ROTTEN TOMATOES: "Fez" Joins the California Highway Patrol

"Fez" Joins the California Highway Patrol

by Scott Weinberg | December 08, 2005

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Wilmer "Fez" Valderrama is set to star in the big-screen adaptation of the 70's cop show "Chips." Whether or not this project will be any better than the big-screen adaptation of the 80's car-fest "The Dukes of Hazzard" is anyobdy's guess.

"Wilmer Valderrama will star as motorcycle cop Ponch in Warner Bros. Pictures' big-screen version of "CHiPs." The studio has just acquired the rights for the TV series and has set Paul Kaplan and Mark Torgove to adapt. Erik Estrada famously originated the Ponch role in "CHiPs," which ran on NBC in the late 1970s and followed the adventures of California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers Francis "Ponch" Poncherello and Jon Baker. Larry Wilcox played Baker. The show had a serious macho tone, but over the years has achieved a cheesy, cult status. Sources say the project was built around the involvement of Valderrama, best known as Fez on "That '70s Show.""

Related Items

Celeb:	Wilmer Valderrama
	Erik Estrada
	Larry Wilcox
Movie:	The Dukes of Hazzard
	CHiPs '99

(1-10 of 10 posts) | Reply

Aoiboy writes:
on Dec 08 2005 02:41 AM

When a project is built around "Fez" you know what to expect... I think this is going to be a remake-spoof � la "Starsky & Hutch". Valderrama has comedic talent; I can only foresee a mild success if that is the way the producers want to go with this flick.

(Reply to this)

brave.sir.rob writes:
on Dec 08 2005 06:13 AM

[b]Haven't they done this already?[/b]
How many times did they use Fez to spoof CHiPs on That 70's Show? Just a couple of cutscenes pretty much dried up that well. A full feature? Riiiiight...

(Reply to this)

Nemesis8704 writes:
on Dec 08 2005 06:53 AM

In reply to this comment (#828622)
actually, it was on MADtv a while back...

(Reply to this)

Prosper761 writes:
on Dec 08 2005 09:39 AM

Why, oh why do studios insist on turning cheesy TV shows from the 70's into even cheesier movies? I know there are talented screenwriters with original ideas out there. I suppose the number-crunching idiots running the studios are either too lazy to look for new ideas or too stupid to recognize that lame remakes and even lamer TV-inspired feature films are the real culprits in the recent box-office slump.

(Reply to this)

245_trioxin writes:
on Dec 08 2005 09:45 AM

so................is this also going to be made by "broken lizard"? the dukes movie wasn't that great and neither was starsky and hutch. eh.

thomas of the living dead

(Reply to this)

D79 writes:
on Dec 08 2005 05:23 PM

lemme guess, sean william scott will play baker...also coming soon; the fall guy movie, the knight rider movie, the simon & simon movie, and tj hooker movie.

(Reply to this)

Dog Star Rising writes:
on Dec 09 2005 08:06 AM

Take away "That '70s Show" and he already has Erik Estrada's post CHiPs career, so I suppose its a perfect fit.

(Reply to this)

kid_red writes:
on Dec 09 2005 08:57 AM

What I don't understand is where they think Starsky and Dukes did well? Did they? I can't believe those crap fests did well money wise, I just refuse to accept that. THe negative about both movies is that neither stayed true to the hit show! They were hollywoodized and thus bastardized.

(Reply to this)

scottybarkbark writes:
on Dec 09 2005 12:17 PM

starsky and hutch was at least far better than dukes of hazzard. at least it had actuall actors

(Reply to this)

chp16a95 writes:
on Nov 13 2007 06:32 PM

Another one bites the dust.
Y
ou gotta admit that at least CHiPs was good for the era that it came from. I mean let's face it, life today is nothing like life in the 1970's. I mean hey, even leisure suits were popular (but not the Brandmeier kind of Leisure Suits).

And look what CHiPs did for the CHP? If it wasn't for CHiPs, the whole motor program would have been scrapped. But because all of these guys at that time wanted to be motor officers like the Jon and Ponch characters; the motor program was saved and gave the CHP a real shot in the arm.

Now, let's look at the format of the show. You had your bad guys, the story opens up, you get some back round, and at the end the bad guy gets caught. And there is a lesson for kids in CHiPs that if you screw up, you're gonna get busted. Nothing like that on TV today. After all, we see mind trash on TV today. You've got That 70's Show (pot heads-where's the lesson?), My Name Is Earl (Where's the lesson), and so on. Sure it was cheesy by todays' standards, but back in 1977 it was real TV. It was gripping on the edge chair stuff. Look at the wrecks, chases, and more. Heck, they ruined 25 Kaw Police bikes per episode.

Okay, I'll get off of the soap box. But, kudos to guys like Rick Rosner, Larry Wilcox, Erik Estrada, and a cast of who knows how many who brought this show into our homes every week until 1982. It's only too bad that egos got bruised, and story lines dried up. Not to mention the bad press and PR from the arrest of Tom Reilly. Way to go on that one Tom. But look at where people are today. Larry Wilcox is running UC Hub, Erik Estrada is getting more roles in mainstream entertainment, and other cast members have moved on.

But, three questions. Where are they going to find vintage Kawasaki Police Model C motorcycles?

Is the CHP really going to let it's agency be portrayed like this (if the movie is actually a spoof?) After all, all movies, television, and etc. have to get CHP approval before going into production.

How do I get a role in this flick? I ride and restore Kaw Police bikes and act on the side.

(Reply to this)

Related Links

Wilmer Valderrama

Related Articles

Most Discussed

Latest News

Latest Interviews

Latest Features

Sponsored Links