The Hangover franchise is, without a doubt, one of the most popular series of comedy films that has left a lasting impact on the world of modern comedy. With three movies, The Hangover (2009), The Hangover Part II (2011), and The Hangover Part III (2013), the franchise gave viewers over-the-top humor, goofy scenarios, and memorable characters.
The stars of the franchise, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis went on to become one of the most famous stars in the comedy genre. While these films have become iconic in the world of comedy, they were criticized for some of their offensive jokes that did not sit well with some viewers. In the first movie, there were concerns about some scenes that included a baby.
Ed Helms addressed the jokes that offended parents in The Hangover (2009)
In 2013, the director of The Hangover (2009), Todd Phillips, and actor Ed Helms appeared for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter to talk about their 2009 comedy flick. During the interview, they addressed the criticism regarding some offensive scenes in the movie that included a baby. Philips said,
“Things were polarizing, like when you hit the baby in the face – even though it’s a doll. We hit the baby with the car door, and that bothers a lot of people. Then you have to decide: ‘Are we going to leave that in?’ Because it also makes The Hangover audacious. We leave the baby in the car, it’s 100 degrees, and he goes: ‘F**k it, it’s fine. Crack the window.'” Ed Helms then added, “That was a big debate on set.”
There were a lot of debates at the time of the film’s release as parents were furious regarding the content shown in the movie.
Todd Phillips had no regrets about the scenes
Further in the interview, the director added that he had no regrets regarding the offensive scenes he added in the movie,
“I thought it was funny. But I understand people thinking that’s f**ked up: ‘You don’t have a kid, Todd. You don’t understand.”
Ed Helms also revealed that his co-star Zach Galifianakis was going to get arrested for the scene where he held the baby’s hands and made it look as if the baby was jerking off. Galifianakis said,
“I did it first with the doll that was just sitting there while we were setting up the shot. I showed Todd, and he goes, ‘Let’s go ask the parents if we can do that.’ (Laughter.) I’m like, ‘No.'” Philips then added, “I waited for the [baby’s] mom to go upstairs because the mom was a little bit more not into stuff like that. I go to the dad: ‘It would be funny if Zach pretends to do this. Would you have a problem with that?’ And he literally goes: ‘[My wife is] going to be gone for a half-hour. Can you do it in the next half-hour?'”
Despite some offensive jokes, The Hangover franchise collectively grossed over $1.4 billion around the world, becoming one of the most iconic comedy franchises of all time.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
