Paul Thomas Anderson, known for his cinematic expertise and artistic vision, made a notable foray into comedy long before his current work with Leonardo DiCaprio on One Battle After Another. In 2000, Anderson directed a peculiar Saturday Night Live short featuring Ben Affleck, who was at the height of his early stardom. This collaboration is a fascinating glimpse of Anderson’s lesser-known comedic side alongside a star who later played Batman.
By that time, Anderson had already earned acclaim with his breakout films Boogie Nights and Magnolia, both of which revealed his bold storytelling style and distinctive filmmaking craft. Simultaneously, Ben Affleck was becoming one of Hollywood’s most talked-about actors following his success with Good Will Hunting. Their creative paths briefly intersected on SNL, producing a short film that reflected both their rising profiles and unconventional talents.
The Unique Energy of Anderson’s Direction in His Early Years
In the early 2000s, Paul Thomas Anderson was recognized as a passionate and sometimes overenthusiastic film buff who immersed himself in all genres. His films from this period, especially Boogie Nights and Magnolia, showcase a high-energy, kaleidoscopic visual style filled with vibrant music and rapid camera movements. This exuberance translated into his work on the SNL project, where his experimental approach was evident even in a short comedic sketch.
Ben Affleck, on the other hand, was just beginning to navigate his celebrity status, having starred in notable movies like Chasing Amy and Armageddon. As a friend and creative peer of Matt Damon, Affleck’s acting range was broadening, though public opinion was often divided. Anderson’s ability to extract nuanced performances from actors, as later seen with stars like Mark Wahlberg and Daniel Day-Lewis, hinted at the potential of their collaboration.
Their joint effort on the SNL short titled Fanatic, aired in February 2000 during an episode hosted by Affleck, was further influenced by Anderson’s personal connection to that night’s musical guest, Fiona Apple. This link helped bring the acclaimed filmmaker into the fresh comedic environment of Saturday Night Live.
The Surreal and Unsettling Nature of “Fanatic”
Fanatic is a brief but intense SNL short featuring Ben Affleck as Jason, a deeply obsessed fan of late model Anna Nicole Smith. Encouraged by Jimmy Fallon’s boisterous character, Jason fantasizes about meeting Smith, hoping it will save him from suicidal thoughts. The encounter quickly turns unsettling as Jason, impacted by his braces and childlike speech, attempts an awkward kiss and bizarrely asks Smith to be his surrogate mother. The Goo Goo Dolls’ instrumental song Iris plays quietly throughout the sketch, adding to its eerie atmosphere.
This short film can be seen as a precursor to the digital shorts popularized later by The Lonely Island, representing a tradition of high-profile comedic filmmakers contributing to SNL’s legacy. Such short films had previously attracted talents like Albert Brooks, Robert Altman, Noah Baumbach, Christopher Guest, and Adam McKay. Anderson’s participation fits into this lineage, albeit with his distinctive directorial stamp.
The production style of Fanatic reinforces its unsettling vibe. Shot with a grungy, handheld approach reminiscent of early MTV reality shows, the poor-quality prints that circulate today enhance the feeling of raw, almost illicit footage documenting a man unraveling mentally. Although Anderson is typically a guardian of traditional film techniques, this short reveals his willingness to explore experimental visuals.
The sketch overwhelms the viewer with fragmented energy, employing slow-motion sequences, black-and-white clips, archival footage, and overlapping dialogue. This frantic style contrasts with Anderson’s later, more measured films like The Master and Phantom Thread. Fans of Boogie Nights might notice parallels, particularly with Affleck’s portrayal resembling Philip Seymour Hoffman’s quirky character Scotty J, who anxiously develops feelings for Mark Wahlberg’s Dirk Diggler.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Complex Relationship with Humor
Anderson’s personal ties in the entertainment world and his love for comedy explain his involvement in a lowbrow, offbeat sketch like Fanatic. He later worked with comedian Adam Sandler on Punch-Drunk Love, guiding Sandler into a darkly comedic dramatic role that highlighted Anderson’s appreciation for nuanced comedy. Additionally, two longtime SNL writers, Robert Smigel and Jim Downey, made cameos in Anderson’s films Punch-Drunk Love and There Will Be Blood, showing his embedded connection to the show’s comedic heritage.
Though Fanatic may appear crude and on-the-nose, it encapsulates a central element of Anderson’s movies: the use of humor to reveal deeper, sometimes bleak themes. For instance, There Will Be Blood is both a harsh critique of American capitalism and a showcase of Daniel Day-Lewis’s unique comedic timing, as he delivers his character’s menacing lines with a booming, exaggerated voice. Anderson’s characters often portray lonely, fragile individuals on the verge of breakdowns, paralleling the troubled fan in Fanatic.
Looking back, the SNL short is exactly what one might expect from Paul Thomas Anderson’s erratic and experimental style, especially given his creative fingerprints all over the project. While it is a cultural artifact from a different time on Saturday Night Live, the sketch stands out as an example of Anderson’s boldness and willingness to push boundaries creatively.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. How long did Fiona Apple date Paul Thomas Anderson?
A. He was in a relationship with musician Fiona Apple from 1997 to 2002. In 2020, Apple mentioned he struggled with anger during their time together. She recalled incidents when he threw a chair and pushed her out of his car. Apple felt both scared and emotionally numb at times during the relationship.
Q. How old was Paul Thomas Anderson when he did Boogie Nights?
A. I’m always amazed that Paul Thomas Anderson created Boogie Nights when he was just 27 years old. This fact becomes even more impressive when you see old interviews of a young, slightly nerdy-looking Anderson talking about the film.
