might be a segment I'd like to debut called Dueling Kersnorshners. Are you bringing in a Kersh? Well, you know, I was doing your Kershner the other day. I was saying, I'm just doing Matt Gourleys. But it's addictive, isn't it? It's crazy. Everybody at home, try it out. It's a crazy.

Here, I'll guide you through it. When you go to the swamp to see Yoda, you actually... Go to the swamp. to see the goblin man. Dagabah. Dagabar. And there's the little green goblin and Luke's got to,

he's got to bend over to go in his hovel. He lives in a hobble. When I read the script, I said, George, no one's going to buy this little green goblin man. No. And we were shooting the Empire Strikes Back, which of course was the sequel to the very popular Star Wars, A New Hope, I was calling it that back then.

So this guy, Frink Oz comes, and he opens up this case, and he shows me this little creature. I thought it was a violin, but it was actually like a plush toy, right? I guess it was one of his kids or something, and he had ripped the bottom of it out, and he could do, he could put his hand up the goblin toy, and it was the most uncanny thing I've ever seen. He'd make it come to life, and we said, let's put this in. the movie and we retooled the script. With Jehovah as my witness, when he moved his hand, I believe that

Goblin was saying things. Then, of course, the Rolling Stones came by and everyone was high. It's a miracle. Well, I've got to run. I've got a meeting with Boss Nass later. He's my boss. You're in talks, too.

I work with him. I work for him. He's my boss. Did you get a lot of work on Naboo? I did, I directed the All the safety videos All this, the Gungan, Odo Gungan safety videos Now that of course is the name of the Gungan world

Sure Yeah also I sound like Ray Romano It's weird that you Talk about Yoda as some sort of goblin But these Gungans you know everything about it Oh you got to respect the Gungans They've come a long way And I want to be one

I want to go I want to go dances with wolves into the gung. Now, here's my next film, right? I mean, John Barry did the score of Dances with Wolves. I'm going to do a film called Dances with, oh, what are those little things the gungans ride? Hold on. Hold on.

Couldn't you just call Boss Nass and ask this? But it sounds to me a lot like you want to, you want to reverse aerial this. You want to be where the gungens are, not where the people are. I want to be where. the gungans are a cadu dances with caduz all right so i go um john dunbar into uh otogunga and they they capture me at first but then i become one of them and i marry this nice gungan gal

her names chloro or and uh and then i fight the evil gungans yeah how much time you think you're going to spend on the surface i'm never coming up for air again you're just going to use the air What do I want with the nibu? Yeah. And my question, I guess, next question is the creatures that you ride, again. The Khadu. The Khadu. How do they get up to the surface, the Khadu?

Do they live on the surface? They live in the Gungan city? Well, that's part of what this movie's going to be about. Getting to the bottom of that. Do they have an aquilong? How do they do it? Do they all, do they go into some sort of large transatlantic? Transport.

That's a very good question. Because they are riding them down in Otonga, because Captain Tarpels comes up and goes, Joja! Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just like Andy Garcia in Godfather III when he goes, Zaza! Yeah, that's exactly right. Well, I mean, Coppola, Lucas, of course, they started with American Zotrope, and they're big on recurring themes and the poetry of rhyming themes and such. So they crossbred.

If you really watch Godfather III and the Phantom Menace together, there are. companion piece. Oh, that's... And that's on purpose, and I made sure that happened. Well, I've got to run. All right, Irving, thanks so much for swinging through. You bet you, betcha, betcha, bet you one way or another. I'm going to get you, get you, get you, get you.

What I miss? There's a lot of... Well, let's just say. Irving Kirshner was here. He loves the Gungans. He wants to marry one one day, and he liked to do a movie just about how the... This checks out. The animals that the Gungans ride.

Oh, the Cadoos? Yeah, the Cadus. they get from city, underwater city, up to the surface. Just that... I bet they're taken up

and want to... Like, they have mobile jelly wall, semi-permeable water force shields that they put around the Khadu.

Yeah. Yeah. I'm assuming it's caudu like deer. Like it's... Yeah. Plural and singular. Yeah.

Well, I mean, that's what you miss, Matt. Oh, well, thanks for swinging back, though. What other business do we got before we get

started with the spy who shag me? Because we're already 15 minutes into this thing. Hey, look, give the people more bang for

their no book. I want to point out something that I've been listening to that I think our listeners would find also very special. And that is this great Australian podcast called The Art of the score. And they are just beginning a three episode series on the James Bond franchise. And these guys are so good. They bust everything apart and play it along with it. They play the actual score, but they're also sitting there with piano so they can, you know, just go like, what would this be like in a major key instead of a minor key and they'll play a little bit of it? And it's super fascinating. They're super knowledgeable, super likable. Check it out. The art of the score. And only episode one of the John Barry sequence is out already. Two more coming in the next couple of weeks.

It's weird that you direct people to podcasts with people who are more talented than us, man. Oh, that's every podcast, friend. So true. Yes. Look, and while we're promoting things, I just want to say to everyone listening at home, how's your wall doing? Does it look like it could use something? Oh, you're so sweet. Well, guess what?

There's a brand new printout from Matt Goreley in his epic stunt show series. This is On Her Majesty's Secret Stunt Show. Oh, Matt, I have to tell you, this print, I don't know if you've seen it yet, but it is action-packed. It has everything you've come to love about the James Bond franchise,

particularly in this movie. We're talking helicopters, skis, Aston Martins, Mercury Cougars. It's got everything you love from Honor Majesty's Secret Service, one of the greatest entries in the franchise, and this presupposes that United Artists teamed up with six flags in the late 60s to make a stunt spectacular.

Presupposes, I think it's just reporting the fact. Oh, it does report the facts. In fact, it's copyright. All right, it's Reservie on Productions. Guys, it's beautiful. It's the color scheme of blue and white. It's going to look beautiful next time. the Live and Let Die poster, which is also available.

If you're looking for something to hang on your wall, maybe you've just moved into a new place and you're like, boy, I'm going to make this feel lived in. Yeah. Well, have I got a treat for you? You can head over to Matt goarly.com and you can order one of these beautiful prints and frame it. Get it up on your wall. Do it.

Matt, you're too kind. No, I think they need to know because the amount of work you put into this, I mean, if that's not worth the almighty dollar, I don't know what is. It's a labor of love, and I do love it. Yeah, look. Guys, here's the kind of detail you're going to see over there. The cable car is supported on the other side by the H. The H.

The H. In her majesty C. It's that kind of detail that Matt Goreley is known for. And you're not going to, you're not going to, here's, here's my guarantee. You're not going to find a better James Bond stunt spectacular show poster out there. I think you may be right. And that is not a compliment of my own. No, give it an order.

Shear market share. Well, look, corner the market. That's what they say, right? That's right. First to market, that's the way to go. Matt, I love you. Right back at you, Matt. Now let's talk about the spy who loved me.

Shag me? No, after watching that, I'd like to watch the spy who loved me. Should we talk about the spy who shag me, the spy who dumped me, or the spy who loved me? And there's another one, too, right? The spy who came in from the cold. I don't count that. Okay. That's too many words.

All right. The spy who dumped me. I just saw the trailer for it over the weekend last weekend when I went to see Uncle Drew in theaters. I haven't seen a movie in a long time. Still haven't seen The Avengers or Solo or Deadpool, but guess what I did see. Uncle Drew. How was it? It was exactly how you think it would be.

But the trailer for Spy Who Dumped Me? The Spy Who Dumped Me trailer played, and I have to tell you, it's a movie I feel like I've seen. And you know what? I think Kate McKinnon is wonderful, and I think Milakounis is terrific, and I look forward to seeing them team up in some sort of action adventure that takes place in France. I'm excited, yeah. I like those people. Kate McKinnon especially find her brilliantly funny. I'm really excited to see what they do with this.

Yeah. So buckle up, guys. It's the spy who dumped me. But today it's the spy who shagged me. The second installment in the Austin Power franchise, which we have one more should we decide to cover it. but also did you see that Mike Myers was teasing a possible new Austin Powers movie right after our episode on the Austin Powers came out? I don't want to say Mike is a longtime listener, but he probably isn't.

But I cannot chalk it up to a coincidence. No. I have to think that we, much like Phil was responsible for getting Roger Morris, live and let die, die. And we were responsible for getting Desmond Newellyn's hands. the most Googled thing in 2017. Yes, we are also probably responsible for this renewed interest in the Austin Powers franchise. That's right.

You're welcome, America. It's time. And the world. Yeah. And, you know, it is time because also when we were watching it, I guess we can kind of jump into the discussion about it. I was watching it with my lovely wife Amanda and our two friends, Daniel and Michelle, Daniel, who's been on this show before for the Living Daylights episode. And some of the jokes, you know, it does.

step it up this, this, uh, installment. And Amanda kind of like side and goes, ah, it was a simpler time. And it's true, not just politically, but also comedically. This was before the rise of like, um, cringe comedy and the office and, you know, like the, the, also the, like, throwing out of alts in a Judd Apatow point grade kind of movie. So it really is very carefully planned, wacky, simple, innocent schick, and this movie takes that to the extreme. Here's the most shocking thing about this film.

When it was done, I noticed that the runtime was an hour and 37 minutes. Yeah. I was shocked. I thought I was sitting for two and a half hours. Really? Wow. I watched it in two sittings. Yeah.

Mostly because my internet went out and I had to refire up the HBO Go, which I didn't do for another two and a half hours. Oh. But look, the success of the first Austin Powers movie, in your brain you think this movie made $200 million, but it didn't make that much. The first one?

Yeah, the entire domestic run of it was less than the first weekend box office of this movie. Wow. Yeah. That's right. It was kind of a sleeper hit that paved away for this second one. Yeah. And this one, you can tell they have more money and they give less fucks. And they are just doing their movie.

movie. Like, I, first of all, I enjoy, I forgot how they got rid of Elizabeth Hurley. Yeah, it's interesting that they, not that they do that, that she comes back to play that part just to be dispatched. I think you get it, you know, as a, as a, as a parody of the Bond franchise. Yeah. You know, you can't have your main hero, uh, tied down with, uh, with a misses. And this sort of starts the way that Diamonds are forever was supposed to start, minus the secret robot situation. Right.

But I do really like, I like the way they did it. And I like... I like that she has digital numbers for eyes. Yes. Also, I like that the eyebrows can be surprised when it's about to blow up. Yeah. And I really enjoyed the Basil's line of, yes, we knew all along, I'm afraid.

Just to like, just the dispense with the character. Right. That was, for me, that was a good bit. Yeah. And then we're back in the well. And what does that well contain? It contains ways to be naked and cover that up. That's right.

So they double down on a lot of the same jokes, as Brian pointed out when we did the first episode. And it doesn't serve it as well because also I found a lot of, of just Mike Myers' kind of comedic bits were really distilled down to the same sort of thing, and that is say something funny, then repeat it a different way multiple times, and then end on a like snap mug to the camera. And I was surprised at how much that repeated throughout the movie, where he would do like a punctuating look.

Yeah, but here's the thing. I think it worked more in the Austin Powers character than it did in the Dr. Evil character. He really puts it into the Austin Powers wig. Well, I guess that's not it's probably his hair. I think it is.

I mean, I know it is. Of course you know it is. For the most part. There's something about the Austin Powers look and that character is sort of the way that character carries himself that makes the throwaway fourth wall looks.

For me, they hit better. Because he's also doing that in the world. It's not necessarily to the movie audience. It's he's mugging to the other characters. Yes. And also I like, so that does work a bit more. I like that he reacts to lines of dialogue other characters are saying in the sense of like, like, you know, you say this is pre-office, but I think this is, this is, this is your proto, uh, Bilbo. God, I forgot his name already. Proto Bilbo. What? Who plays, who plays Bilbo

Baggins in the Hobbit? Ian Holm? No. You mean Frodo Baggins? Is that what I mean? No, young Bilbo in the Hobbit. Oh, Martin Freeman. That's why I'm sorry. Yes, so he's proto Martin Freeman. In my mind. Okay, yeah.

He's proto Martin Freeman, Jim from the office American version, the looks to camera reacting to craziness around him. See, I saw it all as much more like 50s comedy. There were times when it was just straight up innocent, wacky, dumb jokes. that I felt like weren't even around that much in the 80s that were just kind of like, you know, fart jokes. They're just a lot of little boy humor that also then after it does, it kind of looks at the camera and go, oh, aren't I precocious? I'm not going to, I'm not going to ding it for any of that.

That sort of thing for me really plays to my simpler funny. Well, that was what was interesting about watching it is you don't see the style as much anymore. It's also 100% committed and 100% rehearsed and planned. Like it's, it's might as well be a play in a way, like a broad farce or something. I'd be very interested to read the screenplay. Yeah, it doesn't seem like there's any improv other than maybe alternate takes. Yeah. But I even think those feel like they might have been planned. This movie in many ways is way more 90s than the other

The other one, the irony being this one takes place in the 60s for the most part. Yeah. But this is so everything, everything you're seeing in this movie, it just sort of like goes like, oh my God. I forgot that the sort of, I forgot the omnipresence of Jerry Springer. Like, I forgot about that. That scene really worked well, I thought. I remember at the time feeling like, oh, this is kind of hacked. But I really enjoyed it.

that scene because they literally shot it with Jerry Springer on the studios just like Jerry Springer. Yeah, they went to Chicago and made that scene happen. That, for me, was a highlight of the movie. Do you think that it had to be Jay Roach in the booth doing the multi-camera recording for the TV? Because they record with the TV cameras. I'm sure they shot it like a film, like one. Oh, I think they just used their cameras.

Really? and actually did the switchwork. Well, they can shoot everything from every angle and then edit it after, I'm sure. Yeah, but I wonder, it would be really funny if they were doing live. I know. Although I guess he'd have to reposition the camera. But that scene for me was just like so 90s. It was amazing.

Oh, very. It was amazing. And the way that, what was a little unsettling about it was the Nazi, the Klanmen and the seemingly redneck gentleman. And I was like, oh, no, that's very, that's very now. Yeah, very now. Like, back then, those things were a little more buried, and so you could joke about them a little bit more, and now it feels a little too close to the bone.

Right. Yeah. But, you know, Steve Wilcoast is in there, aka Jerry Springer's bald bodyguard. He's there. Oh, wow, you really know your... I know my Springer. I know my Jerry, Jerry.

Michael McDonald returns, having previously been rolled over by a steam rinkered, roller. He's back watching Jerry Springer as is Will Ferrell. Yep. Will Ferrell plays the same character. He plays Mustafa. Why do I know this?

Because we just watched the movies. That's why. But yeah, so the premise here is that Austin's mojo has been taken. They introduced the concept of time travel, which is so silly and terrific. And the way they dispatch with the problems of it by winking at the audience. That was an improvised line. Who? Michael York's? Yeah.

Really? Yeah. God bless him. By Michael York. Isn't that amazing? Yeah. Wow, that's pretty good. And then to let go with it and then to have...

Tibalt. He was Tibalt. Yes. In the classic Zeparelli, Romeo and Juliet. I thought something was leaking. And it turns out Amanda's just watering some plants. Yeah. His career is interesting because he started off pretty strongly with, you know,

doing Royal, or not Royal Shakespeare, but Romeo and Julius. And then he kind of had this resurgence. He was, but then he really, like, I wonder what happened to Michael York because he ended up doing a lot of low budget Christian doomsday films, the kind that just get you a paycheck like Eric Roberts does now. Yeah. But I wonder if he was like, you know, this is an easy life. Do these. I wonder, but he's a talented guy. They only want one take.

He could be an A-list actor, I would think. I wonder why that doesn't happen for someone like him. Is it something behind the scenes? Is it just circumstance? Is it him not caring, making bad choices, having a bad agent? I'm always fascinated by that. Did you work with Michael York? Do you know the answer to this question?

Please email us. Please. I would love to know. Honestly, that would be amazing. James BondingPod at gmail.com. Because he also, he popped up in Austin Powers, but then that's kind of it. He never really stuck around again. After that is when he started doing his, I think, isn't he in one of the,

what is that the last days or what is that series of books that they turned into movies left behind? Oh, is he in one of the left behinds? He's in one of the left behinds. He's in one and something like that, you know. I'm a look at up, Matt. Michael York.

Let's hit up his wonderful IMDB here. Yeah. And talk about it. What's he up to right now? What is he up to right now? All right, here we go. 5.11. Most known for Logan's run.

Yeah. And Austin Powers. Yeah. But not Romeo and Julia. Interesting. He plays a priest in something called in search of Steven Spielberg. What? He does, let's see.

You know, he appeared on a How I Met Your Mother. He does one voice in Transformers, Revenge of the Fallen. Oh. This might interest you, Matt. He plays Dr. Nouveau Vindy in Star Wars, The Clone Wars. Two episodes. Wow. Ben Tand, a lot of voice acting.

Yeah, sounds like it. That's good. I mean, he's got a good voice. Great voice. He was in a criminal intent in 2006. Yeah, what has Michael York been up to? Michael, if you would like a better career, consult Matt and I, and we will become your new agents.

Oh, man. I'm just going to have you come over and talk to me. You know, one bit that is new in this movie that isn't in the first that I think is excellent, and that is the tracking the rocket montage cut right before it seems like a dirty word into the next scene. But all of them are people recognizing the rocket, and then it comes full circle back to Clint Howard. I think that sequence is, like, slow-key genius. I really do. then the problem is they do it again in the same movie and it's not as effective.

Well, you know what happened there? It tested, that sequence tested so well that they went and did the second part. See, that is the fault of this movie is that it doesn't know when to quit, both in dialogue sometimes, scenes, and it's kind of working against itself at times. There is a slight desperation sometimes to just the script and the performance in need laughing laughs that I think the first movie proves you don't have to do and this one for some reason seems like it's doubling down on the same bits but needing a reaction more and it's it's a weird like undertone that I sort of felt I don't know what do you think about that I think

about that I think that it is it does have its faults and it is interesting how zeitgeist the Austin Powers became between these two movies and how how prolific, yeah, baby. Yeah, and it was like, it was aware when it was doing those things that it was going to get a, like almost an echo in the theater, you know, people saying it. And it seems very self-aware of its own cultural cachet, I guess. I don't know. I just, memory flooded into my brain of when I went to see this in the theater. And the lights went out.

And I'm trying to remember if it was that the. The trailers stopped and then somehow broke, right? And then the lights went up and it was about five minutes. And then the lights went down and the movie started. And then in a dead silent theater, one guy yelled out, yeah, baby. And the audience started cracking up. Yeah, I laughed. But that's just, that's funny.

That's a memory that I had completely forgotten until just now. There's another thing we were talking about when we were watching it, that catchphrase comedy went away after this. This was kind of like this Napoleon Dynamite. And I would say Borat is the last of that. Yeah, you know, it's funny is we in the Goldberg's writers room, we were sitting around because like last year we were talking. We just started doing, you know, my wife as, you know, as much in the way, Akerman and the comedy bang bang. you just sort of like, it's so, it was so prolific, it was so unfunny that to do it ironically now is funny to you. And it was funny to us.

So we started doing that. The year before we had done, yeah, baby. And this year, we have switched it to Robin Williams's hello for Mrs. Doubtfire. Is that? Hello. Yeah. So, like, we'll do, someone enters the room and says, hi, we'll do that. So, but there was a long discussion about, like, what, what, what,

What will this year's thing be? Uh-huh. What is the catchphrase comedy thing that we feel like bringing back into this office for no reason other than to entertain ourselves? Yeah. And we had entertained going back to the Austin Power as well. Oh. And saying, like, evil, like Dr. Evil. Uh, a couple other things.

And then we landed on Mrs. Dau Fire. That's pretty good. That is correct, though. Catchphrase comedy. It's a weird thing. word. But the meme culture, I think, has taken over catchphrase comedy. You're right.

You're right. It's the same idea. Yeah. And it's interesting because I would say like Napoleon Dynamite and Borat, they didn't mean to be catchphrases. They were given that after the fact. Austin Powers feels almost like it's shooting for that and not just. Well, it's coming out of the SNL culture, right? Yeah, exactly.

It's coming out of Mike Myers' background on SNL. He repeats a lot of things. And I think he's kind of. aware that they have the ability to catch on. Where the other films, I feel like it's just dialogue written well and delivered well and it caught on. But I do think Mike Myers is building them in a little bit. Well, it's the swing of it all.

Yeah, exactly. It's the swing. It's the as if it's all of the catchphrases we came to know and love from Wayne's World. Yeah, that's right. Which again started on SNL and then sort of wound up permeating the culture. He did Wayne's World. He did Wayne's World 2. You know, Wayne's World, I think, is just, it's, it's still holds up.

It's a great, great movie. I haven't seen that in years. And Wayne's World 2, I think, is sort of underrated. I don't remember Wayne's World 2 at all. Christopher Walken is in it, a sleazy record producer? No, no memory of it. Okay, I was going to start describing more to you. No, don't even bother.

The roadies at Wainstock are like, it's like Chris Farley, Bob Odenkirk. It's just like there's a lot of like funny bits of me. Yeah, I'd revisit those. But yeah, so it's interesting to see the Mike Myers School of Comedy. And then, you know, I think with love guru kind of made him go, all right, let me just take a beat. Yeah, that did not hit. He was doing his thing in a world that had changed. In that sense, I root for it, you know?

I'd be curious to watch it. I haven't seen it either. Also, but like this character, this love guru character seems like a character that very naturally would have fit into the Austin Powers world of like Austin going through a Maharisha phase. Right, right. You know what I mean? And I just wonder why he didn't just do an Austin Powers for them.

It should have been that's what like Austin Powers has become a love guru, you know, living in India. I mean, it would make sense. Yeah, I mean, he has the Kama Sutra in this book. Austin Powers with his face on it. Yeah. Well, it says Austin Powers is Coma Sutra.

It's a bestseller. Yeah. So this also, this movie introduces Minnie Me. Yes, that's right. Which, again, another, like, cultural thing. And it's interesting to see,

like, this movie does not do well for little people, lesbians, and fat people. Like, you just... Look. every word of fat bastard's speech at the end rang so true to my own just how I am yeah but I thought it was funny yeah it's funny a lot of it's funny I laughed I started laughing and then when he when he farted I then laughed harder because that's so stupid I was just like god man that to me is a perfect

example of leave well enough alone, but there's always a little punctuation on these things that, to me, kills what they just did. If you've ever wanted to test your competitive chops on a game show, you should be listening to Doctor Game Show right here on Earwolf. In each episode, hosts Joe Firestone and Manolo Moreno play listener-created games with comedian guests and live call-ins. The games are hilarious, creative, and totally unpredictable. It's a show the whole family can enjoy.

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I like it too. I like sweet Austin Powers, you know? Like, I like him. Like, the character is very sweet. Yes, he is. He's very endearing. And I honestly could have done with 12 more minutes of there being two Austin's, talking about how attracted they were to the other Austin.

Yeah, that was good. Like, that was so funny to me for some reason. I mean, Mike Myers, I think, is super talented, very funny. And when he's playing the same character against himself, a character that is just a second. up character who doesn't care who or what as long as he finds them sexy. Yes. To find himself so sexy.

I know. I know. I just think that's such a wonderful character trait and such a terrific sort of way to explore that, Austin from 10 minutes from now. I really like the third act of the movie. I find the second act to be a little like, okay, okay, okay. But the third act of this movie, everything on Moon Bay Zappa, is really just that stuff all hits for me.

It's interesting to talk about it in the same way we do the Bond films in that they're a product of their time. And so there are problematic things with Bond, no doubt. And this movie does have some problematic things. Like just the depiction of Fral Farbison as lesbian lover as a unibrowed, almost like just like butch, thugged to the comedic extreme. With no lines. But that's more problematic than anything of the era in the Bond movies of this time. Yeah, I mean, it is stereotypical in the sense of like when they go to the Chinese school, to say, Wang. You're in a like Chinese private school from, I guess from the 60s and they're all in the same school uniform.

I didn't be private school. It's a communist school. You're right. Okay, so that is what it is, but that probably just. That is what it is. That's not making a... They weren't making a joke out of them being Chinese, where the joke was she looks like a...

They just needed to say Wang in some way. Do you know what I mean? Like, we needed to get away with saying Wang somehow. Yeah. And that's how they did it. So I guess, weirdly, I guess I'm sort of defending the joke of Unibrow LPGA in the sense of like,

it's broad, super broad, and super stereotypical. Yeah. But I feel like that's just the world of this movie. It is, and that's clear, but it is something that you can't... No, I don't think you... I don't think you get away with that joke.

I don't think you get away with. I think aside from it being offensive, it's too easy. Yeah, it's super lazy. And I've... Those type of jokes have always... I think it's like the same thing as fat bastard farting at the end. It's like, well, I'm not sure if we're going to get them with what we just did. So let's throw something in for everyone.

Well, I mean, you want to talk about a little bit. jokes that I don't know that you can do anymore. It's just like them all like them shaking thinking there's an earthquake or the volcano's going to blow up and it's just that fat bastard has walked in. Like, you know, I mean, there's like, there's a lot of them. And it's, you know, I think this movie, I forgive it because it sort of spreads it so far, you know, across all. Yeah.

Every, every genre of person is mocked to the nth degree in this, like, you know, from the swingers of the 60s to the fat guy to the, you know, to the, to the, to the, lesbian thing. And I forgot about, I forgot about the retconning of making Scott Frow and Dr. Evil's kid. Yeah, I'd forgotten about that too. I just find it's interesting to talk about that stuff, because I'm not judging it one way or the other. It is, it is an old movie. And I don't think even a new Austin Powers would do that. it's 22 years old, isn't it? Wasn't it 96?

No, I don't know. Oh, no, what am I saying? Not 96. Yeah, you're right. It's 99. So, yeah, it's 19 years old. It's crazy to think about how old that is. There's a lot of people.

There might be people listening to this podcast that weren't alive when that came out. I know. Isn't that crazy? I know. But you look at sort of the, if you take it, I think it's some is greater than its parts in this movie. Is that reverse? Its parts are greater than what it ends up being.

Like it's individual parts. And the fact that there are more good moments in it than they're, then overarching, I don't know what I'm saying. I like some of it, but I think the whole movie as a whole isn't as good as the first one. Yeah, definitely.

Yeah, definitely. That's sort of what I'm saying, I think. Yeah. But yeah. It's a little too self-aware of its own, well, its own mojo really. And it is doing that comedically, but also it really is doing that. And that's when I can feel it and it doesn't quite work for me. Well, here's sort of the other angle I was watching

it with. I was looking at it like, this is a super successful movie, a super successful franchise that, uh, guys, Amanda's trying to clean up in the backyard. And she doesn't need help. So it's There's a red tub full of drinks from Matt has these wonderful screenings in the summer. Last night they screamed the movie Fear, starring Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon,

and Amanda's out there trying to just clean up any of the empty bottles that were left outside from various beverages. And so Matt rightly was like, oh, does she need help? But the reality of it is, she can do it herself and doesn't need our help,

but just was making hilarious noises. It was a very funny noise. Just the idea of all these. I also was very confused as to like, is she just dumping out a bunch of glass bottles? Well, that's what I, she has this big red tub and she was dumping the water to water the tree. But all the bottles came thinking. And I was like, what is she lining the tree with bottles? What is she doing?

I like that when people cement bottles into things. Oh, yeah. Yeah, they're going to like that. They used to make bottle houses. That's an aesthetic we don't have anymore. I'm not bringing it back. Should we bring it back around that tree? Let's do it.

Build up a little wall that has like green Heineken bottles. Speaking of Heineken, the product placement in this movie is interesting. It's so perhaps the most James Bond thing about this movie. Is that there is so much product placement. I also like the nonsensical time travel of it all. The fact that Elvis Costello and Woody Harrelson are in 1969, looking as they do in 1999. And Bert Backer, I like the idea that someone wanted Woody Harrelson's autographed in 1969. Wow, I never put that together.

But I'm sort of, I've lost as to where we were. Well, you're talking about Heineken, and I think one of the other things that's very bond about it, too, we don't talk about it enough is the George Clinton score. It's incredible. It's really good. In fact, on that podcast, the art of the score, when they get to You Only Live Twice, I think, they talk about how these like counterpoint of these triplets in the melody with the under music, which isn't really in triplets, there's just this conflict.

They explain it a million times better, obviously. But then I think they play a segment of Austin Powers that is mimicking that same music, but it's not doing that. Is the Austin Powers, Quincy Jones theme specifically for this movie? Isn't it George Clinton? Isn't it conducted by? Oh, the but-bo-da-bo-do-do-du-that? Yeah.

Yeah, I don't know. That's something that I've like, is this new or has it always been here? And that's the genius of it. I don't know. I don't know either. Yeah. Like is it composed for this movie or did they pull it from some Quincy Joe's composition? I don't know.

That's like, remember, you know that song more than a feeling by Boston? Yes. They play that a ton on the radio in the 90s. And I thought that was a new song by a 90s glam band. Do you know that Boston that was not a real band? Yeah, he just did it all in his basement. Yeah. And then he had to find a band to tour with.

Yeah. That's amazing. Yeah. But then he died, didn't he? I don't know, did he? I think so. Are you telling me you killed him? I know.

I did not say that. Matt, did you just admit to that on the radio? No. Is this a radio? I did not. I'm looking up the Austin Powers theme. I just want to get more, uh, here we go. Oh, God.

Sol Basanova, right? Mm-hmm. Released in 1962. Oh, wow. Okay. Written by Quincy Jones. Oh. Performed by Quincy Jones.

Produced by Quincy Jones. Got it. He took 20 minutes to compose the piece. Peace primarily features Kuichi, responsible for the distinctive laughing sounds in the first bar. I always thought that was like a muted trumpet. So the first time this appears on a soundtrack is in Sidney Lumet's The Pond Broker, which was also scored by Jones.

Canadian Mike War, I'm sorry, Canadian Mike Myers grew up watching Definition, which is the long-running Canadian television game show that also used this score. As homage to his childhood, he used the title as the theme for the Austin Powers series. Hmm. So there you go, everybody.

Yeah, and then it was like, wasn't it a radio hit again or something because of Austin Powers? Listen, everything's a radio hit. This got Madonna's Beards. beautiful stranger to chart. That's right. This album was number five in America. How is that used in this movie again?

It's when he's at his lowest. It's at the end, it's in the middle of the second act when he's driving alone in his Shaguar. Yeah. See, now that's part of the thing. It's like that breaks convention of the movie in a way I don't care for where it's just like, we can get a Madonna song, let's do it. And it has nothing to do with the time.

Oh, the time of the 60s. Yeah. Yeah. But it does have, you know, it does work for the moment in the story. But imagine if they took like... Oh, it's right after he loses, he... It's right after he runs off from Heather Graham. Yeah.

Yeah. When he can't have sex with her because his mojo is great. Right. Right? Yeah. But like imagine if they put in a sad 60th song. That would be so great. His saddest point is erectile dysfunction.

Yeah. That's, which is so great for that character. Yeah. Of course it would be. Yeah. Yeah. That's good. Of course it would be.

So Felicity Shagwell shows up. Heather Graham. I was reading this on... Where was I reading this? But I was reading that Heather Graham was just about to take a role in a softcore porn because her movie, like she hadn't been getting a lot of...

This is pre-buggy nights? Movie roles. I don't know the years of this. Maybe it was post-Buggy Nights. she is just roller girl in them it's not a huge part but it was a breakout role for her she well this was really her breakout according to the things i was reading about this film uh but bogey guys i feel like came out in 97 am i crazy i can't remember if it was 97 or 99 i'm gonna look it up i'm gonna look it up maybe it was after it was 97 uh yeah so it was pretty much she'd gone two years

without sort of really getting anything and she was about to take a role in a softcore pornography, one of these cinemax, one of these skinimax films. Sure, sure. Tasteful. When she auditioned for this and got the part, and the first thing she did, in this thing I was reading,

the first thing she did with the money was buy a copy of this softcore porn that she had almost ended up in for her career. Oh, wow. That's funny. I thought it was a fascinating tale. I hope that's true. not just some crazy thing someone wrote. It's funny too because, like, I was thinking in Gold Number,

Beyonce is the main character. And that, when was that movie? When was, Gold Member. Gold Member was 2003 or five. Yeah, so I didn't realize like Beyonce had been in the zeitgeist that long, actually. That was her breakout role as well. I mean, she doesn't really. do much acting.

No, I know. Because she realized that she's a music superstar. Why bother? Yeah, probably. Why bother? Probably. Gold member came out in 2002.

Wow. So yeah, 16 years ago. Crazy. Yeah. Man. So then how did you like Heather Graham in this film? I thought she was great.

Yeah. I thought she was like, I think she's a very, she's very talented. She's lost in space too. I don't, that story, that I read, I'm like, this doesn't make a ton of sense to me, because she's in Lost in Space, she's in Boogie Nights, she's in this.

I feel like it wasn't getting to that point for her. Well, maybe that, yeah, maybe Boogie Nights, so was it between Boogie Nights and this where she hadn't worked and was going to take a South Corporn? Again, I read this story. I don't know how true it is, but

that would have been between 97 and 99, yeah. I like the girl who plays Ivana Hump a lot. I forget her name. She's groundlings, and the, like, third rock from the sun. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Yeah. She's really funny.

Kristen Johnson. Is that her? Was she in Third Rock for the Sun? Okay. She was in Third Rock for the Sun and then she was in the TV land sitcom that like was her, Donald Faison. Oh. Wayne Knight and like Michael Richards. Oh, wow.

Or not Michael Richards. But it was like a... What happened to her? I always wondered why she and like Michael McDonald? Yeah. He was the star. mad TV? Why didn't they go on to have bigger careers? It's some of it I wonder if they wanted to.

Yeah, that's something that I think a lot of people take for granted that everybody just wants to and they either can or they can't. But there's got to be some people that make a comfortable living and go, okay, I'm done. I feel like I would be that way. Oh, I agree with that. But then when do you ever feel like you're making a comfortable living? It's all relative. The TV land sitcom was called The X's. And it was was Donald Fais on Wayne Knight, Kelly Stables, David Allen Boucher, not David Allen, Boucher, right? No, David Allen Bash and Kristen Johnson. And that ran for four seasons and 64 episodes on TV land.

Wow. Okay, there you go. There you go. Yes, third bar from the suns, and then there is. So I like that he gets to his swinging pad and there's a crazy party going. Yeah, that's funny. I love that he travels through time and that. that bug, but then just appears in the living room driving that car.

That was hilarious. And I think like, I feel like they could have stopped and pointed it out. In fact, that's kind of what this movie does too much, and they didn't, and that's why that one really works for me. Yeah, I think that the, the crazier the thing is it feels like they don't. I feel like the crazier the move is they are less likely to point it. out. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. The late great Vern Troir as mini me. Yeah. Does some very funny stuff in this movie. It is funny. And I had forgotten his origin. And it's just

simply like we cloned this as a gift for you. But it's basically like... No, no, it was they cloned it. They've... They wanted to clone it up. Yeah. Right. But it was so... I mean, it was so clear to me that as he's writing this movie, probably Mike Myers, they're like, let's, get a little guy in here. How are we going to make that make sense? Let's do the least amount of work possible. Just say we're cloned it. Like, the whole thing is a very, I don't know,

forced way to do basically, quote, midget comedy. He has a tiny Bigglesworth. Yeah. He has his own Bigglesworth. But notice they couldn't find one. That small. Yeah. Yeah.

But, yeah, a lot of his, like, when he runs up on the table to hit button on Scott Evil is very funny to me. Also the fight scene. When he lands, when he's hanging from the rafter of the moon base and they get the hook. That's funny to me. I'm sorry, but it made me laugh.

It's, it's tough. It's get the hook. The fight scene. that's again sweet Austin Powers right when he's trying he's getting mini me out of the airlock first of all he

he says mercy and he's on the ground and he's so sad and he's hurt and he's like peace peace like that that Austin Powers to me I really am delighted by that

and then when he lets him out the airlock and he's just spinning away and he's just so sad about it I enjoyed that yeah that's right well it was a fun watch what do you think of the i am your father joke and again you get genuine austin going really um i thought i don't know i don't remember that one registering that much with me but i i thought tim robbins was really funny as the president yes when they all start cracking

as generic nixon like it would have been nixon yeah 69 no would have been um uh uh Did you say Nixon? Wouldn't it have been Nixon? Oh, I thought you said it would have been Kennedy for some reason. Boy. Am I crazy? Yeah, I don't think they were even trying to make him. It was moon landing Nixon and he was acting more like a, he looked like a Kennedy. But yeah, I really liked him also in that role.

I love when they laugh at him about $100 billion. Yeah. So that the money doesn't exist yet. Yeah. I like how, I like that the, I like that the evil lair, has a direct video line to the president. Yeah, oh, something I noticed, too. I can call this a gloft, if you'd like,

that the layer from the inside, when you're looking at the two big eyes, one has a drooped eyelid just like Dr. Evil. It was really funny. I did not notice that. That's a great detail. I love that we're getting glofts even on Austin Powers movies. I'm going to please.

This is amazing, Matt. The other the other thing I really enjoyed about this movie was the Burt Back rack Elvis Costello performance I really loved that I have that on my in my music library still that performance I love Elvis Costello

so glad that that crazy form of cancer he got was treatable I did I just saw that something happened with him so he got diagnosed with cancer he had a crazy thing of a jing the doctors caught it in time and it seems like he's going to be okay and the doctor told him to go play the lottery

because he's very lucky. Wow. Geez. Oh, that's good news. Yeah. It's bad news, good news. That's right. Bad news.

Horrible form of aggressive cancer. Good news. You're going to be okay. Yikes. Let's see. I'm trying to remember the other set pieces. What did you think of the opening dance sequence? Naked Mike Myers running around.

well I like it in the same way that in the first movie it's kind of like a Richard Lester hard days night yeah fun thing like I don't even care if those ever get derivative or whatever they're just they are pure fun yeah he's not doing jokes necessarily some of the naked stuff with some jokes but it's just kind of fun to watch that it's like you know he's watching the uh the rabbi and the moyle cut the shank like it's being circumcised. And they say Le Chayim. Oh, yeah. I mean, it's crazy.

Yeah. But I also think that watching people who have done a successful movie do a second movie with more money and less studio interference is interesting. Yeah, and I think, I wonder if the studio interference. Helped or hurt? Yeah. And same with the money. Yeah. But I think even more than those two things, it's the awareness of how this thing has been received.

And whether it's conscious or unconscious, trying to serve those expectations, that is probably one of the hardest things comedically to do is to follow something up successfully. Yeah, I wonder what the budget was for the second powers versus the first powers. Yeah. I find it, did you like the acknowledgement? of London looking like Southern California. Yes, because that comes halfway through the movie, but they're also there early in the movie. And the first thing I said was like,

oh, Los Angeles, are we going to the Batcave? I also like when you're at London's swinging pad, it pans down. You can just clearly see the Hollywood Hills behind it. Yeah, yeah. Have there been any, because you've got, you know, sequels are notoriously difficult to deliver better than the original, but they always say, you know,

Godfather to Empire. strikes back comedically. Comedically, has there ever been a sequel that was better than the original? That's an interesting question. I can't. And it's also a question that's sort of like my whole, lately I've been like thinking about drama television writing versus comedy television writing and how much I envy drama rooms and people that write drama because they're not in there for hours trying to beat the joke.

Yeah. Do you know what I mean? So you're left. You're left with sort of like, it doesn't take as long to go. Is this the most dramatic thing we can do in this moment? Is this the best way to end this act? Whereas like in a comedy room, you're sitting there and you're going like, is this the funniest scene blow we can come up with?

Scene blow. Yeah, like when you're ending a, like a button. Okay. Like a button on a scene. Scene blow, that's funny. Yeah. You're just, you're sitting there for so long trying to alt. Yeah.

jokes like we spend days that are just alt, old days where we're just trying to pound out as many jokes as we can for, you know, it could be like two or three jokes on a page that need to be alted. Wow. To sort of find the funniest version. Which is why it's like such a,

it's such an honor when you're, when you have your script and you end up shooting jokes that you wrote in the first draft. Even if it's just a few. Yeah, even if it's like three. It's like, okay. Wow. But yeah, I always,

I guess my point to that is it's hard with comedy to escalate to a point that when you see this thing the first time, giving it to them again when you're like, you have to do this delicate dance of like, okay, people like this. Right. Let's give them this. How do we plus this? How do we make this funnier? Yeah. And that's why this doubles down on repeating. And I'm just trying to think of any comedy other than like the Marx brother.

those weren't really sequels, but I think they got better as they went along for a certain point. I like the day of the races, Mike. That's my favorite. I like the day of races too a lot. I like, but like duck soup, you know, is sort of like seen as the seminal. Now, but it wasn't at the time. Right. It was a, it was kind of a, but duck soup's early. Relative fairly in the run. But it's the last of their paramount one. So there had been coconuts, animal crackers, monkey business, and horse. feathers prior to that. So it was the fifth of their films. Yeah.

Which is crazy when you think about it. Yeah, but then you go Night at the Opera Day at the Races, the big store. Night in Casablanca. Night in Casablanca. Oh yeah, that's the third one, then the big store. But really, Night at the Opera and Day at the Races were... And are the same. They're like the Thalberg-MGM revivals.

But then there's a big space before all those later ones come. Yeah. Yeah. But my favorite of all of them is the day of them. at the races. I like that one a lot too. It is genuinely my favorite. And that one's got that crazy ballerina segment in it. That is mind-blowing. Oh, and Margaret DeMont and Dr. Hackenbush are at the ballet. Yeah. Like it's a water? Yeah, it's an outdoor ballet synchronized swimming situation. I don't know, but that ballerina when she does her thing, it blows me away. I love it. Oh, it's crazy,

but you're also like, that's what movies were back then. You're like, how do we show them this? It's sort of like a taste of what the James Bond franchise is where it's like the James Bond franchise is early enough in cinema history that you're still getting these sort of, you're still getting the idea of being, showing people the world outside of their own world at the movie theater. Yeah. Just because that was the only way to do it back then. Yeah. So when you watch these older films and they devote six minutes of silence to this ballet dancer, who was probably just this world-renowned ballet artist. a way for them to go to the ballet in a way they could never before. Right. Yeah. And, you know, it does have the problem with the day of the race is the main problem is that they have to escape

in blackface. Yeah. They have to get out of there. And sing and, like, menstrual style. But they're not in blackface when they're singing, right? All God's children. All God's children. All God's children. Yeah. But that's like, it's a great performance, that whole sequence. Yeah. And it, that's the thing is when they get to those Thalberg years, they're really putting in like straight lead ingenues and it's becoming more of a musical comedy as opposed to the paramount ones other than like coconuts. Yeah, and it's also like the Marx Brothers are there to help with the main characters of the story, quote unquote. They're not there to be the main characters, which I think in a lot of ways to have them there purely as comic relief is kind of an advantage.

Well, stick around for Marxing Brothers, which Mark's brother, I guess. Mark's brother, I guess. Yeah Sting around for Margaret DuPod I would do it She's incredible She's so good Dr. Hickenbush You know

Those of you who aren't familiar With the Marks Brothers franchise You are familiar with the Margaret Dumont Of You're familiar with the archetype of Margaret Dumont And you don't even know it

Those movies Give me a piece in a way that they're one of the things I can put on and just actually feel at ease. Yeah, I agree. I just love them. There's something about when they go quiet with like Harpo scenes and you just hear the white noise of the room tone. Yeah.

You ever watch any of the, you ever see any of the clips of Margaret Dumont and Groucho in like the 50s on TV? Like just talking out of character or doing stuff on like. Yeah. And then like, it's just fascinating. I just love it. I love it. Anyway, we're big fans of the Marks Brothers here on this podcast.

But we're also big fans of talking about Austin Powers. Well, to a certain extent, which we could probably give our final thoughts on it. Sure. Look, I think because this movie paved the way for the third one, which I remember loving. But I wonder if he still will. It's going to be interesting. I haven't seen that movie I haven't seen in 15 years. And I kept thinking parts from that one we're going to show up in this one.

like, aren't Spielberg and Gwyneth Paltrow? They're in the beginning. Yeah. They're in the cold open of the third one. Yeah. It's Tom Cruise, Danny DeVito as Dr. Evil. That's right. Winneth Paltrow, I believe, is playing Felicity Shagwell.

Yeah. And Spielberg is directing. That's like... And it starts like an action. It starts like Mission Impossible, too. That's like, and that's like Peewee Herman when you've got James Brolin and Morgan Fairchild playing those rules. Yeah. That's like the plused version.

So, like, it's like we, they did so well with the second one. Yeah. They were like, here, as much as you need. And then they did the third one. And I think the third one, I mean, I would love to talk about the third one because it, I'm curious to watch it again with Michael Kane. I remember his gold member character grading my nerves because he really, really, like, tries for that catchphrase with, it's toit. And, you know. Toit, like toiger.

Yeah. It's stoit. Oh, I remember it very well. I also remember him under his breath saying something, saying bad news bears, Walter Matho, like saying Walter Mathieu, after he said bad news bears really tickled me for some reason. Yeah, we'll have to do that.

And also, I'm interested now with the whole your actually brother's storyline and how that fits into Specter. Right. Which it then becomes like that is fucking crazy. I forgot about that. That's really what they are. That is doubled back on.

itself now in a way that they probably forgot about before they ever wrote. Like, do you think when they were writing that, that someone went, hey, you know, they actually did this in Austin Power. So you're beyond self-parody here. I don't know. You know, we brought it up when we talked about Spector, the Austin Powers of it all. But it is going to be an interesting, if we do cover the third one, it's going to be very interesting to sort of watch the snake eat its tail.

Yeah, well, we have to cover it because just even from my need for completeism. Yeah. Yeah. I can't wait. I wonder if it's any good. Anyway, so this one, we ranked them again on a scale of 007 because this is James Bonding. I forget what I gave Austin Powers. I have to say, well, we talked about how successful was it at what it set out to do, right? That was sort of how we graded Austin Powers.

And for this one, how successful was it at what it set out to do? You know, I think this one is probably a 003 and a half. I'd go 003. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and I'm very curious about gold member. Well, we'll do it. We've got two more regular episodes after this, but I think we've got a couple episodes

that might be coming kind of irregularly because some ads are sold, so we'll get to this at some point. Yeah, and I believe James Bonding will return. That's a fact. With? Never. Never, never, never, never, never say never again. Never, never say never.

Again. Never say never, darling. Hey, this is Arnie Necamp from the Improft Fantasy podcast. Hello from the Magic Tavern. I fell through a dimensional portal behind a Burger King in Chicago into the magical land of food. And I started a podcast. Season three has just begun with a brand new adventure to defeat the dark lord. If you're a new listener or you've fallen behind season three is a great jumping on point.

And we've got great guests like Justin McElroy. I sat like a fancy college professor. Fake Nats. Rachel Bloom. You all see my collection of men, corpses, and one woman. Felicia Day and Colton Dunn. You've seen me have intercourse with a variety of species. It's a bummer.

Andy Daly. You have the members of Genesis listed, but Phil Collins has crossed out and then Circle did he cross out again. Yes, I have killed Phil Collins twice. Thomas Middletch. Jesus, I mean, Jazzos. Ruler of the Eighth Circle. And that's just the beginning. Season 3, A Below from the Magic Tavern, is out now.

Listen in Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.