The Big Picture

• Rex Manning Day celebrates rebellion against corporate conformity through the cult film Empire Records.
• The character of Rex Manning embodies outdated pop culture & contrasts with the alternative grunge spirit of Kurt Cobain
• The movie's message to "damn the man" is still relevant today as a battle cry for alternative culture and living authentically

Say no more, mon amour, because Rex Manning Day is finally here. It’s a day of celebration, an annual reminder to damn the man and take a leap of faith. Whether that means losing your virginity, singing in a band, shaving your head, risking it all on a roll of the dice, telling your awful boss that you quit, or finally declaring your love for the girl you have been pining over (preferably by 1:37 pm exactly) Rex Manning Day is the momentous occasion to remind you why life is worth living. So grab your couch cushion and shock me, shock me, shock me with that deviant behavior.

The fictional day is an inside joke from fans of the offbeat '90s film Empire Records that has seeped into the collective consciousness. The film is set over 24 hours, as the independent record store employees must rally together to combat their store being turned into a lifeless corporate Music Town franchise, while also battling a gun-toting shoplifter, a forgotten pop star and his fans, their denigrating owner, and their own personal problems. The film was initially a box office flop but is now a cult hit thanks to a timeless soundtrack, fantastic dialogue, and an all-star cast that includes Renée Zellweger, Liv Tyler, Anthony LaPaglia, Ethan Embry, Debi Mazar, Rory Cochrane, Johnny Whitworth, and Robin Tunney.

Who Is Rex Manning Anyway?

So who exactly is Rex Manning? Played by Maxwell Caulfield, he's the fictional '80s teenage heartthrob turned embarrassing has-been who comes in to Empire Records to sign autographs to promote his new single, "Say No More (Mon Amour)." The song is a surprisingly catchy bop despite the cringeworthy, innuendo-laden lyrics which begin with "Oh Rexy, You're so sexy!" A veteran of the stage and perhaps most well-known for Grease 2, Caulfield sings the vocals of the song himself. There is an accompanying music video full of embarrassing dance moves, horrible fashion, and an oddly placed four-poster bed on the beach.

Rex is cheesy and outdated, actively disliked by most of the other characters in the film...and seemingly also by himself, considering how fragile his ego is, and how concerned he is with his waning image. His fans are a small group of moms and campy queer men, confronting the star with his irrelevance upon each new meet and greet. After treating his only real fan Corey (Tyler) callously, and leaving her in tears, Rex then proceeds to sleep with her best friend Gina (Zellweger) before being forced to leave the store in disgrace.

Thematically fitting, it's not the appearance of Rex Manning that goes on to save the Empire Records shop, but an impromptu, "Save the Empire" concert by Gina and Berko (Coyote Shivers) that leads the store to raise the needed funds. This also leads the store's owner, Mitchell (Ben Bode) to sell the shop for cheap to the store's manager, Joe (LaPaglia), so he doesn't have to deal with it anymore. That way, they're truly independent of "the man."

Rex Manning Day is celebrated annually on April 8 (the date the film is set on), chosen to honor the death of Kurt Cobain, who was found dead on the same day in 1994, a year before the film was released. Cobain was an icon of the early '90s, and with his death, misfits and music lovers worldwide lost their mascot. Cobain's authentic grunge persona is in keeping with the staff of the eponymous store and in stark contrast to the freshly coiffed, puffy-shirted Manning who represents the bland commercial pop music that a corporate store would love to promote. It is the perfect day to honor an alternative creative vision, and to celebrate coming of age by honoring the original teen spirit. 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of Cobain's death, so what better reason to celebrate Rex Manning Day this year?

Damn the Man, Save the Empire

The internet fawning over the film and its messaging is one of the delicious ironies of life, considering how anachronistic the film is today. In a perpetually online world, fans flock to media platforms owned by billionaires and mega-corporations to remember a movie whose main message was to damn the man, live for yourself and not sell out to a corporate enterprise. Perhaps because of this, the message of the film is more timely today than it was when the film came out. Empire Records is a battle cry for alternative culture, challenging all of us to not be bound by the constraints of society and to "always play with their minds." It’s a glorious celebration of nostalgia, growing up, physical media, and seizing the moment. However you choose to celebrate, just remember that there are 24 usable hours every day, and you don’t need to feel that you need to explain your art to anyone.

Empire Records is now available to stream on Paramount+

Watch on Paramount+