Tuesday Top Ten: Things You Probably Didn't Know About Fletch

Fletch is one of my favorite movies and, I would venture to say, Chevy Chase turns in one of the greatest comedic performances ever put on film.  The one-liners he delivers throughout the movie are second to none.  I even like the bit part actors, like the airplane mechanic ("you doin' some stunt flyin' or something?"), Joe Don Baker as the crooked police chief, and George Wendt as Fat Sam, a beach-based drug dealer who for some reason has a Cajun accent.  Hell, I wanted to name my son Gene, just because of James Avery's line, "Looks like heroin, Gene," after he and Gene rough up Fletch in his apartment and plant heroin on Fletch.  Alas, we settled on Son instead, since my son is a son and not a gene.

Anywho, I've seen the movie dozens of times, as far as you know, which is why you could guess that I was a little offended when I came across an article on Mental Floss entitled "15 Things You Probably Didn't Know About 'Fletch.'"  How do you know what I know about Fletch?  You don't.  But it is a good list.  I did know 7 of them, although I'll never tell you which ones.  Never.  My favorite one, which I didn't know, was that Burt Reynolds and Mick Jagger were rejected for the role of Fletch.  Burt Reynolds I kind of get, since he had been in some comedic roles, but Mick Jagger?!  Thank God he wasn't chosen, or else I wouldn't be writing this post right now.  

There have been many rumors over the years of another Fletch movie (a prequel).  For a while, Kevin Smith was attached to write and direct it.  Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Ryan Reynolds (who I think would have been perfect), Zach Braff, Zach Galifianakis, Brad Pitt, Will Smith, and Jimmy Fallon were all rumored to have been considered for the titular role at some point.  The latest rumor is that Warner Brothers has signed off on another screenplay, and Jason Sudeikis has allegedly agreed to be Fletch.  I'll believe it when I see it.  Now if you'll excuse me, I need to borrow a towel.  My car just hit a water buffalo.