Tuesday, June 16, 2009 - Posts
-
sponsorship
"The hidden secret of Joe Buck," HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg said recently about the host of his new quarterly chat show, "is that he has a very dry and unique wit." On last night's premiere episode of Joe Buck Live, the Fox play-by-play man continued to keep that secret incredibly well. It's not that Buck didn't try to be funny. In the show's opening bit, the sportscaster tried to get Brett Favre's word that he would show up for their scheduled interview. "You've been a little flippy-floppy on decisions lately," Buck said, smirkily. Hijinks did not ensue.
While Buck didn't live up to his billing, the famously indecisive QB played his part beautifully. In response to Buck's question about whether he would play for the Vikings this year, Hamlet-in-Wranglers replied: "Maybe." What about his decision not to go to Minnesota for off-season workouts? "I think both sides are right," Favre noted with great equanimity, his feet propped on a table next to a driftwood sculpture.
After the Favre sit-down, Buck screened a short video on athletes and criminality before chatting with one-time coke fiend Michael Irvin and newly christened Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocino. When asked about his team's legal problems, Ochocinco (correctly) insisted they had the wrong man—he's never been in trouble with the law. Still in search of a gotcha moment, Buck asked Ochocinco why he repeatedly embarrassed his quarterback Carson Palmer. Ochocinco said he had no idea what Buck was talking about—"you'll have to pull it up." Buck, no Tim Russert, had nothing on the teleprompter to counteract Ochocinco's denials. (Here's some material for next time, Joe.)
Despite the ceaseless wretchedness of Joe Buck Live, the show's namesake did win my sympathy in the end. During the final segment—a comedy panel featuring Paul Rudd, Artie Lange, and Jason Sudeikis—Lange commenced to roast Buck, slowly and painfully, over an open flame. (You can watch the even cruder, online-only aftershow here.) While a skilled pro might have out-taunted a guest who accused him of surfing the Web site "suckingcock dot com," Buck's rejoinders—"I just pulled a hamstring looking for a segue"—made him come off like a scared first-grader talking back to a bully. Buck wasn't David Letterman taming Joaquin Phoenix; he was Magic Johnson on The Magic Hour getting taunted by Howard Stern (incidentally, Lange's boss). "Sorry to ruin your fuckin' great show," Lange said before the credits rolled. "I appreciate the apology, because you have," Buck said, pretending to be joking.
-
sponsorship
Ah, here's what happened to Bill Forsyth. A lovely article/interview.
Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum
What did you think of this article?