WGTC: Well that’s one way to get everyone ready, I’d say…
Eric Falconer: Oh, we certainly introduced everyone to Blue Mountain State.
WGTC: So were you ever told “No” by Spike, and if so, what was the worst thing that got turned down?
Eric Falconer: The one thing they let us do, after a phone call where we found their line, was in Season 1, during the lacrosse episode. The whole giving away the virgin scene. They felt it was a little far, and almost said “No” to it. They also almost said “No” to the girl with no arms, too.
Actually, there was a single joke, one of my favorite jokes in the world, but it made light of domestic violence, which is why they turned it down. It was Sammy and Mary Jo sitting on the steps of the school, and Mary Jo is trying to set Sammy up with a girl. These girls are passing and Sammy is being super picky. “What about her?” “Nah, she walks too fast.” “What about her?” “Nah, I don’t like her hair.” Just Sammy rejecting everyone. Then he sees a girl’s profile, and he goes, “What about her? She’s beautiful!” When she turns around, the girl has a black eye, and Mary Jo goes, “Ah, shit. She already has a boyfriend.”
I know it’s an AWFUL joke, and I understand why Spike said “No,” but I still laugh at it. It’s horrible and wrong, but I laugh every time.
Romanski: Yes! I forgot about that one. It came from someone in the office who had a black eye.
Alan Ritchson: If you want to talk bizarre notes, Standards and Practices were always interesting. The second episode we shot was “Pocket Pussy,” and obviously you need to see the thing the entire episode is about. I remember there’s one moment where Thad shows it, and it’s the first time you see it. He says, “It’s a pocket pussy!” You then look inside, and it is what it is. But the note they gave us was, “You have to make the lips smaller.” We needed to paint out some of the lips on the pocket pussy to make it smaller, but you could still show it. So there was still a hole, still everything, it just looked like a shrunken version. Absolutely bizarre.
Eric Falconer: We had a dildo and we painted it gold so hopefully we could show it on screen, and they were like, “It looks too much like a penis!”
Romanski: Uh, yeah! It’s a penis! But by the time we got done, it just looked like a golden cylinder, that Alan basically stuck down into his stomach. And he’s like, “Well I can go further!” [Laughing]
WGTC: [Question was asked before the Super Bowl] So let’s keep things topical – in character, what advice would you have for the upcoming Super Bowl game? To the players or fans?
Alan Ritchson: [As Thad Castle] Well, if you drink enough urine, you’ll have clean piss. You don’t want to get caught on steroids when you’re AT the Super Bowl! So take your rabies, do an oil change, and drink some clean piss just to be sure you’re safe – then go out there and win one for the team.
Romanski: [As Sammy] Yeah, I’d just say if you’re the Panther mascot, just run around and stuff like that. Say “Go team!” Make sure the crowd is really pumped up. Then, obviously, you drink yourself to sleep at night!
Eric Falconer: I love how that’s Sammy’s advice. “Trouble sleeping? Just drink yourself to sleep!”
WGTC: So with Netflix and Amazon resurrecting shows that left us too soon, is streaming the way to go for Blue Mountain State if it’s going to come back?
Romanski: Yes.
Eric Falconer: That’s the goal. We wanted to resurrect the franchise. There have been talks of the series coming back, or the possibility of doing more movies – but it all hinges on Blue Mountain State: The Rise Of Thadland. If it performs well, and sales are good – which, so far, we’re number one on iTunes [as of 2/3/16]…
Romanski: We’re beating out Spielberg, Matt Damon, Oscar winners…
Eric Falconer: I love looking at that list, because it’s Tom Hanks, Spielberg, but on top is a movie where the title is spelled out on a line of cocaine.
Romanski: I imagine Spielberg is sitting at home going, “Who the Hell is beatin’ me! Blue Mountain State?! What is this?!”
Eric Falconer: With the Kickstarter, our fanbase got us going, and now with the sales, and outpouring of support – people are going crazy for this movie. I’ve heard nothing but positive things from our fans, and that makes me feel so good. Like it was worth it. And now, just through them, their passion and support will hopefully take us to that next level, once again. They’re carrying us on their backs. If we get to make another season, or if we get to make three more movies – that’ll all be satisfying. No matter what.
With that, I’d like to thank Alan Ritchson, Eric Falconer, and Chris “Romanski” Romano for their time. Be sure to check out Blue Mountain State: The Rise Of Thadland, which is available on VOD platforms everywhere!
