Seriously Random Lists |
October 21, 2009 | Comments (62)
A great cameo can actually completely redeem an otherwise horrible film (see number three on this list, for instance). I’m not exactly sure what the rules are with regard to cameos, but for my money, the best 1) are a complete surprise; 2) play either against type or lampoon their own celebridentities; and 3) are often completely superfluous to the main plot line.
This, folks, was probably one of the easiest seriously random lists I’ve ever put together, although the real number two spot would probably go to Zombieland. However, it’s still in theaters and though most of you are already familiar with the cameo, I don’t want to run the tiny risk of spoiling it. Plus, it’s not available on YouTube yet.
5. Will Ferrell in Wedding Crashers
4. Ben Affleck, Gus Van Sant, Matt Damon in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
3. Matt Damon in Eurotrip
2. Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder
1. Neil Patrick Harris in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
Where the FUCK is (edited for spoilers -- TK)? I wheezed during his section of Zombieland, and to ignore that is insanity. Pure craziness.
Posted by: adam at October 21, 2009 2:10 PM
Jason Bourne doesn't need to give me more reasons to love him, but he just did anyway.
Posted by: Agente Provocatrice at October 21, 2009 2:13 PM
This, folks, was probably one of the easiest seriously random lists I’ve ever put together, although the real number two spot would probably go to Zombieland. However, it’s still in theaters and though most of you are already familiar with the cameo, I don’t want to run the tiny risk of spoiling it. Plus, it’s not available on YouTube yet.
It's called reading. Top to bottom, left to right…a group of words together is called a sentence. Take Tylenol for any headaches…Midol for any cramps.
Posted by: henchman for hire at October 21, 2009 2:13 PM
I'm not even a Tom Cruise hater, and I still don't think his cameo in Tropic Thunder was funny. At all.
Posted by: Todd at October 21, 2009 2:15 PM
I should read first. I take back my foul language. also, ***spoiler aler***
Posted by: adam at October 21, 2009 2:17 PM
Oh, my GOD ... I clicked on this link thinking, "If they don't have Will Farrell's bit in 'Wedding Crashers,' I'm gonna go ballistic!" I was, however, THRILLED to find that one at #5, first one out of the gate. My faith in Pajiba continues to be justified. Farrell is hit and miss with me. I LOVED him in "Stranger Than Fiction" but LOATHE with all my being his Spartans bits with Cheri Oteri on "SNL." This bit as Chazz, however, with the whole "meatloaf" shtick is just over-the-top genius and easily worth a ranking on this list, or practically any other cameo list, for that matter! Oh, and the "Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back" bits with Matt & Ben are phenomenal, too. Right up there with Alanis as God in "Dogma," though she may have been credited in that one. Either way, great list all around!
Posted by: Andy Geisel at October 21, 2009 2:20 PM
So true story, I want to have sex with the Eurotrip version of Matt Damon. Not any other version of Matt Damon, just that version. Good story, eh?
Posted by: ashes at October 21, 2009 2:21 PM
I kinda feel you on that Todd. I thought the Tom Cruise cameo was fine, but then got annoyed around the end. When he appeared in the last few minutes of the film I just thought "Oh no, if he dances..." I didn't really find it to be all that HI-larious.
Also BAH! I haven't seen Zombieland and got spoilered!
Posted by: vdo86 at October 21, 2009 2:22 PM
The cameo in Zombieland made me shriek a little. I was told that it was a good one, but I never expected who it was. Glorious.
Speaking of zombie movies, I liked Martin Freeman's cameo in Shaun of the Dead when he nodded hello to Dawn. I may have teared up a little.
Posted by: Julie at October 21, 2009 2:27 PM
I know it doesn't exactly fit your criteria, but Lance Armstrong in Dodgeball was awesome.
Posted by: Lunchbox20 at October 21, 2009 2:29 PM
Applesauce, BITCH!
Ha!
What the hell is wrong with Affleck's hair in that clip?
Posted by: Lindsey with an 'e' at October 21, 2009 2:32 PM
Dammit!
Posted by: sansho1 at October 21, 2009 2:34 PM
the one reason to see "eurotrip" is Matt Damon in punk rocker(Damon/punk is an oxymoron)
Posted by: carrie at October 21, 2009 2:37 PM
No Lance Armstrong in Dodgeball? He was fantastic! Sure, he seems like a douche now, but at the time it was the funniest thing ever.
"Well, I guess if a person never quit when the going got tough, they wouldn't anything to regret for the rest of their life. But good luck to you Peter. I'm sure this decision won't haunt you forever. "
Posted by: Skewicide Blonde at October 21, 2009 2:43 PM
I enjoyed the Topher Grace cameos in Ocean's 11 & 12. While certainly not top 5 worthy, I thought they were amusing.
Posted by: Smello at October 21, 2009 2:48 PM
So true, unfortunately, I checked IMBD before I saw Zombieland, and I found out the cameo beforehand, but it was so hilarious anyway, that it hardly mattered.
Oh, for fuck's sake. Zombieland has been out for a goddamn month. I won't bother to reveal the cameo since it's clearly just going to get censored, but if you want to find out who it is, then get off your doughy ass and go see the goddamn thing so the rest of us can quite tiptoeing around your delicate fucking sensibilities.
Posted by: Tracer Bullet at October 21, 2009 2:59 PM
Eurotrip is damned good hangover theater.
Posted by: Brian at October 21, 2009 3:00 PM
I'll always hate Eurotrip because once I broke up with my boyfriend and the next weekend he was out with some other girl seeing this movie.
I mean, it's bad enough that he moved on so quick, but with a girl who would agree to go see Eurotrip. And as a first date no less!
Oh, also I've never actually seen Eurotrip. I assure you I always scowl when I see its horrible name in print though.
Posted by: becks at October 21, 2009 3:11 PM
Great, now you've spoiled "Wedding Crashers" for me. Just like when my high school psych teacher gave away "The Crying Game" in talking about his date the previous night.
I don't get why Will Ferrell in Wedding Crashers was that funny. Maybe it's just because it's in what I consider the pointless part of the movie, but it doesn't seem like anything special. I thought he was better in Starsky & Hutch.
I'd replace it with Lance Armstrong or yeah, even Topher Grace in the Ocean's movies. And what about Tyson in The Hangover? Although I guess it wasn't so much that HE was funny, it was that his presence made the other characters say funny things...
Posted by: Mimi at October 21, 2009 3:46 PM
Eurotrip gave me the awesomeness that is, "Mail, Motherfucker!" I say that in my head everytime I check the mailbox and whenever that little pop-up box appears showing that I just received an Outlook e-mail. Beautiful. Plus, Michelle Trachtenburg in a bikini was nice.
And I second the Lance Armstrong cameo. I thought that was WAY better than the Damon/Affleck/Van Sant thing from Jay and Silent Bob. Please remove your mouth from Kevin's cock, Dustin.
If I was Matt's wife, I'd request a boning by Rocker Matt every now and then, as a treat; Bourne Matt once a week, and Regular Matt daily, nightly, and ever so rightly.
Posted by: Lauren at October 21, 2009 4:07 PM
"I wish Matt Damon would fill me with his awesome..."-Eyvi
Eyvi,
I get first dibs on awesome Matt Damon simply because I'm awesome enough to be from his hometown, and when I get angry I have the awesome Good Will Hunting accent. But if awesome Matt Damon fills me with his awesome first, and your awesome husband is feeling awesome about an awesome once-in-a-lifetime awesome situation...I have no problem with awesome Matt Damon putting awesome all over yours and mine awesome faces while your awesome husband watches, smiling at the awesomeness of the whole thing. You seem like an awesome girl; I'm sure with enough drinks in us we'd make a pretty awesome Jason Bourne three way skin flick.
Get what I'm saying?
Posted by: scorzi at October 21, 2009 4:10 PM
I didn't think Tom Cruise was at all funny in Tropic Thunder. I did, however, think he was incredibly irritating.
Posted by: ER at October 21, 2009 4:10 PM
Wow, Tracer, you sound angrier than those of us who actually got spoiled. It's still in first run, which ought to be the yardstick. Not that any implied gag rule should have been necessary here, though, as it was spelled out in the post.
Sounds like repressing the need to reveal the cameo in a movie has been the piss in your daily Wheaties for weeks now. Thanks for holding out, you fucking hero.
Posted by: sansho1 at October 21, 2009 4:58 PM
bill murray in zombieland.
Posted by: teddy blowsevelt at October 21, 2009 5:00 PM
Tom Cruise is kind of central to Tropic Thunder and is in the movie a lot, at various times, and in disguise. Is it really a cameo? I don't think so.
PS: I hate Tom Cruise.
Posted by: Majesky at October 21, 2009 5:09 PM
Come on people, I know Fred Claus was a horrible movie, but the scene at the organization for people with more famous brothers that included Frank Stallone, Roger Clinton, and Stephan Baldwin all bitching about their much more famous brothers. Pure cameo gold.
Posted by: Morgan LaFai at October 21, 2009 5:43 PM
lol henchman quoting tommy boy way to go - my favorite movie when I was a tween.
Posted by: eden at October 21, 2009 5:48 PM
Wow. A clip of Kristin Kreuk and NPH. I nominate this as the best post ever.
Posted by: Dave at October 21, 2009 5:52 PM
So I was excited that you guys were editing the comments and removing the Zombieland spoiler (because I'm poor and haven't seen it yet) and then I kept scrolling down and reading and why didn't I stop before it was too late? I should have known better! Damn me. And thanks for nothin', Teddy Blowsevelt.
Posted by: MelBivDevoe at October 21, 2009 6:22 PM
I really don't see why people get so up in arms about the Zombieland cameo. It's a fucking cameo, not ending spoilers. That's like flouncing out of your web browser because someone "spoiled" you on what font they used for the credits.
Posted by: Craig at October 21, 2009 6:24 PM
Craig - please don't tell me what font they used! Was it Cambria? No, wait, don't answer that.
Posted by: MelBivDevoe at October 21, 2009 6:30 PM
Agree with others: Tom Cruise is a character, not a cameo, he spent roughly as much time on screen as Judy Dench did in her Best Supporting Role in Shakespeare in Love. Substitute for either Cate Blanchett or Peter Jackson in Hot Fuzz.
Posted by: Squirrelgripper at October 21, 2009 6:41 PM
I really loved David Duchovny's cameo in Zoolander.
...and Billy Zane's for that matter.
Posted by: bubblegumshoe at October 21, 2009 7:07 PM
Scotty doesn't know ..
Scotty doesn't know ..
ROCKER MATT PLZ.
Posted by: duckandcover at October 21, 2009 8:36 PM
Teddy Blowsevelt-
Thanks for douching the place up, douche.
Tracer Bullet-
It may have been out for a month in America, but Pajiba is read by people all over the world. Also, calm down.
I had the cameo spoiled for me by an online review (can't remember where! Wish I could so I could write them an angry e-mail). I'm hoping it doesn't dampen my enjoyment of the movie.
Posted by: Daniel Hall at October 21, 2009 9:06 PM
Having just been able to see (and LOVE) Zombieland last night, I would've been pretty unhappy to know the cameo ahead of time. No, it's not ending spoilers (spoiler: a lot of zombies die) but it's easily one of the highlights.
Posted by: Gabs at October 21, 2009 9:22 PM
I have suddenly developed a greater appreciation for Kristen Kruek.
I am so shallow.
Posted by: BierceAmbrose at October 21, 2009 10:19 PM
nothing spoiled zombieland more than that damned pirate ship.
Nothing tops Christopher Walken's cameo in Pulp Fiction. The way it veers from upbeat mom-and-apple-pie Americana to heartbreaking pathos to over the top absurdity at the drop of a hat is pure genius. Nothing Walken has done since has come close.
Posted by: Irving Washington at October 22, 2009 1:08 AM
I call foul on the Jay and Silent Bob cameos. Ben Affleck was already in that movie, playing one half of the creators of Bluntman and Chronic!
The REAL cameos in that movie werre Shannen Doherty and Wes Craven and Courteney Cox and Jason Biggs and "the Dawson!" and the girl who played Chasing Amy. Oh, and of course...Mark Hammill!
You guys are getting me curious about the Zombieland cameo...
Posted by: Pedro at October 22, 2009 10:15 AM
Scorzi,
I do. And you do. And he can. And he will. And we will!
Oh Ashes! I so understand you! I'd never understand the love about Mr Damon and how people could find that guy attractive or anything, but in this video, yeah, i want him too, so bad!
Posted by: clairebaxter at October 22, 2009 2:54 PM
I don't know if it's even long enough to qualify as a cameo, but Ed Begley Jr. as Stumpy Pepys (sp?), --one of the many erstwhile drummers in Spinal Tap-- is beyond glorious in his little motion towards the camera. I nearly void my bowels whenever I see that little micro-clip. Go back to drinking your champagne.
Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at October 22, 2009 11:57 PM
What the...? That comment had an ending. Something to the effect of: When considering what I believe to be the greatest cameo of all time, decade is irrelevant. You're not the time, Kent.
Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at October 23, 2009 12:00 AM
Elvis Costello and Mos Def in Talladega Nights???
Posted by: Jemma at October 23, 2009 1:03 AM
Tom Cruise cameo was funny only because it was Tom Cruise. Had it been James Caan or someone like that it would have been mildly amusing at best, but since it was Tom Cruise I found it funny. I think the Will Ferrell in Wedding Crashers bit is a little overrated. Applesauce, bitch and NPH are classics.
Posted by: Alex at October 23, 2009 1:41 AM
Who cares!!! My boyfriend also agrees with me. He is 10 years older than me, lol. We met online at age-gap club -- http://AgelessOnly.COM/. Maybe you wanna check out or tell your friends.
Alright, so apparently making Tom Cruise do a public humiliation penance in front of America by donning latex and fake body hair and such and dancing to rap music, which is surely funny because he is white. I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.
No love for Bruce Campbell appearances in the Spiderman movies? Not to mention the appearance of a certain Stripes cast member in a certain movie we'll call Undeadworld.
Posted by: Mancomb Seepgood at October 24, 2009 3:53 AM
How about the ENTIRE movie The New Guy?
Josh Todd from Buckcherry!
Gene Simmons!
Vanilla Ice!
Henry Rollins!
Tony Hawk!
Jerry O'Connell!
Eddie Griffin!
That ugly guy Julia Roberts married!
I know there are a ton more. . .
All the cameos (and finding it at the flea market for $4) are the reason I own that movie.
Where the FUCK is (edited for spoilers -- TK)? I wheezed during his section of Zombieland, and to ignore that is insanity. Pure craziness.