In Theaters 38 Years Ago, The Worst E.T. Knockoff Bombed At The Box Office But Became An MCU Star’s Favorite Recurring Joke

Few movies are as iconic as E.T. Released in theaters in the summer of 1982, Stephen Spielberg’s blockbuster about an extraterrestrial trying to return home opened to critical acclaim, earning over $700 million at the box office and pulling four Academy Awards. It’s no surprise then that many filmmakers wanted to cash in on E.T.’ssuccess. Perhaps there’s no more egregious example than Mac and Me, a knockoff movie that released 38 years ago.

“Following the friendship between a wheelchair-bound boy and his alien friend, Mac, Mac and Me was a box office bomb, earning $6 million against a $13 million budget. Critics tore it apart for its blatant copying of E.T. and unsubtle product placement, leading to the film being nominated for “Worst Picture” at the Razzies. It was this negative reception, however, that would lead Mac and Me to a cult following; where most knock-off films often fade into obscurity, Mac and Me has found further relevance thanks to a running joke from MCU actor Paul Rudd, who uses a scene from the film to bait-and-switch Conan O’Brien.

Mac and Me Could Never Be E.T.

The success of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial in 1982 would lead many filmmakers to try and emulate it. Such was the case with the now-infamous Mac and Me, released 6 years later on August 12th, 1988. But where E.T. had the benefit of a heartfelt story and strong direction, Mac and Me was a shallow imitation of what made that film work. Mac and Me centers on Mac (short for “mysterious alien creature”), whose family arrives on Earth seeking water. After being separated from his family, Mac meets Eric, a boy in a wheelchair. The rest of the film follows the two as they attempt to reunite Mac with his family and hide him from the FBI.

On its surface, the plot sounds identical to E.T., and for many, that was the film’s biggest issue. Critics like Roger Ebert blasted Mac and Me, criticizing the film for doing the same exact thing as Stephen Spielberg, but in a much inferior way. When it comes to Mac himself, described by Ebert as being “a cross between E.T. and Yoda,” he radiated none of the warmth or empathetic qualities that E.T. did. In fact, Mac is downright ugly to look at.

And then there’s the matter of the film’s product placements. One of its climactic scenes takes place in a McDonald’s, leading to an unsubtle appearance from Ronald McDonald himself and ads for Coca-Cola plastered everywhere. Even Mac seems to be short for “Big Mac.” In this way, it makes Mac and Me even worse, as it’s not only ripping off E.T., it’s transforming an original idea into nothing more than a bad commercial.

Paul Rudd Turned Mac and Me Into His Favorite Running Gag

The poor reception of Mac and Me would lead to failure at the box office and cancellation of a planned sequel. Mac and Me wasn’t forgotten, however: it gained a cult following for being “so bad it’s good.” A large reason for that can be blamed on an unexpected source: actor Paul Rudd. Since 2004, the Ant-Man actor has been using Mac and Me to prank TV host and comedian Conan O’Brien, promising a clip from one of his movies, only to show a scene from Mac and Me.

The first instance of Rudd’s gag stems from an interview on Late Night with Conan O’Brien from February 6th, 2004. As fans were anticipating the series finale of popular sitcom Friends, Rudd revealed he had an early sneak peek of the episode. As Conan rolls it, what plays out is not a scene from Friends, but a clip from Mac and Me, in which Eric rolls off a cliff in his wheelchair as Mac watches on in shock.

It’s a hilarious bait-and-switch, especially given that the clip itself is so ridiculous. Watching that initial interview, Conan is understandably confused by it, but he laughs it off. Little could he have guessed at the time, however, that Rudd would continue doing the gag, playing that same scene from Mac and Me in every subsequent interview on the show. Today, Paul Rudd has pulled the joke nearly 30 times over the past 20 years. It’s gotten to the point that if Rudd is anywhere near Conan, fans can expect Mac and Me to get involved.

38 years later, as we look back on the failure of Mac and Me, Paul Rudd’s favorite running gag may be all it’s remembered for. All things considered, it’s not the worst legacy to leave behind. Thanks to Paul Rudd, Mac and Me continues to make people laugh. Not bad for a blatant E.T. knockoff.