'Dirty Work'
The Ringer's Bill Simmons and Sean Fennessey celebrate the late Norm Macdonald by rewatching a comedy favorite, 'Dirty Work,' starring Norm Macdonald, Artie Lange, and Jack Warden.
Cast
Norm MacDonald as Mitch Weaver
Artie Lange as Sam McKenna
Jack Warden as Pops
Christopher McDonald as Travis Cole
Chevy Chase as Dr. Farthing
Chris Farley as Jimmy No-Nose
Don Rickles as Hamilton
Traylor Howard as Kathy
David Koechner as Biker in Bar
Adam Sandler as Satan
Directed by: Bob Saget
Written by: Fred Wolf
Notes
- $13 million budget, made ~$10 million at the box office (bombed theatrically).
- Originally shot as R-rated but edited down to PG-13 by the studio, which hurt the film significantly.
- The studio moved the release date up to avoid competing with There's Something About Mary.
- Chris Farley died before the movie came out – this is his last film appearance.
- Norm had been fired from SNL's Weekend Update before the movie's release.
- NBC banned all advertising for the film – likely due to Don Ohlmeyer's grudge against Norm over OJ jokes.
- Recorded shortly after Norm MacDonald's death (September 2021, age 61).
- Howard Stern was originally offered the role of Satan (turned it down; Adam Sandler got it).
- Rodney Dangerfield was the original choice for the Don Rickles part; Bob Saget switched to Rickles wanting 'fast insults.'
- The movie is only 78-81 minutes long.
- Script loosely based on a Roald Dahl short story.
- Cut R-rated content included a scene with donuts photographed around genitals and 'anal rape' dubbed over in the jail scene for PG-13.
- Bill showed the movie to his 13-year-old son, who loved it and was 'furious' he hadn't been shown it sooner.
- Norm wrote columns for Grantland; Bill was his editor.
Categories
- Bill: the jail scene – 'I loved it the first time I saw it. I loved it the 10th time. I loved it the 100th time.'
- Also discussed: opening credits superglue gag, frat house fake cop scene ('Now you go back to doing something latently homoerotic'), first Chevy Chase scene, Don Rickles scene ('So there you are, tubby'), Men in Black porn parody, dead hookers in the trunk (David Koechner), fish market Scarface homage, Chris Farley releasing the skunks.
- The 'Note to Self' gimmick (carried over from Weekend Update).
- Late-90s soundtrack (Semi-Charmed Life, Tubthumping, Better Than Ezra).
- Closing credits bloopers.
- Jack Warden holding 'Impotent Old Men' and 'Whore' magazine.
- Jim Downey's homeless guy gimmick (sappy music then getting cut off).
- The 'two kinds of people' quote and the 'long story / short story' half-brothers joke.
- Artie Lange's casting – led to his Stern career.
- Chris Farley being in the movie as his last performance.
- The Gary Coleman / Ken Norton bit – unrecognizable to anyone under 40.
- The last 20 minutes – feels rushed, like they ran out of time/money.
- The trope of the hot girlfriend being fed up with the loser comedy hero.
- Traylor Howard as the love interest – not given anything to work with.
- Howard Stern was originally offered the Satan role (turned it down; Adam Sandler got it).
- Rodney Dangerfield was the original choice for the Don Rickles part.
Kevin Farley (Chris Farley's brother) in the theater scene.
Chevy Chase – 'in his own movie,' basically doing 'Fletch' 3.
- Co-winners: Chris Farley (skunk scene – 'one of the best heat checks we've had in a comedy') and Chevy Chase (basically doing 'Fletch' 3).
- Also: Jack Warden (too many scenes to qualify), Jim Downey, Don Rickles.
For the girlfriend role (Traylor Howard): Bill picks Tiffani Thiessen enthusiastically. Amy Smart also floated (possibly too young at the time).
- NBC banned all advertising for the film when it was in theaters.
- Cut R-rated content (donut/genitals scene, dubbed-over jail dialogue).
- Script based on a Roald Dahl short story.
Norm MacDonald – Bill says yes for 1998, biggest he'd ever been. Sean counters with 'the moment we pushed publish on his first column on Grantland.com.'
- Would Pops really wear a locket with a sex photo?
- How did they get the 'Dirty Work' sign up before renting the office?
- How many of their crimes would have sent them to jail? (Virtually all.)
- Having a storefront for a revenge business makes them easy to catch.
Yes – a 10-episode Netflix show, different revenge job each episode. Nathan Fielder's work cited as a spiritual cousin.
- Had it already outlived Norm and Farley? In 1998, what were the odds Artie Lange would outlive both?
- Did this movie create Little Nicky? (Because of Sandler playing Satan.)
- Sean: the 'Dirty Work' sign – 'put that right on top of my garage.'
- Bill: the 'Dirty Work' sign or Farley's fake nose with the stitches.
Norm MacDonald – 'obviously Norm wins the movie. No question.'