Pop Culture Happy Hour: "The Naked Gun and What's Making Us Happy" Summary

Release Date: August 1, 2025
Hosts: Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson, and Aisha Harris
Guests: Ronald Young Jr. (Host of Leaving the Theater podcast) and Daisy Rosario (Senior Supervising Producer of Audio at Slate)

Introduction to the New Naked Gun Movie [00:22 - 02:17]

The episode kicks off with Linda Holmes introducing the topic: the latest installment in the Naked Gun franchise. She highlights the transition from Leslie Nielsen's iconic portrayal of Lt. Frank Drebin to Liam Neeson's take as Frank Drebin Jr.

Linda Holmes [00:22]:
"The Naked Gun franchise has always been a rapid fire delivery system for gags delivered straight faced by a cop who doesn't know that anything is funny. In the new Naked Gun movie, that role is handled by the very straight-faced Liam Neeson."

Stephen Thompson [00:38]:
"With Pamela Anderson as his femme fatale, Neeson tries to save the world from quite literally a plot device."

Guest Introductions and Initial Impressions [02:17 - 05:58]

Linda welcomes Ronald Young Jr. and Daisy Rosario to discuss their thoughts on the new Naked Gun film.

Ronald Young Jr. [02:17]:
"I expected this movie to not live up to the expectations that I had of it. And I recently watched Naked Gun to make sure and I was ready to be like, this is garbage. Stop doing this, but they nailed it."

He praises Liam Neeson's performance, noting how Neeson's history as a serious actor complements the spoof genre perfectly.

Daisy Rosario [03:14]:
"I laughed a lot, I shook my head a lot. Which is actually the correct response for a movie like this. Like, I just really appreciate what they did. There's clearly some respect for the previous ones and also just like respect for being silly for the sake of being silly."

Daisy emphasizes the self-selecting nature of spoof genres and appreciates the film's balance between homage and original humor.

Deep Dive into the Film's Comedy and Direction [05:58 - 13:04]

Stephen Thompson [04:03]:
"Akiva Shaffer directed this film. He also did Pop Star Never Stop, Never Stopping, which is one of my favorite comedies of the 21st century. You have to really appreciate the joke density here—55% hit rate on 10,000 jokes."

Stephen commends the director's ability to maintain a high joke density without sacrificing quality, comparing it to the Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker formula.

Linda Holmes [06:14]:
"There are things that I didn't think were as clever, but there are also a lot of things that I think are a lot of fun and that do remind me a lot of Airplane and of the Naked Gun movie."

She draws parallels to classic comedies, appreciating both the new and nostalgic elements.

Handling Sensitive Content and Joke Density [07:55 - 12:07]

Linda Holmes [07:55]:
"There was a joke that contains a really nasty Ableist slur... It really bothers me. It pulled me directly out of the movie."

Linda addresses a problematic joke in the film, expressing disappointment over its execution despite the overall positive reception.

Ronald Young Jr. [07:55]:
"I wondered if anyone thought, hey, we're making two jokes about prominent black men who fell from grace in this film... There's so many other people who fell from grace and so many other jokes we could have made."

Ronald reflects on the film's approach to humor, acknowledging areas where the joke density may have led to insensitive content.

Pamela Anderson's Role and Performance [12:07 - 15:02]

Daisy Rosario [08:23]:
"They clearly are genuine comedy people who are making largely work jokes that are funny and so dense as well."

Daisy praises the film's writers and their commitment to original humor.

Linda Holmes [14:45]:
"I really like the fact that her comeback... does not have to all be about, you know, I do something super, super serious... You should be allowed to do comedy and do humor and be very, very silly."

Linda admires Pamela Anderson's role, highlighting her ability to embrace humor while maintaining respect and depth in her career.

Ronald Young Jr. [15:02]:
"There's a scene where Pamela Anderson walks out and runs into a pole, if I'm not mistaken. And I feel like that was so reminiscent of all of the physical comedy that we see Priscilla Presley do where she's falling down the stairs."

He draws comparisons between Anderson's physical comedy to that of Priscilla Presley, appreciating the nod to classic slapstick.

Conclusion on the Naked Gun's Legacy and Execution [16:10 - 16:28]

Linda Holmes [16:10]:
"Donkey Kong Bonanza is what is making me happy this week... If you want links for what we recommended, plus some more recommendations, sign up for our newsletter."

The discussion wraps up with final thoughts on the film's success as a legacy sequel, maintaining the spirit of its predecessors while introducing fresh humor.

What's Making Us Happy This Week [18:00 - 25:55]

Ronald Young Jr. [18:07]:
"I've been playing a lot of Mario Kart recently... It just feels good to play a game that just is so reminiscent of my childhood."

Ronald shares his joy in revisiting Mario Kart and Super Smash Brothers on the original Switch, finding comfort and nostalgia in these games.

Daisy Rosario [19:07]:
"If you have seen Pop Star Never Stop, Never Stopping but have not listened to the soundtrack, listen to the soundtrack of the movie because you have the full version of all of the songs."

Daisy recommends exploring the full soundtrack of Pop Star Never Stop, Never Stopping for additional humor not present in the film.

Stephen Thompson [20:34]:
"I've been grieving the loss of Tom Lehrer... The best way to mourn Tom Lehrer is to play his music."

Stephen pays tribute to the late Tom Lehrer, reflecting on his influential satirical music and its enduring impact on comedy.

Linda Holmes [23:49]:
"I did get a Switch, too... Donkey Kong Bonanza is what is making me happy this week."

Linda shares her enthusiasm for Donkey Kong Bonanza on the Switch 2, highlighting its entertaining gameplay and nostalgic appeal.

Production Credits [25:47 - End]

The episode concludes with acknowledgments to the production team, including Janae Morris, Mike Katsiff, and showrunner Jessica Reedy, before signing off.

Linda Holmes [25:55]:
"Thank you for listening to Pop Culture Happy Hour from NPR. I'm Linda Holmes and we'll see you all next week."

This episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour offers an insightful and humorous exploration of the new Naked Gun installment, blending nostalgic appreciation with contemporary analysis. The hosts and guests provide a balanced critique, celebrating the film's comedic strengths while addressing its missteps. Additionally, the "What's Making Us Happy" segment adds a personal touch, sharing diverse sources of joy from gaming to classic comedy.