Lived It

Main: What’s your biggest fear and why is it being pranked?

Episode Summary

Eric André and Tiffany Haddish in Bad Trip, why Gen is traumatised by pranks, and freaky Florida Men. All in this episode with Alexei Toliopoulos and Gen Fricker.

Episode Notes

Eric André and Tiffany Haddish in Bad Trip, why Gen is traumatised by pranks, and freaky Florida Men. All in this episode with Alexei Toliopoulos and Gen Fricker.

Tell us your Florida Man at @netflixanz on Instagram and Twitter, or tag #thebigfilmbuffet.

Episode Transcription

Gen Fricker:

My biggest nightmare is ending up unintentionally on a blog like Brown cardigan or something where it's like one day I'll buy some chips and then I'll trip over and then I'll flip the chips into my face. And then [crosstalk 00:00:13] I'll get attacked by seagulls and I'll be like, well, thank God. No one saw that. But then of course it will be a hologram on my gravestone. It's like-

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Oh my gosh!

Gen Fricker:

Hello, I'm Gen Fricker.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

And I'm Alexei Toliopoulos.

Gen Fricker:

Welcome to the Big Film Buffet.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

A podcast of pop culture fans and people looking for what to watch recommendations.

Gen Fricker:

Today, it's our main course where we recommend you a Netflix film for you to watch this weekend.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Then next Tuesday, we'll give you a little snack of a pop culture subject we're obsessed with.

Gen Fricker:

Last week we spoke about the real world retold in a fake world, and this week we're talking about a fake story set in a real world. It's Bad Trip.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Ooh, what a way to put it. I would struggle to describe this movie, but I'm going to endeavour to do my best. This is basically a prank movie, not unlike your ball rats or your Bad Grandpas or your Jackass movies, or heck even the recently released Impractical Jokers, Colin the movie. This is a genre that I love obviously.

Gen Fricker:

Deep encyclopaedic knowledge of this genre I see.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Yeah. It's something that I love, which is a prank movie where they've got like hidden camera pranks, played out on the public with famous comedic actors like Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery and Tiffany Haddish. And the thing that is unique about this movie is that it is a road trip movie, which has got a real actual narrative that a comedic film would have where we've got actors playing characters, playing the roles in an actual road movie that is somehow set in reality.

Gen Fricker:

Okay. I'm still confused. I've tried to explain this movie to so many people. You're right Alexei. There's a main character. There's a love story. There's challenges and trials and tribulations. There's musical numbers, [crosstalk 00:02:05] but it's all shot around people who don't know that there's a movie being shot.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

I'd say that's the supreme joke of this movie that I never ever got tired of is that these are real people that are populating this film and they have to react and watch the big tropes that we are used to in a movie form.

Gen Fricker:

Yeah. There's dream sequences [crosstalk 00:02:30] there's like musical numbers. There's exposition.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

That is my favourite thing in this film. When a real life person gets stuck in a conversation with someone in a movie and they have to be part of the expository dialogue of it or help them find their arc in the movie. Like this part is filmed where real life person is sitting on a bench with Eric Andre and has to inspire him to go out and chase his loved one.

Gen Fricker:

There's a lot of physical comedy as well where like in a movie you wouldn't think twice about it, but real life people are watching people fall over bins and stuff and feeling quite bad about it.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

I did not really anticipate to love this movie. I don't know why just didn't strike me. But as soon as I started watching it, I fell immediately in love with it. I think I laughed my freaking nods off. I laughed so. So sorry. I'm without nods now while I'm doing this review, but the LPM rate was out of control.

Gen Fricker:

What's LPM?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Lost per minute. This was off the fricking LPM scale. My lost minute were through the fricking roof. I lost my mind and I found my soul.

Gen Fricker:

What?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

I found this to be terribly funny and that joke absolutely never wore on me off. This is a real movie, like a planes, trains, and automobiles, where you would like pick up on and believe in the heightened reality of a film and then there's just everyday people that have to live amongst it.

Gen Fricker:

Yeah. Are you a big fan of these films in general? Like did you grow up watching Jackass?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Tragically, yes. I did love Jackass. And to this day I still love Jackass. I think I only got on board with it when Jackass went from TV to cinema and I was like, [crosstalk 00:04:19] now I respect this. I respect this art form now, but there's something about prank movies where I can live vicariously through them because in reality, pranks freak me out. I'm scared of pranks. I would never do a prank on someone. I would hate to be pranked my damn self, but in these film formats, I can really get in on them. Me and my mother really bonded over Ali G and Borat. We used to watch the Ali G show or more accurately Da Ali G Show we used to just watch it together.

Gen Fricker:

That's right. It's spelled D-A.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

D-A. Da Ali G Show, before was Wicked. Me and my mama going booyaka, booyakasha, booyaka.

Gen Fricker:

Borat was a character on that, right?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Yes.

Gen Fricker:

That's where Borat started?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Exactly. My mom would be like, I love it when he says very nice. I think it's so funny when Borat says my wife, et cetera, et cetera.

Gen Fricker:

Wait. How does Borat say my wife?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

He says, "My wife." That's it. I just love this kind of prank worlds of films and TV.

Gen Fricker:

You're getting the vicarious kicks of being a bad boy.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Being the most goodest boy, watching TV with my mom.

Gen Fricker:

Exactly.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Are you in the same area as me?

Gen Fricker:

Look, I'm going to be 100% honest.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

You got to be keeper 100 baby.

Gen Fricker:

Always. I really struggled with this film because it's just not a kind of genre I usually watch. I'll be really honest with you. I never really got into Jackass. I loved Da Ali G movie.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Da Ali G Da movie?

Gen Fricker:

Yeah. And Da Ali G Show, because Da Ali G Show, it was all characters who go out into the real world and pull pranks on people, right?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Yeah. Stan comedy.

Gen Fricker:

Whereas Da Ali G Movie was a character driven comedy. It was all fictional, that kind of thing.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Yeah.

Gen Fricker:

So fundamentally as we learn about each other, Alexei, we're going to keep a scoreboard and that's one of our divided kind of things.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

That's our area of division. We're two sides of the same coin. One side likes Da Ali G Da Movie, one side of the coin likes Da Ali G Show.

Gen Fricker:

Exactly.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

And the rest of the world can be split up into those two categories too.

Gen Fricker:

Yeah exactly.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

If you're listening to this, which side are you on in that coin?

Gen Fricker:

Get in touch.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Let us know who you are.

Gen Fricker:

It's like Nathan for you. The TV show another prank TV show where everyone tells me it's so great and then I watch it. I think secondhand embarrassment. It's too uncomfortable for me to watch. So if you're one of those people, maybe this isn't the film for you, I will say however, I really love some moments in this film, the musical numbers in public places and watching people's reactions to that was probably my favourite part of this whole film.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Yeah. I think that's something that this film does really well. This is a really grotty, grubby, dirty, very silly comedy. So it's one that I would not go, "Oh, everyone needs to watch this movie." I think if this thing appeals to you, if you like a really, out there wacky comedy, and you've got a crazy sense of humour like myself, this is one that I would like go, "Yeah, check it out." I think it's one to be in the right mindset for, and that dance musical sequence is really something special because I think the joke on these people, it's like it's a kind of joke where it's allowing these people in the real life world to experience a little bit of movie magic and the heart and world of movies. There's a scene where Eric Andre just burst into song a dance inspired by love, like a La La Land in a food court and just everyone has to watch on as he feels the rhythm of dance.

Gen Fricker:

The jokes' always on Eric Andre. Yeah. It's never on the innocent people that he's shooting around. It's always them being like, "What the hell is this guy? Why is he standing on this desk or table or whatever, and kicking around chips and stuff and singing about love." Yeah. I love that. The way they've shot it. It's like a hidden camera comedy, is so great, but yeah. Oh my gosh!

Alexei Toliopoulos:

It looks more aesthetically pleasing than a regular hidden camera comedy. There are moments when they have these big set pieces, it actually looks like you're watching a real La La Land musical at points.

Gen Fricker:

I think that's like the director of it, Kitao Sakurai, in the placement of the cameras and stuff like that, it would be really hard to anticipate what real people are going to do, but he just pulls it all together so well.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

There's one scene in particular that really struck me as far as cinematic magic, doing something new that I haven't seen in a movie before. And this is a scene where they unwittingly take narcotics. I'm talking like a knock myself. They took narcotics.

Gen Fricker:

Are you on or whatever.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

No, this is not recorded.

Gen Fricker:

No one's listening to this conversation, right?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

I'm recording it separately for the FBI, but there's a scene where they take drugs and they have a trip sequence. Maybe this is the titular Bad Trip of The Movie. They take a bad trip and this film did something really cool. We took the Netflix subtitles when they're talking and then started phonetically riding them different we're on this drug trip, and then they started disappearing into a mist, and I just find it like, this is such a new thing to come to the wacky surrealism of drug trip scenes in movies, and then you've got them actually playing a real drug trip scene in front of actual people and how they have to play that out. It's spectacular and this is weeds. Talk about a really silly comedy like this, but it sings to the absolute innovation of what this movie is doing.

Gen Fricker:

Wow.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

This is a step forward.

Gen Fricker:

How does this compare with one of your favourite recent Netflix releases, Uncut Gems?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Oh my God. That is a great question. I would say Uncut Gems. I'm wearing an Uncut Gems t-shirt right now as we speak, it costs me over fricking $200 to important to Australia. So you know our rocket, I love it. I can't help it. Sandman is my hero, and I would put this up there, Uncut Gems is my favourite movie of the last decade, five star for perfect feature. This would be up there with my favourite comedies I've seen the last few years.

Gen Fricker:

Wow. Okay. I will say Tiffany Haddish in this movie is wonderful.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

This is a spectacular term by Tiffany Haddish. I love it when someone's got a defined community persona, like Tiffany Haddish, and then they are able to shift it slightly to give you something new with it. I think she is able to conjure up genuine feel in the role that she's playing as someone who's this intimidating escaped convict who's chasing down Lil Rel and Eric Andre who have stolen her car to go cross-country to find Eric Andre's long lost high school crush, and fall in love with her and win her over, and she's chasing them down like the fugitive, like this mad pursuing person, Tiffany Haddish of the three leads has definitely become the biggest movie star and the most recognisable. I think to get away with her being in this movie, they've visually transformed her. She's got face tattoos. She's got a little moustache.

Gen Fricker:

It's like a make under.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Absolutely. Because she's gorgeous, and so they're able to just make her look like [inaudible 00:11:35] and she's incredible in this movie.

Gen Fricker:

Because I was wondering how did they get away with this? How do you have these kind of pretty famous people? Like Tiffany Haddish I would say is like probably one of the most famous American comics at the moment, and then to have her play literally escape convict and approach people on the street. At one point she steals a cop car. How is it possible? I think it is really well-made. Who terrify me to be asked to make a film like this and terrify me to find out I was accidentally in.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Is that your big nightmare?

Gen Fricker:

Oh my God!

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Being captured in like this vulnerable moment.

Gen Fricker:

My biggest nightmare is ending up unintentionally on a blog like Brown Cardigan or something where it's like, one day I'll buy like some chips and then I'll trip over and then I'll flip the chips into my face [crosstalk 00:12:25] and then I'll get attacked by seagulls and I'll be like, "Thank God. No one saw that." But then of course it'll be a hologram on my gravestone. It's like-

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Oh my gosh.

Gen Fricker:

Just over and over on a loop, my grandchildren will be like, Aw man.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Well, at least you're getting those visits. People go check out chip girl in your local cemetery. So what is that? That makes you freak out like that. What deep down within, no little about.

Gen Fricker:

I'm so scared I guess, I'm being captured in a vulnerable moment or maybe it's just like the mosque we're all wearing is so fragile.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

It's just one chip could crack it.

Gen Fricker:

Exactly. It'll all fall apart at any moment. What about you? Were you one of those boys in high school that after watching Jackass you'd hit in the bins and jumped out at people and stuff?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

I think I'm a bit too prissy to do it that far, but this is a real thing about me. Okay. Yes. I did make up Jackass videos, but I was a Jeff Tremaine. I've always been the filmmaker. I was the one behind the lens. My cousins were around pulling pranks, throwing muses card at each other or something, riding on BMXs we're doing our own Greek version of Jackass. It's called Greekass. We're doing Greek style pranks at each other and our parents.

Gen Fricker:

What are some great style prank?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Mainly the muses card based. We get a fresh baked muses card, throw it at yaya. We'd walk around without African slippers on and drive our grandma crazy. She'd be like, "Put your fricking slippers on you're going to catch a cold out there." Those are the kind of high level pranks we were doing. The high jinks we were up to was absolutely ridiculous.

Gen Fricker:

Oh my God. So you have a high jinks sexually. Don't ask me how I know this, but Eric Andre has an OnlyFans.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Okay. I have to ask you one question. How do you know this?

Gen Fricker:

Although it's in his Instagram bio.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

What kind of content is he posting on his OnlyFans.

Gen Fricker:

I had to go through a lot.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Did you have to sign up for it?

Gen Fricker:

Have I signed up to OnlyFans? Have I given the website OnlyFans my credit card information just for this podcast? Yes.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Oh, wow.

Gen Fricker:

So I'm on Eric Andre's OnlyFans at the moment.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

What are we looking at? And let me see.

Gen Fricker:

It's pretty tame. He's just got topless photos of him in bed. That's about it really.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Yeah. That's actually gorge. Satin sheets, beautiful robes.

Gen Fricker:

He's sucking on a lollipop.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Wow.

Gen Fricker:

And then that one isn't good. [crosstalk 00:14:54]

Alexei Toliopoulos:

He's showing his butt crack off in that video.

Gen Fricker:

And there's another one of him on a toilet. That's about it. Who is your favourite non lead character in this film?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Wow, that's a great question, because I have to say the answer is the people of Florida. Everyone is a character in this movie and all these unsuspecting members of the public. They have such a genuine kindness reacting to what's going on in this movie. There's one moment early on with Tiffany Haddish, escaped from jail and the guy spots her and he just like, "You need to run, change your clothes and get out of here."

Gen Fricker:

Oh my God.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

And it's just this genuine sweetness to all the interactions that they have with these people that are like unwittingly part of a movie.

Gen Fricker:

Gives you a bit of faith in humanity. Doesn't it?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Absolutely.

Gen Fricker:

These people don't know they're being seen and they're acting with such kindness. That's nice.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Exactly. I think that there's something to say with this movie working in that is set in Florida, especially from outsider perspective. He is from Florida. He's born there. He's likely raised there as well. I think that this captures something of what we know as that Florida man syndrome. Do you know what I'm talking about?

Gen Fricker:

Yeah. You always hear stories about people from Florida and they're like Florida man discovers crocodile in the bath tub having eaten three of its children. I don't know.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Have you ever found of what your Florida man is?

Gen Fricker:

What is that?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Florida man plus your birthday into Google and it will tell you what your Florida man is.

Gen Fricker:

Okay.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

By the headline that comes up first.

Gen Fricker:

So I put Florida man, third, November, mark it in your diary.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Okay. Put it in, send us a message.

Gen Fricker:

Naked, Florida man drove with wires on penis.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Whoa.

Gen Fricker:

That is number one. I feel like the algorithm has been affected by me recently signing up to OnlyFans.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

I got to say you and I had two peas in a pod. May 19 is my birthday, Florida man tasered after walking naked around neighbourhoods.

Gen Fricker:

Oh my gosh!

Alexei Toliopoulos:

So we've both got wires. We've both got nude men and the electricity flows through us.

Gen Fricker:

Producer Michael, when's your birthday?

Michael:

22nd of March baby.

Gen Fricker:

Top result, Florida man wrecks liquor store. Blames it on caterpillar.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Oh my God. Michael that's you.

Michael:

I will be using this excuse in my life when going forward.

Gen Fricker:

That's one of my favourite Simpsons jokes, which is like, nobody would ever expect the butterfly. That really does tell you everything you need to know like movies about New York. It's usually about people who don't really get originally come from that place. And they're trying to make their way through a gritty big city. You know what I mean? They're chasing a dream and they're going to get past the obstacles that are set up in their way. Florida is a setting for people who are...

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Beyond our realm of understanding.

Gen Fricker:

Exactly yeah. There's enough room for everyone in Florida. You know what I mean?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

It makes these high jinks feel believable. Like why these people can buy into what is going on. Florida is a land of dreams.

Gen Fricker:

Should we move there?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

I think we can go there.

Gen Fricker:

To the next episode of the pod be live from Florida.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Golden girls style, baby. That's what we're going to do. Live from Miami. I love that my favourite art comes from Florida I would say.

Gen Fricker:

Like what?

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Scarface, The Golden Girls. Those are two examples, and here's a third one, the movie Wild Things, Matt Dillon baby. He's what I remember from one of the horniest movies of all time is Matt Dillon.

Gen Fricker:

Far out. Who knew that Florida had such a contribution to the cinema [inaudible 00:18:35]

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Yeah. To the arts. We thank you Florida.

Gen Fricker:

We thank you Florida. Thank you for birthing Eric Andre.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

We needed it. Thank you for it though. We sincerely thank you.

Gen Fricker:

Thank you for listening to the Big Film buffet.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

And if you enjoyed this podcast, subscribe to the Big Film Buffet on Apple and wherever you get your podcasts and leave us a comment. A review if you will.

Gen Fricker:

Yeah. Or tell us who your Florida man is. I'd love to know.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Yes. Send us in, on the socials who your Florida man is.

Gen Fricker:

And if you're driving around with wires protruding from your penis right now-

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Welcome to the club.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

This episode was hosted by me, Alexei Toliopoulos and Gen Fricker

Gen Fricker:

Produced by Michaelson, and Anu Hasbold.

Alexei Toliopoulos:

Edited By Jeffrey O'Connor.

Gen Fricker:

Executive produced by Tony Broderick and Melanie Mahony.