Space Jam Fan Theories - Bill Murray Shatters the Multiverse

Abstract Nonsense - The Fan Theories Podcast

We take a look at the cult favourite Space Jam and the fan theory: ‘In Space Jam, Bill Murray Shatters the Multiverse’. That Space Jam fan theory is one of many that Joe and Anthony propose in this episode of Abstract Nonsense the Fan Theories and Alternate Readings Podcast.

Listen to this episode and expand your mind!

=== What is the Show? As explained by Joe ===
A massive movie, one of the biggest movies ever covered on the show, that’s right it’s Space Jam baby! Are you ready for this? (Cue music). Space Jam is an enormous film from your childhood, it was so big that they got Michael Jordan (someone who has not acted in another film since)...that’s how big this film is. What’s all the focus on size for? I hear you ask dear listener, that is because this movie is predicated on the premise that short aliens are terrible at Basketball, an assertion proven true when the aliens steal powers from real life basketball players in order to compete fairly against the aliens.

The short aliens invade the Looney Tunes because they want new attractions for their theme park on the moon. In order to win, the Looney Tunes enlist the help of Michael Jordan to fight the aliens and of course his friend Bill Murray, it’s a Space Jam and the future of Looney Tune world depends on the success of Cartoon characters, Michael Jordan and Bill Murray.
=== Space Jam Fan Theories ===
1st Space Jam Fan Theory [6:00] ‘Space Jam demonstrates the woes of Capitalism’
A Space Jam Fan Theory from Reddit, written by the Reddit user Bananashammock. The theory argues that the head alien in Space Jam is the embodiment of capitalism, similar to Captain Planet’s Hoggish Greedly. This embodiment of capitalism attempts to exploit the Looney Tunes because, in their mind, they are a race of people who are able to be exploited and so by the mantra of survival of the fittest, the aliens should exploit these people and from their point of view, they are morally justified in doing so.

Joe and Anthony then discuss how this movie would have turned out differently had the Looney Tunes & Michael Jordan seized the means of production.

2nd Space Jam Fan Theory [10:08] ‘Space Jam is in the same universe as Who Framed Roger Rabbit’
A Space Jam Fan Theory from Reddit, written by the Reddit user HPWuvcraft. This fan theory argues that the Space Jam universe and the ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ universe is one and the same.

3rd Space Jam Fan Theory [13:45] ‘Space Jam is about the modern exploitation of African American’
Joe argues in this theory, that Space Jam is portraying the modern exploitation of African Americans. The theory draws on similar themes presented in the horror film ‘Get Out’, where the central theme of that movie was the commodification and exploitation of African Americans as cultural objects. Space Jam sets up that like the Looney Tunes, Michael Jordan purpose in this film is to entertain us; he is not allowed a private life. Like the Looney Tunes, when a commercial cultural object begins to bore mainstream society, we shun them away in a separate society (because we have grown tired of them).

This parallels the consumption of exoticised African American culture and how the dominant racial class (white people) are likely to cast aside this culture once they have finished consuming it of all its value.

Space Jam is being avant garde in its portrayal of race, trying to mirror how mainstream culture consumes cultures of minority groups and that by seeing this portrayal, we as consumers should avoid continuing our exploitation of other people’s culture and start seeing people of other races and backgrounds not as cultural objects, but as people.

4th Space Jam Fan Theory [18:33] ‘In Space Jam, Bill Murray has fractured the multiverse’
Joe presents a theory that ties together Space Jam and the Bill Murray film Ghostbusters. In Ghostbusters, when they cross the streams to defeat the bad guy, that fractures the multiverse. In the Multiverse, there are multiple Bill Murray's, and after the streams are crossed, this causes the havoc, where the Looney Tunes universe and our universe collide; resulting in the Space Jam universe. This explains why in Space Jam, Bill Murray can travel between the multiverses.

5th Space Jam Fan Theory [25:50] ‘In the Looney Toon universe, the cartoon powers are triggered by violence’
Joe presents his theory on why cartoons have superpowers in the Looney Toon world and why at the end Michael Jordan can stretch out his arm, and it all has to do with violence. In the Looney Tune land, their special cartoon powers appear to be intrinsically linked to violent actions.

6th Space Jam Fan Theory [27:23] ‘The Looney Tunes only exists because of Michael Jordan’
In the final theory, we present how the Looney Tunes were willed into existence in Space Jam by Michael Jordan and maybe Bill Murray. As brief as possible, the Looney Tunes are Tulpas.
=== All In his Head ===
Anthony: ‘All of Space Jam happens because he is hit in the head by Newmann’s Golf Ball, and just dreams/hallucinates the whole thing’

=== Subscribe and Listen to other episodes ===

Subscribe to us on iTune and get new shows instantly & check out our website https://www.fantheoriespodcast.com for all of our other fan theories and episodes.

=== Contribute Your Fan Theories ===
Join Fans of Abstract Nonsense on Facebook to share your Fan Theories, or email any Fan Theories you have to our email [e-mail] and we’ll read them out on the show.

If you don’t have a fan theory but want to say hello or ask us a question, we encourage you to email us at [e-mail] .

===Follow Abstract Nonsense on Social Media ===
FB: http://bit.ly/abstractnonsenseftp
IG: @abstractnonsenseftp
TW: @AbstractPodcast
YT: Abstract Nonsense