# Animal House - why did John Belushi destroy the guitar? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [August 28, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-house-why-did-john-belushi-destroy-the-guitar/696786 "2014-08-28T19:35:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-house-why-did-john-belushi-destroy-the-guitar/696786/81 "2020-11-06T22:46:55Z")
🤦‍♀️ ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-house-why-did-john-belushi-destroy-the-guitar/696786/82 "2020-11-07T00:15:56Z")
I absolutely love this part of that story. Thank you for sharing it. > There was no such issue with **Chevy Chase,** now a free agent, and whom Universal was more than happy to cast. In fact, Landis was issued an edict from on high: hire Chase, or else. > > Landis wasn’t about to be told what to do. > > A lunch was arranged at a swanky Los Angeles restaurant. Producers **Ivan Reitman** and **Matty Simmons** were there, plus Universal vice president **Sean Daniel.** And in the middle, chomping on a big cigar and flanked on either side by an agent, sat Chevy Chase, waiting to be told why he should make this little movie and not _Foul Play,_ a caper with **Goldie Hawn** that went on to make $44 million. > > “There’s a marvelous Hollywood saying: ‘Do you know the difference between a brownnose and a shithead?’ ” says Landis. “The answer: ‘Depth perception.’ Chevy was just being impossible and they’re all kissing his ass. So when it comes to my turn to talk, I said, ‘Listen, Chevy, our picture is an ensemble, a collaborative group effort like _Saturday Night Live._ You’d fit right in, whereas in _Foul Play,_ that’s like being Cary Grant or Paul Newman, a real movie-star part. Don’t you think you’d be better off surrounded by really gifted comedians?’ ” > > It was a bit of reverse psychology worthy of Brer Rabbit. As Reitman furiously kicked Landis under the table, Chase sat back, puffed out cigar smoke, and considered. Then he took the bait. He announced that while he’d love to work with them someday, he had decided to make _Foul Play._ ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-house-why-did-john-belushi-destroy-the-guitar/696786/83 "2020-11-07T03:54:46Z")
That _was_ pretty masterful. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-house-why-did-john-belushi-destroy-the-guitar/696786/84 "2020-11-07T06:49:48Z")
I think everyone made the right decision. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-house-why-did-john-belushi-destroy-the-guitar/696786/85 "2020-11-07T14:31:02Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > It’s a puzzle song. Like a test. Bluto has an alternate approach to tests. (Stealing answers at best. Not taking tests seems to be his thing in order to have no GPA: all courses incomplete.) Nitpick: it was D-Day that had all incomplete. Bluto had zero point zero. Meaning all F’s. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-house-why-did-john-belushi-destroy-the-guitar/696786/86 "2020-11-07T16:30:27Z")
Q - Why did Belushi destroy the guitar? A - Maybe he was possessed by Samurai Warrior. ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2020, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-house-why-did-john-belushi-destroy-the-guitar/696786/87 "2020-11-08T03:24:18Z")
He did it because he’s a Republican. You really think he’s going to be a Democrat? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2020, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-house-why-did-john-belushi-destroy-the-guitar/696786/88 "2020-11-09T19:42:06Z")
> [@Jay\_Z](#): > > He did it because he’s a Republican. You really think he’s going to be a Democrat? **Modhat** : Please, let’s keep the politics out of threads like these. Plenty of room for political jabs elsewhere. (This is not a warning, just guidance) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-house-why-did-john-belushi-destroy-the-guitar/696786.md?page=4)