What is "number 2"

n. 1 (alternative spelling of number two English) 2 Short form of '''number 2 pencil'''

Number 2 is a fictional character in the Austin Powers franchise. He is played by Robert Wagner in all three movies, while his younger self is played by Rob Lowe in The Spy Who Shagged Me. He briefly appears as a teenager in a flashback in Austin Powers in Goldmember, portrayed by Evan Farmer. The character was modeled on the James Bond villain Emilio Largo who was number 2 of SPECTRE in the 1965 James Bond movie Thunderball.

His name is intended as a humorous dual parody. Number One is the traditional term for a First Officer in the British Navy. "Number 2" is a reference to this but is also a common slang term for defecation. After one of Dr. Evil's henchmen attempts to assassinate Austin Powers in the bathroom stall, Austin Powers grunts and drowns him in a toilet and issues the exchange:

Austin Powers: Who does Number 2 work for? Who does Number 2 work for? Cowboy in the next toilet stall ( Tom Arnold): Yeah, that's right! You show that turd who's boss!

In the original release and pressings, Austin grunted "Do you work for Number 2? Do you work for Number 2?" The reason of replacing the clips with the also-filmed clips of "Who does Number 2 work for?" are unknown.

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