MovieChat Forums > The King of Comedy (1982) Discussion > How Rupert got past the security guard

How Rupert got past the security guard

posted 10 years ago by Zorro-3
3 replies | jump to latest

Now that was just bizarre. I believe Clarence McCabe, the author of "The Vanishing Siberian Tiger" was saying he was scheduled to be on the show. The security guard didn't care; his name wasn't on the list and that's that. So far, that sounds pretty coplike, but when the guy asked if he or the guard could call Miss Long, the guard said, "You cannot talk to Miss Long at all."

Why would he say that? The fact that the guy knew Miss Long's name gave him some credibility, did it not? Shouldn't the guard have thought a phone call was in order? Wouldn't he expect hell to pay if he really did keep a scheduled guest out and ruin the show, not even bothering to make a call (list or no list)?

Or are we supposed to believe that McCabe was another Rupert? Trying to get in when he wasn't really scheduled and the fact that his name wasn't on the list wasn't an error and the guard knew that?

Furthermore, wouldn't Rupert have been in a spot had that not happened? Quite the lucky break.

Maybe I missed something. Was the guy in cahoots with Rupert or something?

[–] plumlogan 9 years ago

My impression was that McCabe (and his little entourage) was a plant, one of Pupkin's bodies from the beginning. That's why he was so eager to share who he was, what he'd written about, how he researched the book. In short, it demonstrated how eager these types of people are to live out a fantasy.

[–] brinsonmh 9 years ago

My guess is the guard told him he can't talk to Miss Long because the list he has came from Miss Long or someone else w authority and it was so close to show time.

I doubt he was a plant in cahoots w Rupert. In those days, Johnny Carson would often have an author on last. I think this guy getting bumped like he was nothing was just Rupert's wake swamping him.

[–] Zorro-3 8 years ago

brinsonmh:

This board can be a lazy river.

I asked the question eighteen months ago.

You answered me nine months ago.

That was a good answer.

Thank you.