Owen Wilson Rebuttal

July 29, 2006 8:44 AM

Owen Wilsonhas denied any connection between his new movie, "You, Me and Dupree," and '70s supergroup Steely Dan, a spokesman for the actor said Friday. The band recently posted a letter on their Web site claiming that Wilson's Dupree character was based on their Grammy-winning song, "Cousin Dupree," about a couch-hopping houseguest. In a statement released by his spokeswoman, Ina Treciokas, Wilson said: "I have never heard the song `Cousin Dupree' and I don't even know who this gentleman, Mr. Steely Dan, is. I hope this helps to clear things up and I can get back to concentrating on my new movie, `HEY 19.'"
posted by wfc123 (62 comments total)

Best. Response. Ever.
posted by jmgorman at 8:49 AM on July 29, 2006

Dupree is a really funny name. I'm definately gonna check that movie out.
posted by wumpus at 8:50 AM on July 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

His response is funny, but I'm not sure it's FPP funny.
posted by purephase at 8:50 AM on July 29, 2006

Yeah. There's already a thread, and this seems more like a followup comment for there.
posted by the_bone at 8:58 AM on July 29, 2006

It was.
posted by ?! at 9:12 AM on July 29, 2006

everyone's gone to the movies ...
posted by pyramid termite at 9:21 AM on July 29, 2006

I call shenanigans.

I checked out IMDB, and there's no indication that Owen Wilson has a project named Hey 19 in the works.
posted by The Confessor at 9:49 AM on July 29, 2006

The Confessor:

The working title is "Reelin' In The Years."
posted by Clay201 at 9:54 AM on July 29, 2006

"I did insult him, it's true," Materazzi Wilson said in Tuesday's Gazzetta dello Sport. a statement from his publicist. "But I categorically did not call him a terrorist Steely Dan character. I'm not cultured and I don't even know what an Islamic terrorist a Steely Dan is."
posted by jimmythefish at 9:59 AM on July 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

Those quotes don't really sound like Owen Wilson. I think he hired Ken Jennings as a ghost writer.
posted by maudlin at 10:13 AM on July 29, 2006

Mr. Steely Dan - lol

-A
posted by mogabog at 10:25 AM on July 29, 2006

Owen Wilson and Matt Damon seem a bit old to be playing characters who are newlyweds and couch-surfing slackers.
posted by mischief at 10:27 AM on July 29, 2006

I just hate that Owen Wilson. I hate him so much. Why is he a big star? I hate Steely Dan too.
posted by scratch at 10:28 AM on July 29, 2006

Don't "supergroups" have to be made up of members from other groups? Like Power Station or Damn Yankees?
posted by nyxxxx at 10:35 AM on July 29, 2006

Steely Dan, eh? Movie title, eh?

:scratches chin:

I'm gonna wait to see what Chuck Klosterman has to say about all this.
posted by fleetmouse at 10:46 AM on July 29, 2006

Why is he a big star?

it's all about the fucked-up nose
posted by matteo at 10:55 AM on July 29, 2006

I don't hate either of them but the Steely Dan accusation makes me wonder if those guys take themselves - and their music- a little too seriously.
posted by wfc123 at 11:12 AM on July 29, 2006

Hey Nineteen

The Confessor -- I think Owen is joshing the guys from Steely Dan. ;-)
posted by ericb at 11:22 AM on July 29, 2006

[aside]
Hey, mogabog! You've been here two months now. You might have noticed that we don't sign our posts around here -- you don't have to, either. Thanks!
[/aside]
posted by ewagoner at 11:24 AM on July 29, 2006

Even if it was based on the song, so what? How would that be illegal or plagerism or anything?
posted by delmoi at 11:39 AM on July 29, 2006

Unless, mogabog, you like to push buttons. ;-P
posted by mischief at 11:42 AM on July 29, 2006

Why is he a big star?

it's all about the fucked-up nose


That's one of the things I hate most about him! That doughy little nose!!
posted by scratch at 11:45 AM on July 29, 2006

I'd go see Haitian Divorce, someone should get on that film.
posted by Meatbomb at 11:56 AM on July 29, 2006

Gotta love it when the associated press strings "sensational" stories with inside-joke-fu.
posted by Jeremy at 12:20 PM on July 29, 2006

Owen Wilson's nose looks like a penis. I'd love to blow his nose.
posted by Titania at 12:39 PM on July 29, 2006

"Show business kids making movies of themselves you know they don't give a fuck about anybody else" is the better Dan quote in this scenario.
posted by girard31 at 1:00 PM on July 29, 2006

The band asked Wilson, 37, to appear at a concert to apologize to their fans.

Yeah, the fans are really in a lot of pain, here. I don't know how they can bear to get out of bed in the morning with so much anguish to deal with.

Won't somebody think of the Steely Dan fans?
posted by Mikey-San at 1:18 PM on July 29, 2006

mogabog has a problem with his A Lokken.

It just. Keeps. Sticking.
posted by spiderwire at 1:30 PM on July 29, 2006

Ah, Steely Dan... how I used to love you. I don't think I can ever forgive Donald, though, for the series of poor fiscal policies he introduced as an advisor to the White House in the early 80s; now collectively known as Fagenomics. Stick to the music, guys. Leave the comedy and economic policy to the pros.
posted by Eideteker at 1:33 PM on July 29, 2006

I'm gonna wait to see what Chuck Klosterman has to say about all this.

I hear he thinks that movies about Steely Dan songs that lie about it are 'Punk', and 'Cooler than Heroin' and that going to see them is 'Better than being Joe Strummer in 1975'.
posted by lumpenprole at 1:38 PM on July 29, 2006

I'm a big shiny dildo, and I've been waiting for decades for an apology from these bastards who stole their band name from my likeness.
posted by jimmythefish at 1:42 PM on July 29, 2006

This was a fun little PR thing on both sides. Owen Wilson jumped the shark after "Heat Vision and Jack". Still, the exchange was amusing as these things go. We are likely to see more press release hijinks similar to it in the future. Klosterman would say with verbose hipster ambiguity that it was interesting, but then again it wasn't. Something along those lines. First Post.
posted by First Post at 1:45 PM on July 29, 2006

First Post,

So you're saying this might be a little marketing scam to promote the movie AND the music of Steely Dan? Fuck, you're a cynical bastard. No way. I'm gonna go download the song from iTunes and go see the movie and see if there's any connection.
posted by jimmythefish at 1:49 PM on July 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

"jumped the shark" has jumped the shark.
posted by drleary at 2:00 PM on July 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

I thought Steely Dan was joking. In the first story they asked for an apology, but also said he could come back stage and party with them afterwards.

I think this is either a prank that someone took way too seriously, or a publicity stunt that has both sides laughing at us.
posted by Jatayu das at 2:37 PM on July 29, 2006

I think this is either a prank that someone took way too seriously, or a publicity stunt that has both sides laughing at us.

We have a winner! It seems like a fairly obvious prank - the "original letter" is pretty humorous.

Whether it's viral advertising remains to be seen, but it's just plain silly, either way.
posted by FormlessOne at 2:53 PM on July 29, 2006

"jumped the shark" has jumped the shark.

Damn ... Haven't laughed that hard in a while.
posted by crunchyk9 at 3:10 PM on July 29, 2006

Owen Wilson's nose looks like a penis. I'd love to blow his nose.

A band reportedly named after a fake penis, goes after a comic whose nose looks like a penis.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 3:13 PM on July 29, 2006

I don't think I can ever forgive Donald, though, for the series of poor fiscal policies he introduced as an advisor to the White House in the early 80s

Huh? What?

Aren't you confusing Donald with Richard R. Fagen or Patrick Fagen who are past White House advisors?
posted by ericb at 3:16 PM on July 29, 2006

Or maybe Donald Regan, treasury secretary from '81-'85?
posted by mullacc at 3:24 PM on July 29, 2006

Ah, former White House Chief-of-Staff/ Treasury Secretary Donald Regan who blew the lid off of Nancy Reagan's predilection for relying on astrologers' advice and lambasted her in his memoir 'For the Record: From Wall Street to Washington."
posted by ericb at 3:33 PM on July 29, 2006

I'd shoot Donald Regan for Lisa Foster!
posted by EarBucket at 4:41 PM on July 29, 2006

Because I like mobius strips....

Steely Dan vs. the Wilson Brothers
It's all about Dupree and Dupree, and is a great example of what bored rock stars do when they're too old to trash the hotel room. (Or, the Bird Flu of Viral Promotion - you decide.)
posted by wendell
posted by ?! at 4:51 PM on July 29, 2006

To say that the song "Cousin Dupree" is about a couch-hopping houseguest kind of missing the point. As is the case with most Steely Dan songs, it's about a guy who's lusting after someone he shouldn't be lusting after. In this case, it's teh incest:
Well I've kicked around a lot since high school
I've worked a lot of nowhere gigs
From keyboard man in a rock'n ska band
To haulin' boss crude in the big rigs
Now I've come back home to plan my next move
From the comfort of my Aunt Faye's couch
When I see my little cousin Janine walk in
All I could say was ow-ow-ouch

CHORUS:
Honey how you've grown
Like a rose
Well we used to play
When we were three
How about a kiss for your cousin Dupree

She turned my life into a living hell
In those little tops and tight capris
I pretended to be readin' the National Probe
As I was watchin' her wax her skis
On Saturday night she walked in with her date
And backs him up against the wall
I tumbled off the couch and heard myself sing
In a voice I never knew I had before

CHORUS

I'll teach you everything I know
If you teach me how to do that dance
Life is short and quid pro quo
And what's so strange about a down-home family romance?

One night we're playin' gin by a cracklin' fire
And I decided to make my play
I said babe with my boyish charm and good looks
How can you stand it for one more day
She said maybe its the skeevy look in your eyes
Or that your mind has turned to applesauce
The dreary architecture of your soul
I said - but what is it exactly turns you off?

CHORUS
posted by emelenjr at 4:52 PM on July 29, 2006

I thought the Fagenomics joke might be a reference to sometime Steely Dan member Jeff "Skunk" Baxter's sideline as a defense policy maker: Link
posted by pablocham at 5:13 PM on July 29, 2006

This subject matter made a front page post? Really? You're fucking kidding me.
posted by Second Account For Making Jokey Comments at 5:37 PM on July 29, 2006

Owen Wilson's nose looks like a penis. I'd love to blow his nose.

You realize you don't actually blow, you suck, right? Still keen?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:38 PM on July 29, 2006

Ironically, I think Fagenomics would have had better long-term results than Reaganomics. It was still Supply-Side, but it depends upon what you were supplyin'.

!?, I know this is a follow-up to my earlier post. Doesn't everybody? Next, it'll be my turn to do a follow-up post on the Ken Jennings story. That's the way we MeFites help each other out. We are such a loving, cooperative group.

BTW, I intended to go out and see "You Me and Dupree", but it turned out the theater was showing "Me Myself and Irene".

Next, I'll bet the Dan will accuse "Doctor Who" or ripping off their song "Boctor Wu".

I'm a fool to do my own dirty work.

sorry, I'm away from my compter a lot today, so I thought I'd put all my groaners in one post
posted by wendell at 5:49 PM on July 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

Hard times have befallen the sole survivors when 19 year old girls don't remember the kings of mock jazz.
posted by muppetboy at 5:54 PM on July 29, 2006

EarBucket, you are it! From IMDB: Lisa Foster, in Separated by Murder (1994).... played Donna Dupree.

Genius!
posted by jsteward at 7:08 PM on July 29, 2006

I don't understand why anyone cries about the FPPs. I come to the MeFi front page several times a day to check out interesting posts, and 99.9% are just that. I also like to see the responses. Those are usually the best part.
posted by disgustipated at 8:23 PM on July 29, 2006

Your homework assignment is to read Metatalk. All of it. From the start.

Then get back to us on that.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:25 PM on July 29, 2006

I don't think I can ever forgive Donald, though, for the series of poor fiscal policies he introduced as an advisor to the White House in the early 80s

Huh? What?

Aren't you confusing Donald with Richard R. Fagen or Patrick Fagen who are past White House advisors?
posted by ericb at 6:16 PM EST on July 29 [+fave] [!]


Or maybe Donald Regan, treasury secretary from '81-'85?
posted by mullacc at 6:24 PM EST on July 29 [+fave] [!]

Ha ha, thank you guys for doing the research on my joke for me. I didn't know any of those guys even existed, so serendi-witty strikes again!
posted by Eideteker at 8:41 PM on July 29, 2006

Next thing you know Steely Dan will be complaining that Wilson uses too much Cuervo Gold and fine Columbian.
posted by bwg at 12:26 AM on July 30, 2006

If anything from Two Against Nature is gonna be a movie, it oughtta be Janie Runaway.
posted by ibmcginty at 6:50 AM on July 30, 2006

This is kind of a double post, but waht the hell, go back, jack, do it again...
posted by jonmc at 7:21 AM on July 30, 2006

why's this all directed at Owen Wilson who's playing this Dupree character--i mean shouldn't Steely Dan be contacting the WRITERS or PRODUCERS of this film if they're really mad about the likeness to their song??!

sidenote: has anyone seen this movie? it looks atrocious, even with Owen Wilson who can usually make even the lamest films kinda watchable, but in the previews i saw for it, he's not even funny, and that's hard to do. I think we Steely Dan should be more concerned about why Owen isn't in good movies anymore. The fucking hawaiin movie last year look lame too.
posted by rollerball at 12:14 PM on July 30, 2006

They have had this kind of fun before. Amazing how many people don't get the joke straight off.
posted by persona non grata at 12:17 PM on July 30, 2006

rollerball: I got through about 10 minutes of that "fucking hawaiin movie last year" and it was lame.

(Good name for talking about crap movies, btw)
posted by ODiV at 1:14 PM on July 30, 2006

i mean shouldn't Steely Dan be contacting the WRITERS or PRODUCERS of this film if they're really mad about the likeness to their song

Yeah, but how the hell can you resucitate a horrible carreer by publically debasing a WRITER?

(I mean, most writers who are writing for H-Wood are already doing it to themselves anyway)
posted by lumpenprole at 10:50 PM on July 30, 2006

You people realize that the Steely Dan letter is a joke, right? And that Becker/Fagen have a well documented history of pulling such pranks?
posted by ghastlyfop at 5:22 AM on July 31, 2006

Just to point out the obvious for the humor impaired:

1: One of the benefits to being a celeberty is that you have highly-paid managers to get angry at each other over these kinds of issues.

2: The letter was addressed to Luke Wilson, not Owen Wilson, playing off the confusion between the two.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 8:22 AM on July 31, 2006