Ben Stiller Says ‘Meet the Fockers’ Avoided R Rating by Finding a Real Person With ‘Focker’ Last Name to Show the MPAA: ‘They Thought It Was Too Close to F—er’

As a long-time fan of Ben Stiller‘s work, I can’t help but admire his resilience and dedication to his craft. The story about finding a real Focker for “Meet the Fockers” just adds another layer of humor and authenticity to an already hilarious franchise. It’s fascinating to see how much effort was put into ensuring the film could be enjoyed by the widest audience possible, even if it meant tracking down someone with the right surname!

In “Hot Ones,” Ben Stiller revealed that the creators of “Meet the Fockers” needed to locate a genuine individual bearing the surname Focker to avoid receiving an R rating from the Motion Picture Association (previously known as the MPAA). Released in 2004, this comedy was the sequel to “Meet the Parents” and achieved massive success with gross earnings of $522 million globally, landing it as the seventh highest-grossing film of that year.

As a movie critic, I can’t help but agree with Stiller on this one. Indeed, he mentioned that the film, initially rated PG-13, was deemed too close to an explicit term, apparently ‘fucker.’ Yes, it appears they had to clear names or similar concerns did arise, which necessitated some adjustments in the movie’s content.

Additionally, I recall having to visit the MPAA when they proposed giving ‘Zoolander’ an R rating due to their disapproval of the goat orgy scene. Stiller went on discussing his past rating disputes, explaining, ‘I prepared a small speech and argued that there were other films with more questionable content. It was nerve-wracking; it was crucial. With a comedy where the jokes are proven to be effective, the last thing you want is to modify them for a rating.’

The film “Meet the Fockers” was the second part of the series starring Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro, and it’s notable for having Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand play the roles of Stiller’s parents. A third film titled “Little Fockers” came out in 2010.

In a later part of his “Hot Ones” interview, Stiller was inquired about the movie of his that was most misconstrued at its release and received undeservingly negative reviews from critics. His response was “Zoolander 2”, which isn’t astonishing given that he previously mentioned being taken aback by the film’s failure to succeed.

Stiller remarked, ‘It’s extremely challenging to pinpoint why critics either appreciate or dislike something because it’s so personal.’ Speaking of ‘Zoolander 2’, he admitted, ‘I find it difficult to believe it was that poorly received. However, there’s a chance I might be mistaken.’

In an interview on David Duchovny’s “Fail Better” podcast earlier this year, Stiller admitted that he was taken aback by the poor performance of “Zoolander 2” because he had assumed everyone was eager to see it. However, when it received negative reviews and few people attended, he realized that he may have severely messed up the project.

It truly alarmed me, as I found myself wondering, ‘I hadn’t realized it was that severe?’ Stiller explained further. What terrified me the most about this situation was the doubt creeping in regarding my sense of humor… On ‘Zoolander 2’, it took me by surprise. And for a considerable period, it left a significant impact on me.

Watch Stiller’s full appearance on “Hot Ones” in the video below.

2024-12-06 00:46

Ben Stiller Says ‘Meet the Fockers’ Avoided R Rating by Finding a Real Person With ‘Focker’ Last Name to Show the MPAA: ‘They Thought It Was Too Close to F—er’

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