The Spaceballs Scene That Aged Poorly
Comedy legend Mel Brooks released his "Star Wars” parody "Spaceballs” in 1987. The film follows Lone Starr (Bill Pullman), who has gotten into some hot water with a notorious gangster called Pizza the Hutt (Dom DeLuise). In order to pay off his debt of 1 million space bucks, the mercenary and his friend, Barf (John Candy), a human-dog alien hybrid, help Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) escape the evil clutches of Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) and President Skroob (Mel Brooks). During this expedition, Lone Starr finds love and realizes he has the power of the Schwartz.
While "Star Wars" fans may have an appreciation for the comedy, "Spaceballs" does have its detractors, as evidenced by its middling critic's rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And like many Mel Brooks projects, the humor in the film is not the most politically correct. In particular, one moment toward the end of the movie involving Barf did not age well.
Barf makes a waitress uncomfortable
Following Lone Starr and Barf's departure from Princess Vespa's planet Druidia, they go to a diner called Gus's Galaxy Grill. The heroes sit at the counter and are greeted by a waitress (Dey Young). She asks if they would be interested in the "space soup or the space special." While Lone Starr decides on the soup, Barf leers at her. The mawg then unleashes a Freudian slip and says he wants to have "cleavage" for his meal, instead of the "special." The waitress does not seem to mind the slip-up and goes off to attend to other customers, who are seated behind Lone Starr and Barf. While she crouches down to take the table's order, the mawg wags his tail in rhythm to the music playing from the jukebox. In doing so, his tail repeatedly grazes the back of the waitress's upper thighs. She eventually tells him to "watch where [he is] sticking that thing." Barf does not apologize and asserts that it was not his intention to touch her inappropriately.
"Look, its got a mind of its own, sweetheart," says the alien with a laugh before letting out a howl. Lone Starr slaps his companion's arm in annoyance once the waitress leaves.
The scene is rather jarring as Barf had been presented as a loveable sidekick up until that point. The audience has to grapple with the fact that this goofy character does not have any remorse for making a woman uncomfortable at her workplace.