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‘Can’t Hardly Wait’ With Bill Simmons and Joanna Robinson

April 15, 2025 · Can't Hardly Wait (1998) · Comedy · Romance · 1:23:54

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Joanna Robinson▶ 31:55all of the Kenny and Denise bathroom scenes - him dropping his whole thing, him calling her out, their history, everything that happens in the bathroom

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 36:51The weed brownie on Denise that gets licked off by Eric Balfour

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 40:18Ethan Embry and the character Preston
Joanna Robinson▶ 42:22Peter Facinelli as Mike Dexter

Overacting Award

Bill Simmons▶ 47:29Ethan Embry — Ethan Embry as Preston
Joanna Robinson▶ 47:21Sara Rue — Mentions Sarah Rue but context is confusing with overlapping dialogue

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 47:57Preston and Amanda should not wind up together at the end of this movie
Joanna Robinson▶ 48:03Amanda should end up with herself - she should choose herself and figure out who she is instead of immediately getting into a relationship with Preston

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 52:28James Marsden — Discusses various casting alternatives: Breckenmeyer was originally wanted for Kenny but was shooting Studio 54; Embry insisted on playing Preston instead of the nerd role; James Marsden was considered for Mike Dexter but Fastenelli had more danger; Alicia Witt was wanted for Lauren Ambrose's role; Adam Hanbird was initially cast as William but fired for looking too young
Joanna Robinson▶ 55:06Alicia Witt — Agrees that Alicia Witt would have been great for Denise's role, noting she played a similar character on Cybill; mentions Reese Witherspoon and Christina Ricci were also considered for Denise, defending that Witherspoon was doing edgier roles at the time and could have fit

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 59:02Klepto kid
Joanna Robinson▶ 59:16Brian Klugman — Brian Klugman as Stoner Guy (not Jason Segel, the other stoner who has the Velma from Scooby-Doo line and says 'Preston wears T-shirts sometimes')

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:49Ethan Embry — Ethan Embry (yes), Jennifer Love Hewitt (yes), Peter Facinelli (no, Twilight is bigger), Jenna Elfman (yes), Superbad for all-in-one-night high school movies
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:05:02Jennifer Love Hewitt — Jennifer Love Hewitt (yes, specific 1998 timeframe with entrance scene), Peter Facinelli (no, Twilight bigger), Clueless or Scream for 90s teen movies, Smash Mouth (yes, definitely)

Hanks or Cruise

Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:30Tom Hanks — Hanks as Preston (the lead role), after initially considering Cruise as Mike Dexter but rejecting it due to Cruise being too small for a football player
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:08:22Tom Hanks — Hanks as the lead (Preston) and Cruise as Mike Dexter

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:13:04Samuel L. Jackson — Sam Jackson as the cop instead of Poppy from Seinfeld
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:12:39Danny Trejo — Danny Trejo in the Jenna Elfman role as the adult who gives advice

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:13:21Nobody - initially said no Oscar deserved, but was forced to pick by the rules
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:13:32Mark Bridges — Best editing and Mark Bridges for costume design (who later won for Phantom Thread)

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:15:46Fate only takes you so far
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:15:54Always wear shoes in the dorm shower

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:17Sixteen Candles — Started with Sixteen Candles, then expanded to a multi-generational sequence: Sixteen Candles, Can't Hardly Wait, Superbad, Booksmart, and possibly Say Anything as 'four generations of all in one night movies'
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:16:15Superbad

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:06Lauren Ambrose — Considered Ethan Embry (gets to point to leading a movie), Seth Green (incredible run), and Lauren Ambrose (best career after, led to Six Feet Under)
Joanna Robinson▶ 1:16:53Seth Green — Seth Green - called it a big Seth Green moment in terms of stock and recognizability

Movies Referenced (48)

American Pie (1999)

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 8:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clueless (1995)

11 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons▶ 10:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Say Anything (1989)

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 6:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scream (1996)

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 10:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Twilight (2008)

7 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Superbad (2007)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 46:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Can't Buy Me Love (1987)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 5:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cruel Intentions (1999)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 13:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Disturbing Behavior (1998)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 11:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Hook (1991)

4 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons▶ 20:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

She's All That (1999)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson▶ 13:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Empire Records (1995)

3 mentions · Joanna Robinson▶ 46:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (1)

John Hughes

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club▶ 6:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (74)

Ethan Embry

22 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson · Known for Disturbing Behavior, Sweet Home Alabama▶ 20:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Marsden

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson · Known for X-Men, Enchanted▶ 53:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Seth Green

15 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons · Known for The Italian Job, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery▶ 19:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jennifer Love Hewitt

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson · Known for I Know What You Did Last Summer▶ 11:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Charlie Korsmo

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson · Known for Hook, Dick Tracy, Can't Hardly Wait▶ 20:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jason Segel

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson · Known for Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The End of the Tour▶ 20:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jenna Elfman

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson · Known for Keeping the Faith, Friends with Benefits▶ 21:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jerry O'Connell

7 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Stand by Me▶ 21:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sarah Michelle Gellar

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson · Known for Cruel Intentions▶ 19:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Cruise

7 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons · Known for Top Gun, Minority Report▶ 1:07:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lauren Ambrose

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Can't Hardly Wait▶ 18:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Smash Mouth

6 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons · Known for Wild Things▶ 23:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (5)

Jackie Files

4 mentions · Joanna Robinson, Bill Simmons▶ 32:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Deborah Kaplan

1 mentions · Joanna Robinson · Known for Surviving Christmas, Can't Hardly Wait, Josie and the Pussycats▶ 1:04:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Williamson

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Scream▶ 14:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lily Taylor

1 mentions · Joanna Robinson▶ 24:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 27:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Todd Pacey

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Den of Thieves: Pantera▶ 14:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗