How Did This Get Made? – Last Looks: The Forbidden Dance (April 3, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this energetic Last Looks episode, hosts Paul Scheer and Jason Mantzoukas (June Diane Raphael is absent) revisit the gloriously terrible 1990 dance flick The Forbidden Dance. The segment features listener corrections and omissions, dives into wild tangents (including the weirdest PSA ever), movie/music trivia, and winding conversations about Jackass, Nirvana the Band, TV detective shows, and the state of modern comedies. The hosts also reveal the next movie for the podcast: the 2005 thriller Mindhunters. The signature banter, deep-dives into pop culture minutiae, and fan interactivity are front and center, making it a great catch-up for HDTGM regulars or newcomers.

Key Segments and Discussion Points

1. Corrections & Omissions (04:05–18:10)

• Listener Feedback Highlights:

  • Bathroom Barefoot Escape:
    • Discord user John Steele wonders why Jason didn’t remark on Nisa running barefoot through a men’s bathroom. Paul: “Yeah, gross. But also not as gross as those dirty feet in Birdemic. I mean, those live in my mind forever.” (05:07)
  • Richard Lynch Backstory:
    • The panel mistakenly called the actor “Rutger Hauer’s brother”; John Steele clarifies it's Richard Lynch, famed for villain roles after a real-life incident in the 1970s where he set himself on fire on LSD—scarring 70% of his body. Paul: “This guy came back and was a very hardworking, great actor. So there you go. Can’t beat that. And kids, don’t do drugs.” (04:46)
  • Villain’s Evil Nightclub Plan (06:06):
    • Listener Mitch Capa cracks up at the bad guy’s convoluted plan: capture Nisa to…open a nightclub? Paul muses whether the movie actually makes sense given this motivation.
  • Lombada Consistency:
    • Sean McBee notes the dance changes every time—“It appeared to be a completely different dance.” Paul: “I don’t think they knew the dance!” (06:32)

• Phone Calls:

  • Dirty Dancing Crossover:
    • Elle calls to confirm that the actress who played “Switchblade Lady” (McLeaf) in The Forbidden Dance is indeed the older lover from Dirty Dancing. Paul: “I think he should have stayed with her. He would be more happy with her.” (07:23)
  • Spicy PSA Documentary:
    • Anonymous caller shares the story of a wild Spanish PSA where adult film actors had sex on a polluted beach to raise money for ocean cleanup (every Pornhub view led to a donation). Paul: “Whoa, Wait, what? That is the most insane story. I have to go find this.” (09:18) “More spicy PSAs!”
    • Producer Scott points out a NY Post article about the campaign: “Can the Dirtiest Porn Ever Help Clean Up Our Filthy Beaches?” Paul is delighted: “This is genius!” (10:18)

• Fun Movie Facts and Omissions:

  • Taxi Dancing:

    • Discord user “my fake iron lung” explains that what Nisa does in the brothel is called taxi dancing—an early 20th-century tradition. Paul says the movie seems to blend “taxi dancing with more,” raising the stakes but admits the custom was out of time by the movie’s setting. (11:08)

  • Language Mistake:

    • Ginger points out Nisa speaks Spanish to her “tribe,” though in Brazil the language should be Portuguese. Paul confirms the team did discuss it but “it just wasn't one of the more interesting facts.” (12:04)

  • Lombada Song in Pop Culture:

    • “Adjective Animal” shares that the Lombada’s theme was remade as Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull’s On the Floor (2011), leading to the original reentering the Billboard charts 22 years later. Paul is astounded: “Mr. Worldwide should be in a cameo in every movie… if there is dancing, he should be there just to cheer them on.” (12:37)

Notable Running Gags

• Prize for Best Correction:
  • The “winner” is the anonymous caller who shared the spicy PSA story, rewarded with “one week of free bodyguard and healing services” from Nisa’s mystical shaman—only redeemable in Brazil. Paul: “…we’re not paying for your trip to Brazil… but these bodyguard and healing services are top notch.” (14:21)

2. Paul & Jason Pop Culture Chat (18:12–43:35)

Spring Break, Diaphragm Stories, and Jackass Set Visit (18:34–28:36)

• Paul and Jason catch up on spring break, Florida stories, and deliver a hilarious segment about the confusion around the term ‘diaphragm’ (condom vs. anatomy).
  • Paul: “My dad… ‘Oh, that's how you control your breathing.’ …He goes, ‘Oh, that's another kind of...’” (19:49–19:57)
• Scrooge McDuck Pool Tangent:
  • Jason jokes about wanting to see someone dive into a pool of coins for real—“How has that not been a Mr. Beast thing?” Paul: “...Maybe the problem is getting the monocle on the duck.” (20:37)
• Jackass 5 Set Visit:**
  • Paul describes the surreal experience of seeing stunts filmed in real time, just like they appear in final edit. No reshoots, minimal “pickups.” He’s shocked by the idea of the crew eating lunch then going back to stunts. (21:25–22:52)
  • Poopies’ Shark Attack:
    • Discussion turns to “Poopies,” who loses part of his hand in a Shark Week stunt promoting Jackass 4—graphic, wild, and only compensated with the footage for his YouTube channel. “He didn’t get paid extra for losing his hand because I’m sure he signed everything away… Oh, that’s so upsetting.” (23:07–24:57)

Jackass TV Rights & Music Licensing (25:07–27:19)

• Music Licensing Headaches:
  • Old MTV/Viacom shows like Jackass used unlicensed hit songs, creating issues for re-releases and streaming. “Back in the day, they would just play the top 40… and then, you can’t release it.” (25:23–26:53)

Comedic Fandoms: Lord of the Rings / Jackass Crossover (27:51–28:26)

Jason (as LOTR superfan): “Johnny is my Frodo, and Steve-O is my Pip, and Pontius is my Merry… Please, somebody draw that.” (28:06)

3. TV/Movie Recommendations & Comedy Discussion (30:59–43:35)

Nirvana the Band, the Show, the Movie (30:59–34:45)

• Paul is “obsessed”:
  • He watched the new movie, then devoured the original web series and is working through the TV run.
  • The show’s (and movie’s) genius: “The premise is divinely simple: two guys want to play at this club, that’s it… It’s like Roadrunner and Coyote.”
  • Their legal and creative workaround: They present all footage as a “documentary,” allowing wild music, video, and stunt licensing under fair use. Paul: “It’s ingenious.” (33:31)

Detective Series Corner: Young Sherlock, Sherlock & Daughter (35:36–38:56)

• Jason raves about two recent shows for detective junkies:
  • Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock: “Basically college-age Sherlock… kinetic Guy Ritchie style, best friends with Moriarty.” (35:57)
  • Sherlock & Daughter: “David Thewlis plays Sherlock… kind of YA; his main partner is a Sherlockian daughter, with grown-up Moriarty. A blast, very light.” (38:08)

Comedy Shows: The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins (39:04–41:20)

• Both hosts fawn over the new Tracy Morgan Peacock sitcom:

  • Paul: “Exponentially gets funnier… It's almost like a super powered 30 Rock.” (39:11)
  • Jason: “We just don’t have many joke machine shows anymore… This scratches that itch and then some.” (39:30)
  • Discussion touches on show accessibility—great comedies often get lost on non-mainstream streaming services versus Netflix/higher exposure. (40:45)

• Paul on streaming frustration:

  • Many great comedies (Black Monday, etc.) are inaccessible: “We can’t get Black Monday to stream anywhere… Just put it on a streamer, let people watch these things!” (42:03)

The Value of Comedy for Comedy’s Sake (43:09)

• Paul: “We don’t have to live, learn, love and grow, we could just make people laugh…”
• Jason: “We can just do bits and enjoy them.”

4. Next Week’s Movie Reveal: Mindhunters (43:35–44:29)

• Movie: Mindhunters (2005, dir. Renny Harlin), starring LL Cool J, Val Kilmer, Christian Slater.
  • Premise: FBI profiler trainees are hunted by a serial killer during a training exercise gone wrong.
  • Paul shares Richard Roeper’s negative review: “They should have kept pushing [the release date].” (44:13)
  • Available on Starz, Philo, and for rent at most outlets.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Paul (on Richard Lynch): “This guy came back and was a very hardworking, great actor. So there you go. Can’t beat that. And kids, don’t do drugs.” (04:46)
• Paul (on spicy PSAs): "This is a genius thing. All right, back to the discord..." (10:18)
• Jason (on Scrooge McDuck diving): “Metal is solid. It doesn’t move like liquid. And if you tried to dive into a pool full of metal coins, you would die.” (20:42)
• Paul (about Jackass stunts): “They are shooting them at the pace in which you watch them!” (21:25)
• Paul (on streaming comedies): “Just get it on… it’s a free show… why is it trapped?” (42:03)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Corrections & Omissions Kickoff: 04:05
• Dirty Dancing Crossover Call: 06:33
• Spicy PSA Call & Discussion: 07:57–10:18
• Taxi Dancing Explanation: 11:08
• Lombada Song/Pop Music Trivia: 12:37
• Best Correction Prize: 14:21
• Paul & Jason Chat Begins: 18:34
• Diaphragm Pool Story: 19:49
• Scrooge McDuck Tangent: 20:37
• Jackass Set Visit & Poopies Story: 21:25–24:57
• Jackass TV/Music Licensing: 25:07
• Lord of the Rings/Jackass Crossover: 27:51
• Nirvana the Band, the Movie: 30:59
• Detective TV Shows Discussion: 35:36
• Reggie Dinkins/Modern Comedy Critique: 39:04–41:20
• Streaming Frustrations/Comedy Access: 42:03
• Next Movie Reveal: Mindhunters: 43:35–44:29

Summary & Final Thoughts

This “Last Looks” is a fast-paced, laugh-heavy romp that feels like a digital after-party for fans who love to nitpick movies, geek out on pop culture, and listen to pros riff with effortless chemistry. The Forbidden Dance inspires a rabbit-hole of corrections, music trivia, and truly bizarre PSA anecdotes (seriously, look up the ocean-cleanup porn video).

Paul and Jason’s subsequent conversation takes familiar HDTGM detours into Jackass lore, TV rights mishaps, contemporary comedy’s decline, and the joy of “bits for bits’ sake.” If you missed the episode, this summary gives you all the juicy details, running gags, and context for next week’s Mindhunters episode (get ready for LL Cool J!).

For listeners:

• To contribute your own corrections or theme songs, head to their Discord or website.
• Get ready for some profiler-on-the-island mayhem next week!

HDTGM "Last Looks" stays true to its mission: celebrating the weird, the overlooked, and the just plain bonkers.