Is it Time to Induct Danny McBride and John C. Reilly?
Danny McBride and John C. Reilly
With the upcoming release of Fight for Your Right - Revisited, sure seems like Danny McBride and John C. Reilly are peers of Frat Pack regular Will Ferrell and Jack Black. So, the question that you might be asking is whether it is time to officially consider them “full” members of the Frat Pack, rather than the more supporting label such as “pledge” or “Frat Pack friend.”
Reilly has worked extensively with both Ferrell and Black in recent years, with films such as Step Brothers, Walk Hard, and Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny. He surely can hold his own with these two, and is a mid-level star in his own right. In recent years, he’s starred in several “buddy” comedies with familiar faces such as Jonah Hill, Seann William Scott, and Ed Helms. But he hasn’t worked with the Wilsons or with Stiller or Carell or Vaughn.
McBride, on the other hand, has among the deepest Frat Pack connections by anyone not named Ben Stiller. He’s costarred with Ferrell, Owen Wilson, Stiller, and has done good work as a hired gun for Team Apatow in films such as Pineapple Express and Fanboys. His cameos in Observe and Report and Due Date were hilarious. And he has Your Highness opening today with Apatow alum James Franco.
But do Reilly and McBride qualify for inclusion? Steve Carell’s SNL pledge song included the line “Just like Jack Black, but better” and with respect to popularity both probably fall a bit short of that cut. Not that Jack Black’s recent domestic track record is much to write home about, however…
The other consideration of this whole Frat Pack concept is what to do about Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson, neither of whom has worked in any capacity with other Frat Pack actors since Wilson’s Blades of Glory cameo in 2007. Both were active in the group during their 2003-2005 heyday, but for a variety of reasons not anymore. So, if Reilly and McBride are in, are Vaughn and Wilson out?
Tribute editor Rick Duran and I discussed this and it seems that the Frat Pack concept is more like a club - once a member, always a member. Even if you don’t come around as often as you used to. So, are we wrong to basically consider McBride and Reilly peers at this point? Are they in? Or do they still have to pay some dues?
Of course, this discussion doesn’t address another Fight for Your Right costar, Seth Rogen, and what to do about his status. And Jonah Hill. And Jason Segel… Maybe another discussion for another day.
IMO The Frat Pack should induct a member every year if they headline or co-headline a major comedy and their previous work indicates a comedic sensibility with the core members along with appearances in their films. Also nobody can be booted from The Frat Pack.
Original Members: Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson, Jack Black, Vince Vaughn, and Luke Wilson.
2005 inducted Steve Carell
2006-2010 can be inducted via knowledge of their work that year along with the future in John C. Reilly’s case.
2006- John C. Reilly (Taladega Nights)
2007- Seth Rogen (Knocked Up and Superbad along with The 40 Year Old Virgin in 05)
2008- Paul Rudd (Overdue with Role Models along with supporting roles in Anchorman, The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up)
2009- Jason Segal (Solidified himself with I Love You, Man along with Knocked Up and Forgetting Sarah Marshall)
2010- Jonah Hill (Get Him to the Greek and Cyrus along with Superbad and Funny People)
2011- Danny McBride has the year locked up (See article above)
I like that the bridges between the original Pack (Stiller branch) and the Apatow branch have remained consistent. Guys like Ed Helms connect the gaps (Cedar Rapids w/ Reilly, Jeff Who Lives at Home w/ Segel, etc). The Pack in 2011 isn’t what it was in 2004. Now, its a blanket covering the wide range. The FFYRR ensemble is the perfect example of what it covers today, cherrypicking from both branches like Tropic Thunder did
1.apatow did not produce fanboys or your highness
2.if it is a club then why is it so hard to add two members..two members that clearly deserve it’
3.i love seth rogen with all my heart..but he cannot be in the pact because he is the face of team apatow
Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen deserve to be in the Frat Pack before McBride. Reilly, maybe, but Rudd deserves to be in before him.
Christian, it is well-understood (but not overly publicized) that Apatow oversaw at least one round of reshoots on Fanboys that included the cameos from McBride and Craig Robinson.
Chris, Rudd is *already* in (we officially added him at the end of 2009).
You NEED to add Seth Rogen before McBride & Reilly. As good as they are, they’re not as regular to the frat pack as Rogen.
I would keep it the same it’s not an actual fraternity. It’s subtle and classy as it is. Vaughn and Wilson shouldn’t be removed, their work has been tremendous and vital to the frat pack. The only I could see joining is Reilly. McBride hasn’t done too much and nothing at the level of Old School. It’ll lose credibility if anyone is added, keep Rudd out keep Rogen out have it stay the same.
Paul, I see where you’re going with the comment. But, regarding McBride, have you seen Pineapple Express or Tropic Thunder? McBride was great in both.
Oh didn’t notice that lol, but he should be moved to the center of the circle of trust
I did but didn’t see any Frat Pack members in Pineapple Express. If he gets serious consideration for being in LOTL an Heartbreak Kid then Jon Favreau is a shoe in. I don’t think Jon should be in and therefore neither should McBride.
FWIW, I think Apatow’s team need to stay separate from the Frat Pack. But then personally I think these discussions of who comes in and who goes out is making the Frat Pack lose what was special about it.
You don’t add or remove people from the Rat Pack. There were probably people that deserved being in that group but they came after the fact and it was just too late for them. Would you add them now? That wouldn’t work and personally it doesn’t work here either. Create a new Pack for these newbies if you want but I don’t think the Frat Pack needs to change. It’s bad enough Paul was added. I love Paul and I will always love Paul. But he’s not the original group that was fun to watch back in the day. When Steve joined it was “cool” to have a song about the FP on SNL as it became known as something big at that time. But now it’s different. These guys are getting older and they are maturing and things are changing. I think these guys are like the “Grandfathers” of the new people coming around so make a new group honoring them and let them have their own mark in Comedy. Or let them join the Apatow group as that seems to be the group that came after the Frat Pack.
JMHO,
~Bonnie