ESPN Cancels Barstool Show

ESPN these days.


Carsenio: Now, some of you may have heard rumors that I was sort of on my out. Well, I had a talk with the network, and let's just say that this homeboy intends to be around for a while!
Ed McMahon: Not going anywhere, no sir!
[ studio audience "Whoop, whoop, whoops" ]
Carsenio: Alright, alright.. Now, we made a few changes, a few little tweaks here and there.. [ holds up his index finger ] I had this finger elongated. When you're around 29 years, you shouldn't be afraid to make a few little adjustments, you know, for the young people..
Ed McMahon: Young America, yes sir!
Carsenio: Ed? Ed, have you noticed? Look who's hanging out in the doghouse tonight - my man, Tom Kite! He is kicking butt on the PGA tour! Alright, alright.. we've got some critical guests tonight. Doc? You wanna give me a bass groove over there? [ music plays, as Carsenio starts to groove ] Nice! That is sweet! Sweet stuff! Oh, that's nice! Buddy Hackett is in my house! Right here! Joan Embery is in my house! Alright, we've got a hot one, so let's get down to business!

 

Was there demand for Simmons at Page 2 before someone hired him? He had a following in Boston, but otherwise who knew who he was? Platforms adopt voices but they also provide them with greater bullhorns. Quite a few higher ups and talent -- SVP and others, included -- saw value in having the Pardon My Take guys in their ESPN stable. You can disagree with that or not, but this wasn't just one dude's decision. Skipper has become a joke.

 

Again, that's not the point. The question is, are these guys and their show at one a.m. financially worth our risking an open rebellion by our women employees, especially on-air talent? I'd posit ESPN doesn't have a single in-house production worth that risk, let alone this one.

 

As noted previously in the thread, it's a different discussion than it was a month ago because of Weinstein and associated fallout.

 

Embassy Row was involved in that show? I didn't realize the Men in Blazers were involved with it.

 

Is Sam Ponder not gonna cover or speak about the Cowboys bc of Zeke Elliott's situation? Or does her disgust only extend to when people are directly attacking her three years ago?

 

Does ESPN employ Zeke Elliott now?

You're off it here, man.

 

ESPN bungled this one all the way around. You take a hit for signing up with Barstool in the first place, and then piss off a dedicated albeit problematic "Stoolies" group that was probably the whole point of aligning with them in the first place. I know Deadspin reported last week that Barstool insisted its name be in the show title and that ESPN relented. If this show is called "Pardon My Take," as the podcast is called, does it generate the same level of negative coverage? I think once Ponder went public it doomed the show, but have to think having Barstool in the name certainly didn't help.

 

Heard the guys from the show making the ESPN radio rounds last week. Literally the worst thing I've ever heard on the radio.

They did an entire segment making and planning prank calls. They called the Cavs and asked to talk to LeBron James. The receptionist said the team is in Milwaukee, and they asked to be transferred there. Called and got Darren Rovelle's voicemail, and talked about calling the office of the host they were on there.

It was the kind of stuff you'd expect a high school radio station to be way above.

 

If you're Skipper, now that ESPN is the main drag on the stock, you really don't want to get a call from Burbank.

 

The barking, I assume, was the part where they went into the studio where Primetime was and sort of paid homage (lightly mocked) to the show and Berman's old sound effects. it was a bit entertaining, though that little section probably dragged.

This reminds me: The Hulu documentary Too Funny to Fail...highly recommend. About the failure of The Dana Carvey show, despite being the place Colbert, Carell, Louis C.K. got their start as writers, along with having Robert Smigel, Carvey, Charlie Kaufman, 30 Rock showrunner and many more awesome talents on staff.

 

Damn ESPN Hollywood had a run equivalent to Law & Order compared to Barstool...