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By Josh Wolk
Josh Wolk
Josh Wolk
Josh Wolk is a senior writer at EW and the author of ''Cabin Pressure: One Man's Desparate Attempt to Recapture His Youth as a Camp Counselor''

The drag/race hit ''White Chicks'' -- which took in $27.2 million in its first five days -- conjures two feelings in audiences. First: creepy discomfort, spurred by Marlon and Shawn Wayans' immobile white-face prosthetics. (The brothers look less like white chicks than a cross between the masked Tom Cruise in ''Eyes Wide Shut'' and Andy Kaufman's robot in ''Heartbeeps.'') And second? An eerie deja vu, sparked by the film's recycled gags (hello, ''Tootsie''!). Here are a few that ''Chicks'' drags out, along with their predecessors.

Trilling ''Just a minute!'', guy scrambles into girl gear when actual woman knocks on door

''Bosom Buddies'' ''Mrs. Doubtfire''

Two men wake up snuggling in bed, look at each other, then scream

''Planes, Trains and Automobiles'' ''The Whole Ten Yards''

Black people help rich white people enjoy rap music

''Bringing Down the House'' ''Head of State''

Everyone falls for ruse, when in actuality main character looks nothing like the opposite sex

''Some Like It Hot'' ''Yentl'' ''Juwanna Mann''

Everyone falls for ruse, when in actuality main character looks nothing like the opposite race

''Soul Man'' ''The Associate''


Posted Jul 09, 2004 | Published in issue #773 Jul 09, 2004 | Order Article Reprints