Comments on: Celluloid-stumper: The Cabinet

By: Mick OBrien

Mick OBrien — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:32:02 +0000

Why didn’t the movie just stick with real amount of members in the Reagan Cabinet when this movie made, which was 13. The US Gov never ever dismantles a governing body once its setup. It only grows larger. Today Obama has at least 15 Cabinet members, plus a slew of Cabinet-level bs agencies. Oh well, who cares it’s just a movie.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 12:38:17 +0000

In answer to your earlier question to me, he should have said “no” because he couldn’t name all the members of the Cabinet…no matter how many there were/are….
Isn’t that the Ockman’s Razor response?
:-)

By: David

David — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:48:02 +0000

Technically, Mel wins, as she was the first to answer my three questions, albeit in bits and pieces. In the world that James Brooks created, there were only 10 cabinet members, not 12.

Hats off to Dawn for nailing the full names of the characters, which I didn’t ask for… but big brownie points there.

Curiously, in 1987, when the film premiered, Ronald Reagan had 13 people in his Cabinet, not ten. And so, Tom would have been closer to the right answer than Aaron.

Presently, with the addition of Homeland Security and the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are 15 Cabinet members.

I believe that’s right… though I’m open to hearing someone else’s take, if I’ve miscounted somehow.

By: Dawn Lorraine

Dawn Lorraine — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 19:48:16 +0000

1.) Broadcast News

2.) A. Aaron Altman – Albert Brooks
B. Tom Grunick – William Hurt

3.) In 1987, Character B’s answer
should have been…”How can I
know all twelve when there are
only ten”.

I swear on my 1980 Tug McGraw autographed baseball…I did not google. I am intimately familiar with this film. We’ve all got one of those don’t we…for some reason you know and or remember everything from one of your favorites.

By: mel

mel — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 19:43:13 +0000

and there are only 10 cabinet members

By: mel

mel — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 19:40:34 +0000

The movie is Broadcast News and the Character of Aaron played by Albert Brooks is asking the question of William Hurt’s Character Tom. Tom should have said no he did not know the members of the cabinet because he sometimes just doesn’t GET the stories that he is reporting.

By: Deb

Deb — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 19:00:49 +0000

’cause there aren’t 12 members of the cabinet – but I forget the right number

By: David

David — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 18:35:40 +0000

Drew: Sure, partial credit is always there for the taking, but I’m not sure how far those bragging rights will take you at the water cooler.

Sarah: Almost there! Why should he have said “no”???

By: Drew Hicks

Drew Hicks — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 18:24:01 +0000

I remember it was from Broadcast News and I know William Hurt was in it. Can I get partial credit?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 18:18:29 +0000

Too easy…Movie is Broadcast News; Character A was played Albert Brooks; Character B was played by William Hurt. And he should have said “no.”
:-)