I was in the pledge class with Kevin and the other members of the trip, and a good amount of the story actually took place. It all started because as a pledge class we had to learn all the stories of a previous pledge class that made a trip across the Mexican border to buy cheap gifts for the members as favors, a long held tradition.
One of the pledges, Steve Burkett, was a one man train wreck, spreading havoc and seriously setting relations between the USA and Mexico back about 100 years. Of course, the stories of the trip grew ever more exaggerated with each telling, so where the truth lay is known only to a few then 19 year olds with what I'm sure were alcohol infused memories.
Kevin (as well as the rest of us) laughed his ass off as we heard the stories told for the hundredth time, so by the time he got out of film school, he figured it would make a good movie.
The only character totally made up was the big dude, Dorman. As a side note, Kevin found the "actor" buying rolling papers and beer at a 7-11 and hired him on the spot. As I'm sure you've noticed, the guy has almost no dialogue, which is because he couldn't act his way out of a wet paper bag.
Phillip, the character played by Judd Nelson, was based on Kevin's best friend and roommate Phil Smith who actually wore aviator glasses but wasn't (and isn't) nearly as nerdy. Phil is now a financial planner in Houston and doing quite well. He' hit it big in the stock market and has a hot trophy wife, not that there's anything wrong with that.
Kenneth, played by Sam Robarts, called Waggoner in the film, is based on Tommy Waggoner, currently a very successful dentist in Waco. I'm actually brave enough to use his dental skills, in spite of the fact that we know each other's sordid past.
Lester Griffin, the character who spends almost the entire movie passed out in the back seat, is based on Joe Griffin, one of Kevin and Phil's closest friends, who just retired last month after being an extremely talented commercial photographer here in Waco.
The rest were based on characters Kevin dreamed up, although the skydiving story was basically true. They did that not as a dare to Phil but just because they thought it would be a good idea. They went to some "school" near San Marcos where I'm sure the lesson were just as sketchy, but I don't remember any of them mentioning the instructor being a stoner. And Phil's parachute operated properly, as he's all too happy to tell anyone who'll listen.
Just about everything else from Kevin picturing himself as a young Kevin Costner to the train ripping off the car bumper to the buried bottle of Dom was a product of his storytelling skill.
These are all great guys in person, and I'm proud to be their friend. If you run into any of them by chance, at homecoming or athletic event, just introduce yourself and say "Cookie Man" (my nickname when I pledged...don't ask) sent you.
And if you run onto Kevin, ask him if he still lights his farts!
Transmit5by9
Class of '74
