The B-Team

Just the opposite.

Weiss: "Some of the people we call, they say their kids are giant fans. Same with Dr. Phil. They're happy to do it. Fun for him and fun for his family."

Sometimes, though, those they approach are not so happy. They tried to get Don King. "His people didn't get it. They read the script and somehow they kept thinking we were going to cut his head off and they kept asking: 'Why would Mr. King appear in a movie where his head is cut off?' "

"I have no idea," Zucker says. The Zucker-Weiss formula also includes the liberal use of look-alikes. The duo explain that often they don't want the real person. "Why have Michael Jackson making fun of himself, because it is not as funny," says Zucker.

Ditto for Oprah. Mike Tyson. Tom Cruise. President Bush.

Or O.J. Simpson, who appeared in their "Naked Gun" movies as the dim bulb Detective Nordberg (before the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman).

A return cameo for the Juice?

Ummm. No. "How do we have O.J. back making fun of himself?" Zucker says. "See? It doesn't work."

Through the years, none of their targets has sued.

"Though we would have welcomed the lawsuit," Zucker says.

"Would have been good publicity." Alas, no filings. "It has never reached the point where it could have helped us," Zucker says. "They're smart enough to keep quiet."

Weiss: "We sound disappointed, don't we?"

Disappointment is a relative thing. The spoof genre is generally "critic-proof" fare. "Scary Movie 3" garnered $110 million in domestic box office sales. In all, their spoofs have grossed $446 million in the United States.

At the end of the interview, we gather our things and head toward the valet parking line. Zucker pauses. "Can you spin all this in the most favorable light?"

"We're not evil mercenaries," Weiss says.

"Make us seem erudite," Zucker suggests.

"Not complete illiterates," Weiss says.

"You know what reporters always like?" Zucker asks Weiss. "They like a little something," a way to end their articles, what's called a kicker. "Here's a little something."

He offers a crisp $20 bill.

When we play along, reach out, Zucker says, "You don't have any change, do you?"