Meet Wally Sparks

Meet Wally Sparks is a 1997 American comedy film directed by Peter Baldwin, written by Harry Basil and Rodney Dangerfield. It stars Dangerfield in the title role, with Debi Mazar, Michael Weatherly, Cindy Williams, Alan Rachins, Burt Reynolds and David Ogden Stiers costarring.

Plot
Wally Sparks (Rodney Dangerfield) is the host of a sleazy tabloid-style TV talk show who makes Jerry Springer seem gentle by comparison. His show has become so foul that he's alienated his not-especially-discriminating viewers, and his ratings are taking a nosedive.

Lenny Spencer (Burt Reynolds), head of the network carrying his show, gives Wally an ultimatum—he has a week to clean up the content and boost his ratings, or his show gets cancelled.

Wally's producer, Sandy Gallo (Debi Mazar), comes up with an idea—Floyd Preston (David Ogden Stiers) is the governor of Georgia and a staunch conservative known for his attacks on the lowbrow content of Wally's show, so what better way to demonstrate that Wally is trying to change his ways than to have Preston on the show as a guest?

In order to persuade Preston to appear, Wally attends a reception at the Governor's Mansion, where he makes the mistake of participating in a drunken game of strip poker with Preston's wife, Emily (Cindy Williams), while somehow involving himself in a plot to blackmail the Governor. Further complications ensue when Wally's son, Dean (Michael Weatherly), begins a romantic relationship with the Governor's daughter (Lisa Thornhill).

Cast

 * Rodney Dangerfield as Wally Sparks
 * Debi Mazar as Sandy
 * Michael Weatherly as Dean Sparks
 * Cindy Williams as Emily Preston
 * Alan Rachins as Judge Randel Williams
 * Burt Reynolds as Lenny Spencer
 * David Ogden Stiers as Governor Floyd Preston
 * Lisa Thornhill as Priscilla Preston
 * Glenn Walker Harris, Jr. as Robby Preston
 * Eamonn Roche as Alan Miller
 * Lenny Clarke as Joey
 * Rita McKenzie as Helen Williams
 * Mark L. Taylor as Harvey Bishop
 * Gilbert Gottfried as Harry Karp
 * Julia Sweeney as Martha Karp
 * George Wallace as Bartender
 * Sandy Helberg as Commercial director
 * Sir Mix-a-Lot as Rapper announcer
 * Ron Jeremy as Pornographic actor
 * Tony Danza as New York cab driver
 * Barry Nolan as Reporter #1
 * John Melendez as Reporter #2
 * Karen Duffy as Reporter #3
 * Lewis Arquette as Cardinal
 * Lesley-Anne Down as Hooker nurse
 * Michael Rooker (uncredited)

Michael Bolton, Jay Leno, Geraldo Rivera, Roseanne, Jerry Springer, Morton Downey, Jr., Sally Jessy Raphael, Alana Stewart, Rolonda Watts, John Henson, Tim Allen, Bob Saget, and George Hamilton appear as themselves.

Box office
Meet Wally Sparks opened in 1,552 venues on January 31, 1997 and ranked number 13 in the domestic box office in its opening weekend, earning $2,131,001. At the end of its run, the film grossed $4,073,582.

Critical reception
The film received largely negative reviews from critics. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports that only 14% (2 of 14 reviews) gave the film a positive review.