Ben Stiller's Dodgeball & Heavyweights Villains Are The Same Guy Says One Theory
Throughout his career, comedic actor Ben Stiller has attached himself to numerous high-profile productions that have become solid fan favorites, including 1995's "Heavyweights" and 2004's "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story." In the former film, Stiller stars as the self-centered and cruel fitness entrepreneur Tony Perkis, and in the latter, Stiller plays the arrogant owner of Globo Gym and rival of Average Joe's Gym, White Goodman. Though they come from different movies and have numerous differences between them, an intriguing fan theory suggests that Perkis and Goodman are actually one and the same.
This idea is explored by @confusedbreakfast on TikTok, who theorizes that after his shameful antics in "Heavyweights," Perkis turns to unhealthy foods and gains weight, as "Dodgeball" reveals Goodman did before his days at Globo Gym. Tony Perkis Sr. (also played by Stiller) then dies, leaving his son with a sizable fortune. This prompts Perkis to lose weight, rebrand himself under the name White Goodman, and use the funds to become the face of Globo Gym. Not only does Perkis and Goodman's shared love of corny promotional videos lend credence to this theory, but so do the similarities between the Perkis Power and Globo Gym logos.
Elsewhere on the internet, this "Heavyweights" and "Dodgeball" theory has been explored even more thoroughly.
There are more similarities between Perkis and Goodman than one might think
Considering the broad similarities between Tony Perkis and White Goodman — the fact that they're two egotistical fitness fanatics with an unending love for the spotlight — the theory that they're the same person has made the rounds online in the past. In fact, long before @confusedbreakfast shared it on TikTok, u/NameIdeas brought the concept to Reddit. Their lengthy write-up covers similar ground, but they take the "Heavyweights" and "Dodgeball" theory a few steps further, thoroughly breaking down the similarities between the two characters that make them appear to be the same person.
For instance, they point out that Perkis and Goodman are both depicted as woefully out of touch. It's revealed in "Heavyweights" that Perkis grew up secluded, getting a private education, and rarely interacting with his fellow kids. In "Dodgeball," Goodman shows his own lack of social awareness by sprinkling outdated references into his everyday speech. Both also display a deep-rooted hatred toward those perceived as ugly or overweight, and they fail to understand mythological stories. Perkis combines the stories of Icarus and Sisyphus, while Goodman believes Midas has a silver touch rather than a gold one.
"White/Tony must further his goals of "defeating" fatness, ugliness, and normalcy that is all he hates about himself so his tagline for Globo Gym is, 'We're better than you, and we know it.' He has no self-esteem and must obtain it from others," they write. With this mountain of evidence, there's a solid case to be made that Tony Perkis and White Goodman are the same person so feel free to make "Dodgeball" a "Heavyweights" sequel in your own personal headcanon.