Episode 61: Dave Bautista in a Wig

This week’s prompts: Dice, Aubergine, 150

Lauren returns from France with baguette-fueled stories of business class decadence, wine-fueled tears at the Musée d’Orsay, and a new appreciation for Patrick, the most patient flight attendant in the skies. Somewhere between Bridgemix, focaccia, and a Luther Vandross doc, she finds time to catch The Last Showgirl (2024). Pamela Anderson trades Baywatch red for rhinestones and vulnerability in Gia Coppola’s indie portrait of a Vegas showgirl past her prime, with scene-stealing turns from Jamie Lee Curtis and Dave Bautista (in a wig, no less). Lauren unpacks the film’s vérité style, its bittersweet beats, and how Anderson nearly missed the role thanks to her own agent.

Meanwhile, Neal heads to Reno (cinematically) with Hard Eight (1996), Paul Thomas Anderson’s little-seen debut. From Sundance labs to studio battles over the title (Sydney vs. Hard Eight), Neal dives into how PTA fought for his cut, drew powerhouse performances from Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Samuel L. Jackson, and laid the groundwork for Boogie Nights and beyond. It’s a story of craps, character studies, and a director learning how to lose battles but win the war.

PLUS:
🍷 Lauren’s business-class champagne strategy (spoiler: drink it all)
🎭 Pamela Anderson’s comeback and Jamie Lee Curtis going full frosty-lipstick brassy
🎲 Casino scams, improvised Philip Seymour Hoffman, and PTA vs. the studios
📼 Why The Last Showgirl is Pamela’s The Wrestler

Next week’s prompts: Justice, 79, Platinum

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