# The King of Kong - a fistfull of quarters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2007, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977 "2007-08-26T06:26:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/21 "2008-02-09T04:20:49Z")
Phone interview. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/22 "2008-02-09T04:52:11Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] Phone interview. [/QUOTE] They didn’t call him- _he_ called _them_ after they ordered some Rickey’s Hot Sauce for an article about “20 B-List Celebrity Food Items.” They gave it a good writeup. Speaking of that videotape, one of the funniest things pointed out in the special features is why Doris Self has a brown envelope but the video ends up being brought to Funspot in a white courier box- Billy had to have it sent by courier ASAP- Billy accidentially gave Doris a WWF match he recorded. And Mr. Awesome ends up looking as egotistical as Billy Mitchell (although, as one of the commentaries says, anyone who calls himself “Mr. Awesome” obviously has an ego)- in an interview he does for a TV show, he promotes his comic book a lot, but gives no real reason to buy it other than to find out which (male) celebrity once gave him a blowjob. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/23 "2008-02-09T04:56:32Z")
> [@](#): > > he called them after they ordered some Rickey’s Hot Sauce for an article about “20 B-List Celebrity Food Items.” That’s the best laugh I’ve had all day. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/24 "2008-02-09T05:01:36Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] That’s the best laugh I’ve had all day. Thanks! [/QUOTE] [The article itself](http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/nectar_of_the_demigods_b_list/1) is pretty amusing, too. (Rickey’s is on page 2.) ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/25 "2008-02-09T07:50:36Z")
Rickey’s hot sauce is for winners, Billy ain’t a winner no more. Was that the only selling point for the sauce? He might still be a coward (not proving himself publicly), he might not. We’ll see soon. If Billy can’t deliver live, he has no right to claim to be the best. Period. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/26 "2008-02-09T15:33:14Z")
I read the interview that was linked to and did some more reading on the web and have concluded that, tho Billy seems like a tool, the movie is grossly dishonest and should not be presented as a documentary. I really liked the movie but I feel duped now that I have found out some very key plot points were “left out”. EXTREMELY key plot points. Not to mention that in the interview the producers dound like slimeballs too. ---
**Author:** ![motomoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@motomoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motomoon)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/27 "2008-02-09T16:41:48Z")
[QUOTE=Cubsfan] I read the interview that was linked to and did some more reading on the web and have concluded that, tho Billy seems like a tool, the movie is grossly dishonest and should not be presented as a documentary. I really liked the movie but I feel duped now that **I have found out some very key plot points were “left out”. EXTREMELY key plot points.** Not to mention that in the interview the producers dound like slimeballs too. [/QUOTE] (Bolding mine) Such as? ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/28 "2008-02-09T17:14:06Z")
He wasn’t ever trying to beat Billy Mitchells record because Steve ALREADY had the record himself. When they show him submit the 1M+ score and it gets denied they show the record going back to Billy, but it didn’t. It went back to Steves old record. If you haven’t seen the movie yet you MUST watch the extra bit in the special features regarding the record AFTER the movie came out. It changes the finality of the ending as well as lays to rest any doubt as to who the champion is. I’m not saying Billy is a likeable guy. He isn’t. But I’d have to agree with the sentiment that he was edited into something he’s not in this movie. Still a great movie though for entertainment purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/29 "2008-02-09T17:15:37Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] Although I haven’t read it all the way through, there is an [interview](http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/the_king_of_kong_continued) with Billy Mitchell in The A.V. Club this week. [/QUOTE] I read the whole thing. It’s worth reading for sure. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/30 "2008-02-09T18:09:02Z")
Truly an interesting article. Does change my perception some, although aside from the scoring thing it’s a he-said-she-said thing between Billy and the producers. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/31 "2008-02-10T02:26:46Z")
A most excellent documentary and a proof that a well made documentary can make anything interesting. Everybody should watch it. It’s a documentary on human nature, not videogames. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/32 "2008-02-17T04:41:54Z")
Just saw this… totally frickin’ awesome! I’m going to read the interview with Mitchell, because he came across as a major league asswipe. And what’s with the Kenny Loggins hair and beard? Dude, it’s 2008! ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/33 "2008-02-17T23:17:00Z")
Just saw it. Awesome movie, even if Billy probably is made to seem like more of a jerk than he is IRL. Don’t have much to add beyond what’s been said, but it struck me that this is the first movie I’ve seen solely on an SDMB recommendation. ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/34 "2008-02-18T14:28:04Z")
[QUOTE=motomoon] (Bolding mine) Such as? [/QUOTE] The various rebuttals [here](http://www.twingalaxies.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=86) describe some of the apparent deviations from the factual- some pretty serious, if the word ‘serious’ can rightfully be applied to the shadowy world of elite _Donkey Kong_. An entertaining movie, nonetheless. I loved referee Robert Mruczek complaining about his lot (“I have to watch that pile of 8 tapes over there for Dwayne Richards’s 2-day \*Nibbler \*performance”). ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/35 "2008-02-18T14:45:53Z")
I watched it and absolutely loved it. I was going to use it as my movie review for the mag at work (it hasn’t opened here yet), however even the [Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_of_Kong:_A_Fistful_of_Quarters) alone prevents me from recommending it to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/36 "2008-03-03T11:17:07Z")
I saw it yesterday and loved it. Then I read the Twin Galaxies official statement. Wow! Sure, some things are _He said, She said_ but the chronology of high scores and their holders presented at the TG forum seems tight and is different than what the film portrays. Is there any dispute that the film misleads here? ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/37 "2008-03-03T13:08:08Z")
I finally watched this yesterday via Netflix instant view and I knew going into it the reputation that the movie gave Billy. I don’t doubt he’s a tool at times, but he may be a nice guy, successful in his other venture and despite the hair, he seems fairly normal. That Kuh guy though, the one who wanted to be the first to hit the DK kill screen at Funspot, he needs a reality check. He was the ultimate toady, moreso than the lawyer, moreso than the kid in A Christmas Story. I could handle dinner with Billy, not so much with Kuh. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/38 "2008-03-03T21:31:15Z")
I liked how in the extras, Mr. Awesome was basically claiming that as proof about what a ladies man he is, he was able to get a male celebrity to give him a blow job. The movie could have spent more time ridculing him. It does make me curious about who he names, but I don’t think I’ll be buying his book any time soon. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977/39 "2008-03-04T00:06:18Z")
[QUOTE=ArizonaTeach] Truly an interesting article. [/QUOTE] The part that made me smile was: > [@](#): > > **AVC: Are you selling more sauce since the movie came out?** > > **BM** : Well, let’s just say I haven’t hit $50 a week yet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-of-kong-a-fistfull-of-quarters/416977.md?page=1)