History Film / Airheads

* DieHardOnAnX: It's ''Die Hard'', in a radio station, as a comedy! Bonus points for the station being located next to Nakatomi Plaza. A bit of a variant in that this is a subplot, the "[[=McClane=]]" of the situation is a completely useless moron, and the cop that gives him support is the "go in, shoot them all and let God sort 'em out" SmugSnake instead of the ReasonableAuthorityFigure.

** Doug Beech. The man is pummeled, goes through severely painful pratfalls, is set on fire, and is humiliated by everything and everybody from the word "go" ([[WhatHappenedToTheMouse He doesn't appears again after getting the MP-5 taken from him]], but it's easy to assume he was still stuck on the air vents by the time the TimeSkip happened).

** Doug Beech. The man is pummeled, goes through severely painful pratfalls, is set on fire, and is humiliated by everything and everybody from the word "go" (. [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse He doesn't appears again after getting the MP-5 taken from him]], but it's easy to assume he was still stuck on the air vents by the time the TimeSkip happened.

* ButtMonkey: Milo. Of course, he's such a {{jerkass}} that he deserves the humiliations he endures in the film.

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Milo and Jimmy Wing.

* DieHardOnAnX: It's ''Die Hard'', in a radio station, as a comedy! Bonus points for the station being located next to Nakatomi Plaza. A bit of a variant in that this is a subplot and the "Mc Clane" of the situation is a completely useless moron.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Sergeant O'Malley.

* OddlySmallOrganization: Ian seems to be the only DJ at KPPX, whereas most stations would have at least 4-5 on staff.

** Doug Beech (who also played Kramer in ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' [[spoiler:is never seen or heard from again after attempting and failing to subdue the Lone Rangers with the submachinegun given to him by the [=LAPD=] ]].

--> "He ''wipes his ass'' with his record contract! I '''love''' this guy!"

* ThePornomancer: Pip. He wins over Suzzi without even trying, and it's implied (though never outright stated) that he was the pool guy who was screwing Mace's wife.

** The ending where the Lone Rangers rock in jail is just like ''TheBluesBrothers''.

-->Milo: All right, I know you guys think I'm a real dick . . . cheese . . . burger, or whatever.

* SurveillanceStationSlacker: The receptionist is shown playing a video game instead of looking at the security screens on her desk.

* UnfortunateImplications: InUniverse, while playing at their live performance in prison, Rex thrusts his pelvis in the direction of some black prisoners until Pip points it out. Also a BrickJoke, from Pip's conversation with Yvonne about racism.

* WholePlotReference: The movie borrows some details from Film/DogDayAfternoon (like the crowd and the hostages coming to like the hostage-takers), [[spoiler:although thankfully this story ends in a happier note for the takers]].

** Creator/HaroldRamis shows up as a record executive trying to get into the seized radio station. He gets asked the immortal question "Whose side did you take: VanHalen or Roth?" [[spoiler:He goes with Van Halen, and the band immediately tags him as a cop... which proves correct when he's seen later wearing a badge and carrying a sidearm.]]

* DieHardOnAnX: It's ''Die Hard'', in a radio station, as a comedy! Bonus points for the station being located next to Nakatomi Plaza.

A 1994 comedy film starring Creator/BrendanFraser, Creator/SteveBuscemi and Creator/AdamSandler as three band members hoping for a big break head to a radio station to play their demo tape and wind up holding everyone hostage with plastic guns when the head DJ refuses to play them.

* WholePlotReference: The movie borrows some details from DogDayAfternoon (like the crowd and the hostages coming to like the hostage-takers), [[spoiler:although thankfully this story ends in a happier note for the takers]].

While the film bombed at the box office and was received poorly by critics, a lot of people have seen it due to the fact that it was played heavily on Creator/ComedyCentral during the mid-1990s. The film has since become something of a cult classic among [[MetalHead metalheads]] due to its numerous references to hard rock and heavy metal as well as featuring cameos from a few famous rock musicians (most notably [[Music/{{Motorhead}} Lemmy]]).

* DawsonCasting: 36-year old Creator/SteveBuscemi as a twenty-something heavy metal bassist. Actually works, though, as [[OlderThanTheyLook he ends up looking more authentic]] than actual twenty-somethings Fraser and Sandler.

* TheNineties

* OldShame: Chazz is forced by the [=SWAT=] leader to reveal to that he was a high school dork. Instead of losing the metal crowd that had gathered, however, his confession spurs people in the crowd to their embarrassing secrets of geekery. By the end, the crowd is even more supportive of the Lone Rangers' hostage-taking.

** Rex likes to fill his squirt guns with tabasco, in case some "Hollywood Boulevard trash" messes with him. [[CaptainObvious This comes up later,]] when Chazz [[MundaneUtility needs to season a burrito]] and Milo gets uppity.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: This movie really captures the whole music scene of the 90s. This is especially notable when a reporter describes our main characters as having "MTV-soaked minds", referring to the time before {{MTV}}'s NetworkDecay when it was still primarily focused on music.
** In addition, we have see classic 90s toys like Stretch Armstrong, and someone prominently playing a Game Gear (with SFX from a real GG game, thus averting PacManFever).
** And of course, the simple fact that the Lone Rangers have no choice - in their own minds at least - but to take over a radio station and forcing the staff to play their demo tape seems even more absurd today in an era where they could easily just upload their music on line by way of various social media sites in order to promote themselves. And don't get started on how much cell phones or satellite radio would impact the plot.
** To say nothing of only a reel-to-reel and cassette copy of the demo existing...the entire plot would fall apart with a digital version.

* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: [[spoiler:A postscript at the end of the movie reveals that the Lone Rangers were only incarcerated for 3 months, and their album ''Live in Prison'' went triple platinum.]]

** One of the bizarre demands that the Lone Rangers make to the police is for "naked pictures of Creator/BeaArthur!" Much later in the film, when Jimmie Wing comes to the radio station, he passes a couple of people staring in combined awe and bafflement at some pictures that we can't see. Jimmie peers at them and says "Bea Arthur? [[GrandmaWhatMassiveHotnessYouHave Outstanding!]]"

* TakeThat: In one scene Chazz, who is a fan of hard rock and Music/HeavyMetal music, chastises a caller by telling him "I can't believe you like that Seattle bullshit." ''Airheads'' was released during the peak of {{Grunge}}'s popularity.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Chazz and his band might not have gotten in as much trouble if they had their demo on an iPod or available online. Also, if Kayla had a cell phone, Chazz might have gotten through to her sooner, and might not have needed the LAPD to scour the LA strip to find her.
** The Lone Rangers could have promoted their music through social media websites, eliminating the need for them to sneak into a radio station.
** The radio station would likely be going to an all-news format instead of easy listening (or closing completely) as in-car mp3 player options and satellite radio become ever more ubiquitous.