That Pederast, Hanrahan!

EPISODE 37:

FletchCast is Back! 
In our latest session, to kick off Season 4, we journeyed through the entire Fletch novel series, discussing the intricate ins and outs of our favorite character, Fletch. Hold on to your hats, folks! Our lively banter about plot twists will keep you on your toes. 

Fletch Pop-Culture: SCRUBS makes a mention of Fletch and we discuss a bit of (show creator) Bill Lawrence's history with Fletch. 

 We've got some delectable tidbits about the new Fletch movie script being penned by none other than Greg Mottola. In the Records Room, we take a deep dive into the despicable character, Hanrahan, dissecting his job as a sleazy reporter for a tabloid-style paper. 

Finally, we delve into the opening chapter of Fletcher's Fortune, and speculate on potential casting for the new Fletch movie. As we traverse through the Fletch series timeline, we weave in conversations about the upcoming film, potential castings, and even our own experiences with the audio book series. So, what are you waiting for? Tune in, and let's explore the intriguing world of Fletch together!

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FletchCast is Your Ultimate source for everything Fletch: the books, the movies, & the latest news about our favorite journalistic reporter, Irwin M. Fletcher.

... making sure Fletch Lives forever!

Host: James "Laker Jim" Kanowitz (@webguy911)
Co-Host: Jake Parrish (@jakelparrish)
Co-Host: Robert "Big Bob" West


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Fletch & Fletch Lives are Copyright 1985, 1989 Universal Studios and distributed by MCA/Universal Pictures. The Fletch Soundtrack is Copyright MCA Records. Confess, Fletch is Copyright of Miramax with Paramount distribution. All images and sounds are the intellectual property of Universal Studios. They are used only with the intent of public appreciation of a great film and possible publicity for its place among the great comedies of our time. We imply no rights to the characters or intellectual propert...

Transcript

Announcer #1: 0:02

Broadcasting live and around the world from Cabana One, the only podcast. That's all ball bearings. Your ultimate source for everything, fletch.

Announcer#2: 0:19

Thank you, doc. You ever serve time.

Announcer #1: 0:22

Laker Jim and his beat reporters will stop at nothing to make sure. Fletch lives forever. They don't shower much. This is Fletchcast.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 0:43

Thank you, sammy, and welcome everybody back to FletchCast. I'm your host, Laker Jim, Joining me, as always, two men who get high onc and NoDozs, Jake and Big Bob. Boys! Welcome back. We had a little hiatus. What did you guys do on your Fletch break?

Jake (Jake Parrish): 1:00

Bob, why don't you start? Your life is way more interesting than mine is.

Big Bob (Bob West): 1:05

You guys know I don't like talking about my personal life, but it was Valentine's Day and, as, of course, I spent Valentine's Day early bird dinner with Joan and Margaret. That's a great romantic date, we had the steak and potato and it was all $ 5.99 at 4 pm.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 1:26

And that early bird, you can't beat it.

Big Bob (Bob West): 1:31

have to be ben i bed very early anyway. So what about your Valentine's Day? Did Do you guys do anything special? You guys are both in committed relationships relationship.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 1:39

That's true, I am in a committed relationship, but on this break she had to share me with Fletch.

Announcer#2: 1:44

What a guy.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 1:45

I dedicated my time off to reading slash listening to the remaining eight Fletch novels that had not gone through.

Big Bob (Bob West): 1:54

Wow, Not to interrupt you, but just to be clear. You said listening to, so we're talking books on tape.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 1:59

Yeah, I mean, listen, it really opened up a whole new world for me. Really like, though, me and Dan John Miller, we hunkered down, we committed, we did one on top of the other, wow, and I powered through the eight books. So I'm coming out of this break fresh, knowledgeable, feeling rejuvenated with the word of Gregor McDonald.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 2:21

I'm very proud of him.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 2:23

Thank you. My eight were including the two son of Fletch books.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 2:27

Very proud.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 2:28

A lot of fans have written to us and they want more book content. So that's part of the reason I went down the journey of reading the books and, honestly, it was full surprises, because the ones I thought I'd really enjoy some of them I was like eh and the ones I really had low expectations for I did really enjoy. Like Fletch too, I really enjoyed it. Now, why did you have low expectations on it?

Jake (Jake Parrish): 2:53

I don't know why I think a lot of it is overshadowed by the fact that Fletch one was right before it and there's been a lot of hype about that. I think Fletch two kind of gets lost in that and you would probably agree with me also, lj, that it's not a traditional kind of Fletch book, it's. It's different. Oh yeah, definitely different, but not to take anything away from it, I still think it is very enjoyable and I think we really learn a lot about the character. Would you agree with that?

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 3:22

I think ultimately I judged each book by the way, by the way the ending unfolds, and some endings are strong and some endings are a little weak. But I think by about book six I was thinking to myself how does Fletch encounter a murder everywhere?

Big Bob (Bob West): 3:40

he turns. I mean who? Who does that "Murder, She wrote, angela Lanzibar, you know.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 3:45

That's true. It's our whole life. It's very true, right?

Big Bob (Bob West): 3:48

So it's more common than you think. And her last name is Fletcher, and you are Well.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 3:53

My name is Jessica Fletcher.

Announcer#2: 3:54

I'm very anxious Jessica Fletcher. The author. Jessica Fletcher.

Big Bob (Bob West): 3:57

Well, yes, this M M i MFletcher. This is a delightful and unexpected pleasure. I've read most all your books.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 4:04

Thank you.

Big Bob (Bob West): 4:05

Maybe there's a bond, maybe there's something going on there. Maybe, if you're connected to that name, murder follows you.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 4:10

You know, you know this is a discussion. This is a totally different tangent. But I mean, like, maybe that was Fletcher's mom. Remember, Fletcher's mom wrote books. That's true Mysteries, you know. I'm tempted to take the fifth amendment and refuse to answer.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 4:24

I tell you, of all the books that I did and I did Fortune, moxie, man who, karaoka Fletch, Fletch Reflected, Son of Fletch, but the one I liked the most I think was Fletch and the Widow Bradley. And the reason I think I liked it the most is because it's the most like the first book and the movie when Fletcher's working for the paper, sort of Fletcher's second is still an investigative journalist for the paper and for a story, and I like the way the mystery sort of unfolds. I like kind of the herky jerky back and forth of Fletcher thinks it's this and then it's not. There's multiple stories going on at once and I kind of just didn't see the ending coming. So I think from start to finish I really enjoyed Fletch and the Widow Bradley the most.

Big Bob (Bob West): 5:14

Yeah. Yeah, I kind of like how Fletch lives I never would have seen and I didn't see the first time I watched it. I didn't really see Hamilton be not that I'm spoiling anything for Fletch fans listening to this podcast, but I didn't see Hamilton being the bad guy of that movie just because he was so endearing and so nice to Fletcher throughout the first two acts of the movie. So yeah, I can see what you mean.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 5:35

Yeah, I get that, but at least in the end Ham being the killer makes somewhat sense. Jake, I'm blanking the second Son of Fletch book, fletch Reflected, fletch Reflected. So in Fletcher Reflected Jack spends a lot of time undercover trying to figure out information about all the possible suspects and it seems like at the end McDonald maybe threw a dart at one of the names, and for no more reason than any of the other suspects. It's one person. When you take the ride through the book it's a little disappointing at the end when it's not a really strong payoff.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 6:12

Yeah, but Fletch and this could be a discussion for a whole separate episode is just talking about the different books and the different phases of Fletch's life and, I think, people's reactions to them, and we've had discussions about where you should read them and what order and things of that nature. But I will tell you and I think you probably would agree with me, LJ, now that you've experienced all of them that the Son of Fletcher books they're fine, but I think there's definitely a step down compared to previous entries.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 6:46

Yeah, For any of you that haven't read them, I'll give you a little information from my perspective. Jack is basically Fletch and in both stories he's completely undercover in his investigation. So how I could put it to you is almost like a Donnie Brasco kind of thing, where the Fletcher were to go undercover as Mr Poon but he stays in Mr Poon through the entire book. That's kind of what Jack does and Fletch in the books, but he's in there sort of just as a bookend character who kind of helps Jack solve the mystery and kind of wrap up the story.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 7:21

Fletch is definitely more of a side character, particularly in the second one and you know McDonald and you can find it anywhere. You know originally he wanted to name these. You know Jack's story. They really wanted to be about Jack and not about Fletcher. But obviously the publisher was like there's no way you're not going to write another book with a character of the Fletcher's in it and not have Fletcher the title. I mean, that's just obvious.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 7:42

I mean, I love that Fletcher's in them, but he doesn't have a natural purpose in the story.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 7:47

Especially the second one and reflected for sure, yes, oh, the second one, forget it.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 7:52

He literally swoops in like a superhero. Investigative journalist.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 7:57

Yeah.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 7:58

He's given the Cliff Notes version of what's been going on and solves the crime.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 8:03

So well he literally does fly in with his plate.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 8:11

Oh it's funny, but I did really enjoy them and I think anybody that hasn't read them go out and read them. Go out and listen to them. Dan John Miller kills it. He's so good as the audio voice of all these characters and even if you do listen to them on tape on tape, even if you do listen to them on audio, go out and buy the books anyway, because they look amazing on a shelf. Crease the binding a little bit and no one will ever know you didn't read them.

Big Bob (Bob West): 8:38

Where did you pick up the audio?

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 8:39

copies of the books. I have an iPhone so I use the little books app. I guess it's Apple Books.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 8:44

For me. I use Chirp C-I-R-P, and the difference with Chirp is you don't need a subscription. You can just go on buy the book, listen to it and then, when you want to buy another one, you can't.

Big Bob (Bob West): 8:57

That's what I'm really looking at as far as the price goes for one of the books.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 9:00

Yeah, they're about $12.99, $13, $14. Yeah, somewhere Each one took me about a week listening to them on commutes to work and time in the shower and things like that.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 9:11

About a week each book Very proud of you, I'm glad, and now you have a whole new perspective.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 9:17

I do. The books are great for multiple reasons. If you're a fan of the Chevy movies, you can easily picture Chevy in these stories. If you're not a fan of the Chevy movies, you can picture Fletch the way you want to picture them. The blonde, not so Chevy-like Fletch. Even in the Jack books Jack is very much like Fletch. I mean it could be a Fletch novel if you just call them Fletch.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 9:42

Oh, very much. So yeah, there's a lot of qualities that are the similar. It's really funny when I read Son of Fletch by then he was living in Tennessee and a lot of what he described on his farm was really close to actually how it was. After reading the book and then when I met him on the farm, it was surreal to say, wow, this is you know Fletch, could have been standing here. It's just so surreal to be in that situation. So, and just revisiting the book when I read it again recently, I'm like, wow, I remember that. I remember that it was so cool.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 10:21

It was really funny because in the beginning people started to figure out that Gregor McDonald was Fletch, but by the end of the series Fletch kind of becomes Gregor McDonald.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 10:30

Yes, absolutely, it really is. It's really a lot of reflection, a lot of mirage, of that, for sure, definitely. I'm glad you like Widow Bradley too, because I really think that's one of the underrated books and I really feel that could have been a really cool movie too.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 10:46

Yeah, that's because Fletch's job was on the line, so you could see that as a movie. You know, if he didn't figure out what happened, he was screwed. Frank at shit can.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 10:56

And we've had this discussion offline. It really has a lot of themes that I think are very reflective on today's society and I think people really can relate to them. Would you agree with that?

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 11:09

I mean the fact that these books were written in the late 70s, early 80s and just some of the topics that Gregory McDonald is in tune with and some of the feelings and emotions. It just seems impossible to be that open minded and accepted 40, 50 years ago to have that kind of perspective, from the other person's point of view, of social issues that were very much unaccepted certainly at that time and to some degree today as well.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 11:37

Right Social issues that were very much more taboo back then, that weren't talked about and were looked down upon. I think we would agree. Yeah, I think that's where we are right now and just shows you how open minded he was, how interested he was in different types of people. There's a line, I think, in Fletch 1 where Fletch says you know, I collect people and I think that was Gregory as well that he liked different people and really found, I think, a lot of curiosity in different people and different walks of life. I couldn't agree more and it's reflected in his stories and in his novels.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 12:11

You really just kind of don't see it coming at the end, and maybe you do, I don't know. I didn't, I didn't.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 12:18

When I first read it, I didn't either. I didn't either.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 12:21

We will be talking more about the books as time goes on, so please read them so you can join along with us and have the conversation with us without any spoilers.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 12:31

That's Bob's assignment. Bob, go out and get the audio version of Fletch and the Widow Breath.

Big Bob (Bob West): 12:36

It's no secret that I don't enjoy, I'm not a reader, but honestly I mean, you know the way you simplify it with the audio books and you can tell, you know, you really enjoyed them. I'm really considering it.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 12:48

You should, because I found myself really trying to make time to listen and something to look forward to to continue the story. So, anyway, that's what I did on my break.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 12:58

I didn't do. I'm right in the middle of a new gig, a new job, so I've been training a lot for that. I did see Adam Sandler when he came here to Austin and I was thinking back, wasn't it? One time he was kind of maybe briefly talked about his Fletch at one time.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 13:17

Yes, for sure.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 13:18

But he was great live and just stayed really busy.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 13:23

It's funny you bring up Sandler in the movie Blended with Drew Barrymore. His nickname for his daughter is Larry Wow, and I thought that was weird. Never heard that other than Fletch.

Announcer #1: 13:32

What happened to Larry? I'm right here, dad.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 13:35

When I IMDb'd Bella Thorne's name in the movie, it's Hillary H I L A R Y. Wow, I wonder if Gina Davis's real name was Hillary and Fletch called her Larry as a nickname. Kind of blew my mind. But that's another topic for another time. Let's get into the news. We have a busy show and a lot to go over.

Announcer#2: 13:57

Let's go.

Announcer #1: 14:02

The Jane Doe report.

Announcer#2: 14:06

I'm turning the story over to a professional reporter.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 14:15

Fletch fans waiting to get their hands on a confessed Fletch DVD need not wait much longer. Good news by the time this podcast drops, the DVD will have been released, so it's now available on Blu-ray and DVD. You can get it on Amazon next day delivery, I'm sure. But good news, bad news those of you who have been clamoring for a jam-packed, extra-filled edition of the new Fletch film are going to be disappointed. This is the bare bones edition and, in a way, why should we expect anything more than the bare bones from Miramax and Paramount? Why should we expect any more effort than they put into promoting the actual film than the bare?

Big Bob (Bob West): 15:05

minimum. I agree. I mean, they've given so little, why would they give any more? Yeah, why change now?

Jake (Jake Parrish): 15:14

There are so many movies that we see these days that don't make the DVD release. So on one hand I'm like, hey, this is great, we're going to get a little bit more exposure, it's going to be in the stores. But what is the big reason why people buy DVD?

Big Bob (Bob West): 15:30

Yeah, like there's no added value to owning a movie digitally. Exactly. So the whole point in having a DVD is to get the commentary, the extras, the deleted scenes, the goofs. You know where they fuck up. So what's the point of having an actual physical copy of it?

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 15:46

When we had Greg on the podcast, the topic of the DVD came up and he was excited to do commentary. He was more than willing to do it. It actually, in speaking to us, reminded him to reach out to make sure he had a hand in the quality of the DVD release. So I'm not exactly sure what happened, but Jake actually reached out to Greg directly to get a response as to what happened. Jake, what did Greg say?

Jake (Jake Parrish): 16:13

Yeah, so from Mottola. He says John and I offered to do extras, but they were never taken up on it. He says and yet I still hear lots of people really dig in the movie. He says I feel like a movie today needs to cross some financial slash, cultural threshold to be supported and he said they never gave them a shot. However, word of mouth still exists and my secret hope is that we get to do a few more of these and get to do extras on the next one or maybe a multi-film package.

Big Bob (Bob West): 16:43

The DVD is not going to come out with any extras, but in all reality, think that our podcast does exist, because you can go back to two episodes where we spoke to Greg Mottola and right there there's your director commentary.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 16:53

in a lot of cases, we should ask him to do one here on the podcast. We'll get John on, we'll just run it and say all right, guys go.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 17:00

Definitely. And you know Greg, who's been very active on social media replying to fans, implied that he's not entirely opposed to something like that. When we put up the post on Twitter about the DVD release, a Fletch cast fan, philip Maranello, wrote hopefully there'll be a director's commentary, and Greg Mottola actually responded to him on our post and wrote something really funny. He said sorry, there isn't one. We offered to do it. I guess I should have titled the movie Cocaine Fletch Another thing kind of where we were going to lead with before the DVD news broke.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 17:37

So we have some script updates regarding the new Fletch movie by Greg Mottola. Back in January he posted a really cool picture of the Fletch's fortune book laying on top of a notebook with a highlighter and a pen and he wrote it may never get made, but I'm gonna try my best. So the good news is, while we were on our break, the Fletch script is started to come together and that's really promising, because I know Greg is being optimistic and I think it's a matter of like maybe not wanting to count his chickens before they hatch, but Greg has told us he's been paid to write this script, so I can't see why it wouldn't get made Back in February.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 18:24

we asked just for an update. His response was I just finished a pilot last week, so it was working. When I could, I did a detailed outline and have ideas for what I'll keep from the book, what will change, newer, reworked characters, et cetera. I just started writing in earnest a few days ago and I'm very into it, trying to put it out of my mind that it will be an uphill battle to get it made and just write the best script I can. John and I are on the same page about what it should be. I saw him in for dinner last week in New York City, so that was back in late February.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 19:00

And that's great. I mean, it's just so awesome to think that the Fletch world is being expanded upon, right now as you listen to this, and although Reg posted that Instagram Facebook Twitter post about starting the script, he's really been kind of radio silent to the public since, but we've been lucky enough to get some updates from him. Back in March he messaged us and said 85 pages in and, really enjoying the process, have to stop for two weeks for a family spring break, so that's again very encouraging. 85 pages in would be probably about.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 19:43

I would say, yeah, two thirds of the way through the picture somewhere, yeah.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 19:46

Yeah, two thirds of the way through it and I think if you're enjoying it, you're excited about it. I think some really cool things are being put on paper.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 19:55

So then in April, I reached out to him just for an update, and his response was this was late April. I've done a draft in some rewrites from John and the producer Connie, hopefully turning into near max very soon. So that was April 26th.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 20:12

So the script is done. Yeah, At least the story is together. The script is done. John has seen it. He's done some rewrites, that I mean that kind of came together pretty quickly. But then the strike happened.

Announcer#2: 20:25

Hey ho ho writers, make your favorite shows.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 20:28

Hey, hey, of course.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 20:29

And then everything came to a halt Just when the Fletch train is moving forward, something has to come and derail it and it's the writer strike. So obviously the writer strike is probably put a hold on any advancements in the Fletch script the Fletch is Fortune script, and I know Greg has been on the picket line and I'm not sure if everybody knows what's exactly going on with the strike or what the details of the strike is, and we'll just touch on them really quick just because we don't even really understand everything. But I know it's really centered around two things. If you were to write on a sitcom let's call it Seinfeld every Seinfeld airs anywhere in the world you get a residual check as a writer and a lot of writers count on that to make a living.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 21:18

What happened with streaming is if you get to write on a hit show or not even a hit show, you get residuals. But with streaming let's say you write on the hottest show they have let's say it's Stranger Things there are no residuals for writing on that show. You get more money to write and then that's it. So they've got to straighten that out because the writers deserve to be paid. There has to be a way to figure out how many times it's being watched or how many times it's being aired, but some kind of fair agreement has to be reached on that part. And then the other side is AI grips being written by artificial intelligence and eliminating the work of writers. And Jake, I don't know if you played around with AI at all, but I mean, it's pretty wild.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 22:00

I mean, you know, I was on the site once. What is it? Chat, gpt or something like that, I think it is. So I've messed around with it a little bit. But it's kind of scary that we're just having this kind of conversation, that AI is now something to contend with when it comes to writing. It's just really kind of odd and a little scary that we're at this point in our lifetimes where AI is a competitor. But it's reality and I understand why they're doing this.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 22:32

Right.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 22:33

And streaming makes sense too, because think about that. I mean, it should be based on you know, hey, if your show is streamed this many minutes, you should get this amount of money, something like that, because I agree one and done as far as payments, even if it's a little bit more, still isn't fair.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 22:49

Yeah, I totally agree, and the scary part, like you said, about AI, is it's not even close to being as smart and powerful as it is going to be one day, and I think that's what they're afraid of. Not that it could definitely pop out a script right now, but in the future it certainly can, and I think one of the sticking points is that the first draft of a script can't be created by AI. Yeah, so that's where we are. Hopefully the strike ends soon. Ironically, we had a big writer strike during FletchLives, the sequel to Fletch.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 23:25

Right, exactly, and we saw how that turned out.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 23:27

Why wouldn't we get a writer strike on this sequel?

Jake (Jake Parrish): 23:31

Hopefully things are in motion. I will tell you that I have talked to other people, insiders, that the rumor is that they are very optimistic that this will be made, that Fletch's fortune will be made.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 23:46

Yeah, that's great, and we mentioned that the ConfessFletch DVD was released. Yes, a little bit more DVD news. Jake, you want to talk to us?

Jake (Jake Parrish): 23:55

Yeah so this is something that I guess we could probably say with some certainty that this is an exclusive for us is that we have heard, and actually we've been contacted by, an individual that has been hired to do some work on a new Blu-ray release of both Fletch and Fletch Lives. This will also include a commentary as well, and so there is an opportunity for us to hopefully maybe not do the commentary, but at least maybe provide some information for said commentary.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 24:33

Yeah, we've been asked to contribute a little to that.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 24:37

So now my question is and it hasn't been answered yet is we're getting a commentary? Is there going to be anything else within these releases? Are we going to see deleted scenes? Will we see a new documentary? Anything like that? I haven't heard yet. Obviously, that's something that would be amazing, but I know from our earlier discussion with Tim Matheson and with remember he was talking about the fire that took place there that it sounds like probably that won't happen, right, but we'll see.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 25:14

Yeah, I think on the Jane Doe Fletch Special Edition DVD. I think if the deleted scenes existed which they say right on the documentary that the footage was lost I think if it existed in any way, shape or form, they would have included it on that version of the DVD. So I think, unfortunately, we have to let go of the hope that we will ever see it. But we're still not going to give up on information regarding the cut scenes. We still want to know what happened during them and we've got some things in the works to maybe find that out for you guys.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 25:50

We hope so. We have reached out to many individuals. We won't give up Right. We're passionate, obviously, about all things Fletch, and our number one goal was to provide our listeners with that information, because I'm sure they're just as interested as we are in this information. So hopefully, eventually things will come up.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 26:14

So ultimately, we wait. We wait for the strike to end and once it does, I'm sure more Fletch's fortune news will start to progress and pile in and we'll report it as soon as we get it.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 26:25

Love to see it in production, maybe in a year. That would be perfect. Let's go, paramount.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 26:31

Really can't wait to see what he's come up with. What is Irwin up to with this guy? Now? Some sad news to report. When we spoke to Jordan Lund, we had brought this up. Fletch Lives has lost yet another cast member While we were away. The great Richard Belzer "the Bells has passed away dead at the age of 78. Dead or extremely sleepy. He played Phil Cacakis. Now he actually had a name. They actually gave him a name Phil in the credits, obviously known more famously as Detective Munch on Law in order, but to us he'll always be Phil Cacakis who pushed the scrot, whether it was fresh or not.

Announcer #1: 27:14

Scrod's making a comeback, all right?

Big Bob (Bob West): 27:17

Doesn't matter if it's ready to go or not.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 27:18

He's fresh or not, absolutely instrumental in the success of the business.

Announcer#2: 27:22

A very successful chain but, believe me, it's not because of the food.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 27:26

Bells was also instrumental in starting. Like we said it. If you haven't listened to the Fletch Lives Part 2, go back and listen to it. In the Howard Stern Chevy Chase feud, he's the one that got them on the phone, got them fighting Chevy Chevy Chase.

Announcer#2: 27:41

Who's who I'm talking with it's the Bells.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 27:43

My darling Richard, my sweet lover, how are you, my love?

Big Bob (Bob West): 27:47

I love you very much I love you, sweetie.

Announcer #1: 27:49

I hate to break you girls up. Yeah, yeah, who's this? Howard Stern? Howard Stern, I've heard about you, howard.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 27:54

He's got a little more than just being in the movie to the world of Fletch. But listen, guys take these plates. I say we do a 21 plate break salute.

Big Bob (Bob West): 28:02

Great idea? Yeah, I think so too.

Announcer#2: 28:05

We're Greeks.

Big Bob (Bob West): 28:06

We dance, we break plates, we're clumsy.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 28:08

Okay, here you, bob. Yeah, jake, jake, jake, couple, yep. All right guys, let's do this one by one. Ready 21 plate break. Salute for the great Richard Belzer.

Big Bob (Bob West): 28:26

This crowd's making a comeback. All right, Great pitch.

Announcer#2: 28:32

You're a kid. Listen to this codfish.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 28:40

Yeah, I mean, I think that's the best way to do it.

Big Bob (Bob West): 28:45

Breakage is what he was all about. Great pitch. They're clumsy, they're Greek. No offense to anybody who's Greek, by the way.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 28:52

That's actually not offensive at all. That's a compliment. Actually, we have a lot of listeners from. Greece. All right, we'll miss you. Bells, you're up there with Uncle Cacakis, yeah, playing, grab ass, I'm not going to mention people's butts in heaven.

Announcer #1: 29:06

You're cute oh my gosh.

Big Bob (Bob West): 29:11

I just hope he feels sexy up there.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 29:13

Oh, he does, he does. All right, guys, let's jump into Fletch Pop Culture, because we got a great one here. Are you ready? Yeah, let's play the Fletch Pop Culture theme song. Hit it.

Big Bob (Bob West): 29:36

All right everybody. This week's Fletch Pop Culture sponsored by thibodeaux realty. If you want to discreetly buy, sell or rent, no one hides their client. Less better than thibodeaux.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 29:49

Our latest Fletch.

Big Bob (Bob West): 29:50

Pop Culture comes from the greater Sacramento area. At the Teaching Hospital Sacred Heart, season one, episode three, in the opening moments of Bill Lawrence's hit TV show "Scrubs, we're giving a clip that is mere to dear to my and any Fletch fans. Heart Lakerjemp, let's hear that clip. Here it comes.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 30:10

What do you want to watch? Fletch, fletch, it is Seen it.

Announcer#2: 30:16

Well, you haven't seen it without saying all the lines I'm so lucky I met you.

Announcer #1: 30:21

Maybe next time her mom could come. Dude, you won't even know what she's here.

Big Bob (Bob West): 30:25

So how great is that For me, the reason I say it's so near and dear to my heart is, you know, in any situation where you have a movie you love, you know you do remember the lines. You quote them regularly. That's kind of the basis of why we even started this podcast.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 30:40

Yeah, this clip, I think, is a symbol of why Fletch is so great. It really brings friends together. It's like a bond between Zach Braff and Donald Faison sitting couldn't be closer friends watching their favorite movie, reciting the lines together. That's what me and Bob did growing up. It's what strengthened our friendship with Fletch and many other movies that we loved, and that's why we can relate to it so much. And you can also relate to somebody that doesn't get it at all.

Big Bob (Bob West): 31:09

People that watch a movie once and say I've already seen it, I don't need to see it again, Like the woman in that scene.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 31:13

You know We've all had that person. It's like how can you watch this over and over and over? But I guess that's why this is so perfectly conveyed by Bill Lawrence, because and, by the way, bill Lawrence, his Fletch ties run a little deeper than just pop culture reference. Yes, he was set to direct and write the next Fletch film at one point, fletch War Right, and he was going to use Zach Braff as a role of Fletch. And I was never that big of a Zach Braff fan maybe because I didn't watch Scrubs, but I was never that excited about him and the role of Fletch. But I wonder now, seeing the connection between these two, with Bill Lawrence at the helm and seeing what these two have done since, I wonder if they would have used Donald Faison as, like an Alston Chambers or another role like that in the movie. That's a great possibility. Yeah, either of you guys watch Scrubs.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 32:06

I watched most of it and I thought it was great. And I think we see a lot of that in Ted Lasso. I'm not sure if you guys have watched Ted Lasso, but Bill Lawrence is the creator of that too, and I just think he really has a nice blend of drama and comedy that, at least when you look at the books, that's what that has to. I think he would have been a really good choice. But I agree with you, lj, I was not on the Zach Braff train at all.

Big Bob (Bob West): 32:34

Yeah, me neither.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 32:35

I mean he was just of all the possibilities. He was probably down towards the bottom for me, for sure I wasn't crazy about him for two reasons.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 32:46

Number one I didn't think he had the chops. I didn't think he had the persona to pull off Fletch. Number two he bailed on the role. He was in line to be Fletch for two different directors. Kevin Smith had talked to Zach Braff, both being Jersey guys. I thought maybe it could work that when Kevin bowed out and Bill Lawrence was brought on, zach was still the top guy. But even Lawrence admits that while he was writing it Braff had already gotten scared. Braff confirms via an email that he ultimately had second thoughts about tackling the part. There's so much passion out there for the Fletch franchise among the diehard fans. Whoever takes on this remake really has to nail it.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 33:29

I think what you said, that was right. I think it was just the trepidation about taking on the role, about someone wanting to do it and that huge Chevy shadow looming. That's, I think, where we got stuck, and I think not only for the actor but the studio themselves. I mean, like hey, you know, we're going to write the script, we're going to do this, we're going to do this, but it just it never came to fruition and I think that's, I think that was part of it. God bless Matola and Ham for you know, having the balls to do it, yeah.

Big Bob (Bob West): 34:02

And let's not forget to actors are being advised in a lot of cases by agents and their peers. So I mean, if a part just isn't, if you first of all, if you feel like a part's not right for you, that's and the story. But maybe one day we'll get to talk to Bill Lawrence and get a lot of these mysteries answered for us and that would be a great conversation. Oh absolutely.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 34:21

I'd love to talk to him. A self-proclaimed Fletch nerd. He calls himself and you brought up Ted Lasso. He's already dropped a Fletch reference in Ted Lasso saying I'll be your underhill any day. So both shows, both Fletch references. Bill Lawrence, definitely in the whole fame of Fletch pop culture.

Announcer #1: 34:48

Thanks, Bill.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 34:51

All right, boys, we got a great one in the records room, something I've been waiting to do for a while, because this kind of came out of nowhere when I was, when I was reading all the books and I'm like what? This is going to be a little mind blowing for some of you. Let's take a dive in the record room and see what we can find.

Announcer #1: 35:11

Dr Rosen. Dr Rosenstein to oncology. Dr Rosenstein to the room. This week's Fletch cast character spotlight is Hand or Hand. Dr Rosenbaum to neurology, B-1, access granted. Welcome, Dr Rosen.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 35:34

When you think about the parts of the Fletch movie where iconic lines just emerge. Could there be a more classic scene than, sitting in Stanton Boyd's office, mr Poon just scrambling for an explanation as to why he's their grilling boy?

Announcer#2: 35:50

Well now, you know that and I know that, but somebody's bucking for a promotion. It's probably that pedarast Hand or Hand, I don't know. All I know is, if I don't go back with something, you and your son-in-law are going to be the scapegoats of the week.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 36:03

And he blames that pedarast Hand or Hand you know what, and it seems like just a rambling ad lib by Chevy and that's all I ever thought it was. And you know, to be honest, as much as I loved the dialogue, I didn't even really know what pedarast meant until I sort of looked it up years after repeat.

Big Bob (Bob West): 36:27

He looked it up and said you shouldn't have.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 36:30

Yeah. So I mean I remember even I was still doing the website at the time and I'm like I wonder if this is a real word. Pedarast means a man who is engaged in an erotic relationship with an adolescent boy, a man who has sex with a boy, and I remember my jaw hit the ground. I mean I brought a whole new perspective to do Hand or Hand.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 36:52

I always was too. I was like that always is kind of. Whatever I had when I was younger, I was like OK.

Big Bob (Bob West): 36:59

You know what I'm talking about, something a little more dark.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 37:03

You know, and even the name, like Hand or Hand, it falls right in line with Sennlinden John Cottonstone. It just seems like a name that Chevy made upon the whim Confused boy. But there is a lot more to him.

Big Bob (Bob West): 37:16

Well, this is going to be educational for me.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 37:18

Oh, you're going to like this.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 37:20

It seems like Andrew Bergman had read a couple of the Fletch books, obviously before he wrote the script to Fletch. Ok, because Hand or Hand appears in the script. Now Pedarast isn't at the, but Chevy. The real dialogue that Andrew Bergman wrote for Hand or Hand was probably that bozo Hand or Hand. And here's where the connection gets really cool. Hand or Hand is a character in the book Fletch and the man who let's get into this, his name actually is Michael J Hand or Hand. Ok, so he's basically like a dirt prime reporter.

Big Bob (Bob West): 37:57

Oh he is. He's like a paparazzi kind of deal.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 38:01

Well, yes and no. Yes and yes in the respect that paparazzi kind of look down as like the bottom feeder scum of their profession and they do anything to get their photos and will paint somebody in a bad light just to make a buck. He sort of carries the same journalistic morals. He's just the worst. He's the lead crime writer. Oh, crime writing. Ok, for a paper called Newsbill and the way Newsbill is sort of presented as it's like a lower class newspaper, rag magazine.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 38:37

And it's almost like a tabloid, kind of like inquire kind of paper, exactly.

Big Bob (Bob West): 38:43

Yeah, but for but, but, but. Instead of being about entertainment, it's about local issues.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 38:48

I'm assuming Local news, I should say they seem like the type of paper that prints stories without necessarily having a source, without necessarily double checking the facts, and want to rush to put out a juicy headline that's going to capture attention and sell papers.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 39:07

Like the inquire or something like that. How topical, how topical with the world Right. And remember, this was Fletch and the man who was published in 83, I believe it was 83 that came out. So you know, early 80s All you had was newspapers, magazines, etc.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 39:23

There's a quote in Fletch and the man who. It says everyone who can't read reads Newsbill. But Fletch later says that Newsbill has a bigger audience than the New York Times and the LA Times combined. And what Hannah Hand says is when he's kind of basically going back and forth with both Fletch and who's the other reporter?

Jake (Jake Parrish): 39:45

Oh Freddie, yeah Freddie.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 39:47

Yeah, freddie, bring the eight. You know they're kind of creating insults and he says listen, they may be like low class, but they all vote yeah. And that's sort of the point of Fletch and the man who Fletch is trying to get a governor elected president. So he's sort of threatening them in the respect to say listen, what I write they're going to follow. Who I tell them to vote for is going to win the election. You're serious? Ask anybody. Freddie just describes his appearance as just the most disgusting person.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 40:19

Yeah.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 40:20

She's ever met black teeth, horrible bad breath, disgusting clothing that stinks, unshowered, unkept. She actually says never use a toilet seat after Hannah Hand.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 40:34

That's a great line. That's a great line.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 40:37

You know, I wonder if Bergman added him to the dialogue, because right after he wrote Fletch, he started to write Fletch and the man who. That's a great call.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 40:48

So you know, this is just another question we need to ask him once we get him on here.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 40:53

Maybe he dropped that line because we were going to later find out in the next movie who Hannah Hand was. I guess he was really setting up that character. I hope he was, because that could have been a really great sleazy adversary for Chevy's Fletch, to rip apart.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 41:10

Yeah, because maybe Fletch knew of this guy and just kind of threw him out there. Yeah, you know, because he knows he was, like, you know, a shitbag. And that's another book that's just damn. That's such a good book. I hope they get to do that one too, matola, because that would be a great read.

Big Bob (Bob West): 41:27

Yeah, let me propose this to you both. You described yourself vividly. If we're casting Hannah Hand in a Fletch movie, who are you picturing playing Now? I already have the answers, so I'll go first. Okay, I'm picturing a unshowered between Shave's Steven Roop.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 41:44

Yes, that's a very good. Yes, he's got that shifty shady eyes.

Big Bob (Bob West): 41:50

He could do. That's really good. You're darkening his teeth and I think he'd be perfect for that kind of role, especially because he could play that scumbag character so well.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 41:58

Yeah, with his red swing line.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 42:05

I'll tell you who I pictured in the role. And Jake, I don't know if you watch this show if you're a little bit older, but Bob and I definitely did. When we were kids there was a show on Nickelodeon called you Can't Do that on Television. Yeah yeah, I know exactly where you're going with this. It was a kid's skit comedy show. Yep, canadian show. They had this guy. What was his name? Lai Lai Something. I gotta find his name.

Big Bob (Bob West): 42:29

Yeah, he was actually the creator of the show.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 42:32

Yeah, and he played a bunch of different characters and he played this disgusting cook and he also played this kind of disgusting father type character Father, yeah, yeah, and when I was listening to the book I pictured him. I just pictured this disgusting character.

Big Bob (Bob West): 42:51

That's a great, great, great observation, yeah.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 42:55

Less Lai, less Lai, and, oh man, he played gross perfectly. It was almost like you could smell him right through the TV set.

Big Bob (Bob West): 43:05

Ah, you heard that. Absolutely, I changed my vote. That's the perfect. I mean, he's gone. Now we lost Less Lai, but yeah, he's the perfect cast in that case, Especially when you consider that father role that he played so well. It's almost like the first incarnation of Al Bundy. You know what Al Bundy could have been? Yeah, that would have been perfect.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 43:25

Yeah, definitely, I've been dying to do sort of a book character and this one kind of bridges movie and the book. And if you think about it, even in the movie, the quick little throwaway line by Chevy which is not a throwaway line at all he captures the essence of Hand-Hand because he says listen, boyd, if you don't give me something to go back with, hand-hand is just going to write what he wants and make you guys the scapegoats of the week.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 43:55

And there's still a question about him being a pedarast. I mean, we don't know that for sure, don't know that it doesn't mention it in the book, but I never know.

Big Bob (Bob West): 44:04

I know whenever I'm mixed with being a pedarast.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 44:08

You know it's funny though. So he just throws off that line to Boyd oh, he's just a pedarast and he's just like yeah, who the hell accuses somebody being a pedarast?

Big Bob (Bob West): 44:19

so blithely?

Jake (Jake Parrish): 44:21

He's just a child molester. Yeah, it's just so funny how he's so flippant about using it to describe Hand-Hand. He's a pedarast. It's just like what I mean. He could have said that asshole, or you know that son of a bitch, you know, hand-hand. Where was it? Where? Number one, where was Chevy's mind at to? To bring that up?

Big Bob (Bob West): 44:47

I think he was really he was trying to create the situation where you know, listen, this guy's a pedarast and you know the worst thing you could call somebody and trying to kind of establish trust that he's telling the secret. No, like this guy.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 45:02

It's true. So he's trying to establish trust.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 45:07

Yeah, and become promoted at the same time.

Big Bob (Bob West): 45:10

Right, you want me to go back to the story, or you want some kiddie fiddler getting my job?

Jake (Jake Parrish): 45:16

I wonder if Frida knows about Hand-Hand.

Big Bob (Bob West): 45:20

I don't think Frida knows much what's going on. Oh well, well, you really knocked it out of the park with this record. I should say knocked it out of the record. Wow, I love my world to hand or hand.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 45:37

And it should open your eyes and your world to the books. Bob, See what you're missing.

Big Bob (Bob West): 45:43

God, I admire you guys for reading them.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 45:46

Well, I think that's a perfect segue to the next segment, literary Fletcher, where we're going to be diving deep into the book Fletcher's Fortune. So I think we should better get out of here. I think the government is watching these files.

Big Bob (Bob West): 46:01

Yeah, yeah, this isn't going to leave any good.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 46:03

I'm going to be very angry Literary Fletcher coming up next.

Announcer#2: 46:10

Are you tired of having your shoes, or even bare feet, leached off because you stepped in dangerous chemicals lingering on your own property? Who knows how they got there? Hi, I'm Headly Dan Doode, head honcho of Bly Biochemical Disposal and Reassignment. That Bly, we will pay top dollar to you to dispose of those pesky synthetic anomalies. When it comes to the ethical concerns of doing away with those nonstop precarious and perilous property pests and pesticides, we're right and you're wrong.

Announcer #1: 46:50

Morning core overheating nuclear mountdown imminent, and now literary Fletcher, fletcher, fletcher, sammoning the word of Gregory Macdonald. Take it away, jake.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 47:07

All right, here we are Fletcher's fortune. So, lj, you're familiar with this and we've had discussions about the book and how it begins. So I'm just going to kind of give you an overview of the first chapter. I'm not even really going to read from it that much. So what we are looking at is Fletcher's back in Italy. I remember and confess he was living in Italy. He comes to Boston. Now he's back in Italy, he's at his villa, he's apparently swimming with the neighbor's wife and I think he's banging her. I'm pretty sure he is. So anyway, he comes in from swimming and there are two CIA agents sitting in his living room and they proceed to tell him that he is going to be going to this journalism convention to bug pretty much all the big wigs at this convention, all the big journalists. What they're really concerned with, or who they're really concerned with, is this Walter March.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 48:10

And if you remember, at the end of Confess Fletcher, the movie, remember when Frank calls Fletcher he mentions Walter March. There's a shit show going on over at March News Corp. Old man March is retiring abruptly and he's putting his idiot son in charge. Well, they're going to blackmail him because Fletcher hasn't paid any taxes in many, many years, even when he was employed, he didn't pay any taxes. And now he's got this huge influx of money and we know where it's from. We know it's from Stanwyck, and so basically, they're going to blackmail him to go to this journalism convention and to bug these journalists. What's interesting is and we talked about this before, but when the CIA agents first run into Fletcher, fletcher calls himself what Do you remember? Lj?

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 48:59

He calls himself Freddie Arbenaut.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 49:03

Freddie Arbenaut. So again we're talking about another male character which will eventually turn into a female character, but it's really funny how he uses the name Freddie. So basically, that's the gist of the first chapter is him basically blackmailing him into going to this journalism convention and he basically it's either going to jail or doing what they're asking him to do, basically what they're telling him to do. So that's chapter one. It's a really good setup. There's some really funny lines in it.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 49:37

The second chapter is basically Fletch at the airport calling his friend Gibbs, don Gibbs, apparently he was a roommate of Fletch, his freshman year of college. Basically, gibbs works for the government and basically he's just telling Gibbs this story hey, I'm being blackmailed, I don't want to do this. Basically they go back and forth and they say look, you got to do this. Then his supervisor is eavesdropping on the call and says you got to do it, you're eavesdropping and he's like you got to do this. So basically Fletch is screwed At the airport. Fletch is given a key and he pulls this very heavy suitcase out of a locker and it's the bugging equipment, it's the recording machine, it's all the little bugs. So there you go.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 50:26

So that's chapter two. Chapter three is really interesting because this is when he gets on the plane and I want to tell you a line, because I will tell you that I've used this line on the female persuasion from time to time. So Fletch gets on the plane after having this phone conversation with Gibbs and he's basically he knows he's screwed, he's got to do this assignment, he's got to bug these rooms. So he gets down and he sits next to this female and the first line out of his mouth is hello, hello, I get along well with everybody and I have used that line more than once.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 51:05

I'm definitely going to try that.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 51:07

It's a great line. I get along well with everybody, and basically that's what I've said.

Big Bob (Bob West): 51:11

We're all picturing the same female, right, right.

Announcer #1: 51:14

I love a man with a sense of humor.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 51:17

And you know this chapter is really again, it's a McDonald book, very heavy on the dialogue. They're going back and forth. You know he calls himself, I am Fletcher, she goes, you know you're pompous and he goes. No, I am Arton Nice. But at the very end she introduces herself as Fredrica Arbina.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 51:38

All right, so, listen, this is where sometimes I get jammed up, Jake. So I love this device that Greg McDonald goes to this zig zag, zig zag. And so the CIA agents asked Fletch's name. He says he's Freddie Arbina. Just makes it up. Yeah, they get pissed off. I think they even refer. They say something like Arbis not, I think not, or you're not, or something. And so when he gets on the plane he meets the girl. She says her name's Freddie Arbina. He thinks OK, I see what's going on. You know they sent a.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 52:19

Right, some type of CIA agent to keep an eye on me, and this is their way of telling me that somebody's keeping an eye on me. And this is something Greg Mottola referenced to us when he spoke to us is that one thing he loves is that Fletch is not always right, and in the end, we find out that Fletch is not right with this.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 52:39

Right.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 52:40

That her name is just that To me. Where I get jammed up is the obscurity of the last name that he just made up, and a name that I've never, ever heard.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 52:52

I know, I know I think really rarely run into someone that has the same name, especially a name that you've just pulled out of thin air. And Fletch says you've heard of me and he's like I made you up.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 53:10

And that's the first five chapters.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 53:11

That's the first three chapters. So chapter four he's actually. He gets to this convention, it's at his big plantation in Virginia and he meets the hostess and what has happened is that this Walter March, that pretty much was the number one target for him to bug, ends up murdered and they have to say he's like a Rupert Murdoch kind of guy.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 53:36

Yeah, I would say so, yeah, yeah, like a big conglomerate. Yeah, so, and they have decided that you know they're going to go ahead with this convention of journalists, that they're going to keep, they're going to continue this. So this is a really interesting, I think, premise that I think Metola could have a lot of fun with when it comes to just shaping it in today's world With, again, like us, like, maybe, instead of like, because on the plane, when, when he's having this discussion with Freddie on the plane, you know he sees a news anchor on the plane, and sure, news anchors could still be a part of this, but again, we could have a little bit more of, you know, podcasters or bloggers or, you know, maybe, people on TikTok, on social media, that have really made an impact when it comes to journalism, investigative journalism, things like that.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 54:31

Investigative journalism has really become TMZ.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 54:33

Oh, it really is, yeah, yeah. And you see only murders in the building like these, these people kind of taking on roles of investigators and going back and trying to solve these long, you know many, many years old unsolved mysteries and trying to make some headway with that. So I think that would be a lot of fun to see that on film. Agreed.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 54:55

Very easy way for Metola to modernize the story.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 54:58

So chapter four basically is just him getting to the convention, to this conference, having a discussion with with Helena, who basically is the hostess. But there's a line here and we've talked about this because she thinks this, this Fred Rica or Freddie is Fletch's wife and there's actually a couple of funny lines in this chapter and she goes hello Mrs Fletcher, and Fletch says this isn't Mrs Fletcher and Helena says oh, I'm sorry. We're also used to greeting anyone with Fletch as Mrs Fletcher because he's already been married, you know, twice at this time.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 55:37

Yeah, that's great.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 55:38

Fletch says this is Freddie Arbenot and she says Freddie. So many of your girls have had boys names. That girl we met with you in Italy, andy.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 55:46

What's your girlfriend's name? Andy Angela, andy, angela. Right there down, grace, it's Angela de Gracie.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 55:54

No, there's a reference to confess, and then Fletch says Barbara and Linda, and then he says Joan. Oh right, you know. So now we're we're bringing up, you know, joan Collins again Interesting, but it's just really funny that there's these kind of throwbacks.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 56:09

So him and Mrs Stamwick must have been enough of a thing to use her to defend his case, right, yeah, and even Gail Stamwick, or Joan, comes back in another book. She does, you know. So her character returns and you kind of don't expect it when she does. So, yeah, there's lots of fun little things you find when you're, when you're really exploring the books, and I'm so glad I did and I'm so glad we're back to doing literary Fletch, because you know, this is, this is going to give people a little bit of an insight, a little bit of an outline to what to expect from the next movie.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 56:43

Yeah, I really so. I mean, the rest of that chapter really is just them, discussing Walter March how his wife found the body he was killed with a pair of scissors and then chapter five is just basically Fletch in his room discovering the bugging equipment and how it actually works.

Announcer #1: 57:07

You're not recording this, are you no?

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 57:10

never, never. God, I love that. So what do you think? Do you think this movie is going to go in a slightly different direction, since the movie confess ends with Frank telling Fletch to go investigate the son instead of March, the way it happens in the book?

Jake (Jake Parrish): 57:28

Well, at the time in the book March was still in charge, I mean, but his son is a character in the book, yeah he definitely is a character, along with the wife and his son.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 57:40

But to almost have something in mind is it was interesting to leave us with that version of the cliffhanger ending.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 57:46

Yeah, that doesn't really gel with how Fletch's fortune starts and how he actually is exposed to March for the first time. He's exposed to March for the first time when he's basically blackmailed to go to the conference and to bug them. And here's a question too when do you see the characters? He wants to bring back Gris, he wants to bring back Monroe. I'm sure he'll find a way to get them in there. It would definitely be a different dynamic if Fletch walks in in the first chapter instead of the CIA agents. You know Gris and Monroe are sitting there.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 58:23

And maybe they say kind of like we know you had the soul in Picasso. You're either going to go to jail for theft or you're going to do us this favor.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 58:31

Now that's a good point, I mean. So I mean, like it might not be the taxes angle, it could be the fact that he still has the Picasso and hey, you want to keep that Picasso.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 58:42

You've got to do this for us Because Metola told us he's definitely using the Picasso in some ways Right.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 58:48

So it could be that angle and just pulling that taxes angle out, you could continue to bring Gris and Monroe to the conference and just basically there, maybe to keep an eye on Fletch. But remember, other FBI agents show up later and then there's that whole thing with the bugging and what they get into and then Fletch ends up with that whole other blackmailing thing.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 59:15

So this one I hope for Monroe and Gris is safe. That's not them at the end.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 59:19

I hope so too, because what the material he gets on those guys is fantastic. It could really play out and it could be really, really funny.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 59:28

How much time, would you say, between meeting Stanwyck on the beach and getting ready to bug this convention?

Jake (Jake Parrish): 59:38

I would say less than two years. I'd say 18 months and two years, because he was in Rio for six months, maybe close to that, I think, in Italy. Then he was in. I would say the confess window was what do you think? I mean he was only in Boston in the book for a week. So I would say this was between, say, the end of Fletch and confess. I would say it's less than a couple of years. I'd say 18 months. It wasn't a long stretch of time by any means.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 1:00:14

Because at the convention everybody knows him.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 1:00:16

Yeah, and he's still talking about writing the book with Edgar Arthur Thorpe and the painting. I mean, it's mentioned over several books that that's what he's been working on. It's mentioned again in this book more than once. Because in chapter two Freddie's like oh, you're unemployed right now. You must be writing a novel. And he's like yes, I'm writing a novel on Edgar Arthur Thorpe. And she's like in Italy. And he's like well, it gives me a different perspective. The American cowboy painter, you're writing that in Italy.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 1:00:51

You know it'll be interesting as to who Metola casts as Freddie, because we threw out a couple names to him, but it's mentioned several times in both Fortune and man who that she has like golden blonde hair. I wasn't thinking blonde when I was thinking Freddie. I was thinking of dark hair.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 1:01:09

I was, you know. I always thought dark hair too, and I would read that I would imagine her is like with a brunette A.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 1:01:17

Sarah Silverman type or that sort of who I pictured. But now this is great. I love diving into the books now, and the more we can connect it to the movies and the original movies and things like that, it just it makes it all the more fun to discuss.

Big Bob (Bob West): 1:01:33

Guys, I'm going to, I'm going to say something here that's going to make you both happy. From this episode, you guys have convinced me I'm going to purchase. I'm going to purchase my first audio.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 1:01:44

Oh, so which one are you going to purchase?

Big Bob (Bob West): 1:01:45

That's the big one. Well, Jake, that's. That's. That's the question that I'm not going to answer.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 1:01:49

You're going to answer what's a timeline? Because I always want you to go right to Fletch's Fortune, because I think that's going to be top of mind here for the next, and if it's going to take you six months to listen to an audio book, I might want you to start to Fletch's Fortune, so at least you know where we are.

Big Bob (Bob West): 1:02:05

Okay, I'm going to say that by next recording I'll have, I'll have one done. Wow, all right. Well then, do one, that's started in the beginning.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 1:02:16

Let's start with Fletch one and then just go that way.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 1:02:18

I like this, I like this challenge. I appreciate you.

Big Bob (Bob West): 1:02:22

I mean, I said it, so how can I, how can I go back? People will crucify me.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 1:02:27

So here's the thing I will take you at your word, but there will be a quiz afterwards. Oh fuck.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 1:02:35

He's a bad test taker.

Big Bob (Bob West): 1:02:37

You know what? It doesn't matter. My problems aren't your problems. I'm on, I'm doing it.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 1:02:44

Well, on that note, that about wraps up this episode of Flashcast. I'd like to thank everybody for listening, all the OG fans, all the new fans that have come aboard. Thank you so much. We really appreciate it. Coming up next week, dana Wheeler Nicholson will be on the show with us. It's going to be a great one. Until then, please follow us on social media Twitter X, facebook, instagram, where I am Fletchcast. Leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen to the Fletchcast. We really would appreciate not only a five star rating but a really nice review. It would mean the world to us. Until next time for Jake and Bob. I'm Laker, jim. Great job, boys. Feels good to be back.

Jake (Jake Parrish): 1:03:27

Yeah, it was great.

Laker Jim (James Kanowitz): 1:03:29

We're going to catch the last 10 minutes of Dynasty, see ya.

Big Bob (Bob West): 1:03:32

Later, Bob. Great job all around everybody, because, goddamn, you guys are on point. Thanks, Bob.