Daniel LaRusso’s Fair-Weather Friend Freddy Fernandez

Let's Talk - Cobra Kai
Episode 155: Daniel LaRusso’s Fair-Weather Friend Freddy Fernandez

Jason Connell and Sal Rodriguez revisit the fair-weather friendship between Daniel Larusso and Freddy Fernandez, fellow South Seas neighbor and schoolmate, from The Karate Kid.

Recorded: 10-04-23
Studio: Just Curious Media
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Transcript

Jason Connell: 0:01

Whoa, just curious. Welcome to Just curious media. This is let's talk Cobra Kai. I'm Jason Connell.

Sal Rodriguez: 0:10

And I'm Sal Rodriguez.

Jason Connell: 0:12

All right, so we are back for another episode. Special episode. A fun episode all of the above a

Sal Rodriguez: 0:22

very special episode.

Jason Connell: 0:24

Very special. Very special.

Sal Rodriguez: 0:26

I love the word back. I'm always happy to be back. I'm always happy to be back. You and I were talking earlier today about momentum, how much we love momentum.

Jason Connell: 0:34

We do. We do and we lost it.

Sal Rodriguez: 0:36

But we are back.

Jason Connell: 0:38

So today, I wanted to revisit a subject that we've covered before with a twist. So back on episode 76. We did a very, very fun also special episode entitled Daniel Russo's first friend, Freddy Fernandez. I loved the apps. Very playful. we delved into all things Friday, Fernandez from the original Karate Kid. It was released October 29 2021. So very fitting almost two years ago. Wow. In an almost a Halloween episode in itself. Yeah. But here's the description from that episode straight from it just so we can give our fans more insight. Jason Connell and Sal Rodriguez discuss the on and off friendship between Daniel Russo and for the Fernandez fellow South Seas neighbor schoolmate from the Karate Kid. Now I love the on and off friendship I just did because if you recall the movie, and if you don't recall, go watch it again. It's always worth watching. But Freddy is literally the first friend that Daniel makes in the movie. And they're fast friends and he invites him to a cookout the following day. And then once Daniel gets beaten up by Johnny

Sal Rodriguez: 2:02

Lawrence,

Jason Connell: 2:03

Johnny Lawrence, but

Sal Rodriguez: 2:04

wait, you're there. This This goes back to thinking that did I know we visited this at one point in time? Did Freddy kind of set Daniel up?

Jason Connell: 2:14

No. I mean, that's getting into the minutiae, but I know he actually encouraged him to talk to Ali. So like when I think

Sal Rodriguez: 2:22

was was Freddy a legitimate friend, or was he trying to set up Daniel to kind of fight his battles for him? While I

Jason Connell: 2:28

think he is the title of this new episode, which is Daniel Russo's fairweather friend, Freddy Fernandez, so I think he's just more Fairweather. Hey, things are great. Okay. Oh, things are bad. So what happens is Daniel gets beaten up by Johnny, as you just said, Okay, Friday is encouraging him until he loses the fight. And then they just leave Daniel at Leo Carrillo beach, and he's got to find his way home pre Uber, and he's got no money and it probably took him forever to get home. And we see Friday the next day at the first day of school, and they're all playing soccer. And he coined the term a The Karate Kid. So he did do that. And then he leaves again, and comes back at the All valley to hoist Daniel up and celebrate him very fairweather, I would say. So this is why I wanted to do that episode, because we actually went beat by beat all of Freddie's you know, appearances in the movie. This was not that. But before I go on, please, anything you want to add? No,

Sal Rodriguez: 3:33

I'm I really? I never thought so much about Freddy and until you came into my life. Yeah. Where was he? Where was Freddy from that beach scene, though the school scene to the scene. Where the heck was he? They

Jason Connell: 3:48

went to the same school. Why wouldn't lived in the South Seas apartments together? Well, okay,

Sal Rodriguez: 3:54

that reminds me of of what a friend told me. I have a friend that went to Taft High School in the mid 80s. And he was talking about how revered Taft was in the mid 80s. So when you and I talked about, like, what school were they supposed to have gone to or what score they tried to mimic? I would definitely say at this time definitively. I think they were trying to mimic Taft high school at the time. So yeah, Freddy Ali, Gianni Daniel all at Taft high school I think.

Jason Connell: 4:20

Now before we go further, because what brought this on our radar. Freddy Fernandez is brilliantly played by Israel har Bay. He's amazing in the movie, and sell. I know we've talked about him on that episode. We went through his IMDb but this guy was a heavy hitter. Back in the 80s he was on a roll. And I've often said before that Sal Rodriguez could have been 40 Fernandez had casting been you know swung your way and you were the right age you easily could have been this role. But Israel plays that great and you go back to his IMDb and it's like he's on shows like Remington Steele. Okay Hill Street Blues we talked about that he played Paco on one episode and Diablo kid on another episode so we he played two different characters over the course of that run. He was

Sal Rodriguez: 5:13

Tha t's cool. I'd like to see that one. on gimme a break.

Jason Connell: 5:16

Right, exactly. And then the Karate Kid.

Sal Rodriguez: 5:19

Well that was leading up to the Karate Kid. Okay

Jason Connell: 5:21

now to one of that's not all Beverly Hills Cop. He plays a room service waiter. I watched that movie recently. And there he is. He's the one who comes out. And like Axl was sending him out to the cops Taggart them following him in front of the hotel and running the room service out to the car on a stakeout. And it's like wait is that and it's him is funny Fernandez. Then he was on night court. He was on Trapper John M DE SILVA spoons. The movie overboard. I revisited that movie recently the Kurt Russell movie,

Sal Rodriguez: 5:57

Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn Yeah, he plays a

Jason Connell: 6:00

yacht engine room crewmen and I'm watching and going is that he'll so it's like, he's that guy that if you recognize him, it's him. And then you bring up your phone. It's like, oh my gosh, he was in so many things. Not stopping there. Falcon Crest, the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Indecent Proposal. One of my favorites. Such a good movie Angels in the Outfield the net? Dear God Boogie Nights. What's

Sal Rodriguez: 6:28

going on, dude? Yeah, I know. Freddy Fernandez was in Boogie Nights. early

Jason Connell: 6:32

on. He plays moresales brother. I know he's in that like tracking shot in the very beginning. So he plays Louis Guzman's brother. So you know he's really had a run. But I always felt he needed more screentime in this movie, but that has not changed the fact that he's a fairweather friend now had he had more screen time. Maybe we could have flushed at that friendship more. And he wouldn't be a fair weather friend. But Mr. Miyagi became his best friend and mentor, and then there's ally, so they're probably just wasn't room to keep working Friday in. So they brought him in the beginning, sprinkled him in and they brought him back at the end, which is hilarious. They didn't even have to bring him back at the end. But the fact that they did really solidifies the fairweather side of it, Jason, I

Sal Rodriguez: 7:19

really have to wonder why Mr. Miyagi. And Freddy Fernandez didn't have any sort of relationship or mentorship or tutelage did they

Jason Connell: 7:29

are leasing definitely knows him. He's the handyman maintenance man at the South Seas department. He's been there for a while, right? I don't know what apartment is in. But maybe he was in the one that burned down that you went and checked on that one day. We don't know. So much

Sal Rodriguez: 7:43

to speculate. You know, I sell my spec. I'm imagining maybe Freddy did meet Miyagi. Maybe Miyagi did try to teach them karate. But Freddy was just like, yeah, like maybe disinterested. Although

Jason Connell: 7:54

he did say, I want to learn karate. But the only reason Miyagi taught Daniel is because he was getting bullied and hurt. That was it. He didn't want to teach anybody. So Friday probably didn't have you know, a strong enough why? For Mr. Miyagi. He's like AF ready this kid? So Jason

Sal Rodriguez: 8:13

that makes me wonder then did the Cobra Kai and Johnny Lawrence, did they go around bullying people or they just had a conflict with Daniel? Little bit of both? Was Freddy Fernandez Locker was Freddy Fernandez bullied by Cobra Kai. He

Jason Connell: 8:28

could have been maybe that's why he wanted to learn karate, or he was impressed with Daniel's kick. Right? Maybe. Yeah, he probably wanted people at school. You know, it's one of those things were Cobra Kai was probably known at the school. And like, oh, yeah, that's that karate crew. They're always winning tournaments. Because Johnny, by that point in time was a two time champ. Word gets around school. So the cool kids do karate. Right? But they don't just take anybody. But they took Lamar from Revenge of the Nerds. So why not? Why not Israel? Yeah,

Sal Rodriguez: 8:59

they'll take Lamar for revenge Revenge of the Nerds. But not Freddie Fernandez, what's going on?

Jason Connell: 9:03

Well, we don't know. We don't know if he didn't have the money. So what brought this to mind to do this kind of second episode, second installment of the 40 Fernandez was the fact that on Episode 154, which is not currently released as we do this recording, but soon will be episode 154 Is the Karate Kid 1984, audio description, audio description. I actually listened to the Karate Kid with the audio description on which is that you hear all the dialogue and the score and everything normal in a movie with someone coming in every once in a while intermittently and just telling you things that you would need if you're not overly familiar. It was fascinating. I want to save it for that episode. But during that experience, some things really came to light for me, and it made me think of why we were doing that episode. You and I were we collectively coined the phrase Fairweather? Freddie. Yeah.

Sal Rodriguez: 10:05

I think it's a good term. Yes.

Jason Connell: 10:07

And so I also think that if we use it as tough, maybe Freddie takes on kind of a, a Karen pejorative term, which, for those unaware, please give us the definition of a Karen.

Sal Rodriguez: 10:23

I love the idea of coining a new term. And then you can explain how it could make sense. So yeah, it could make sense we could have Freddy in the cultural lexicon. Because Karen is there. Karen is a pejorative term used as slang for a middle class white woman who is perceived as entitled or demanding beyond the scope of what is normal. That term is often portrayed in memes depicting middle class white women who have class privilege to demand their own way. Yeah, I think I think at this point in time, a lot of people are very familiar with the term Karen. And you know what, Freddie, whatever could be a Freddie term. Yeah. And

Jason Connell: 11:00

it's not as negative. It's just a fairweather person.

Sal Rodriguez: 11:03

Well, fairweather friend is not like a bad they're not a bad pronoun. But you just gotta know. Yeah, they're very much like they're not going to be those through and through type of friends. No,

Jason Connell: 11:14

Friday is a perfect role model for this. He shows up, likes and invites him he gets beat up. I don't have time for this. And then now he's a Karate Champ. He's proud of him again. This is the Encyclopedia of fairweather, we've seen it here now, maybe Appleton had him in more season a guy cut. And that's why we see this version of Friday. But I think we need to bring him back. So I'm going to show you a couple photos real fast. This is Friday in action. If you can see this. This is very early on in the movie. I have Daniel and Friday and Fridays. Were in the making bacon t shirt. Oh, yeah. Which is classic

Sal Rodriguez: 11:51

making bacon. Yeah, I think later on, he started selling those, a version of those making bacon as

Jason Connell: 11:55

he should as he should. Now this was the fight at the beach Fridays right here, tried to help Daniel up. And then Daniel, of course gets bested. And then Dan is upset. He's embarrassed. He doesn't even talk to Ali because it wouldn't be embarrassing. And then this is the Friday that you get next. You get the disappointment Friday. And this is when he leaves and we don't see him till the next day. And then we don't see him for the rest of the movie. Right. And in fact, we barely see him at the tournament at the end of the movie. Until I think there's a revelation for you here. This is an Easter egg in Cobra Kai, what in Cobra Kai season two, Episode Seven LOL, like a real low point A lol. There is a scene when Daniel was preparing his students with some new training methods have them in a freezer. Remember that it was cold and they were all training. And in the background. This is a screenshot from that scene. In the background. There are some packages and it says clearly says Fernandez meet.

Sal Rodriguez: 13:07

Nice, right or Nando's meat company, which makes total sense because who else is going to let Daniel come in? What almost like Rocky style go in there punch their beef so to speak? Who else would let them do

Jason Connell: 13:19

that? One Friday, Fernando's telling you? Yeah, the makin bacon guy makes good on this and opens a meat company or the family. And maybe they remained friends for all these years? We don't know. So I if we're never gonna get Friday, this was a little easter egg in this episode, lol. And I don't think it's enough. But I knew about this a few seasons ago. But now is the time to talk about it. And other people have seen this as well. It's not just me. But it's definitely highlighting. Like this might be all we get. But Kobrick I did remember Freddie. But again, he is a fair weather friend. But this shows all about fixing the past. Right? You know revisionist history, it would have been a great opportunity and still may season six still may have Friday in some seen if this really was his company. Maybe there's just a quick exchange between them. In fact, I don't know why they didn't have one in this episode. It could have been a throw it could have Hey, thanks Friday, we're gonna lock up later appreciate the place. Right. That was your moment. Now. Maybe Israel didn't want to do it. What I don't know. Why wouldn't I want to do? I'm speculating, or are they still acting to be still acting, so I think it needs to be done. Something. But there you have it. I

Sal Rodriguez: 14:44

like the Easter egg. I liked the tip of the hat. I did not know about this. I missed Fernandez meat company. I absolutely missed that. You know what television shows or movies will do sometimes. What they could have done is they could have had the Miyagi those students. And then they say Hey, thanks, Freddy. And then you get that single Shot a Friday. And you can tell like he wasn't even in the same room.

Jason Connell: 15:04

Yeah, he's somewhere else. Yeah, that's right. That commercial with Johnny that the Buffalo Wild? Yes. Was he really with those guys? No. Yeah. Could have been that could have been that through him the keys catches the keys. Were they in the same shot? Or they could have high fived and hugged or something or or Friday walks in our Friday kicks the freezer door. Oh, Daniel, and it hits Daniel. Just bring it around.

Sal Rodriguez: 15:31

Oh my god, they need us on site would have

Jason Connell: 15:34

been fantastic. Have

Sal Rodriguez: 15:35

you on staff? I know. That would have been so great. No, I love tips of the hat. I love Easter eggs. And I Yeah, but I do think yeah, maybe there was if you're gonna go so far as to have Fernandez, me. You're gonna have the training there. You could have had a brief little scene given Israel a little bit of camera time. You could have done it. Yeah. I wonder why they didn't do it. Yeah. And it's complicated. And I'm having

Jason Connell: 15:57

fun. We're having fun with the fairweather aspect because we used to just call him first friend. Because I was like thinking of the apps. But seeing the movie get listening to the movie again really made me think. And it's true. It's not Israel's performance. He's fantastic. It's the character, the character far different. And it's absolutely without a doubt, unequivocally ask Israel's Well, he's a fairweather friend, no doubt about it. And I would love to see his presence somehow, in Cobra Kai, are spin offs, or if he just just have him interframe. But I do think he's a pivotal character, because we meet him so early. And we're still trying to learn who Daniel is. Right. And he also coined the phrase, The Karate Kid, let's give him credit. In fact, he should have that on shirts, because it was Freddie's character making bacon, blah, blah, something Karate Kid. But that leads me to my last part, the last part of this episode, which is really interesting. And we'll be talking about this much, much more on other episodes. But this is a teaser. So let's talk Cobra Kai is developing certain development know, some sort of book. And this is this going to be a teaser. And we're gonna talk about this a lot more later. But this is just three paragraphs from this section of the book, which is still being developed, called dissecting the characters of the Karate Kid. And the reason I want to just highlight this as a show you kind of behind the curtain what we're working on, and be it illuminates 40. Fernandez is character in this early section. So we'll tell you a lot more about how this came to be. But it really is us working with this new company and then working with our transcripts. It's fascinating, and we can't wait until it becomes a reality. But let us just read these few paragraphs to give you a taste. I'll start, you'll jump in and I'll finish off I'm also gonna go it's more like a novel like a book. It's not a transcript. Let's turn our attention to the film's main character Daniel Russo. His mother's optimism about their move from New Jersey to California starkly contrast his teenage grumpiness. You might even find yourself not warming up to him immediately, just like Sal did. Despite his mother's efforts to relocate for a new job, Daniel's discontent is palpable.

Sal Rodriguez: 18:26

Our introduction to Daniel isn't particularly endearing. In fact, the first time we meet him, he's kicking open the door to his new apartment, inadvertently knocking over a kid named Freddie. Surprisingly, instead of holding a grudge, Freddy immediately befriends him, even inviting him to a local cookout. Just like that. Daniel, the seemingly ungrateful kid starts to grow on us.

Jason Connell: 18:47

See, Sal, Pivotal, last part. But it's not just Freddie's unexpected friendship that starts to redeem Daniel in our eyes. His thoughtful gesture of bringing water for an old lady's dog shows us a softer side to his character. Maybe the long road trip had taken its toll, making him grumpy, or perhaps just like any teenager, he was dealing with the mixed emotions of moving to a new place and leaving his old life behind. So that is kind of the style. It's fascinating. We will delve into this, but it is told like it's our podcast being reexamined retold as a narrative and sometimes our names will pop up in there. But I wanted us to pull this out because a we're still learning it and working with it and wrapping our heads around this whole thing. It's so much fun. Every episode is like this. But Friday, Fernandez is highlighted here. And it is an opportunity for us the audience to say, Oh yeah, this guy is likable and so Freddie plays the role. They needed somebody you can't meet Ali out of the gate and you can't meet Mr. Miyagi too soon. And their buddy buddy. They needed a device and Freddie Was that device and then I just kind of discarded him that

Sal Rodriguez: 20:03

well, you know, you and I've talked about that as far as that pattern, but as far as he needed a way to get to the beach, right, he needed someone to get him this. And that was the right the only option at that point was we needed someone, we need some way to get him to the beach, they could have used another device, right, they could have used another device to get into the BH shirt

Jason Connell: 20:22

half, he could have just went to the beach, ah, you know, down, you all unpack or chop you off at the beach. And then he stumbles on things but they wanted to kind of, you know, see him warming up to someone else his own age or close to it. So it's fantastic. So again, this just points out how important for different Enders is and the Karate Kid universe and beyond. And I hope we actually see are different and is, and we don't just have to settle for Fernandez meat company, which is cool. But I want a little bit more. Well, no, I

Sal Rodriguez: 20:57

agree. I think it's really cool. I love that Easter egg. I'm very happy to talk about it. But yeah, and it gets me thinking, Well, if you're gonna go that far, if you're already gonna go there. I'm one of these people like, well, since we're here, you know what I mean? Well, since since there there, might as well go a little bit further. And we maybe one day maybe I mean, I haven't lost hope that season six is going to tie up every loose end imaginable.

Jason Connell: 21:21

Shows usually do when they're series finales. Let's pick out one of our favorite I was on the season finale of season four of six feet under my only acting credit, and it was great. But when Six Feet Under did its series finale. That's how you tie it all up. Without well maybe they'll make a movie. No, no, if you ever see it, I highly recommend it. Just that last sequence will make you cry. No doubt it will bring tears to your eyes. It's very moving. But you see people and their life has played out before your eyes, each character. It's fascinating. This show won't do that. But they could tie it up nicely. When I was watching the Downton Abbey series finale. Now, there's been two movies subsequent movies after that, but I was watching it sound I didn't realize it was the series finale. And I was like, Oh, they're really button this thing up? Why and she's getting married and and I really thought it had one more season. And then No, that's why it was so well done. And I really hope the same happens with Cobra Kai, just like you're alluding to,

Sal Rodriguez: 22:29

well, this is something we've never visited, we can say and we've experienced. Oh, this next season is exciting is going to be exciting. We have no idea how they will end the show because we have never experienced an ending in Cobra Kai until season six.

Jason Connell: 22:45

Yeah, that's right. exciting.

Sal Rodriguez: 22:47

It's exciting. It's bittersweet. As I've said, that's absolutely the word I've been using bittersweet. I realize it's time I am saddened by the end of people that we've grown to love a universe that we've learned to love and go into deeper than any other universe I've ever experienced other than our actual Universe that we're in, and even then probably not as much as the Cobra Kai Karate Kid universe. Not to mention I don't think any other podcast is given as much respect and credence and airtime to Freddy Fernandez and by default Israel Hubei as let's talk Cobra Kai, I would challenge any other podcasts out there. Have you given as much attention to Freddie Fernandez? I doubt it. And

Jason Connell: 23:28

Israel if you're listening, please. We would love to have you on the let's talk Cobra Kai podcast. And we can delve into your career which is fascinating. Maybe have you on Let's Talk movies podcast as well, but talk about the experience of making the credit kit. We did have one Darrell Vidal on the actual podcast. He was fantastic, because people told him about us doing a breakdown of Terrova doll. So maybe the same is true here. This is our second shout out shot across the bow for Freddy Fernandez. And that concludes Daniel the Russos fairweather friend, farty, Fernandez episode, Volume One nobska Volume Two, but a lot of fun. Sal will be back for more long before season six drops.

Sal Rodriguez: 24:14

Wait, hang on, hang on, Jason. I think I have a phone call. Oh, it's my friend Frank. Now you know what? I'm not gonna pick up you know why? My friend Frank is a fairweather Freddie. Is he I'm not picking it up. For everybody there Frank. Yeah, yeah, another F two

Jason Connell: 24:29

F's. So thank you so much for listening and please be sure to subscribe to the let's talk Cobra Kai podcast and the let's talk Cobra Kai YouTube Live Channel. You can also really help us by giving the show a five star rating on Apple podcast

Sal Rodriguez: 24:43

and for all your listeners that enjoy sharing your thoughts. You can leave us a review on Apple podcasts, send us a direct message or post a comment on any let's talk Cobra Kai social media platform.

Jason Connell: 24:53

We also highly recommend checking out our other podcast and visiting just curious media.com

Sal Rodriguez: 25:01

No Mercy