Episode 30 — Director's Edition: Cool as Ice

[admin 330]

Even if you're still stuck in the credits of Cool as Ice, you probably know you're in for something crazy! We watched it and invited Brian Huskey to join us in reveling in this relic of the early 90s. Weird biker gangs, inexplicable love stories, and the Witness Protection Program flesh out what is essentially a feature-length hip hop music video starring Vanilla Ice. What does Vanilla think of the movie? Learn as Rob Van Winkle joins the crew for the final few minutes to give insight into the stunts, the sets, and the jargon that has stood the test of time.

 

[Julia 477]

When Vanilla Ice was talking about how this project led to him getting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, I had a huge smile on my face. I watched that movie so many times as a kid. Rob was a great guest; I'm so glad you guys got him on the show!

[jingodjangomourning 20]

I was really struck by Rob's positive attitude. For so many years it seemed like every time he appeared on television or in print, he was angry and defensive. I'm thinking specifically about his uncomfortable appearance on MTV's "25 Lame" in 1999, in which the comedians (Jon Stewart, Leary, Garofalo, Kattan) seemed a little shaken by him.

 

It's nice to see him embrace some of the insanity of his stardom.

[Podus 108]

He lied about his age when he did the movie

[Spengler 0]

I noticed that too Kristopher.

And he wasn't 16 when he released ice ice baby he was 23! Very strange.

But he sounded like a nice enough guy and it was a great episode.

[aplusj 12]

Loved it! Too bad you didn't get Gwyneth Paltrow on the show for a quick spot to talk about missing out on the role.

[jarshall 25]

great episode. this is the one I was waiting for.

[TommyPinballs 26]

art direction by

Carey Meyer

 

production designer for

Buffy, Serenity, CSI NY&Miami etc

[KajusX 1807]

Brian Huskey is, and always has been a delight. I first saw him on Free Radio on Vh1, and ever since then I have lit up whenever he is involved in something I'm checking out. He's been doing great work on Earwolf, and his appearances on all the network's podcasts (improv4humans, Gelmania, Comedy Bang Bang, The Apple Sisters, HDTGM, etc) have been top notch. Just a really funny guy, talented comedic actor, and a really good guest.

 

I need to check out Children's Hospital, as I've only seen a couple episodes, one of which being the episode where Brian Huskey's character is paired up with Joe Lo Truglio, which was excellent.

 

Just wanted to put that out there. Brian Huskey is awesome.

[sarel 45]

I noticed that too Kristopher.

And he wasn't 16 when he released ice ice baby he was 23! Very strange.

But he sounded like a nice enough guy and it was a great episode.

 

I think he might have been referring to 16 when he wrote the song (which Wikipedia states) so he was probably basing it off of that.

 

Regardless, fantastic episode. I've seen reviews of this film before but you guys got the man himself! It's what makes this podcast fantastic.

[JeremyDuncan 2]

This is a movie I have been waiting to see since it came out, but for some reason waited. Seeing that you did an episode about it, I knew I had to watch it before I listened to the podcast. Wow. I've never seen so much cartoonishly over exaggerated early 90s hip hop fashion in my life. The podcast was great, and I realize there were probably time constraints, but I feel like you missed a few seriously discussable points.

 

-You mentioned the jumping of the fence that scared the horse, but no mention of the impossible mechanics behind it. He jumped that fence with presumably no ramp, or dirt pile, or anything that could have launched him 5+ feet in the air. Same for jumping the Corvette at the end.

 

-The first half hour or so of the film was silly and whimsical, filled with funny banter, exaggerated reactions, and sound effects, then that whole feel was dropped after the Sugar Shack. The mood of the movie totally changed.

 

-After returning to the Sugar Shack, where "Johnny" beat up Nick (Dick) and company for smashing up his friend's motorcycle, he just leaves. He doesn't go in to alert his friend of the situation, and there is never further any mention of the guy's bike being vandalized.

 

-By the way, his character's name is Johnny, and never referred to as Ice or Vanilla Ice. Where's that fucking movie title come from? Just because the actor's name is Vanilla Ice? That would be like naming "Die Hard" "Bad Ass Bruce" or something, just because it starred Bruce WIllis.

 

-His fucking never ending wardrobe. As you mentioned, he was only on a crotch rocket. Where the fuck did all those outfits come from?

 

-Speaking of outfits, that jacket. It had all these "cool" phrases on it like Down by Law, Yep Yep, Sex Me Up, Lust, Freeze, Rollin, Danger, Hype, and then Dang. Dang. How fucking bad ass is the word Dang?

 

-Kat was nippin' hard in her first few outfits. I feel like the THO was a contribution of the porn director, for sure.

 

-That fish bowl was ridiculous. The first time they showed it, there was 18-20 Cichlids in there. No pump, no gravel, no aeration. Just a shit ton of tropical fish. In the scene where he threw there ring in, there were only about 12 left. I say "left", because I'm sure the rest died in those horrible conditions.

 

-You mentioned how easy they gave up looking for her kidnapped brother at the construction site. How about the fact that they couldn't hear that site identifying noise that was barely audible on the tape WHILE THEIR FUCKING LOUD ASS MOTORCYCLES WERE STILL RUNNING?!

 

-Another thing I loved about that part is when they crashed through the drywall with their motorcycles. The hole they left must have been 5-6 feet wide. You're telling me there where no 2x4 studs across that wide a section of wall? That shit must have been being built by some shady ass contractors. Not to mention that when they cut back to the wall, the edges of the hole had perfectly cut, zig-zag edges..

 

The last thing I want to mention is your interview with Rob "Vanilla Ice" Van Winkle. OK, you guys were nice to him. I get it. You aren't dick heads, but come on. You let him off the hook way too easy. Earlier in the podcast, you said that her was OK with how the film was currently perceived, but talking to him, he seemed really satisfied that they had made a quality movie. He even went as far as showing pride in the awesome lines he improved that "stood the test of time", like "You need to drop that zero and get with a hero".

 

And now he runs with ICP.

 

At the end of the day, is still absolutely LOVE this podcast I think you are all hilarious, and will listen as long as it exists. Props on picking movies that are available to instant stream on Netflix, too.

 

Afterthought: I'd love to see a video alternative available along side the audio podcast.

[JeremyDuncan 2]

P.S. Please do Road House.

[crunkthemilkup 10]

June Raphael came across as hitting on Vanilla Ice, best part of the episode.

 

I'm totally doing a spec script on "Cool as Ice 2: Operation Remodelvation" now. I just don't know if the backers would be ICP or not. ICP funding would be a little intimidating because "Big Money Rustlas" was so fucking great.

[JohnBogart 1]

I love your shows!! This was one of the best! You all rock, and I about lost my crap when he spoke of "Secret of the Ooze."

[Nasher 29]

Aww what a cheat... he wasn't even there.. you talked to him after watching the 'film' but before the podcast.. and you totally wussed out.. Cult Classic my arse...

 

Fairs fair let the man sell his schock but trade for even the slightest acceptance he was in a god awful paycheck movie that's even less relevant today than when it was ill conceived. +10 points for having to watch the flick.. -5 for wussing and misleading.

 

I still love you guys all the same

[rachelpi 228]

I love that Paul and Jason know about "Axe Cop"! This was a cool episode, thanks

[Andrewryan 0]

It's funny that 'Earth Girls Are Easy' was mentioned, as that film features Damon Wayons saying ""Why be with a zero when you can dance with a hero?", a year or so before Cool as Ice came out, so I don't think Vanilla can really take credit for coining the very similar line in his movie. And yes, a bizarre claim that he was 16 when Ice Ice Baby hit - there's a big difference between being 16 and 21, and he certainly looked well past puberty when he first started appearing on MTV.

[erikjskinner 1]

 

I think he might have been referring to 16 when he wrote the song (which Wikipedia states) so he was probably basing it off of that.

 

Regardless, fantastic episode. I've seen reviews of this film before but you guys got the man himself! It's what makes this podcast fantastic.

 

Good point, but it still doesn't explain him claiming to be 19 when filming Cool as Ice, which started filming in 1991! (making him about 24 at the time)

 

Loved this episode as I always do!

[Wien 401]

Aww what a cheat... he wasn't even there.. you talked to him after watching the 'film' but before the podcast.. and you totally wussed out.. Cult Classic my arse...

 

Fairs fair let the man sell his schock but trade for even the slightest acceptance he was in a god awful paycheck movie that's even less relevant today than when it was ill conceived. +10 points for having to watch the flick.. -5 for wussing and misleading.

 

I still love you guys all the same

 

 

Wait, wha? Wussed out? Were they supposed to murder Vanilla Ice? I think there was a general understanding from all that the film was foolishness. When you have the man there for a limited time, you gotta ask him the behind the scenes stuff and not just be like "You suck!" or whatever you were expecting.

[pbnews 93]

Brian Huskey is, and always has been a delight. I first saw him on Free Radio on Vh1, and ever since then I have lit up whenever he is involved in something I'm checking out. He's been doing great work on Earwolf, and his appearances on all the network's podcasts (improv4humans, Gelmania, Comedy Bang Bang, The Apple Sisters, HDTGM, etc) have been top notch. Just a really funny guy, talented comedic actor, and a really good guest.

 

I need to check out Children's Hospital, as I've only seen a couple episodes, one of which being the episode where Brian Huskey's character is paired up with Joe Lo Truglio, which was excellent.

 

Just wanted to put that out there. Brian Huskey is awesome.

 

 

Also, he's rocking that 'stache mad steady. Keep it, bro, you look badass!

[sbthree 0]

I just have to put my musical two cents in on this one. The composer of the background music for this movie is Stanley Clarke, bass player for the Jazz fusion band Return to Forever. He actually won a grammy at the recent grammy awards. He is a phenomenal bass player and you should really check his work out. Even if jazz fusion is not your thing, his virtuosity is undeniable. However, he has made music for an odd selections of movies. He is done highly acclaimed movies such as Boyz n the Hood, low level movies such as Like Mike 2: Streetball ( and of course Cool as Ice ) and even the Transporter starring HDTGM hero Jason Statham. Just some interesting thoughts on the scores of movies.

[ThuanDang 0]

This is my favorite movie of all time. I am saying this non-ironically. This movie is crazy, it's ridiculous, it is the funnest time I ever had watching a movie. I mean the jump over the white fence, you know this movie is real crazy to the point of being surreal. The way the family starts moving around in fast forward, the crazy sound effects, all these little funny things about the movie, I truly love this movie. The montage where they are on the date, I mean it won me over right there. And that crazy salt and pepper bit is awesome! It's so pure silly enjoyment. The movie knows what it is and it accepts itself so relentlessly. This movie isn't suppose to be realistic, to think it is or judge it as such will be simply detrimental to the enjoyment this movie can give a viewer. This movie is surrealism at its finest.

 

Let's G-O.

[Andrewryan 0]

A few times during the podcast the guys mentioned that it was basically re-making Rebel Without a Cause. I couldn't see the connection myself - James Dean in this film lives with his parents, and nothing very similar to Cool as Ice happens.

 

I just realised that the film you're thinking of is in fact The Wild One, with Marlon Brando. In that film Brando and his gang descend on a small town and create mayhem. I think - I haven't actually seen it, but then again I still haven't seen Cool as Ice either!

[Nasher 29]

 

 

Wait, wha? Wussed out? Were they supposed to murder Vanilla Ice? I think there was a general understanding from all that the film was foolishness. When you have the man there for a limited time, you gotta ask him the behind the scenes stuff and not just be like "You suck!" or whatever you were expecting.

 

They mildly tore into the flick in the podcast.. and then went to see him and agreed it was a "Cult Classic".. Seriously.. Come on.. That was so disingenuous.. you let the guy repeatedly sell his tv show and make several false statements and exaggerations to your face and as 3 comedians you let him? I can only assume he agreed to it if nothing was said to his detriment. It felt thin and weak sauce.

 

I expect better from such quick and entertaining minds, I don't care for the current popularity of humiliation replacing actual comedy and it would denigrate our hosts to do that.. but to flat agree his movie was in someway good, brave or worthwhile after ribbing it felt like pandering.

 

I certainly didn't expect personal attacks on the mans character and ability.. I think any right thinking person knows how much talent and ability he actually has, that's for individuals.

 

In the recent Abduction podcast they happily used speculation of the stars sexuality as detriment to his acting ability, would they do that if they were about to interview him for the show? Would they back peddle on all the things that didn't make sense or the awfulness of the material? My point is that in interviewing the man they said things they wouldn't otherwise and likewise didn't say things they should have.

[bedouin 1]

The 'Cut that zero' line was already popular in the black community long before Ice used it. See this Doug E. Fresh song from '88:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjVBCVjKUjk