History Film / Zoolander

* EmbarrassingAdGig: When Derek and some of his family members are in a bar, they see an Aveda commercial that shows Derek as a mermaid[[note]]Or a [[InsistentTerminology merman, as he says]][[/note]] making {{double entendre}}s involving being wet. Derek's father [[IHaveNoSon disowns him on the spot]].

* KarmaHoudini: Despite admitting to having been in on the child labor conspiracy for almost all of his career, absolutely nothing happens to Maury Ballstein.
** Presumably he would get immunity in exchange for his testimony. The sequel confirms he asked for relocation in the witness protection program.

A sequel, ''Film/{{Zoolander 2}}'', was released in 2016.

** "Working for the Weekend" by Music/{{Loverboy}} plays during Derek’s parody HardWorkMontage in the coal mines.

'''Derek:''' How can we expect to teach children to learn how to read if they even fit inside the building?
'''Mugatu:''' Derek, it's just a small--

-->'''Mugatu''': But who?! Where in all of God's green goodness am I gonna find someone that....BEEF-HEADED?!
-->*cut to Derek Zoolander photoshoot*

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: When Mugatu shows Derek a model for the “Derek Zoolander Center For Kids Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too,” Derek thinks the model is the actual school and destroys it in a rage.
-->'''Derek:''' What is this? ''<<[[ScaleModelDestruction smashes the model on the floor]]>>'' A center for ''ants''?!
-->'''Mugatu:''' What?
-->'''Derek:''' How can we expect to teach children to learn how to read if they even fit inside the building?
-->'''Mugatu:''' Derek, it’s just a small—
-->'''Derek:''' I don’t hear your excuses! The center has to be at least … three times bigger than this.

--> '''Matilda:''' Derek, you did it! That was amazing!
--> '''Derek:''' I know! I turned left!
--> '''Matilda:''' (beat) Yeah, that too, but Derek, you also saved the Prime Minister of Malaysia!
--> '''Derek:''' Oh, right. Cool!

--> '''Matilda:''' Wait a minute, Lee Harvey Oswald wasn't a male model.
--> '''Prewett:''' You're goddamn right he wasn't, but those two lookers on the Grassy Knoll sure as shit were!

--> '''Hansel:''' "And I felt like this guy is really hurting me. And it hurt!"
--> '''Derek:''' Maybe you don't understand that the world doesn't revolve around you and your "Do whatever it takes, ruin as many people's lives, just so long as you can make a name for yourself as an investigatory journalist, no matter how many friends you lose, or people you leave dead and bloodied along the way, just so long as you can make a name for yourself as an investigatory journalist, no matter how many friends you lose, or people you leave dead and bloodied and dying along the way?"

-->'''Derek:''' That is not true!
-->'''J.P. Prewett:''' Yes it is, Derek.
-->'''Derek:''' Okay.

--> '''Derek:''' Who am I?\\

--> '''Derek:''' (after J.P. explains the entire conspiracy with lengthy exposition) But why male models?\\

--> '''Dad:''' You're dead to me. More dead than your dead mother. I just thank the Lord she didn't live to see her son as a mermaid!
--> '''Derek:''' Mer-MAN! (cough) MER-''MAN!''

-->'''Hansel:''' So I'm rappelling down Mount Vesuvius when suddenly I slip, and I start to fall. I mean, I'm about to ''die.'' Just falling, "Ahhh! Ahhh!" I'll never forget the terror. When suddenly I remember, "Holy shit, Hansel, haven't you been smoking Peyote for six straight days, and couldn't some of this maybe be in your mind?"
-->'''Derek:''' ...and?
-->'''Hansel:''' ...it was. I was totally fine. I've never even ''been'' to Mount Vesuvius.

** Hell, even Mugatu, the only person who recognizes that Derek has exactly one look, follows up his MotiveRant by screaming about his piano key necktie as if it's some kind of grand accomplishment. [[spoiler:And even he is completely blown away by Magnum, even though it also is Derek making the same face but turning left.]]

* SeriousBusiness: The fashion industry, to the point of involving an {{Illuminati}}-esque international conspiracy and political assassination.

-->'''Derek''': What is this? ''<<[[ScaleModelDestruction smashes the model on the floor]]>>'' A center for ''ants''?!
-->'''Mugatu''': What?
-->'''Derek''': How can we expect to teach children to learn how to read if they even fit inside the building?
-->'''Mugatu''': Derek, it’s just a small—
-->'''Derek''': I don’t hear your excuses! The center has to be at least … three times bigger than this.

--> '''Matilda:''' Derek, you did it!

--> '''Matilda:''' (beat) That too, but you also saved the Prime Minister of Malaysia!
--> '''Derek:''' Oh. Cool.

* DullSurprise: All of Derek's so-called "looks" are nigh-identical (however, his "Magnum" look stops a shuriken in mid-air. Even Mugatu is wowed: "Dear god, it's beautiful!").

* IdiotSavant: Derek knows everything about the modelling world and is an expert in many modelling-related skills. He recognizes J.P. Prewitt's hand from a specific catalog in the 70s even though hand modelling isn't Derek's specialty.

* InnocentlyInsensitive: When Matilda tells Derek and Hansel about how she was bulemic, they react with excitement instead of horror. They even state, with complete sincerity, that it must be the reason she's so hot. Also, they do it too. Though they are completely ''understanding,'' they don't understand the problem.

--> '''Derek''': Who am I?\\
'''Derek's Reflection''': I don't know.

-->'''Derek''': Uh, earth to Mathilda! I was at a day spa. Day. D-A-I-Y-E. Ok?

** Hell, even Mugatu, the only person who recognizes that Derek has exactly one look, follows up MotiveRant by screaming about his piano key necktie as if it's some kind of grand accomplishment. [[spoiler:He also is completely blown away by Magnum, even though it also is Derek making the same face but turning left.]]

* TooDumbToLive: Derek's model friends who at a gas station start spraying gasoline at each other and then, Brint lights up a cigarette. Even [[EveryoneHasStandards Derek recognizes this as a very stupid decision]] and tries to stop them but is too late.

* WorldOfHam: The world of male modelling is not for the subtle.

* SpitTake: Hilariously overdone by Mugatu.

* IdiotHero: Derek.

* IntimateHealing: Taken UpToEleven when Matilda mentions she's upset and hasn't had sex in years. She, Zoolander, and Hansel drink some drug laced tea and she [[GoodBadGirl has a drugged up gang bang with them and the others.]]

* ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: Mugatu's new campaign, "Derelicte".

* EveryoneHasStandards: Derek may be dumb, but he knows that lighting a cigarette in a gas station is a bad idea, as his model friends found out the hard way.

** Hell, even Mugatu, the only person who recognizes that Derek has exactly one look, follows up MotiveRant by screaming about his piano key necktie as if it's some kind of grand accomplishment.

** Zoolander's manager Maury Ballstein is played by Ben Stiller's father, and his love interest Matilda Jeffries is played by his wife.
*** Additionally, a protester at the awards ceremony is played by Ben Stiller's mom (the late Ann Meara).

* RealityEnsues: When Derek's model friends spray gasoline at the gas station and Brint lights up a cigarette, the station explodes and everyone is killed, except for Derek.

* AdamWesting / AsHimself: A number of real-life celebrities make cameo appearances in the film. The one who plays the most on his image is probably Fabio, who appears at the beginning of the film, accepting the "slashie" award for "best actor-slash-model" and "not the other way around". Fabio-esque male models are the main brunt on the film's satire.

[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zoolander_poster.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:310:Derek Zoolander: Really Really Really Ridiculously Good Looking[[TradeSnark ™]] ]]

''Zoolander'' is a 2001 comedy film directed by and starring Creator/BenStiller, co-starring Creator/OwenWilson, Creator/WillFerrell, Christine Taylor, Creator/MillaJovovich, Creator/JerryStiller, and Creator/JonVoight.

[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zoolander.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:200:Derek Zoolander: Really Really Really Ridiculously Good Looking[[TradeSnark ™]] ]]

A 2001 comedy film directed by and starring Creator/BenStiller, co-starring Creator/OwenWilson, Creator/WillFerrell, Christine Taylor, Creator/MillaJovovich, Creator/JerryStiller, and Creator/JonVoight.

* AdamWesting: A number of real-life celebrities make cameo appearances in the film. The one who plays the most on his image is probably Fabio, who appears at the beginning of the film, accepting the "slashie" award for "best actor-slash-model" and "not the other way around". Fabio-esque male models are the main brunt on the film's satire.

A 2001 comedy film directed by and starring Creator/BenStiller, co-starring Creator/OwenWilson, Creator/WillFerrell, Creator/ChristineTaylor, Creator/MillaJovovich, Creator/JerryStiller, and Creator/JonVoight.

-->"Who cares about Derek Zoolander anyway? The man has only one look for Christ's sake! Blue Steel? Ferrari? Le Tigre? They're the ''same face!'' Doesn't anyone notice this?! ''[[OnlySaneMan I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!]]'' I invented the ''piano key necktie!'' I invented it! What have you done, Derek?! Nothing! ''You've got '''nothing! NOTHING!'''''"

%%* DirtyOldMan: Maury Ballstein.

* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Matilda dryly says "Oh, no" when Hansel inadvertently destroys [[spoiler:Mugatu's [=iMac=] which contains his files]].

** During his acceptance of the slashie award early on, Fabio thanks the audience for considering him to be the best actor-slash-model, "and not the other way around". Laterm, J.B. Prewitt refers to John Wilkes Booth as "the original '''model-slash-actor".'''

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: although Zoolander is set in the present day it provides an alternate timeline for American history in which every political assassination of the past 200 years was committed by a male fashion model and just for laughs it puts two guys behind the grassy knoll when most conspiracy theorists say there was only one.

** TheSeventies cameo: "Love to Love You Baby" by Music/DonnaSummer plays during the [[SexMontage Orgy Montage]].

--->''"Damn it Derek, [[ImADoctorNotAPlaceholder I'm a coal miner, not a professional film or television actor]]."''