Former Oklahoma State Representative Has 'Ferris Bueller' Connection

A new Super Bowl ad has a former state representative remembering his brush with 80s cinema greatness.

Honda's new ad features actor Matthew Broderick in a spoof of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."  The ad is for Honda's CRV, and has about two dozen references to the 80s cult movie.

Thad Balkman served as an Oklahoma state representative for six years, and currently works as an attorney and lobbyist.  But it's his days in Long Beach, CA that have been getting attention lately.  Balkman's family home was used as Ferris Bueller's home in the movie.

"They (Paramount) liked our house and knocked on our door one day." said Balkman.  "And my parents made a deal with 'em."

The Balkmans' house didn't really look like a typical California home, exactly what the studio was looking for, since "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is set in Chicago.  The crew filmed at the Balkman house for two weeks, just enough time to prop up the young Balkman's social life.

"I went from bein' kinda zero to hero overnight," Balkman laughed.  "Some of my friends would come over after school and we would actually watch them film scenes."

Balkman recalled other perks as well, mainly the breakfast spread put out for the film crew each day.

"I got to have free donuts every morning before I went to school," said Balkman.  "That was pretty cool."

Balkman celebrated his fourteenth birthday during the filming, and even got a part as an extra in the movie.  But that particular scene was cut from the version.

"My acting career didn't quite take off," he said.