Engaging in conversations about celebrity crushes with your significant other and allowing them a “hall pass” to engage with that star if the opportunity arises—does it represent innocent fun or a path to trouble? This is the premise of a lively new comedy that humorously explores our societal fascination with fame and intimacy, featuring “Mad Men” actor Jon Hamm.
“We realized this is a topic couples joke about but rarely act upon,” shared David Wain, director and co-writer of “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass.” “I doubt anyone takes it seriously—yet that’s our playful concept: what if they actually did?”
While Wain’s latest film premiered to positive reviews at the Sundance Film Festival in January, it is filled with absurd humor and jokes. However, relationship experts caution that the reality of such arrangements could lead to serious issues for some couples—a sentiment Wain acknowledges. “Discussing who you’d like to sleep with, even in jest, might indicate underlying issues in your relationship,” he noted.
Released in theaters on Friday, “Gail Daughtry” resembles a bizarre, risqué twist on “The Wizard of Oz.” The lead character, portrayed by Zoey Deutch, is a Kansas hairdresser who once played Dorothy in a childhood play and now has a fondness for her own ruby red shoes. Gail faces a devastating blow before her upcoming wedding to her long-time partner Tom (Michael Cassidy) when she discovers him in flagrante with Jennifer Aniston (playing herself) after a book signing event. (In a humorous jab at the superficial nature of some celebrity cookbooks, Aniston is promoting a book titled “Straight Forward Suppers,” featuring recipes like “instant oatmeal” and “a bagel with cream cheese.”) Even after discussing Tom’s hall pass with Aniston just moments before, the reality of what she witnesses sends Gail spiraling: “I thought it was just a silly game! Not a reason to sleep with Rachel from ‘Friends!’”
After her heart is broken, Gail journeys to Los Angeles with her best friend Otto (Miles Gutierrez-Riley, who sports a bone-shaped earring reminiscent of Dorothy’s dog Toto). A psychic advises her that to “even the score” and “balance the dynamics” in her relationship, she needs to locate and sleep with her own celebrity crush (Hamm, who makes a delightfully self-deprecating cameo in the film’s climax). During her quest to connect with Don Draper, she enlists the help of a clueless talent agent (Ben Wang), a callous paparazzo whose ultimate goal is to capture a photograph of Hamm (Ken Marino, who co-wrote the film with Wain), and Hamm’s former “Mad Men” colleague John Slattery, who appears as a cowardly, washed-up version of himself.
Wain indicated that the roles of the two celebrity hall passes in his film were crafted with the intention of encouraging the actors to poke fun at themselves. As a seasoned comedy director who previously led projects like 2001’s “Wet Hot American Summer” and 2008’s “Role Models,” Wain noted that working with Hamm, Aniston, and other prominent stars has revealed that they generally recognize the importance of showcasing their allure to the audience. “It’s when it gets personal that they might feel uncomfortable, like when someone approaches them on the street with a proposition. Then they think, Wait, that’s not what I intended,” he commented. “However, that’s part of the game when you’re in the spotlight.”
Aniston’s cameo is particularly relevant, considering her famous show “Friends” played a significant role in popularizing the concept of a celebrity hall pass. In a 1996 episode of the NBC series, Rachel (Aniston) and her then-partner Ross (David Schwimmer) discuss with their friends which celebrities would be on their respective lists of individuals they could sleep with with their partner’s consent. At one point, Ross replaces Isabella Rossellini with Winona Ryder on his list, only to encounter the Italian-American model and actress at Central Perk at the episode’s conclusion. This idea of a hall pass was further popularized by the 2011 Farrelly brothers film “Hall Pass,” starring Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis as hapless husbands whose wives grant them a week off from their marital commitments.
Are celebrity ‘hall passes’ truly amusing?
Conversations about celebrity crushes or hall passes have become more common in numerous relationships, often just in a playful manner. A survey of 2,000 Britons conducted last year by the UK tabloid Daily Star revealed that 25% of couples had a “no-strings-attached” agreement to pursue a fling with a famous individual, with over half believing that discussing celebrity crushes signifies a healthy partnership. (Notably, Hamm did not rank among the top Hollywood heartthrobs in the survey, being outshone by Brad Pitt and George Clooney, while Margot Robbie and Blake Lively topped the list of desired celebrity women.)
Despite the frequent discussions surrounding hall passes, relationship specialists caution that some couples might be treading on dangerous ground. “I believe it’s unwise,” stated Carrie Cole, research director at the Gottman Institute, which trains therapists in relationship counseling. “People may talk about it, but the concept and the reality are vastly different.”
Cole recounted a case involving a couple who consented to make an exception in their otherwise monogamous relationship for one (non-celebrity) individual that one partner had fantasized about. “When it actually happened, it led to a multitude of hurt feelings,” Cole reflected. “It felt like a breach of the promises they had made to each other. It was as if, I agreed to this, but I never thought it would actually occur.”
Psychologist Alexandra Solomon, a professor at Northwestern University who specializes in marital studies and is the author of a series of relationship books, had a more favorable view of couples discussing celebrity hall passes. She believes such dialogues can be playful, harmless, or even exciting—provided there is a solid foundation of emotional security in the relationship. (Solomon recounted meeting Marisa Tomei at an event and playfully admitting to the Oscar-winning actress that she was her husband’s hall pass. Tomei was so gracious that she insisted they take a selfie together.)
“When couples feel content and emotionally secure, flirting with these fantasies can be quite thrilling,” Solomon remarked. “It can be enticing to think that our partner is not solely ours but also a complete individual with their own longings and dreams.”
By centering these fantasies around celebrities rather than acquaintances, it often introduces a “safety in distance,” Solomon added, as the likelihood of such encounters occurring is minimal—unless, of course, you’re Gail Daughtry.
“Do not actually give your partner a genuine pass,” Wain cautioned, “unless you are prepared to handle the fallout.”
