# I just watched Animal House and I didn't like it. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 6, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733 "2017-12-06T19:21:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/101 "2017-12-08T17:27:43Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > This. **Blazing Saddles** still kills me. AND makes me sad. Because the big picture issues addressed are still painful. And can be laughed at AND examined at once. > > Oddly, I saw [Peter Riegert](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0726200/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t15) just last night while watching an older episode of **Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt**. Blazing Saddles is comedy history actually. It had Richard Pryor as writer and erstwhile star, but they didn’t want him to do it because, well, he was Richard Pryor. Right there you have a movie you have to see. The comedy was pointed at stuff in the world. It’s definitely not reducible to slapstick. Young Frankenstein was a genre parody too, but not much beyond that. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/102 "2017-12-08T18:30:50Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Blazing Saddles is comedy history actually. It had Richard Pryor as writer and erstwhile star, but they didn’t want him to do it because, well, he was Richard Pryor. Right there you have a movie you have to see. The comedy was pointed at stuff in the world. It’s definitely not reducible to slapstick. Young Frankenstein was a genre parody too, but not much beyond that. We were lucky that Pryor didn’t star because he was a bad actor. Cleavon Little really made the film with his multilayered portrayal of Sheriff Bart. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/103 "2017-12-08T18:33:06Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > “Every spring…the toilets…explode.” It’s the pauses that really sell the line. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/104 "2017-12-08T18:56:41Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > It’s the pauses that really sell the line. In the interests of accuracy, there’s only one pause there. It’s “every spring the toilets (wait a beat) explode.” ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/105 "2017-12-08T18:58:39Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > _Animal House_ thought it was punching up. That was the essence of good, approved comedy back then. The enemy was elite white men in power. They were such a small percentage of the whole that the straight white christian Delta men could consider themselves part of the downtrodden - until they venture into a black world and learn some unpleasant truths. Today that’s called a teachable moment. But the Deltas never learn that they are part of a problem for others, like women. They merely have good intentions and until the broader public ignorance was assailed good intentions were deemed sufficient. At least by some. > > Old popular culture is cringeworthy in a thousand ways. You do have to put yourself back in the heads of people of their time. That’s increasingly hard to do as time passes and all the people who lived through those times die off. (Try to read older humor, 100, 200, 500 year-old humor. It’s almost impossible.) You can be sympathetic to their good intentions. You can laugh at lines that are timeless. You are absolutely not required to laugh at sexist or racism or homophobic humor just because they thought it was funny. It was wrong then exactly as much as it’s wrong now. Ignorance is not a free pass. In many ways, the Deltas ARE the problem in the sense that they are the ones who embody white male entitlement. The Omegas may have been pompous, elite, white men, but they really don’t “do” anything evil. They are good students. They are active in athletics and extracurriculars like ROTC, student government and the newspaper. The Deltas are a bunch of fuckups. And yet they never suffer any real consequences for their fuckupedness. In fact, it is shown how each of them go on to very successful careers, in spite of putting in precisely zero effort. Now maybe that is the subversive nature of films from the late 70s/early 80s like Animal House, Stripes, Trading Places, Caddyshack and others. That you have this class of pompous elitists patting themselves on the back over how elite they are while these lazy buffoons just show up and achieve just as much, if not more without even trying. In a true meritocracy, the Deltas would probably end up homeless shortly after flunking out of college. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/106 "2017-12-08T19:11:06Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > In the interests of accuracy, there’s only one pause there. It’s “every spring the toilets (wait a beat) explode.” Yes, that’s right. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/107 "2017-12-08T19:19:39Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > Otter isn’t Schoenstein. > > I can’t remember the real name of Otter’s character. “Eric Stratton, rush chairman. Damn glad to meet ya.” ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/108 "2017-12-08T19:25:11Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > In many ways, the Deltas ARE the problem in the sense that they are the ones who embody white male entitlement. The Omegas may have been pompous, elite, white men, but they really don’t “do” anything evil. They are good students. They are active in athletics and extracurriculars like ROTC, student government and the newspaper. > > The Deltas are a bunch of fuckups. And yet they never suffer any real consequences for their fuckupedness. In fact, it is shown how each of them go on to very successful careers, in spite of putting in precisely zero effort. > > Now maybe that is the subversive nature of films from the late 70s/early 80s like Animal House, Stripes, Trading Places, Caddyshack and others. That you have this class of pompous elitists patting themselves on the back over how elite they are while these lazy buffoons just show up and achieve just as much, if not more without even trying. In a true meritocracy, the Deltas would probably end up homeless shortly after flunking out of college. Nice socio-political needle drop, They are going to make a sequel for the 20 teens. The Omegas are going to be recognized at last for their pluck, and failure to commit prosecutable crimes as Republicans. The arc of justice is long but curves towards being great again. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/109 "2017-12-08T20:52:33Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > The smashing of a guitar will never be funny. The smashing of that particular guitar will _always_ be funny. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/110 "2017-12-08T21:01:02Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > The smashing of that particular guitar will _always_ be funny. And it was very much in keeping with the times. You’d hear people like Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, and Harry Chapin fairly frequently on the radio up until about 1975 or 1976. Then they all just kinda disappeared from the airwaves. That style of music had outlived its welcome. Belushi expressed a widespread sentiment in that scene. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/111 "2017-12-08T21:07:02Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > The smashing of that particular guitar will _always_ be funny. > [@RTFirefly](#): > > And it was very much in keeping with the times. You’d hear people like Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, and Harry Chapin fairly frequently on the radio up until about 1975 or 1976. Then they all just kinda disappeared from the airwaves. That style of music had outlived its welcome. Belushi expressed a widespread sentiment in that scene. Until about 5 years ago, I assumed that the “I gave my love a chicken that had no bones” song was written as a parody for the movie. I was completely gobsmacked when I was told (on this board) that it’s a [real, well known folk song.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OORxUZP2Ez4) ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/112 "2017-12-08T22:47:32Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Until about 5 years ago, I assumed that the “I gave my love a chicken that had no bones” song was written as a parody for the movie. I was completely gobsmacked when I was told (on this board) that it’s a [real, well known folk song.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OORxUZP2Ez4) Some other mild trivia - the actor in that scene was a friend of John Landis, and has appeared in a bunch of his movies as “charming” whatever - “charming guy with guitar” (Animal House), “Charming G.I” (Twilight Zone the Movie), “Charming Trooper” (Blues Brothers), etc. He also had a few 70s hits, probably most famously [this one](https://youtu.be/ljuJnUYozUg) and [this one](https://youtu.be/HAIQVh7sfmk). ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/113 "2017-12-08T22:52:13Z")
Fun Fact: John Vernon, who plays Dean Wormer, also voices the Dean at Mars University on Futurama. Is Morbo pleased? ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/114 "2017-12-08T23:29:17Z")
Not since 2005 he hasn’t. (Mr. Vernon is deceased.) ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/115 "2017-12-08T23:40:03Z")
Another fun fact: Landis wanted Jack Webb to play Dean Wormer. I think he would have been hilarious had he played it Jack Webb straight and tough. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/116 "2017-12-08T23:44:54Z")
> [@Arkcon](#): > > Fun Fact: John Vernon, who plays Dean Wormer, also voices the Dean at Mars University on Futurama. Is Morbo pleased? But sticky. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/117 "2017-12-09T00:13:52Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Some other mild trivia - the actor in that scene was a friend of John Landis, and has appeared in a bunch of his movies as “charming” whatever - “charming guy with guitar” (Animal House), “Charming G.I” (Twilight Zone the Movie), “Charming Trooper” (Blues Brothers), etc. > > He also had a few 70s hits, probably most famously [this one](https://youtu.be/ljuJnUYozUg) and [this one](https://youtu.be/HAIQVh7sfmk). I think the whole point was that it was Stephen Bishop getting hit with his guitar, for the authentic contemporaneous audiences of that long ago era. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/118 "2017-12-09T01:01:49Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Nice socio-political needle drop, > > They are going to make a sequel for the 20 teens. The Omegas are going to be recognized at last for their pluck, and failure to commit prosecutable crimes as Republicans. The arc of justice is long but curves towards being great again. _cough_ BLOW JOB!!! BLOW JOB!!! _cough__cough_ ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/119 "2017-12-09T01:09:58Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > _cough_ BLOW JOB!!! BLOW JOB!!! _cough__cough_ Will you tell those a#$holes to shut up?! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733/120 "2017-12-09T01:20:39Z")
> [@llama llogophile](#): > > will you tell those a#$holes to shut up?! HEY! Shut up you assholes! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-watched-animal-house-and-i-didnt-like-it/803733.md?page=7)