Did anyone else think the "Steve" character (played by Corbin Bernsen) was an obvious reference to the famed producer Robert Evans. The cheesy fake tan and big, tinted sunglasses gave it away IMO. I did think the reference to "Charlie" was also an obvious reference to Sheen, the only guy with enough guts to come out and admit he was a customer. I'd love to take a peek at her actual client list!
shareI think it was also -- the clues were thumpingly obvious: the character says "ain't", someone uses the word "notorious" in reference to him, he talks about going to the White House, he's got a fancy house (albeit nowhere nearly as lovely as the real Woodland), he wears a red robe like the one in Kid Notorious, and on and on. Anybody who's seen Kid Notorious or listened to his audios could see the intention.
I thought the scene with "Steve" and the three girls was cruel and meanspirited mockery. I tought it was unconscionable to mock a man of his age and accomplishments that way. I wonder what Evans ever did to these filmmakers; he's the only character treated so viciously. Fleiss is shown as a skanky airhead, her father is shown as a clueless wimp, her mother's a powerless dope, her boyfriend is pondscum, Madame Alex is an weirdo witch, the LA cops are shown as corrupt -- and yet not one of those characters is mocked in that way or to that degree.
And yet, at the end -- it's "Steve" who understands Heidi's real goal of remaining a celebrity (okay, a stupid goal, but it's hers) and gives her the correct advice (don't take the 3 mil offer for ratting people out to the media because whereas Hollywood would forget & forgive her other actions, it would never forgive her that). It was the only example of what Evans is said to have done best -- persuade people. Sure his advice served him, but it served her as well.
On the other hand, Corbin Bernsen hasn't Evans's striking good looks (even in his early 60s he was still a very handsome man), let alone one iota of his presence or charm. He's about as seductive as a beige boulder. So maybe they didn't intend it to be totally Evans after all. Shrug.
Um, well if that man DID those things, so what? I really don't get what your gripe about that scene was.
But you were right about the other characters. I hated how one dimensional Heidi was. She always had that 'cocky additude' and that crooked smile, it got annoying after the 10th time.
"That still only counts as one"
It's not because the real "Steve" hung out with hookers; everybody knows he did. That's true history. I have no problem with the other "Steve" scenes --
I only object to that one scene with the three girls in the bedroom when "Steve" can't perform until Heidi gets the idea of chanting awards fantasies in his ear. First, it's really hard on a man's ego to malfunction like that, and no man anywhere that I ever heard of would like the whole freakin' world to know about it. Second, no other character was made fun of in that way or to that degree, and there were lots of opportunities to make fun of the other johns -- they could have shown Charlie with cheerleaders, for instance.
It struck me that the makers of the movie were going out of their way to insult the man, and I can't figure out why. But any which way, it was in horrible taste.
Not that one should expect taste from a movie about Heidi Fleiss :)
Does anybody know who the rock star was supposed to be? Or was he an amalgam?
Yeah, I felt it was a little disrespectful too. After seeing The Kid Stays in the Picture, it seemed like he was pretty well respected as a producer but also could be quite an ass as well so I'm sure he made lots of enemies. Maybe one of those enemies was a producer on this movie.
My guess for the rock star was Michael Hutchence of INXS. I have no basis for this, just that the character's demeanor, dress and style reminded me of him. But I guess it could have been anyone.
It's interesting that the character Steve is not mentioned in the characters list here -- and when I looked this movie wasn't on Corbin Bernsen's IMDb list either. It would be interesting to know how that came about.
shareI didn't recognize Bernsen at first. I first thought the part was a reference to Hugh Hefner. I saw a reference to Bernsen in a review of the movie ( forget where; maybe USA Today ). Was surprised to see him not listed, even in an uncredited role, at IMDB.
i always thought steve was jack nicholson
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