Sept.26 1998 - Calgary Sun

Loser are winners with Roxbury Bros.

By LOUIS B. HOBSON -- Calgary Sun

As one half of the Butabi brothers, Chris Kattan is either a wild and crazy guy, or just plain clueless.

Kattan and Will Ferrell created the head-bopping, club-hopping polyester lounge lizards almost a decade ago when they were members of the Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings.

One night in 1994, Lorne Michaels, the creator and executive producer of Saturday Night Live, caught a performance at The Groundlings and immediately signed Kattan and Ferrell to the cast of SNL.

"Lorne said he saw a lot of potential in the Butabis and in us," recalls Kattan.

The full potential is about to be realized this Friday.

For the past three seasons of SNL, the Butabis have been bopping their empty heads off.

Now they're getting their own movie called A Night At The Roxbury.

The film follows Steve (Ferrell) and Doug (Kattan) as they try desperately to gain admittance to the Roxbury, the hottest club in L.A. At first, they can't even get past the bouncer, but then a miracle happens. Richard Grieco bumps into their van.

When the Butabis agree not to call the police, the former star of 21 Jump Street and Booker signs them into the Roxbury and suddenly, life becomes one endless party.

"The movie was not our idea. We didn't approach Lorne. (Filmmaker) Amy Heckerling was the one who told Lorne she envisioned a movie built around the Butabis."

Heckerling, who wrote and directed the Look Who's Talking movies, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Clueless, feels the Butabis are "the male version of Alicia Silverstone's character in Clueless.

"No matter how much rejection they suffer, they still feel life is wonderful and they're having a great time. I find that so charming and I think audiences do, too."

Kattan was elated that Heckerling had such faith in the Butabis, but there was one major problem.

"The Butabis didn't speak. I couldn't see how anybody could build a movie around speechless characters. Clueless, yes. Speechless, no."

No problem. It was decided the Butabis would talk.

"Lorne was really happy. He'd been after us for over a year to have the Butabis talk on SNL. While we were writing the movie, we tried the voices out the night that Helen Hunt and Jack Nicholson were the guest stars. It worked."

Though Steve and Doug appear to be outrageous caricatures, Kattan insists they really do exist.

"When I first arrived in L.A. (from Seattle) 10 years ago, I worked in a video store.

"There were these three guys who'd always come in. They had the sideburns, the gold chains, the tight clothes and the endless stories about the club scene.

"They kept asking me to join them for a night on the town. I finally relented and went with them. They were such losers that we couldn't get into the first five clubs we visited."

Kattan says from the day they premiered the Butabis in L.A., to the dozens of SNL guest stars who've bopped with the brothers, people insist they know guys who are exactly like Steve and Doug. "It's pretty frightening to think there are thousands of clueless losers like Steve and Doug out there in cities across North America."

Though Doug may not be able to score at the clubs he frequents, he's helped Kattan meet some of the most beautiful women in the entertainment business. "I really owe Doug a debt of gratitude. Cameron Diaz is the first guest star on this year's season of SNL. "Apparently, she's dying to meet Doug and that makes me one very happy fellow."

Kattan has only one regret about making Roxbury.

"When Will and I were working on the screenplay, it was my idea to send the Butabis to the beach in their speedos.

"I thought it would be hilarious. It may be funny for everyone else, but working in a speedo and body makeup for eight hours a day is not a good feeling.

"It was like wearing dental floss and suntan lotion."