I think that's probably true, if only because she was more of an indie darling/award movie type at the time and he was the rom com guy. I'm guessing the main thing he had going for him at the time was What Happens In Vegas was a surprise hit and even Killers did good business so he had some momentum; from an…

I'm not saying they'd be right—in fact, she was just off an Oscar winning role (or at least Oscar buzz depending on when NSA was filmed) and he hadn't done much worthy of note in a good long while before this—but I'm sure that would be their argument.

"Ashton Kutcher's greatest talent as an actor was being able to hold the attention of bored white teens for a few extra minutes" is almost surely the producers' defense of why he got paid more

But it did happen. But the guy actually was the one who sued after getting fired. Sounds like Miller (his employer) just wanted a reason to fire him, which was the bigger issue:

This is a good joke, but he isn't wearing enough plaid

I recall reading that they were asked to do the '97 Godzilla but weren't interested.

Hail, Caesar is good, but demands a rewatch almost immediately. Coens almost never give their audience what they want, and this is a perfect example of that.

I doubt they've had trouble getting films made. Most likely they were approached and asked if they had any ideas that would work for TV and did

I can't see Bateman being very into anime though.

(I should note I was not at a Sugar Ray concert; he was playing bass for the Weezer drummer's side project, The Special Goodness, and they were performing on a side stage at the Weezer/Strokes/Dashboard Confessional tour along with oft-forgotten early 00s bands Rooney and AM Radio)

To the best of my knowledge, they didn't, which makes it that much better.

I think you're thinking of Can't Get Enough of You Baby, which is a ? and the Mysterians song. I think Jennifer Love Hewitt was in the video for that one. Just how many videos was that girl in in 1997-1999?

One time I stood next to the Sugar Ray bassist at a concert. We exchanged nods. Then he walked off. Solid dude in my estimation. That said, I have no use for this Smash Mouth bassist.

to be fair probably no one was actually offended by this blunder

He's still on about it as far as his twitter account is concerned.

Indeed. He plays Bust-Ass, the dumbass friend who somehow ends up with Zooey at one point.

No idea, but 1999 was the year of their debut and it seemed like they were on a big promo tour. I'd definitely never heard of them.

He has a similar range to Loggins, I would think

I saw (or walked by) Buckcherry at Music Midtown in Atlanta in '99 and thought the same thing. :(

It was the Waffle House to Facebook's IHOP.