”All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz and I’m fine.”

It’s always a treat to watch Fast Times at Ridgemont High and see the beginnings of so many power house actors and actresses of today. From Nicholas Cage, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Anthony Edwards, Phoebe Cates and of course, to Mr. Spicoli himself, Sean Penn.
In the file marked “Signs of Things to Come”, it was reported that Sean Penn extinguished a lit cigarette on his hand, in order to better understand his character of Jeff Spicoli. If self-inflicted pain is how Sean Penn prepares for a role, it brings a brand new perspective to that whole married-to-Madonna situation.

Remember the character of Mark ‘Rat’ Ratner? The geeky theatre usher who had a crush on Jennifer Jason Leigh? Well, it turns out that Cameron Crowe (writer) actually based that character on someone he had gone to school with, namely Andy Rathbone.
Now if that name sounds familiar, then you must be a dummy.
Actually, Andy Rathbone is the now famous author and creator of the ‘For Dummies’ computer guides. Much like Bill Gates, Andy has turned his nerdy ways into solid investments and mucho dinero.
As a matter of fact, when Andy first knew of the film, and his part in it, he was completely surprised and threatened to sue Cameron Crowe. But in the end, the two talked it all out, and settled the dispute.


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