Christopher Guest Reveals the “Brutal” Backstage Dog Show Moment That He Couldn’t Include in ‘Best in Show’: “It’s Too Much”

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Despite the eccentricities shown by the dog owners in Christopher Guest‘s 2000 satire, “Best in Show,” there was one incident Guest learned about while investigating the ruthless realm of professional dog competitions that he deemed too outrageous for his movie.

It was mentioned that someone entered the backstage area just prior to the performance, carrying scissors for clipping, and trimmed some of the dog’s fur.

Or simply:

A person with scissors for clipping entered backstage just before the show and cut some of the dog’s hair.

The guest shared their thoughts after viewing a 25th anniversary screening of Best in Show at the 2025 Tribeca Festival: ‘That dog can’t be displayed for at least a year, such was its ordeal,’ they said. ‘They would ruthlessly trim large chunks from its fur, and that’s how cruel it was.’

Appearing taken aback by the disclosure, host Stephen Colbert inquired if the Guest had thought about incorporating that particular scene into the movie. The Guest responded affirmatively but eventually hesitated, feeling it was too distressing to include.

The writer-director pondered over it, but ultimately decided, ‘It’s just too excessive.’ And they found it truly abhorrent.

One of Guest’s films like “Best in Show,” is typically structured around a loose framework: while the basic plot and character histories are pre-written, the actual dialogues are mostly improvised.

Discussing their involvement in the said production, Jane Lynch and John Michael Higgins reminisced about their initial apprehension.

In the recollection of Lynch, who trained Jennifer Coolidge’s character’s white poodle in the film, it was their initial collaboration with Guest following Coolidge’s admiration for his past works such as “This Is Spinal Tap” and “Waiting for Guffman.”

Or simply:
Lynch, who trained Jennifer Coolidge’s character’s white poodle in the movie, remembered that they had first worked with Guest after Coolidge was a fan of his previous works like “This Is Spinal Tap” and “Waiting for Guffman.

Lynch expressed that both he and Coolidge were feeling anxious, but they were thankful to have one another. They engaged in numerous discussions about their characters and the dynamics between them, and frequently strolled through Stanley Park together.

Even though she had prepared herself, the fear from when Guest started filming was still vivid in her memory. “Nothing can truly prepare you for the moment Chris shouts ‘action,’ followed by the uninterrupted turning on of the camera.

Higgins remarked, “The first day feels like a cold plunge, and it might stay chilly for an entire week. Unlike a typical movie where there are rehearsals and various preparations, we jump right in here. I recall distinctly the hotel lobby where the cinematographer warned, ‘Please avoid this fern… Stand over there.’ … Chris then said, ‘Let’s start filming.’ … And that was real film, the money running through it.

Even though Higgins and Lynch were initially anxious, Best in Show turned out to be highly praised, earning a remarkable 93% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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2025-07-05 18:24