Ben Stein as Economic Teacher in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"

Monotone Delivery

[@annagarcia623]

Ben Stein was not meant to be on screen, but as he read the script off screen, the student extras were laughing so much, Hughes asked him to teach a real lesson on camera even though he was not an actor. Stein said the kids were laughed because it was so boring - he came home saying it was one of the happiest days of his life. Love how this worked in the film.

[@Savagewolver]

Stein seems like an awesome person to be around. He’s spent years as the smart guy with the funny voice, but people have really come to appreciate his intellect which I appreciate. Dude deserves respect.

[@missqueenbeezk]

That what made me love this movie so much!

[@INDLIS]

He was on The Mask, Casper and of course the Original Wonder Years

[@INDLIS]

He was on The Mask, Casper and of course the Original Wonder Years

[@stevis8264]

John Hughes told Ben Stein to teach something that he knew. The result was this scene with a classroom full of students bored out of their minds. Comedy gold!

[@marioiacolucci]

The students are stoned

[@tylerwedell3750]

Thats exactly right.

[@stevenmeengs5586]

Love it!!

[@Simonellistitches]

Just listened to Ben say there was no script and John Hughes told him to improvise whatever he wanted as if he was really teaching an economics class 😂😂

[@joel8583]

Those poor kids. They sure looked miserable!

[@jkholtgreve]

Much like how R Lee Ermey improvised the dialogue in Full Metal Jacket, though I believe there it was improvised, then written and performed verbatim so they could block and shoot it properly.

[@marktabla5434]

Showed this clip to my kids on their first day of school. 35 years later, it still resonates.

[@AbrahamLincoln4]

what was their reaction

[@triclon]

Back when I taught, we were encouraged to constantly query the class for answers to keep them engaged. Ben Stein knows what to do.

[@codswallop321]

In my teacher training, this very clip was used to show us how not to do it!

[@rachelle_banks]

@@codswallop321 Amen

[@chadr.1340]

That chalkboard scrape at 1:40 makes my cry every time it is so hilarious.

[@johnp4008]

Right. I was lucky enough to be 19 when the movie came out & I believe that moment had me spitting my soda.

[@AbrahamLincoln4]

the only thing that cried was my ears

[@eggomaniac289]

Am I the only one who found this interesting?

[@robert-rv8lo]

yes you are

[@scott4170]

@@acccs659 Shut up the joke is literally just that he has a monotone voice and is teaching something most teenagers dont find interesting

[@reece3067]

Yes.

[@kingofdeath9012]

Yes

[@kingofdeath9012]

@@acccs659 it's not his experience, teaching styles or education that makes him boring. It's his monotone voice and bland teaching that makes him boring.

[@tomfriel2728]

Ben Stein should be an energy vampire in What We Do In The Shadows

[@willsjaime]

Something D O O economics... Best line ever. rofl.

[@garylobo348]

Yes the Senior Bush hated Reagan's VooDoo economics. Until he became his VP, that is.

[@Gynecologist]

Funny how he ad libbed a class where he was asking for class participation. That pretty much sealed the deal for the scene. Zero responses.

[@danielhoover2394]

I know we make fun of Ben Stein, but I for one love this guy and would love to sit through one of his lectures and learn a bunch of stuff.

[@peterkrug4124]

Never trust a guy to teach you anything if he is a creationist.😛😜🤪😝

[@ceilconstante640]

@@peterkrug4124 Evolution is a lie

[@Savagewolver]

@@peterkrug4124 someone needs to go back to school.

[@kenlandon6130]

@@peterkrug4124 never trust anyone to teach you anything out of their area of expertise

[@kenlandon6130]

@@Savagewolver creationism is religious dogma not science

[@rocketsurgery912]

I’m 33 years old, just going to college for the first time, and I have a chemistry teacher juuuuuuust like this. Whew, this is going to be brutal. 5 hour class, too.

[@madmystic7931]

Lol!! Great thing your starting though I as well am starting college next semester at 26. What do you plan on studying? If you don't mind me asking

[@rocketsurgery912]

I’m just getting my gen ed classes out of the way right now, but then I’ll be going into the nursing program. How about you, what’s the plan?

[@P1983sche]

5 hour class? Yeah right. Probably a 2 hour lecture and a 3 hour lab right? There’s no way he’s lecturing for 5 straight hours. Get out of town...

[@eggomaniac289]

@Rocket Surgery How did the semester go?

[@normanbates2486]

I had a teacher with a monotone voice in my Jr year, thought it would be hell, but as it turns out he was one of the funniest teachers I've ever had... I remember once he was saying "Thursday Im not going to be here-" I cut him off yo say "Where are you gonna be?", without missing a beat he said "I have a date with your mom"... I laugh about it to this day, 20+ years later

[@ThioJoe]

This is way funnier knowing he completely improvised the lesson and when the crew literally applauded him afterwards, he thought it was because they were thankful for learning so much 💀

[@dddripz]

Didn't expect to see Joe here randomly 💀

[@hexistenz]

Seriously? 😂😂😂

[@peterkrug4124]

If no one had said anything, would the teacher have just kept saying "Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?" until class was over?

[@itsjustnopinionok]

These kids are now grand parents.

[@quartratic2389]

Steven C No they’re not. They were highschoolers in 86.

[@ilovemusicnbabes1089]

This movie is 30 years old. Some prolly are but they’re like 55.

[@codswallop321]

I was 15 in 1986, and no, I'm not (yet) a grandparent...

[@DR-mq1vn]

Nope! I was the same age as these kids. I was a teenager when this movie came out. Saw it in the theater. I'm 52. Not a grandparent yet.

[@zpushy633sora]

You're a liar

[@jayfelsberg1931]

It is interesting that Ben Stein covers the Laffer Curve because his economist dad, Herbert Stein (who I knew when I interned at the American Enterprise Institute in early 1981) hated supply side economics.

[@uruiamnot]

Fun fact: Simone Adamley is *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* (Kristy Swanson), and, like Ben Stein, is a Republican. "Um, he's sick. My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious."

[@christina12311979]

lmao.

[@garylobo348]

Boy was she hot! And her little speech was soooo HIGH SCHOOL!😂

[@primak3655]

😄 the drool. Always got me 😄

[@MattInTaiwan]

Lmao at the fact there’s like 20 kids with “a” named before “bueller” and then the next kid alphabetically is “fry”

[@sn7miller]

I wish my professors, high school and in college were this nice as to ask the students a question, give up in .05 second and then give the answer; instead, i got teachers that said "Mr Miller...please stand up. Can you answer this question?..go ahead and freeze, i have all the time in the world. You and the class will stay here until YOU give the right answer"

[@spiritof6663]

Yes, I had a high school Spanish teacher who was just like this. Even worse, she would ask the question in expert Spanish and then you had to stand up in front of the class and answer her, and like with you, you couldn't sit down until you gave the right answer, which would often involve total embarrassment as she corrected each wrong word or mispronunciation in front of everyone and then made you say it again until you got it exactly right. I lived in terror of that class every day.

[@samuelbarber6177]

It must take a lot of effort to desperately not react. I’m not even joking, that is actually impressive.

[@Lurker1979]

John Hughes told Ben to act like he was giving one of his economic lessons he would give to his college students.

[@sirmoros8951]

My APUSH teacher did a solid impression of the teacher for like half the block. Best teacher ever!

[@Wyrmwould]

I practically had this movie memorized as a kid.

[@ScottyNapaa]

when i was the students' age my behavior would have been exactly like theirs, now i read up on economic shit like the laffer curve in my spare time for fun...

[@reece3067]

Im 13 and this is deep

[@rigrag7876]

I'm 19 now and I did absolutely nothing during most classes apart from daydream but when it came to exams I'd revise and do well. Now during the coronavirus and staying a home for months all I've done is read up on economics, finance and history for fun like you.

[@mapleham5633]

old head

[@oilersridersbluejays]

37 years old and I’m practically the same. I couldn’t hardly give a crap about economics, politics, or history and now they are my main talking points.

[@wiisalute]

Ben stein always with that Stephen Wright voice

[@TurtleSauceGaming]

"Hello is your mother home?" This guy's cadence is just hilarious.

[@gastonforde2121]

He did the voice of the Pixies from Fairly Oddparents.

[@laurieschultz1494]

Ben Stein’s best work. Such a classic

[@jasonlieberman4606]

Like half the students have last names starting with an A. This class is alphabetically top-heavy.

[@wemartin12]

That might have been a separate homeroom class.

[@OldSparks]

Top-heavy women are great

[@johnnyb9591]

The best part of the movie for me. Ben Stein is that great

[@davidmehnert6206]

This is off the Laffer curve ... deep voo-doo comedy gold .... 💰

[@martlet530]

This economic lesson should now be a Public Service Announcement and broadcast frequently for the benefit of Washington politicians. Please note that Ben Stein was a speech writer for Presidents Nixon and Ford. Also the lesson was unscripted and composed completely by Mr Stein as the camera was rolling. Ben, if you are reading this - any chance you can visit Washington again to teach this lesson privately to anyone who doesn’t know the history on tariffs?

[@kenlandon6130]

It's not exactly rocket science. It is part of the AP US History curriculum and is taught in most high school on level history classes.

[@martlet530]

@@kenlandon6130 I sincere thanks for your reply, something I would have nodded in agreement prior to my comment. Perhaps AP US History should be a complementary course provided any future resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

[@joel8583]

That guy looking at Kristy Swanson is really into her! 0:28

[@07wrxtr1]

Relevant today with the China Tariffs.

[@andynowicki4532]

When you're young, you watch this scene and laugh at the teacher; when you grow up, you watch this scene and laugh at the kids.

[@weirdsearchhistory5876]

I hear that the best of his students would face off with the teacher in an academic showdown at the end of the year for a chance to win 5 grand of his money.

[@backstreetfan2887]

What I always wondered is why were there so many students in the class that had a last name that started with A. And then no one between B and F.

[@kellyhughes1489]

That was crazy, wasn't it? The A names just kept coming! 😆

[@garylobo348]

Actually there was 1 between B and F.... BUELLER? BUELLER?? BUELLER???

[@PERC_ANGLE.96]

I was getting a Harold Ramis vibe just watching this

[@garylobo348]

Boy I miss Harold. He called himself a Faux-Buddist, cause he was too lazy to be a real one.

[@davidmehnert6206]

1:03 « Ben Stein’s Monet »

[@c.simmons2147]

When they eventually come out with a remake, they should make the lesson about the Laffer Curve and its use in all the tax cuts that hurt the economy.

[@zregime]

And “they” should also cast you as the kid with drool coming out of yer mouth. 😂😂😂

[@elwoodblues9613]

Then they'd need to invent some fake evidence, because the tax cuts kept the money where the lower class could finally meet their obligations, the middle class could buy more things and stimulate the economy, and the rich people used the money to make more money and also needed to hire more people to meet the demand, resulting in a booming economy. What hurt the economy was the excessive spending by the politicians that gave us a national debt that they'll never be able to pay off.

[@jeffmotsinger8203]

The argument is over the shape of the curve, not its existence.

[@paulienuti8031]

I just saw this movie last night awesome movie

[@samthetank6762]

The real teacher from The Peanuts

[@tarp11z]

Hah! You should have a thousand likes. What's wrong with these people?

[@samthetank6762]

@@tarp11z they don't appreciate original clown made humor

[@BenJabituya]

"WHAA WHA WA WAH WA WAH!"

[@Lanijiro]

Love it!!

[@Mateo-et3wl]

Is that John Cusack drooling?

[@andrewkramer4021]

Ha haaa that girl at 1:24 leering at him like she hates his guts

[@yogurtcat.9607]

Oh it's Rosebud!

[@pleaseenteraname1103]

I can’t imagine you saying to him all day.

[@tofutoph]

0:12 a matrix reference before it existed lol

[@Nyrua]

Hawley Smoot Tariff act didn't work? How come?

[@garylobo348]

Generally tariffs don't work because the country being hit with them, they hit right back. Harder.

[@kittson8385]

0:46 oof

[@echolot]

Kristy Swanson was such a smokeshow

[@pk1645]

Who could find the Laffer Curve boring? Anyone? Anyone?

[@jeffoliver7491]

Loads of the kids here have surnames starting with A, this is written so there can be build up prior to him calling 'Bueller' - as he is obviously going alphabetically. Strange how there are no other B's and that the first B is towards the end of the B-scale and is a 'Bu'. It then jumps a huge distance down the alphabet to F, you hear him call 'Fry'. Odd that there's no C, D's or E's. Lol.

[@garylobo348]

Yeah. Real odd. 😂

[@TroyGoodwin]

Walker Bueller of The Dodgers brought me here.

[@victoruribe2465]

Today, it’s voodoo economics 2.0

[@KetwunsGamingPad]

Lol he didn't try hard to probe the questions to the class lol!

[@shigshug8581]

The older I get the more I understand.

[@TheMoni700]

Kids should be introduced to this kind of torture.

[@SOffenbach]

I high school teacher threw an eraser at me and hit me on the head because was reading the text book and not listening. My hair was covered in white chalk and everyone was laughing at me. Great role model teach. You left a scar in me for life.

[@carultch]

Sounds kind of like a middle school teacher I had, except she wouldn't throw erasers to punish you. She would have us read a textbook out loud to the whole class, and switch people in the middle of a paragraph with no known pattern of who she'd call on next, so that you'd have to pay attention to exactly where the reading place was. Even if the text tells you to go look at a picture, and you do, you'd still get in trouble if you weren't ready when she calls on you.

[@mpppolyglot2886]

this is like Ben Stein calling out CNN for fake news.

[@punkassbitchesstolemymuffl6420]

R A I S E D

[@kylestubbs8867]

Allegedly what Gym Leader Larry sounds like.

[@JadeAkelaONeal]

20 a's 1 b and then no C's, D's or E's lmao

[@joeyclemenza7339]

you know... you laugh, but this is actually really interesting lecture on reagan era econ policy and the trickle down economics that have become a corner stone of the republican party.

[@kbrewski1]

And was a complete failure as Bush and Ben Stein aptly pointed out. Lmao 🤣 The Laffer Curve is Trickle Down Economics. You must have failed Economics. 😂

[@garylobo348]

Yes and Bush the Elder calling it VooDoo economics. Until the Great Communicator tapped him to be his Veep, that is.

[@kbrewski1]

@garylobo348 Bush was right. You can't drastically cut taxes on the rich (while screwing the middle class and working man), drastically INCREASE Defense spending, and balance the budget. That's why the country went into a deep recession in the early 80s with very high unemployment. It didn't work.

[@LauraC-hq7sm]

I suppose all of these students are my parents age now. That was a real tongue twister what the blonde girl said. I wonder how many takes she had to do for that.

[@lisarodrigues6131]

Adams is my cousin.

[@michaelstetson8744]

Bring back Ben Stein's money!

[@GeorgeThomas-dt2up]

Teaching to future Trump voters.

[@JPMcFly1985]

0:14 Anderson looked more like a late 90s teen

[@tomfriel2728]

he should be an Energy Vampire

[@Gynecologist]

“Smoot”. Can’t make that stuff up

[@KonElKent]

Reed Smoot was the Senator from Utah who sponsored the Tariff Act of 1930.

[@garylobo348]

​@@KonElKentNice.

[@Arkae]

Is this the Beverly Hills Hotel?

[@David_7171]

Simone is cute. Teacher’s pet, but cute

[@rick3747]

Bueller, Bueller, Bueller.....

[@archdornan8013]

Hello my fellow truthers

[@tassymccormick]

This was all improvised

[@christina12311979]

0.13-0.19- LMAO!! poor kid.

[@INDLIS]

1:39 chalk

[@LouisL1963]

Anyone.. Anyone? 🤣🤣🤣 pmsl

[@BLUECHET]

Anyone ?

[@alextorres9832]

Ben stein say anyone anyone

[@moonshine588]

Is the the OG Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

[@uruiamnot]

Yes. ferrisbueller.fandom.com/wiki/Simone_Adamley Simone is the Slayer.

[@MarcDufresneosorusrex]

anyone?

[@P1983sche]

So. History is repeating itself. “Voodoo economics” and “Hawley-Smoot tariff” Trump fell asleep in this classroom. 😂

[@drakewalters2618]

NES 83’ it’s clear to see that you fell asleep in economics. He rose tariffs to challenge China’s dominance... not to raise tax revenue...

[@coashddjj294]

I'm not sure Obama got ANY economic classes in Kenya.

[@elwoodblues9613]

Since you wrote this, Creepy Joe has shown how to really tank the economy.

[@carultch]

@@coashddjj294 Obama didn't grow up in Kenya. Obama senior did, but he was dead, long before President Obama even became a state senator.

[@MrMisterChiliPepper88]

0:28 omg 😳 what??

[@lucaslopez2091]

this prof. hates his life

[@europa_bambaataa]

Something d o o economics

[@micaholson7293]

Anyone.....anyone.....great depression

[@elwoodblues9613]

Like we have in 2022, Son Of Great Depression.

[@garylobo348]

No one.

[@markhilbertrossetti1796]

Civil Procedure

[@jasminnemcdonald94A]

Welcome to Snoresville! Population: you.

[@yitz28]

Ben Stein must have the most boring voice ever.

[@zekecasperanddeadpoolzgroovyst]

(Ezekiel) Zeke Hamish Beckley: Indeed! Benjamin Jeremy Stein-(Ben Stein’s) voice is so boring it just makes me....💤💤💤💤💤💤

[@LouisL1963]

Pmsl..🤣🤣

[@Brandon-lw1wx]

01:10-01:39 What it’s like listening to Joe Biden make a speech.

[@elwoodblues9613]

except that Mr. Stein makes sense, and Creepy Joe is mumbling about, um, that thing.

[@fsmoura]

Joke's on them, the Laffer curve indeed _is_ voodoo hocus pocus positivist claptrap flawed right down at the epistemological level.

[@emw1994]

Not an argument

[@oilersridersbluejays]

Fair statement. I won’t disagree.

[@garylobo348]

You sound like the blonde girl in the clip and make about as much sense.