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After finishing the episode I am amazed that the people the crew compared Gutt's look to was Dee Snyder and Dog the Bounty Hunter, which while are apt, are nowhere near the perfect mullets that belong to Billy Ray Cyrus or Lorenzo Lamas in Renegade.

As a point of disambiguation, there are many different sub-genres of romance, and what Paul described reading in the podcast, and what June described as essentially “porn for women,” sounds more like erotica rather than straight romance. It’s the idea that all romance novels are just “dirty books for woman” which has allowed people to perpetuate the idea that romance isn’t a valid literary genre and has been repeatedly used as a means to censor female voices. Erotica is absolutely a popular sub-genre, but people too often conflate it with the entire genre. Many romance novels don’t even involve sex at all. In fact, Long’s character specifically mentions in the movie that her characters cannot be together until the very last page. If I were to classify this movie, I would say it was a BCD (“behind closed doors”) or “sweet” Romance. Which is to say, there is sex, but it is literally off the screen/page.

While I get a lot of the cynicism leveled at this movie and the character motivations within, it’s pretty faithful to romance novel literary conventions, which I feel is kind of the point. In romance novels, people fall in literal true love at first sight. Most characters in romance novels end with the characters getting married after knowing each other for a week or two. Romance readers don’t wants “realism” in romance. Nobody wants to read a book about a relationship that slowly deepens and develops over a series of dinner dates over the course of a couple of months. Everything needs to be heightened. Everything has to feel urgent. What’s important is that the reader/audience believes that the protagonist’s intentions are pure. In this case, Gus is constantly reaffirming that he is “in love.” In fact, I think the movie almost does this too much as I believe Gute’s acting conveys that pretty well on its own. The thing is, if you don’t believe he is acting in good faith, then the whole thing doesn’t work. And in all honest, I don’t believe the movie ever gives the viewer a reason to not believe that Gus is on the up and up. While far from perfect, you have to look at the entire movie as an adapted romance novel. It hits all the beats. It’s got a star-crossed couple, duoche-y ex, wacky side characters, and a series of escalating misunderstandings all set against a romantic back drop. That’s pretty much the formula across the board, and for the most part, I think the movie nails it.

Paul is correct in that Romance Conventions typically don’t have cosplayers; however, it is relatively common for publishers to hire models as part of their marketing strategy during these events. These people will dress in genre dress for convention goers to take photos with and provide ambiance. So you might have models dressed as Highlanders, Cowboys, Motorcycle Club (of which “Lobo” would have been an example) etc. wondering around throughout the event interacting with attendees. During the scene in question, as the group of “Dolly Partons” pass, you can hear an announcement on the PA for the “Country and Western harlots” to report to the green room, presumably for some kind of exhibition being staged by Loveboree.

So I was the guy that sent copies of the VHS copy to Paul, and what's crazy is... at the very end, there is an after credits gem! I’m a kid of the 80s who was an avid VHS renter. So was this an actual thing? Paul… In that you worked at Blockbuster, were you aware people could write-in for a refund if not satisfied with their rental?

So considering a good portion of my list has been done by the show since I wrote it, including the double live show for Con Air and Face/Off, I have updated my list accordingly. 1. Southland Tales - cars fucking in a commercial and random song and dance numbers 2. Last Action Hero - a lot of potential especially considering how well the movie has aged since its release 3. The Happening - Marky Mark fights the air 4. The Wizard - a 90 minute Nintendo commercial with Fred Savage 5. Ready to Rumble - the reason that David Arquette is officially known as a former World Heavyweight Champion

Why is didgeridoo music associated with a kiwi? Didgeridoos are an indigenous Australian invention and have nothing to do with New Zealand, Maori, or even Islander (is Easter Islanders) history

With apologies to horse lovers.

I really have to question Jaimie Gertz’s reporter’s skills. She goes to the romance novel convention, sees the table with Shelley Long’s novels, a life-size cutout of Shelley Long, with Shelley Long standing next to it, but doesn’t figure out who Long is until she sees her autographing one of her books. Bob Woodward she ain’t.

During the robbery, I honestly thought it was staged to make Lobo seem heroic. I thought they were really getting into this ridiculous plan. It wasn't until he started talking to himself that I realized this was actually happening. So, I don't get what the plan was either. It seems like his heroics made the plan work. I don't blame Gertz for not being into Gus at the first dinner. It definitely wasn't just his appearance. He was also acting weird and nervous which made a bad first impression. And that meal was enough to ruin anyone in my mind. Plus you'd have this annoying woman as your sister in law. It was just a bad situation. Despite all that, looks are kind of important. Certainly not the most important aspect. I've certainly gotten more attracted to someone I wasn't initially into as I've gotten to know them. But, if the introduction was anything like that dinner (which wasn't Gus' fault), I'm not going back just in case they have a great personality.

Was it ever explained how Gus found Gertz at the gas station the first time as Lobo? Was he stalking her or just following the billowing clouds of smog coming off that deathtrap of a car of hers every two seconds?

They touched on it in the episode, but one of the moments I really enjoyed was when Shelly Kong’s husband says he recognized that “Lobo” was foreign because of his BO. What I particularly loved was the thought that a badass, illegal immigrant biker would be just cruising around town in a tourist t-shirt from his home country.

I dont trust brother and sister that get along

The one thing I was wondering the whole time was Long's deadline that was just in her head. She was pushing Gus to keep up with this plan because as she said Gertz was going to be unhappily married sooner rather than later. How the hell did she figure that? Nowhere in their conversations did she mention the next time she finds some hot dong was she going to put a ring on it, she just said her relationship is odd at the moment and what she was into when looking for a guy, which also kind spits in the face of Gertz's own words as when she tells Long what she's looking for, it all gets pushed to the back burner for a hot/mysterious guy like in one of the romance novels or what she's been going for her whole life. I get having fun in life, but if you have a ideal person or characteristics, don't you kinda want to slow down and see if a new person in your life is that person? When she meets Gus she's basically like "nah fuck that tubby baldy" and runs back to MacLachlan the next day. Also am I the only one thinking there would have been more buildup to the reveal of the scheme? In most rom coms the scheme takes place usually near the end of the 1st act leading to the reveal and the end of the 2nd, with the 3rd being the big makeup scene. This one they spent so much time on the prepping for the scheme that they really only had time to have 1 1/2 dates, sex, and then instant reveal, followed by a quick turnaround for Getz to realize she really does love Gus.

Not only does he go along with a clearly manipulative plan, he sleeps with a woman who isn't actually giving consent to Gus. This goes beyond fluffing up your image to get with someone. He knows, or at least has reason to believe, she wouldn't sleep with him if she knew who he was and still goes for it.

The dance they were doing was supposed to be the Shag, which people have been doing in the Carolinas since the 1940s. Of course, there version of the dance was about as accurate as the Southern accents that no main characters bothered with despite apparently being born and raised around Charleston. If it wasn't for a couple minor characters, this could have been Chicago.

Definitely, she's a persistent liar and manipulator. The whole first scene I'm wondering why she can't just get off her brother's back about dating . . . he literally just finished cancer treatments and you're hounding him like crazy! Maybe if she stopped talking about how terrible it is that he lives alone he wouldn't be so damn miserable.

Let's all just agree... Shelly Long's character is THE VILLAIN of this movie! The whole idea of transforming Gus into Lobo only comes after Shelly is upset that Gertz is not interested in Gus. Gertz tells Shelly she is not into Gus and kind of involved with someone. But Shelly will not accept that and gets angry with Gertz, even saying, " right, you'd have fallen for Gus like a ton of bricks if he'd been devastatingly handsome and treated you like shit." Gertz denies this, but to add further proof why Shelly is the VILLAIN... in the next scene, all you hear is Shelly essentially saying how it's bullshit when people are saying looks aren't important. Do I think Shelly cares that Gus eventually finds love? Yes, but when Shelly feels denied by Gertz's honesty... all Shelly cares about is making Gertz eat her words and USES her brother as a toy in her game of deception! Prove me wrong! (ps... i love all of you)

This will always be my favorite Ben Vareen performance:

Quotes like, "We're selling my human-boy skin-pants.", are jewels that I take with me through my week. Thank you.

Yeah it’s been a long time since I last watched it but even then I knew it was a pretty whacky gnarly flick. I feel it’s ripe for HDTGM since it was a legit box office movie. Plus it has the French teacher lol.

I saw this as a kid (probably too young), but I must admit I still knew in the back of my head that this would not be a movie to seek out and show to other people as thought it were a good movie. I plan on rewatching it though to see how much the rose colored glasses of childhood have affected my memory.

Guess no one believes me lol but I'll say it again, this is one would be a fun HDTGM show. Such a crazy silly movie that had a full on box office launch n everything.

This movie is bananas lol. Best quote ever is from the French teacher ‘the bar’s closed!!!!’

I just called the number to tell them they should do this movie. I guess if I would if checked the forum I could of saved myself, not 1 but 2 calls. Still worth it.