There are few actors who pulled off looking cool as effortlessly as the late Patrick Swayze. Appearing in some of the best ‘80s movies (and even some great ‘90s flicks), the actor/dancer/badass played so many iconic ass-kickers that are still held up high all these years later. James Dalton, Bodhi, Johnny Castle, and countless other iconic Swayze roles were just so dang cool. But I’ve long wondered, would any of those guys wear underwear, like, willingly?
To answer the question I’m sure so many are asking (or at least wondering why I’m thinking about this), I don’t think the main characters from Road House, Point Break, Dirty Dancing, and others would find a need for underwear. Let me explain.
Johnny Castle (Dirty Dancing)
Johnny Castle spends his days and nights dancing, lives in a shack, and looks like the distant cousin of Darry Curtis from The Outsiders, so there’s no way the hearthrob from Dirty Dancing subscribes to the idea of underwear. They just don’t suit him or seem like something he’d care about (or care to wash). Plus, he’s the very definition of cool in this movie that spawned one of the most memorable music moments of the ‘80s.
James Dalton (Road House)
Another Swayze role where the main character is still the hottest man in town despite living in a shack, James Dalton in Road House is probably the late actor’s most badass role. I don’t know about you, but Dalton just doesn’t give off those “I wear underwear like a normal guy” vibes. As a matter of fact, I don’t think anyone (including Terry Funk) is wearing briefs or boxers in this one.
Bodhi (Point Break)
Considering Bodhi “Bodhisattva” spends most of Point Break surfing and robbing banks, there’s no way in hell this radical dude is subscribing to the concept of underwear. You can’t take part in some of the best beach scenes or pull off an all-time great heist when you’re stressing out about whether or not you put the briefs in the wash the night before.
Truman Gates (Next Of Kin)
There’s probably a good chance you’ve either never heard of or seen Next of Kin, an underrated and overlooked 1989 action thriller starring Swayze and Liam Neeson. In this one, Swayze plays Truman Gates, a former US Army Airborne Ranger who left his roots in Appalachia to become a Chicago cop. That combo leads me to believe that Truman wouldn’t actively choose to wear underwear. Sure, he probably had a pair, but they weren’t worn willingly. This is even more true for Neeson’s Briar Gates.
Darry Curtis (The Outsiders)
Having to spend every day taking care of his troublesome younger brothers, Ponyboy and Sodapop, I don’t see Darry Curtis having time for underwear in The Outsiders. Sure, he definitely needs them in his line of work (and extracurricular activities), but greasers don’t really play by the rules of society.
Jed Eckert (Red Dawn)
One of the most patriotic American movies ever made (I mean, John Milius directed it), Red Dawn is loaded top to bottom with some real ass-kicker characters. At the top of that list is Jed Eckert, the young patriot who would led the Wolverines as they utilized guerilla warfare against Soviet-led forces. I’m not saying patriots don’t wear boxers, but there’s not much time when you’re hiding in the mountains and planning an attack to save your community (and country).
Pecos Bill (Tall Tale)
Remember the 1995 fantasy film Tall Tale? In this oft-forgotten ‘90s kids movie, Swayze plays American folk hero Pecos Bill as he and other tall tale icons help a young boy save his town. Bill, being a fictional cowboy instrumental in Western expansion and all, just doesn’t give off boxer or brief vibes. Maybe a union suit with some flaps, but I’m not so sure.
Well, I hope you have enjoyed this random, rather unnecessary, and utterly ridiculous breakdown of fictional characters who may or may not wear underwear.