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The '''"Frat Pack"''' is a nickname given to a group of male [[Hollywood]] comedy actors who have appeared together in many of the highest grossing comedy movies since the late 1990s. The group usually includes [[Ben Stiller]], [[Jack Black]], [[Will Ferrell]], [[Vince Vaughn]], [[Owen Wilson]], [[Luke Wilson]], and [[Steve Carell]]. The term was used by ''[[USA Today]]'' in a June 2004 story,<ref>{{cite news |author=Wloszczyna, Susan |title=Wilson and Vaughn: Leaders of the 'Frat Pack' |work=[[USA Today]] |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2004-06-15-frat-pack_x.htm |date=2004-06-15}}</ref> and was soon picked up by other media outlets as well.<ref>{{cite news |author=Wloszczyna, Susan |title=Life in the 'Frat Pack': If a few charming actors make funny movies, that's comedy, not conspiracy |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=2004-06-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Randall, Laura |title=Unlikely heroes of the box office: The Frat Pack; Hollywood's posse of comedians hang out together and star in each other's hit films |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0709/p11s01-almo.html |date=2004-07-09}}</ref> Before ''USA Today'' dubbed this group the "Frat Pack", ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' had referred to them as the "Slacker Pack,"<ref>{{cite news |author=Rich, Joshua |title=Comedy's funniest serial sidekicks |work=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,611646_1%7C7045%7C%7C0_0_,00.html |date=2004-04-23}}</ref> having earlier coined the term "Frat Pack" to describe [[Leonardo DiCaprio]], [[Matt Damon]], [[Ben Affleck]], [[Edward Norton]], and [[Ryan Phillippe]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Daly, Steve |title=Introducing The Frat Pack |work=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,282766,00.html |date=1998-04-24}}</ref> By 2005, ''EW'' had dropped the "Slacker Pack" term and followed suit, referring to the newer crop of actors as the "Frat Pack".<ref>{{cite news |author=Lundegaard, Erik |title=Frat Packers just get better: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell and company take over Hollywood |work=[[msnbc.com]] |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8500264/ |date=2005-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Kane, Michael |title=The Frat Pack - How a Dozen Doofs Saved Comedy |work=[[New York Post]] |date=2005-08-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Susman, Gary |title=Who's the Kevin Bacon of comedy? |work=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2005/08/whos_the_kevin_.html |date=2005-08-17}}</ref> The name is an allusion to the [[Rat Pack]] (and the later [[Brat Pack (movies)|Brat Pack]]), combined with a reference to the group's popular [[Fraternities and sororities|fraternity]]-related film ''[[Old School (film)|Old School]]'' and the sophomoric style of humor employed in many of their films. Ben Stiller, however, has decried the use of the term, saying, "I think the whole thing about the Frat Pack group is completely fabricated anyway."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.benstiller.net/ben-stiller/stiller-tired-of-frat-pack-tag/|work=BenStiller.net|title=Stiller Tired of Frat Pack Tag|date=2008-09-23}}</ref>
The '''"Frat Pack"''' is a nickname given to a group of male [[Hollywood]] comedy actors who have appeared together in many of the highest grossing comedy movies since the late 1990s. The group usually includes [[Ben Stiller]], [[Jack Black]], [[Will Ferrell]], [[Vince Vaughn]], [[Owen Wilson]], [[Luke Wilson]], and [[Steve Carell]]. The term was first used by ''[[USA Today]]'' in a June 2004 story,<ref>{{cite news |author=Wloszczyna, Susan |title=Wilson and Vaughn: Leaders of the 'Frat Pack' |work=[[USA Today]] |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2004-06-15-frat-pack_x.htm |date=2004-06-15}}</ref> and was soon picked up by other media outlets as well.<ref>{{cite news |author=Wloszczyna, Susan |title=Life in the 'Frat Pack': If a few charming actors make funny movies, that's comedy, not conspiracy |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=2004-06-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Randall, Laura |title=Unlikely heroes of the box office: The Frat Pack; Hollywood's posse of comedians hang out together and star in each other's hit films |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0709/p11s01-almo.html |date=2004-07-09}}</ref> Before ''USA Today'' dubbed this group the "Frat Pack", ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' had referred to them as the "Slacker Pack,"<ref>{{cite news |author=Rich, Joshua |title=Comedy's funniest serial sidekicks |work=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,611646_1%7C7045%7C%7C0_0_,00.html |date=2004-04-23}}</ref> having earlier coined the term "Frat Pack" to describe [[Leonardo DiCaprio]], [[Matt Damon]], [[Ben Affleck]], [[Edward Norton]], and [[Ryan Phillippe]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Daly, Steve |title=Introducing The Frat Pack |work=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,282766,00.html |date=1998-04-24}}</ref> By 2005, ''EW'' had dropped the "Slacker Pack" term and followed suit, referring to the newer crop of actors as the "Frat Pack".<ref>{{cite news |author=Lundegaard, Erik |title=Frat Packers just get better: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell and company take over Hollywood |work=[[msnbc.com]] |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8500264/ |date=2005-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Kane, Michael |title=The Frat Pack - How a Dozen Doofs Saved Comedy |work=[[New York Post]] |date=2005-08-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Susman, Gary |title=Who's the Kevin Bacon of comedy? |work=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2005/08/whos_the_kevin_.html |date=2005-08-17}}</ref> The name is an allusion to the [[Rat Pack]] (and the later [[Brat Pack (movies)|Brat Pack]]), combined with a reference to the group's popular [[Fraternities and sororities|fraternity]]-related film ''[[Old School (film)|Old School]]'' and the sophomoric style of humor employed in many of their films. Ben Stiller, however, has decried the use of the term, saying, "I think the whole thing about the Frat Pack group is completely fabricated anyway."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.benstiller.net/ben-stiller/stiller-tired-of-frat-pack-tag/|work=BenStiller.net|title=Stiller Tired of Frat Pack Tag|date=2008-09-23}}</ref>


== Membership ==
== Membership ==

Revision as of 22:39, 25 July 2009

The "Frat Pack" is a nickname given to a group of male Hollywood comedy actors who have appeared together in many of the highest grossing comedy movies since the late 1990s. The group usually includes Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, and Steve Carell. The term was first used by USA Today in a June 2004 story,[1] and was soon picked up by other media outlets as well.[2][3] Before USA Today dubbed this group the "Frat Pack", Entertainment Weekly had referred to them as the "Slacker Pack,"[4] having earlier coined the term "Frat Pack" to describe Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Edward Norton, and Ryan Phillippe.[5] By 2005, EW had dropped the "Slacker Pack" term and followed suit, referring to the newer crop of actors as the "Frat Pack".[6][7][8] The name is an allusion to the Rat Pack (and the later Brat Pack), combined with a reference to the group's popular fraternity-related film Old School and the sophomoric style of humor employed in many of their films. Ben Stiller, however, has decried the use of the term, saying, "I think the whole thing about the Frat Pack group is completely fabricated anyway."[9]

Membership

Initially, the core members included Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and brothers Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson as members of the group.[10][11] Later, Steve Carell was also included in the Pack.[12] Carell claimed membership when hosting Saturday Night Live. Though he did not use the term "Frat Pack," he did say he was "one of those guys now" and specifically referenced Stiller, Vaughn, Ferrell, Owen Wilson, and Black.

A year before citing Carell as a member, USA Today tagged him, in addition to Judd Apatow, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Mindy Kaling, Nancy Walls and Leslie Mann as the Frat Pack's "Junior Varsity."[13] Kaling and Walls haven't been as associated with the group elsewhere, but Details Magazine has cited Apatow (in addition to directors McKay and Phillips) as "The Frat Packagers",[14] while Paul Rudd was cited as a Frat Pack member in the New York Post, among other publications.[15][16] In an interview with The Advocate, when questioned if Knocked Up will officially welcome him into the Frat Pack, Rudd speculated that he is a "pledge" that hasn't "been initiated yet into the brotherhood." [17] In an interview by Moviefone, Jack Black stated that Robert Downey, Jr. (a notable member of the Brat Pack) was now a member of the frat pack. However, this has not been publicly discussed outside of the interview.

The members of the Frat Pack often work with certain directors multiple times. Wes Anderson is a college friend of the Wilsons and directed them in both Bottle Rocket and The Royal Tenenbaums (which also starred Stiller) while Todd Phillips directed both Old School and Starsky & Hutch. Adam McKay directed Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and also Step Brothers, which also included John C. Reilly as a lead role. Judd Apatow is the writer/producer of several Frat Pack comedies including Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. He made his directorial debut with The 40-Year-Old Virgin starring Steve Carell, and followed up with Knocked Up starring Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd, with a cameo by Carell. Apatow was also a cocreator of The Ben Stiller Show. Wedding Crashers director David Dobkin worked again with Vince Vaughn for the Christmas comedy Fred Claus (2007). Subsequently, John C. Reilly who co-starred with Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) and Step Brothers has also worked several times with Jack Black (Tenacious D (TV series), Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, Walk Hard). Reilly also sang at the 2007 Academy Awards with Ferrell and Black. Although not necessarily part of the frat pack, Danny R. McBride works with Will Ferrell on several occasions.

Filmography

Although all Frat Pack members have never appeared in a single movie together, they have come closest in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, which featured all but Owen Wilson (chiefly in minor roles and cameos).

Movie Jack Black Ben Stiller Luke Wilson Owen Wilson Vince Vaughn Will Ferrell Steve Carell Close contributors
Bottle Rocket (1996) Lead role Lead role, writer Wes Anderson (director)
The Cable Guy (1996) Supporting Role Director, Minor Role Minor Role Andy Dick, Judd Apatow (writer, producer), Leslie Mann, Kyle Gass
Bongwater (1997) Supporting cast Lead role Andy Dick, Kyle Gass
Permanent Midnight (1998) Lead role Supporting cast Andy Dick
Heat Vision and Jack (unaired pilot) (1999) Lead role Director, minor role Lead role, voice Christine Taylor
Meet the Parents (2000) Lead role Supporting cast
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) Lead role Lead role Lead role, writer Wes Anderson (director)
Zoolander (2001) Lead role, director, writer, producer Lead role Minor role Lead role Christine Taylor, Andy Dick
Orange County (2002) Lead role Minor role Leslie Mann
Old School (2003) Lead role Lead role Lead role Todd Phillips (director), Andy Dick
Starsky & Hutch (2004) Lead role Lead role Lead role Supporting cast Todd Phillips (director), Jason Bateman
Envy (2004) Lead role Lead role Amy Poehler
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) Lead role, producer Lead role Justin Long, Christine Taylor, Jason Bateman
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) Minor role Minor role Minor role Supporting role Lead role, Writer, Exec. Producer Lead role Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Seth Rogen, Judd Apatow (producer)
Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie (2004) Minor role Supporting role Lead role, Writer, Exec. Producer Lead role Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Justin Long, David Koechner, Seth Rogen, Judd Apatow (producer)
Meet the Fockers (2004) Lead role Minor role
Melinda and Melinda (2004) Lead role Supporting cast
Bewitched (2005) Lead role Supporting cast
Wedding Crashers (2005) Lead role Lead role Minor role
The Wendell Baker Story (2005) Lead role, director, writer Lead role Minor role
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006) Lead role, writer, songs Minor role, producer Kyle Gass, David Koechner (deleted scene/DVD), Amy Poehler
Night at the Museum (2006) Lead role Supporting cast Paul Rudd
Blades of Glory (2007) Producer Minor role Lead role Amy Poehler, Will Arnett
Knocked Up (2007) cameo cameo Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann,david koechner, Judd Apatow (producer)
Tropic Thunder (2008) Lead role Lead role, producer, director Dropped out (originally supporting cast) Jason Bateman, Christine Taylor
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) Lead role Supporting cast
Year One (2009) Lead role Exec. Producer Paul Rudd, Judd Apatow (producer)
Movie Jack Black Ben Stiller Luke Wilson Owen Wilson Vince Vaughn Will Ferrell Steve Carell Close contributors

Other films

Comedy films that involve only one primary Frat Packer, among other close contributors, with at least one of these in a large role include:

Awards, nominations and other distinctions

See also

References

  1. ^ Wloszczyna, Susan (2004-06-15). "Wilson and Vaughn: Leaders of the 'Frat Pack'". USA Today.
  2. ^ Wloszczyna, Susan (2004-06-21). "Life in the 'Frat Pack': If a few charming actors make funny movies, that's comedy, not conspiracy". Chicago Sun-Times.
  3. ^ Randall, Laura (2004-07-09). "Unlikely heroes of the box office: The Frat Pack; Hollywood's posse of comedians hang out together and star in each other's hit films". The Christian Science Monitor.
  4. ^ Rich, Joshua (2004-04-23). "Comedy's funniest serial sidekicks". Entertainment Weekly.
  5. ^ Daly, Steve (1998-04-24). "Introducing The Frat Pack". Entertainment Weekly.
  6. ^ Lundegaard, Erik (2005-07-14). "Frat Packers just get better: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell and company take over Hollywood". msnbc.com.
  7. ^ Kane, Michael (2005-08-14). "The Frat Pack - How a Dozen Doofs Saved Comedy". New York Post.
  8. ^ Susman, Gary (2005-08-17). "Who's the Kevin Bacon of comedy?". Entertainment Weekly.
  9. ^ "Stiller Tired of Frat Pack Tag". BenStiller.net. 2008-09-23.
  10. ^ "These guys would be great to hang out with". USA Today. 2004-06-17.
  11. ^ Johns, Ian (2006-07-06). "Laughing all the way to the bank". The Times.
  12. ^ "Frat Pack persona: Archetype casting". USA Today. 2006-07-13.
  13. ^ Breznican, Anthony (2005-08-11). "Carell just wants some love". USA Today.
  14. ^ The Power 50: DETAILS Article on men.style.com
  15. ^ Stewart, Sara (2006-04-20). "Boys' Life - Frat Pack Back on Track this Summer". New York Post.
  16. ^ Garcia, Chris (2007-06-22). "Hollywood's funny frat pack". Austin American-Statesman.
  17. ^ Issue Number 980 | Big gay following: Paul Rudd | Advocate.com
  18. ^ "SNL Archives Cast".
  19. ^ "SNL Archives Cast".
  20. ^ "SNL Archives Cast".
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