How Did This Get Made?
How Did This Get Made?

Tough Guys Don't Dance (Classic)

June 23, 2026 • 1h 10m

Summary

⏱️ 9 min read

Overview

Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael tackle Norman Mailer's 1987 noir disaster 'Tough Guys Don't Dance,' a bewildering film starring Ryan O'Neill and Isabella Rossellini. The hosts express genuine distress at this Canon Films production featuring Southern accents in Provincetown, decapitated heads, and some of the most baffling dialogue ever committed to film. They discuss Mailer's controversial directing style, the infamous 'Oh God, Oh Man' scene, and whether this film might actually be worse than The Room.

Opening Reactions and Disney Tangent

The hosts immediately express their visceral negative reactions to the film, with June feeling physically unwell and Jason comparing the experience to pandemic-era chaos. What starts as movie discussion quickly derails into an extended conversation about Disneyland, including Jason's revelation that he's never been to Disneyland, Paul's intense Disney fandom, and detailed planning for potential future trips. The conversation reveals personality differences in how they approach both theme parks and difficult movies.

  • June felt unwell watching the film and compared it to being thrown back to March 2020
  • Jason contacted his lawyer about a potential class action lawsuit over the movie
  • Paul wrote himself an email after watching that only said 'help me'
  • Jason reveals he has never been to Disneyland, shocking the group
  • Paul describes taking his kids to Disney for hours without rest, fueled by chocolate milk
" I felt like the movie was harming me. Like, I feel like, I contacted my lawyer to see if we can be part of, like, a class action lawsuit. "
" I wrote myself an email last night after I watched the movie. I opened it this morning, and it only said, help me. "

Paul's Airplane Analogy and Viewing Philosophy

Paul explains his unique approach to terrible movies through an elaborate airplane crash analogy, arguing that when a film is clearly doomed, it's better to unbuckle your seatbelt and enjoy the chaos rather than trying to make sense of it. This philosophy contrasts sharply with Jason and June's more earnest attempts to engage with the film on its own terms, leading to a hilarious discussion about survival strategies in both literal and metaphorical disasters.

  • Paul compares watching bad movies to unbuckling during a plane crash to 'pinball around the cabin'
  • June suggests she might unbuckle and try to fly out with blankets like a squirrel suit
  • The hosts reference Casey Wilson's dad's story about a passenger trying to exit mid-flight
" When the plane is going down, let me unbuckle my seatbelt because there's no way I'm getting out of this. So let me flop around this cabin because I'd rather be shooting up and down. "
" If I could grab a couple blankets... I might take my chances that way. "

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