How Did This Get Made?

Rad LIVE! (HDTGM Matinee)

March 17, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The movie *Rad* has an extreme discrepancy in critical reception (0% on Rotten Tomatoes) versus audience reception (91%), which the hosts attribute to the film's cult status. 
  • The hosts spent significant time dissecting the bizarre 'bike dancing' sequence at the town dance and the questionable hygiene of the 'ass sliding' scene. 
  • The film's original title was reportedly "Go Balls Out," a title the hosts believe would have significantly improved its critical reception. 
  • The budget for the 1986 movie *Rad* is estimated to be between $4 million and $11 million, despite its low opening weekend gross of $408,000. 
  • The audience provided several enthusiastic 'Second Opinions,' praising the film's erotic and romantic bike dancing scene and its overall cult status, contrasting with June Diane's personal dislike for the movie. 
  • Trivia revealed that the twin actors (Rod and Rex) went on to write successful screenplays like *The Conjuring*, and the jumpsuits worn at the dance were borrowed from the set of the miniseries *V*. 

Segments

Introduction and Live Audience Greeting
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(00:02:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The live recording of How Did This Get Made? for Rad took place at Onion Fest in Chicago.
  • Summary: Paul Scheer greeted the live audience in Chicago at Onion Fest. The hosts immediately noted the film’s cult status and the difficulty in finding a viewable copy. Jason Mantzoukas confirmed he did not see Rad when it was originally released.
BMX Definition and BMX Bandits
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(00:10:05)
  • Key Takeaway: BMX stands for Bicycle Motocross, referencing its origins as a cycling sport mimicking motorcycle motocross.
  • Summary: The hosts debated the meaning of BMX, concluding it stands for Bicycle Motocross. Jason mentioned seeing BMX Bandits, which featured a young Nicole Kidman. June Diane Ravio admitted to viewing Rad via an unofficial download link.
Bike Dancing and Water Scenes
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(00:13:17)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘bike dancing’ sequence at the town dance was visually striking, transforming a typical prom setting.
  • Summary: The hosts found the bike dancing more electric than the actual racing sequences. They focused on the bizarre scene where characters intentionally slide down a sewage runoff chute, noting the characters remained fully clothed afterward. The constant jumping into water throughout the film was also highlighted as illogical.
Stunt Work and BMX Expression
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(00:17:01)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts contrasted the effort required for BMX bike dancing versus breakdancing, favoring the latter as a more accessible form of expression.
  • Summary: The on-bike stunts, particularly bouncing on the wheel well, were deemed unattractive. June argued that breakdancing is a more valid expression because it only requires cardboard, unlike BMX which requires an expensive bike. The poor lighting quality, described as pink or dark, was also noted as an issue in the opening scenes.
Paperboy Route Logistics
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(00:19:01)
  • Key Takeaway: The paperboy’s route timing (ending at (7:15) AM) seemed implausibly late for a typical morning delivery schedule.
  • Summary: The hosts questioned the logistics of Crew’s paper route, which seemed to involve delivering papers to people at their jobs late in the morning. They were impressed by the paperboy’s ability to locate customers randomly rather than hitting specific houses. A garbage truck driver assisting the paperboy by boosting him over a fence was noted as an unbelievable act of kindness.
80s Fashion and Twin Villains
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(00:25:11)
  • Key Takeaway: The twin villains’ fashion, featuring V-shaped jumpsuits and scars mirroring G.I. Joe antagonists, represented an 80s cultural obsession with twins.
  • Summary: Crew’s fashion, including a bandana around his thigh, was compared to Scott Baio. The hosts were obsessed with the twins’ outfits, comparing them to G.I. Joe villains like Tomax and Xamot. This led to a brief tangent about the 80s cultural fetishization of twins, referencing the show Double Trouble.
Helltrack Race Structure and Pacing
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(00:29:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The qualifying races for the Helltrack event were excessively long, making the final race feel anticlimactic.
  • Summary: The qualifying races felt like watching hundreds of laps in real-time, with announcers failing to narrate the outcomes. The structure allowed racers to bypass obstacles, undermining the challenge of the course. The final race ended unsatisfactorily when the lead racer, Bart Connor, stopped to wait for Crew.
Lori Loughlin’s Stunt Double Issues
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(00:40:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Lori Loughlin’s character’s bicycle stunts were performed by a male stunt double, which was evident upon visual inspection.
  • Summary: The hosts noted that Lori Loughlin’s character was written out of the racing plotline, suggesting the production failed to find a female BMX rider. They observed that her on-bike scenes clearly featured a broad-shouldered man. This was seen as part of a larger pattern where smart or capable female characters were sidelined.
The Cop’s Motivation and Speech
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(00:43:23)
  • Key Takeaway: The police officer’s final speech, where he supports the BMX kids, is interpreted by some hosts as a dramatic turn from antagonist to supporter.
  • Summary: The cop’s role was debated, with Paul arguing he was a friend who wanted the town to succeed, while Jason insisted he was an antagonist who finally chose to support the kids’ hope over money. The speech itself was analyzed for its dramatic weight, despite the officer not removing his sunglasses.
Crew’s Funding and Family Connections
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(00:50:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Crew used the $10,000 prize money from the qualifying race to invest in merchandise (t-shirts) for his sponsorship push.
  • Summary: The initial $10,000 capital came from the qualifying race winnings, which Crew used for merchandise instead of his own needs. The presence of producer Jack Schwartzman and actress Talia Shire suggests a Coppola family connection, potentially explaining Shire’s casting.
Lori’s Character and Town Meeting
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(01:03:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Lori’s character is portrayed as dismissive of Crew and the BMX culture, and the town meeting scenes feature an excessive number of empty chairs.
  • Summary: Lori rejects Crew’s mode of transportation and dismisses his world, leading one host to joke she sounds like a teacher addressing an inappropriate situation. The town meeting scenes are criticized for showing too many empty chairs, suggesting a lack of community participation or budget constraints for extras. The meet-cute between Crew and Lori is initiated by a woman who claims her cake will burn because the oven is on, a detail the hosts find highly questionable.
Movie Budget Speculation
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(01:05:22)
  • Key Takeaway: The estimated production budget for Rad in 1986 ranged from $3 million to $11 million, with the highest estimate suggesting infrastructure construction.
  • Summary: Jason estimates the movie cost $4 million, while June guesses $3 million, but Paul reveals the actual budget was $11 million in 1986, equating to about $46 million today. The hosts question how such a high budget was spent, noting the film primarily features cheap daytime exterior shots. The movie only earned $408,000 on its opening weekend.
Product Placement and Brand Association
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(01:06:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Brands like Mongoose, Vans, Coca-Cola, and 7-Eleven were heavily featured, with Vans allegedly facing a lawsuit related to the film.
  • Summary: The film is saturated with product placement, leading one host to question why Mongoose would allow its brand to be associated with the movie’s ‘douchey’ characters. Vans was involved, possibly leading to a lawsuit, as limited edition Rad shoes were released. Other visible sponsors included Coca-Cola and 7-Eleven.
Bart Connor’s Performance and Background
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(01:08:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Bart Connor, the champion BMX rider, is perceived as aloof, similar to an Al Pacino character, and is revealed to be an Olympic gymnast married to Nadia ComΔƒneci.
  • Summary: Bart is characterized as being cool and non-confrontational toward Crew, unlike the antagonistic twins. Bart himself commented that people often recognize him from Rad but have no idea he was an Olympic gymnast. The hosts note the oddity that the main race prize was a car, not a bicycle.
Bike Dancing Scene Analysis
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(01:10:36)
  • Key Takeaway: The choreographed bike dancing scene is highlighted for its impossible physics, erotic quality, and the inclusion of the awesome soundtrack song ‘Send Me an Angel’.
  • Summary: The hosts marvel at the bike dancing, where characters glide on their bikes and achieve impossible height without ramps, treating it like an Olympic event. The song playing during this sequence, ‘Send Me an Angel,’ is highly praised, with one host suggesting listeners should ‘fuck to this soundtrack.’ Crew’s move of lying flat on his bike with an extended arm is deemed unreal.
Audience Interaction and Fan Signs
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(01:13:08)
  • Key Takeaway: An audience member presented a sign referencing the nonsensical ice cream shop quote: ‘Having a friend like you makes me happy all over.’
  • Summary: Paul paused the show to acknowledge an audience member named Christy who created a sign referencing a bizarre, non-ironic line from the ice cream shop scene. The hosts then asked the audience to suggest one or two-word alternative titles for the movie.
Audience Questions and Trivia
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(01:14:26)
  • Key Takeaway: The twins (Rod and Rex) are now successful screenwriters for The Conjuring, and the audience questioned Lori Laughlin’s age and the lack of supervision for Crew’s younger sister.
  • Summary: An audience member revealed that the twins are now successful screenwriters, having written The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2, and that their dance jumpsuits were borrowed from the set of the miniseries V. Another question focused on Lori Laughlin’s age, as she dates a teenager while claiming to be a world-traveling BMX champion. The hosts also noted the absence of concern for Crew’s younger sister roaming town unsupervised.
Audience Second Opinions Performance
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(01:21:32)
  • Key Takeaway: The live audience performed several enthusiastic ‘Second Opinions,’ with one reviewer noting the bootleg DVD quality was surprisingly better than some Blu-rays.
  • Summary: The segment featured several live ‘Second Opinions’ set to music, with the audience overwhelmingly praising the film, giving it five stars on Amazon. One detailed review praised the HD quality of a bootleg DVD copy, noting it looked better than some Blu-rays and convinced the reviewer’s brother to buy a copy.
Host Recommendations and Final Thoughts
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(01:27:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Jason enthusiastically recommended Rad, calling it ‘fucking rad’ and comparing it favorably to Miami Connection, while June admitted she did not like the movie despite recognizing its cult following.
  • Summary: Jason gave the movie a 100% recommendation, citing the popping colors, erotic dancing, and the ‘ass slides into sewage’ as enjoyable elements. June stated the movie was not for her and she hoped never to watch it again, though she acknowledged the film’s strong cult following. Paul concluded by thanking the audience and production staff, noting the film sits comfortably in the pantheon of cult classics.
Plugs and Credits
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(01:30:25)
  • Key Takeaway: June Diane plugged her upcoming Adult Swim special, Mr. Neighbor’s House 2, and Paul plugged his new podcast mini-series Unspooled with Amy Nicholson.
  • Summary: June announced her David Lynch-inspired Mr. Rogers special, Mr. Neighbor’s House 2, airing June 24th at midnight on Adult Swim. Paul promoted his podcast Unspooled, which focuses on watching and discussing good movies. The show concluded with a final set of ‘Second Opinions’ from audience members.