UF in Pop Culture

In the last season of ’90s sitcom “NewsRadio” station owner Jimmy James is arrested for suspicion of being notorious hijacker D.B. Cooper. As he’s dragged away in handcuffs, James — in real life actor Stephen Root (AA ’72) — yells to reporters: “University of Florida Gators rule!”

He’s right. When it comes to pop culture, Gators do, indeed, rule. From big screen to small and literature to song, UF is seemingly everywhere. Here are 50 more times our university has gotten a shout-out:

Movies

The Naked Ape (1973): The forgettable film starring Victoria Principal was shot on campus and UF students were movie extras. There are scenes at the bookstore, infirmary, classrooms in Peabody Hall, the pool and other campus spots.

King Frat (1979): One of the dumbest films of all time, the “Animal House” wannabe is about frat boys at fictional Yellowstream University. Unfortunately, some of the background campus scenes are the University of Florida.

Parenthood (1989): Numerous scenes in director Ron Howard’s comedy were filmed at UF. Gil’s (Steve Martin) 8-year-old son’s principal’s office is in real life Norman Hall. Gil’s imagination has conflicting futures for his son: college valedictorian at a graduation ceremony outside University Auditorium, and psychopath in Century Tower terrorizing bystanders in Turlington Plaza.

The Doors (1991): In a big silver screen oops, Val Kilmer’s Jim Morrison is said to have attended the University of Florida before lighting his fire as a rock ‘n ‘roll legend. In real life, it was FSU where Morrison enrolled in 1962.

Just Cause (1995): The thriller starring Sean Connery is about a law professor asked to help clear a murder suspect. Numerous scenes were filmed in Gainesville, including some with Connery inside University Auditorium.

The Devil’s Advocate (1997): Keanu Reeves’ character, Kevin Lomax, is a ruthless Gainesville lawyer (and Satan’s son) who lands a job at pop’s Manhattan law firm. Gainesville, where Lomax was raised and presumably attended UF, is mentioned numerous times. An angry Lomax even screams, “I’m not going back to Gainesville.” As it turns out, by the end of the movie Lomax decides that living in Gainesville is better than reigning in Hades.

Big Trouble (2002): Two hitmen are on a stakeout listening to a call-in sports show on the car radio. The callers are UF football fans. One of the hitmen asks, “What are Gators?” “Football, college” his partner replies. “Morons,” says the first. In a later scene, the annoyed hitmen are on a flight filled with celebrating Gators. “I really feel like killing somebody,” one says.

House of Wax (2005): The road trip-gone-bad flick costarring Paris Hilton centers on a small group of horrible-decision-making UF students and Gainesville townies traveling to Louisiana to watch the Gators’ big football game. Spoiler: They don’t make kickoff.

Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005): In another sign that the Gator Nation really is, sometimes regrettably, everywhere, the sequel to the raunchy 1999 flick “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo” shows, gulp, Scottish gigolo Earl McManus (Norm Macdonald) wearing a scruffy Gators cap.

The Hawk Is Dying (2006): While not so much featuring UF or its campus, the movie does star Paul Giamatti as George, owner of University Custom Auto Shop in Gainesville, and Michelle Williams as a psychology student who works at the shop. It’s an adaptation of Harry Crews’ (BS ’60) 1973 book about a man who tries to train a wild red-tailed hawk. True to Crews’ story, the movie was filmed in Gainesville.

Flight(2012): The movie stars Denzel Washington as a drunk pilot who flies a broken passenger jet upside down (the plane later crashes but most onboard are saved because of Washington’s heroics). When the jet departs from Orlando in a thunderstorm on its flight to Atlanta, Washington tells passengers, “Evidently, Florida doesn’t like us Georgians. Maybe it has something to do with the beating the Bulldogs put on the Gators last fall.”

Paperback (2015): The light-hearted film is about a pizza cook who never left his college town — which happens to be Gainesville. Scenes show a close-up receipt from Satchel’s Pizza and a bike ride through the “student ghetto,” Emerson Alumni Hall courtyard, Plaza of the Americas and Turlington Plaza.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016): The follow-up to the box office hit follows Toula and her overbearing family as they navigate life’s newest changes. In one scene, Toula and Ian’s only daughter, 17-year-old Paris, is talking to a college recruiter in her school gym when the entire Portokalos clan thunders in. Their madcap entrance and interruption embarrass Paris. Holding four school pamphlets, she turns to her mom. “Alabama, Florida, Texas, New York. These are the colleges I’m applying to. Far, far away from here.”

Run the Race (2018): The seldom-watched flick about the relationship between two brothers was filmed in Gainesville. One is a high school football star desperate for a college scholarship. In the opening scene, he nervously asks, “You think he’s here …the Florida scout?” His coach later hands him a letter from UF, and the brothers discuss the Gators. Toward the end of the film, the sports stud, wearing a Gators football uniform, is inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and the crowd is cheering.

Crawl (2019): The — frankly, unlikely — horror flick’s main character is a UF swimmer who tries to save her dad during a hurricane. The real enemies, however, are the foul-tempered alligators in her dad’s flooded home that want to chomp on the humans.

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022): The beloved children’s book-turned-feature film depicts Lyle doing his best Albert impersonation. Throughout the movie, the crocodile (who happens to look more like a handsome alligator) is dressed in orange-and-blue Gator duds.

TV Shows

Hootenanny (1963-1964): The music-themed variety show was taped on college campuses across the country. On Feb. 8, 1964, it was UF’s turn. That episode featured folk singers Jimmie Rodgers, Hoyt Axton and The Tarriers (they of the smash hit “Wimoweh”).

Miami Vice (1984-1989): In the supercool series, well-dressed Miami undercover cops Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs have Gainesville roots. Don Johnson’s character, Crockett, was once a star on the Gators football team.

The West Wing (1999-2006): Three-term Florida governor and GOP presidential candidate Robert Ritchie (James Brolin) is a Gator. In one story arc, President Jed Bartlett takes a dig at Ritchie’s intelligence. A reporter asks a White House staffer, “Were you aware that several news organizations have been trying to obtain Gov. Ritchie’s transcripts from the University of Florida?” Ritchie later calls Bartlett an “academic elitist.”

Survivor (2000-): Gina Crews (BS ’99) was one of the show’s first contestants. That season’s cast bios mentioned Crews’ love for Gators football. She didn’t win but she was a fan favorite. Another alumna, Monica Culpepper (BA ’91), was a contestant in the 2013 season. Her show bio notes that she was UF’s Homecoming queen in 1991.

The Amazing Race (2001-): College pals Brodie Smith (BA ’10) and Kurt Gibson (BS ’08) finished first in four of eight rounds before being eliminated in the 10th. The pair met through UF’s Ultimate Frisbee team. On the show’s promotional page Gibson is wearing a UF T-shirt.

The Bachelor (2002-): The show’s fifth season starred former Gators quarterback Jesse Palmer (BA ’01, BS ’01). He almost fumbled the first rose ceremony, however, when he mistakenly called out the name “Katie” while meaning to say “Karen.”

The Apprentice (2004-2017): Kendra Todd (BA ’00) won season three of Donald Trump’s reality show. At the time, she was The Donald’s first female and youngest apprentice hire. Her task was overseeing the renovation of Trump’s Palm Beach mansion.

Commander in Chief (2005-2006): In one episode of the blink-and-you-missed-it drama, the president’s teenage son is trying to decide where to go for college. On his list with Northwestern and some Ivy League schools is the University of Florida.

Dancing with the Stars (2005-): Gator greats Emmitt Smith (BSR ’96), Erin Andrews (BS ’00) and Ryan Lochte (BS ’11) were all dancing stars. Smith waltzed to the winner’s circle in season three. Andrews, the show’s co-host for five years, was a third-place finisher in 2010. Lochte finished seventh.

The Squidbillies (2005-2021): In the goofy 2010 episode “Lean Green Touchdown Makifying Machine” one of the characters is recruited by Tim Treebow to play football for the Crocodiles at the University of the Peninsular State — “U of PS just below the state of Georgia.”

Justified (2010-2015): In a first-season episode of the slick crime drama, Timothy Olyphant’s character, Marshall Raylan Givens, is off duty and wearing a Gators T-shirt when he gets into a bar fight with two bruisers. Bad news, Gator Nation: It doesn’t go well.

Suburgatory (2011-2014): The main character’s love interest, dim-witted Ryan, tells her he wants to leave their hometown, Chatswin, to play football at UF, his dream school. Later, Ryan asks his sister if he should take a gap year so his one-year-younger girlfriend, Tessa, can go to college with him. She responds that it won’t work: Tessa will enroll in a college that values the curious mind, creativity, hard work and intellect ⋯ and Ryan will attend the University of Florida.

Barry (2018-): The HBO comedy is about a disillusioned hitman who moves to La-La Land to take acting lessons. In the first episode, “Move to L.A.,” he’s chitchatting with locals, discussing where each is originally from. “Gainesville, Florida,” a woman says. “Go Gators,” a man responds.

The Gordita Chronicles (2022): Described as “the Hispanic Wonder Years,” the short-lived comedy featured Juan Javier Cardenas (BA ’05) as an airline marketing exec trying to fit into 1980s Miami. His boss is a hypercompetitive Gator who bonds with fellow alums by doing the Chomp. Showrunner Claudia Forestieri (BS ’96) based the series on her childhood.

Untold: Swamp Kings (2023): The four-part documentary that aired on Netflix last summer is an insider’s look at the Urban Meyer-Tim Tebow-Brandon Spikes years. It’s must-see TV for Gators longing for those glory days.

TV Commercials

ESPN: In the hilarious “This is Sports Center” spot, Steve Irwin, aka the Crocodile Hunter, spots UF’s mascot, Albert, walking out of an elevator. A surprised Irwin says, “Take a look at this beauty.” He then tackles Albert and the two wrestle.

Nissan: The spot in the popular “Heisman House” series has Tim Tebow (BS ’09) waiting in the driveway dressed as a Jedi Knight for a Halloween party. His housemates, all past Heisman winners, emerge one at time wearing Tebow Gator jerseys and from his pro teams. Danny Wuerffel (BS ’96) shows up in a muscle suit. “Shirtless Tebow, deal with it,” he says.

Dr. Pepper: Steve Spurrier (BS ’81) is dressed like Larry Culpepper, the “Dr. Pepper guy” and fictitious spokesman for the College Football Playoff. When the two meet face-to-face, the lookalikes — right down to visors, flip-up sunglasses, knee-high socks and trays of soda — stare each other down, and Larry says, “Kind of freaks me out a little, Coach.”

Music

Gainesville (1995): The song in the musical “Randy Newman’s Faust” — in which God and Satan battle for the soul of Gainesville’s Henry Faust — is all about Title Town. In the ballad, Linda Ronstadt sings, “I was born in Gainesville, Florida, and my father was a tailor; and my mother ran a café near the university.” The song is also in an episode of “The Simpsons.” Complains Homer: “I only have two weeks’ vacation, and I have to spend them in Dullsville?”

Gainesville (1998): Tom Petty’s song released after his death in 2017 is a tribute to his hometown. The accompanying music video is packed with scenes of Gainesville neighborhoods, businesses and UF campus. There’s even a clip of Petty wearing an orange Gators T-shirt and another of a mural of his likeness on the 34th Street Wall.

City of Gainesville (2008): The Gainesville band Less Than Jake gets back to its musical roots in the album “GNV FLA.” In an interview shortly after its release, the group’s former drummer, Vinnie Fiorella, explains the album’s title song: “It’s coming to grips with who you are and accepting your flaws … It’s something every student faces at graduation.”

Florida University (2009): The-Dream’s R&B album “Love King” includes the peppy — but less than kid-friendly — song. Its lyrics: “I was the realest thing you’ve ever known. I couldn’t wait to say I told you so. So, forget you ever heard of me. This is short for Florida University. F.U. (x7). Florida University.”

Mr. Nice Watch (2011): On rapper J. Cole’s hit debut album, “Cole World: The Sideline Story,” the for-adults-only-tune “Mr. Nice Watch” has a couple references to UF. Lines include: “I got a Hublot, I call it Tebow … I strap that b**** with a Gator band” and so on.

Books

Double Whammy (1987): Clinton Tyree (a.k.a. Skink) is a recurring character in Carl Hiaasen’s (BS ’74) novels. Tyree is a former UF English professor and Florida governor. Described as a rare honest politician, Skink shucks Tallahassee in disgust to live in the wild, eat roadkill and sabotage uncontrolled urban sprawl.

The Lincoln Lawyer (2005): Michael Connelly’s (BS ’80) novel (and later movie starring Matthew McConaughey) is about a lawyer working out of his car. It was inspired, in part, by Connelly’s UF classmate Dan Daly (BS ’79), a criminal defense attorney in Tampa.

Losing in Gainesville (2014): Brian Costello’s novel about two slackers shuffling through Gainesville in the mid-1990s is rich with UF-related mentions: “free Hare Krishna food,” “Gator Plaza,” “pumps on the corner of 13th and University Avenue,” “… they cross University and limp onto the University of Florida.”

The Drifter (2017): The debut novel by Christine Lennon (BA ’92) tells the story of a decades-long friendship between UF sorority sisters. She mentions the Plaza of the Americas, Emerson Alumni Hall and other campus staples.

A Death in Live Oak (2018): James Grippando’s (BA ’80, JD ’82) novel is about a brutal murder of the president of a Black UF fraternity. The main suspect is the president of a rival, all-white fraternity. Grippando writes: “Tubing down the Ichetucknee … has been a veritable rite of passage for generations of students from the University of Florida …” The book also references “90,000 screaming fans” at Florida Field for football games.

The Judge’s List (2021): In John Grisham’s bestselling legal thriller, respected Pensacola judge Ross Bannick is a brilliant and cunning serial killer who brings the term “holding a grudge” to a whole new lethal level. He also happens to be a UF graduate.

This and That

Blondie (1930-): The iconic comic strip featuring Dagwood and Blondie Bumstead included a nod to UF in October 1999. The strip shows the Bumsteads driving through campus, with obvious drawings of University Auditorium and Century Tower. Not coincidentally, the illustrator’s son, Devin Ledrun (BS ’01, ME ’03), was a UF student at the time.

Gatorade (1965-): All good Gators know the sports drink was developed at UF. A collection of commercials tout professor Robert Cade’s invention and its ties to the university. What we might not all know is that PepsiCo markets Gatorade in 80 counties, making it a global sensation and fortifying the university’s place on the world stage.

John Titor (2000-2001): This one is way, way out there. The fictitious Titor was a self-described time traveler from the year 2036. He gained Internet fame posting predictions for the future: a U.S. civil war starting in 2004 and ending in 2015, for instance. He claimed to have been educated at the University of Florida — which, by 2036, he said, will be a fort.

“Don’t Tase Me, Bro” (2007): The short-lived catchphrase originated from a campus incident involving guest speaker Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. During the Q&A portion of Kerry’s lecture, then-student Andrew Meyer (BS ’08) confronted him, and university police pulled Meyer from the microphone. When he struggled, an officer took out a stun gun. Meyer pleaded, “Don’t tase me, bro.” “New Oxford American Dictionary” later chose “tase” Word of the Year.

New York Times Crossword (2023): Need more proof UF is a pop culture juggernaut? The popular New York Times Mini Crossword had this clue in a March 2023 puzzle: “_____ Nation, nickname for University of Florida alumni.”