Trivia / Death to Smoochy

• Actor-Inspired Element: The spirulina and almond butter mixture Sheldon puts on his soy hot dog was actually concocted by Edward Norton in his hotel room.
• Billing Displacement: Robin Williams had top billing over Edward Norton, the latter of whom has more screentime than Williams.
• Box Office Bomb: It grossed $8,382,938 during its theatrical release, barely a sixth of its $50 million budget. Danny DeVito starts his DVD Commentary with "I guess the mourning period is over."
• Cast the Runner-Up: Danny DeVito originally wanted Edward Norton to play Rainbow Randolph, but when Norton read the script, he said he found Sheldon to be the more interesting role. (Interestingly, Norton had been the runner-up for the lead in Man on the Moon — which DeVito produced and co-starred in — losing the part of Andy Kaufman to Jim Carrey because Carrey was a bigger box-office draw.)
• Creator Backlash: Jon Stewart brings his work in the film up a lot as Self-Deprecation, often to contrast his resume with the work of a much more successful actor.
• Creator Killer:
  • The film killed writer Adam Resnick's cinematic career completely after several failed screenplays previously. Resnick has only worked in TV since.
  • Danny DeVito only directed one more film after this, Duplex, which also flopped. Fortunately he'd rebound on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
• In Memoriam: In-Universe example: After Spinner Dunn is killed by the Parade of Hope gangsters, Smoochy, who gave Spinner roles on his show as both a cowbell-ringing game hunter and Moochy the Rhino, dedicates his ice show to him, complete with ringing his character's cowbell to start the show.
• Playing Against Type:
  • Harvey Fierstein, an openly gay actor known for playing Camp Gay characters, plays a gangster.
  • Robin Williams, best known for playing lovable Manchild characters, plays a straight up asshole as Rainbow Randolph. Williams joked in an interview that his friends called this movie, Insomnia, and One Hour Photo his "trifecta of evil."
  • Edward Norton is the opposite. He's usually cast as villains or anti heroes, but Sheldon Mopes is a boy scout.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Jim Carrey was attached to star at one point but eventually dropped out to do The Majestic.
  • Hank Azaria was originally cast as Marion Frank Stokes, but dropped out due commitments to America's Sweethearts.
  • Among the auditionees for the part of Spinner, the brain-damaged boxer, was Henry Rollins. Rollins tells the story of his audition here.
  • Writer Adam Resnick wrote a small cameo bit by Steve Burns, where Sheldon would see Steve in a bar, ask how it was going and Steve would just shake his head. DeVito cut it because he felt that most viewers wouldn't get the reference. Funnily enough, this film released shortly before Steve left his show, adding another layer to said bit.
  • In the original script, the Smoochy costume was orange.

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