Daily Dirt: I’m clueless how Silverstone did not become a movie superstar

Daily Dirt for Saturday, June 21, 2025

This overall list might not quite match up with Friday’s 1980s films, but it’s pretty darned close … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,320 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Today we finish off our look at the best comedies from the 1980s and 1990s.

My first thought when putting together these two lists? Which of the top-ranked films, today’s “Clueless” or yesterday’s “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” would be the overall No. 1? Think about that for awhile. I may have an answer for you … like on Sunday, maybe.

Anyway, back to today’s subject matter: my picks for the best comedies of the ’90s are:

• 1. “Clueless” (1995): Alicia Silverstone seemed destined for superstardom after this performance. To this day, I’m not sure how that didn’t happen. Nevertheless, Silverstone’s role as a spoiled Beverly Hills teenager named Cher Horowitz is one of my all-time faves. In addition, Amy Heckerling, who directed this classic, was also at the helm of “Fast Times At Ridgemont High.”
• 2. “Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery” (1997):Others had tried to come up with a parody of James Bond flicks. But Mike Myers found the winning formula by not just mocking 007, but the Swinging Sixties era that James Bond represented. I can remember laughing out loud in the theater at the premier of this movie. Remember some of Myers’ lines as the evil Fat Bastard? If you know, you know.
• 3. “Sleepless In Seattle” (1993): The concept that ultimately put this film over the top? Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan do not meet until near the end of the film. To this day, the movie is among the most successful romantic comedies of all-time. If you’ve seen it, I’m sure you know why. 
• 4. “Jerry Maguire” (1996): The movie starred Tom Cruise, but Cuba Gooding Jr. won audience hearts. (Gooding’s dad was a member of the 1970s soul group Main Ingredient, which had the monster hit “Everybody Plays The Fool” in 1972.)
• 5. “A League Of Their Own” (1992): There’s no crying in baseball, but plenty of laughter. And a few tears, too.
• 6. “The Wedding Singer” (1998): Easily, Adam Sandler’s finest film.
• 7. “White Men Can’t Jump” (1992): The on-court smack talk was tremendous. Possibly Woody Harrelson’s finest moment on the silver screen.
• 8. “There’s Something About Mary” (1998): The chemistry between Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller was obvious and one of the film’s highlights.
• 9. “Tommy Boy” (1995): Kind of sad now. We’ll never know what Chris Farley could have become.

( I just couldn’t decide between the following for No. 10, so-o-o you get all four:)

• 10-tie. “The Thing That You Do” (1996): Sure, Tom Hanks was the big-name star, but underlings like Tom Everett Scott and Steve Zahn stole the film. The soundtrack certainly helped, too.
• 10-tie. “Wayne’s World” (1992): Predictable but over-the-top hilarious.
• 10-tie. “Dumb And Dumber” (1994): I love the description of the roles supplied by Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels: “Imbecilic best friends.” That’s what they say about me and JRG.
• 10-tie. “The Addams Family” (1991): Who else as Uncle Fester but Christopher Lloyd?

2. Did you know (Part 402) …

• Greenland is not permitted to join FIFA, the world governing body of soccer, because of its challenging weather conditions and the inability of grass being able to grow there.
• A watermelon is 92 percent water. That’s nothing when compared to cucumbers, which are 96 percent water.
• Eating French fries decrease lifespan by 5 minutes per serving. Hey, no one is going to live forever.
• Soft drinks decrease lifespan by 12 minutes per can. Even the diet version?
• Each slice of pizza decreases lifespan by 7 minutes. So-o-o-o-o … a large pizza is going to cut an hour off my life, right? Well, as long as it has mushrooms and pepperoni.

3. A report earlier this year from Forbes.com says the following 10 cities are the most dangerous in the U.S., based on crime rate, safety index and quality of life::

• 1. Cleveland, Ohio
• 2. Detroit, Mich.
• 3. Memphis, Tenn.
• 4. Baltimore, Md.
• 5. St. Louis
• 6. Oakland, Calif.
• 7. Albuquerque, N.M.
• 8. Birmingham, Ala.
• 9. New Orleans, La.
• 10. Milwaukee, Wis.

Steve Thought O’ The Day
I want Amy Heckerling to direct my biographic film: “Dirt’s World.” I’m thinking about casting Brad Pitt as me. Looking up some info on Amy, I find she’s 71, same age as me. I think this project could work. Thoughts? 

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. If Steve loses 7 minutes every time he eats a slice of pizza and 5 minutes for an order of fries … shouldn’t he be negative-50 years old right now?