BASEketball

January 18, 1999

1998 was all about schlong. First, there was Marky Mark’s plastic prosthetic penis in Boogie Nights. Then there was Kevin Bacon’s semi in the shower in Wild Things. I even dare to mention The Full Monty, even though there was really no monty. But above and beyond all these – the endowments of Trey Parker and Matt Stone in BASEketball….

A buddy movie…a sports movie…a comedy…a romance…a parody – will the genres never end? This was probably one of the most eagerly anticipated film this year for the 18-24 demographic. Amazingly, it delivered everything that was expected. Coming out almost a year after the first South Park, everyone wanted to know if they could keep it up (no pun intended) on the big screen. No doubt. It was damn funny. Nay, an understatement. Hi-fuckin-larious. They have even more presence on screen than behind the cardboard kids. Fair credit to the Zuckers, the writers and directors – but hey, BASEketball is clearly a star vehicle – not just anyone could have starred in it…except maybe Cheech and Chong. Matt and Trey’s make-up kiss and the Jerry Springer drinking game will be fondly remembered and become a symbol of the 90s – just like Molly Ringwald’s dance in The Breakfast Club or the danger of feeding a Mogwai after midnight.

Just like South Park, BASEketball is not for kids. It probably will be in 20 years though. Networks will be showing Faces of Death on Saturday morning instead of cartoons and Fritz the Cat instead of endless reruns of Saved by the Bell. Ahhhhh…the future sounds grand.