History Trivia / DeathToSmoochy

* OldShame: Creator/JonStewart brings his work in the film up a lot as SelfDeprecation, often to contrast his resume with the work of a much more successful actor.

* CastTheRunnerUp: Creator/DannyDeVito originally wanted Creator/EdwardNorton to play Rainbow Randolph, but when Norton read the script, he said he found Sheldon to be the more interesting role.

** Creator/DannyDeVito only directed one more film after this, the Creator/BenStiller comedy ''Film/{{Duplex}}'', which also flopped. Fortunately he'd rebound on ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia''.

** Creator/RobinWilliams, best known for playing lovable ManChild characters, plays a straight up asshole as Rainbow Randolph. Williams joked in an interview that his friends called this movie, ''{{Film/Insomnia}}'', and ''Film/OneHourPhoto'' his "trifecta of evil."

** DeVito originally wanted Edward Norton to play Rainbow Randolph, but when Norton read the script, he said he found Sheldon to be the more interesting role.

** Harvey Fierstein, an openly gay actor known for playing CampGay characters, plays a gangster.

** Harvey Fierstein, known for playing CampGay characters, plays a gangster.

* PlayingAgainstType: Harvey Fierstein, known for playing CampGay characters, plays a gangster.

* ActorAllusion:
** Randolph attempts to discredit Sheldon by tricking him into performing at a [[Film/AmericanHistoryX neo-Nazi rally]].
** Another [[Film/AmericanHistoryX AHX]] ShoutOut -- Sheldon pointing a gun at Burke and saying "You just fucked with the wrong rhino". Norton's character exclaims "You just fucked with the wrong bull" [[spoiler:before murdering the man who tried to steal his car.]]
** Elements of Rainbow Randolph, an actor who does a lot of kid-friendly fare, but is actually very foul mouthed, is more than a bit like Creator/RobinWilliams in real life. Really the main difference between the two is that Randolph is a scumbag, and Williams definitely was not.
** When Randolph attempts to sabotage a Smoochy taping with penis cookies, during his tirade when he's shouting all the penis-related slang terms, one of them is "Rumpleforeskin," a term he previously used as Film/MrsDoubtfire.

* BoxOfficeBomb: It grossed $8,382,938 during its theatrical release, barely a sixth of its $50 million budget. Danny De Vito starts his DVD commentary with "I guess the mourning period is over."

** ''Death To Smoochy'' killed writer Adam Resnick's cinematic career completely after several failed screenplays previously. Resnick has only worked in TV since.
** Danny [=DeVito=] only directed one more film after this, the Creator/BenStiller comedy ''Film/{{Duplex}}'', which also flopped. Fortunately he'd rebound on ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia''.
* OldShame: Jon Stewart brings his work in the film up a lot as SelfDeprecation, often to contrast his resume with the work of a much more successful actor.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Among the auditionees for the part of Spinner, the brain-damaged boxer, was Music/HenryRollins. Rollins tells the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSm0LZhVSnE story of his audition here]].
** Writer Adam Resnick wrote a small cameo bit by [[WesternAnimation/BluesClues Steve Burns]], where Sheldon would see Steve in a bar, ask how it was going and Steve would just shake his head. Devito cut it because he felt that most viewers wouldn't get the reference. Funnily enough, this film released shortly before Steve left his show, adding another layer to said bit.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Among the auditionees for the part of Spinner, the brain-damaged boxer, was Music/HenryRollins. Rollins tells the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSm0LZhVSnE story of his audition here]].

** Danny De Vito only directed one more film after this, the BenStiller comedy "Duplex", which also flopped. Fortunately he'd rebound on ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia.

** Elements of Rainbow Randolph, an actor who does a lot of kid-friendly fair, but is actually very foul mouthed, is more than a bit like Creator/RobinWilliams in real life. Really the main difference between the two is that Randolph is a scumbag, and Williams definitely was not.

* CreatorKiller: ''Death To Smoochy'' killed writer Adam Resnick's cinematic career completely after several failed screenplays previously. Resnick has only worked in TV since.

* OldShame: Jon Stewart brings his work in the film up a lot, almost to the point where you might make the mistake that he's actually ''proud'' of the movie but is afraid that liking it will make him not cool.
* PlayingAgainstType: In films before this, Ed Norton mostly played very strong and angry dramatic characters. Here he's a goofy hippie.

** Danny DeVito only directed one more film, "Duplex", after this which also flopped. Fortunately he'd rebound on ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia.

* ActorAllusion: Randolph attempts to discredit Sheldon by tricking him into performing at a [[Film/AmericanHistoryX neo-Nazi rally]].

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Among the auditionees for the part of Spinner, the brain-damaged boxer, was HenryRollins. Rollins tells the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSm0LZhVSnE story of his audition here]].

* BoxOfficeBomb: It grossed $8,382,938 during its theatrical release, barely a sixth of its $50 million budget.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Among the auditionees for the part of Spinner, the brain-damaged boxer, was HenryRollins. Rollins tells the story of his audition here: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSm0LZhVSnE]].

* OldShame: Jon Stewart brings this up a lot, almost to the point where you might make the mistake that he's actually ''proud'' of the movie but is afraid that liking it will make him not cool.