A Brief History of the Laxative Gag in Movies

Ah, laxatives. It’s a comedic device as old as the frontier, or at least that’s what Seth MacFarlane would have us believe in A Million Ways to Die in the West. His Western spoof was a bust at the box office this weekend, but that wasn’t from lack of a scatological gag. To be clear, no one actually dies from laxatives in the movie. But at one point (minor spoiler), Charlize Theron’s Anna secretly sprinkles some bowel loosener into the libation of the mustachioed Foy (Neil Patrick Harris), foe to her pal Albert (MacFarlane). Explosive defecation into top hats follows. If the scenario sounds familiar, it’s because, well, these:

Dumb and Dumber (1994) 
Victim: Harry (Jeff Daniels)
Assailant: Lloyd (Jim Carrey)
Motive: Romantic rivalry
Laxative Used: Turbo Lax
Method Delivered: Tea
Explosive defecation location: Romantic interest’s bathroom with broken toilet

American Pie (1999)
Victim: Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas)
Assailant: Stifler (Seann William Scott)
Motive: Romantic rivalry 
Laxative Used: Penta Lax
Method Delivered: Mochaccino
Explosive defecation location: Girls’ bathroom

Van Wilder (2002)
Victim: Richard (Daniel Cosgrove)
Assailant: Gwen (Tara Reid)
Motive: Unfaithfulness; all-around jackassery
Laxative Used: Mega Colon Blow
Method Delivered: Protein shake
Explosive defecation location: A trashcan

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Bringing Down the House (2003)
Victim: Peter (Steve Martin), though it was intended for Mrs. Arness (Joan Plowright)
Assailant: Charlene (Queen Latifah)
Motive: Mistreatment
Laxative Used: Unknown brand
Method Delivered: Dinner plate
Explosive defecation location: Off-screen
(Clip not available, so you’ll have to watch the whole movie again. Or maybe don’t.) 

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Wedding Crashers (2005)
Victim: Sack (Bradley Cooper)
Assailant: John (Owen Wilson)
Motive: General jackassery and romantic rivalry
Laxative Used: Eye drops (connoisseurs of crap will recall that this method was also used to less comic effect in Mission: Impossible)
Method Delivered: Wine
Explosive Defecation Location: Off-screen after he rushes from the dining room
(Clip embed not available, but go here to see it.)

Little Man (2006)
Victim: Calvin (Marlon Wayans)
Assailant: Also Calvin
Motive: He thought it was alcohol?
Laxative Used: Unknown brand
Method Delivered: Self-administered
Explosive Defecation Location: His pants

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (2009)
Victim: Tucker (Matt Czuchry) and Connie (Traci Lords)
Assailant: Chubby Interloper* (Amanda Bosley)
Motive: Could be so many reasons
Laxative Used: Eye drops (inspired by Wedding Crashers)
Method Delivered: Beer bottle
Explosive defecation location: Hotel toilet, then hotel lobby as well as two additional toilets
*Actual character name

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The Other Woman (2014)
Victim: Mark (Nicolas Coster-Waldau)
Assailant: Carly (Cameron Diaz)
Motive: Three-timing (or was it four-timing?)
Laxative Used: Unknown brand
Method Delivered: Cocktail
Explosive defecation location: His pants
(Clip not available; but we’ll be sure to alert you once it is.)

Photo credits: © Everett Collection, © iwatchstuff.com