Frat Pack

The Frat Pack is a 2000s era nickname given to an unofficial group of male Hollywood actors, who have appeared together in many movies since the mid 1990s. It was coined by USA Today in a story from June 2004.Before USA Today dubbed this group the Frat Pack, Entertainment Weekly referred to them as the "Slacker Pack," but this term is rarely used. Meanwhile, EW used the term Frat Pack to describe Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Edward Norton, and Ryan Phillippe,^* but this usage has not been seen elsewhere.

Since then, EW has dropped the "Slacker Pack" term, and also began referring to the group as the Frat Pack.^*

The name is a take-off of the Rat Pack, a nickname given to a group of performers that included Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin in the 1950s and 1960s and as well is an updated take on the 1980s era Brat Pack (another reference to the Rat Pack); combined with the shorthand term for a college fraternity. The implication is that this group is a cross between the cool, hipness of stars in the past and the sophomoric or outrageous antics of more recent stars. Also, this name is a reference to the group's quintessential film, Old School.

Members

While several actors have been linked to the Frat Pack at one point or another, the six actors originally linked to the group are:

- Steve Carell is considered to be a new member of the group.^*

* Steve Carell is considered by some sources to be a more recent addition to the pack, even as he has so far appeared in only one true Frat Pack film.

Other Friends and often collaborators

Movies

The members of the Frat Pack often work with certain directors multiple times. Todd Phillips directed both Old School and Starsky & Hutch. Adam McKay directed The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and is behind the upcoming The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Jay Roach directed both Meet The Parents and Meet The Fockers and is directing the upcoming Used Guys. Judd Apatow is the writer/producer of several Frat Pack comedies like The Cable Guy and The Legend of Ron Burgundy. He made his directorial debut with The 40-Year-Old Virgin starring Steve Carell. Wedding Crashers helmer David Dobkin is set to begin another collaboration with Vince Vaughn for the dark Christmas comedy Joe Klaus (2007). In addition, John Michael Higgins of The Break-Up will also co-star as Santa's head elf.

According to the Frat Pack Tribute website, "to "strictly" qualify as a Frat Pack movie, a movie must have at least one Frat Pack member in a starring role, along with at least one more in a supporting role. More importantly, the movie must also share a certain comedic sense. Looser and more inclusive definitions almost allow for movies such as The 40 Year-Old Virgin or Along Came Polly, which have at most a single Frat Pack star, several Frat Pack friends, and a similar comedic sensibility" to qualify. The un-aired television pilot Heat Vision and Jack (1999) would have been a Frat Pack television series, as it starred Jack Black and Owen Wilson, and was directed and introduced by Ben Stiller.

Although all six "core" Frat Pack members have never appeared in a single movie together, they have come closest in The Legend of Ron Burgundy, which featured all but Owen Wilson (chiefly in minor roles and cameos); Starsky & Hutch (tied with Zoolander) is a close second, and feature many more Frat Pack members in starring roles.

Filmography

Movie	Jack Black	Ben Stiller	Luke Wilson	Owen Wilson	Vince Vaughn	Will Ferrell	Pledges and Friends
The Legend of Ron Burgundy	Minor Role	Minor Role	Supporting Cast		Supporting Cast	Lead Role	Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Tim Robbins, Chris Parnell
Bongwater	Supporting Cast		Lead Role				Andy Dick, Kyle Gass
Bottle Rocket			Lead Role	Lead Role, Writer			Andrew Wilson
The Cable Guy	Supporting Cast	Minor Role, Director		Minor Role			Jim Carrey, Andy Dick, Kyle Gass, Janeane Garofalo
Danny Roane: First Time Director	Supporting Cast	Supporting Cast					Andy Dick (Cast, Director)
A True Underdog Story		Lead Role, Producer			Lead Role		Christine Taylor, Hank Azaria, Jason Bateman
Envy	Lead Role	Lead Role					Amy Poehler, Christopher Walken
Meet The Fockers		Lead Role		Supporting Cast
Meet the Parents		Lead Role		Supporting Cast
Night at the Museum		Lead Role		Supporting Cast			Paul Rudd
Old School			Lead Role		Lead Role	Lead Role	Andy Dick, Snoop Dogg
Old School 2			Lead Role		Lead Role	Lead Role
Orange County	Lead Role	Minor Role					Colin Hanks
Outsourced				Lead Role	Lead Role
Permanent Midnight		Lead Role		Supporting Cast			Andy Dick
The Royal Tenenbaums		Lead Role	Lead Role	Lead Role, co-writer			Gwyneth Paltrow, Andrew Wilson
Starsky & Hutch		Lead Role		Lead Role	Lead Role	Supporting Cast	Snoop Dogg, Jason Bateman
The Suburbans		Supporting Cast				Supporting Cast
The Pick of Destiny	Lead Role, Writer, Songs	Supporting Cast, Producer					Kyle Gass, Amy Poehler
Wedding Crashers				Lead Role	Lead Role	Minor Role	Christopher Walken
The Wendell Baker Story			Lead Role, Director, Writer	Supporting Cast		Supporting Cast	Andrew Wilson (Director)
Zoolander		Lead Role, Director, Writer, Producer		Lead Role	Minor Role	Supporting Cast	Andy Dick, Christine Taylor, Andrew Wilson

Trademarks

Frat Pack movies usually include a scene where a certain character or group of characters either eats or mentions fondue. Some of these movies include: Meet the Fockers, Starsky & Hutch, Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy, and Wedding Crashers.

Also common is the song "Afternoon Delight," which played in both Starsky & Hutch and Anchorman.

An appearance is made by The Dan Band in Old School, in which they perform their own renditions of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Lady" at a wedding reception, and in Starsky & Hutch, where they perform "Feel Like Makin' Love" at a Bat Mitzvah.

Another trademark that usually is seen are references to Sisqo's "The Thong Song." It is referenced by Frank the Tank (Ferrell) in Old School when he asks his wife to dinner, and is also referenced in Dodgeball when Average Joe's is about to close and Peter La Fleur (Vaughn) rallies the troops he says, "I'll put on 'The Thong Song' and we'll tear this place apart."

Twiggy, the "Water-Skiing Squirrel," can be seen in Dodgeball and Anchorman

Notes

External links

The Frat Pack Tribute
Comedy's funniest serial sidekicks from Entertainment Weekly. (The first article written about the group.)
Wilson and Vaughn: Leaders of the 'Frat Pack' from USA Today (The second article written about the group, and the first to refer to them as the Frat Pack.)
These guys would be great to hang out with from USA Today, featuring a chart detailing the movies that each Frat Packer has been involved in.
The Frat Pack Circle of Trust A diagram detailing connections between the Frat Pack and their co-stars.
Frat Packers just get better from MSNBC
Unlikely heroes of the box office: The Frat Pack from the Christian Science Monitor
They're In on the Joke: Hollywood's Funniest Clique from The New York Times
Frat Pack back on track this summer from the New York Post
London Times profile

Entertainment cliques

Vince Vaughn | Frat Pack

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