Loading summary
Transcript369 lines
- [00:01]
Don Hahn
So good, so good, so good.
- [00:03]
Nordstrom Rack Announcer
Everything you want for summer is at Nordstrom Rack stores now and up to 60% off. Stock up and save on the brands you love like Vince, Sam, Edelman, Frame and free people. Join the NordicLub to unlock exclusive discounts. Shop new arrivals first and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack.
- [00:28]
Alan Hahn
Cool man.
- [00:29]
Rosenberg
Han, Don holding his hammer and Rosenberg
- [00:32]
Allen
Pug Don doesn't hold a candle to that pumpkin pie haircutting freak.
- [00:35]
Don Hahn
This isn't North Dakota, this is New York.
- [00:38]
Rosenberg
This is Don, Han and Rosenberg.
- [00:41]
Don Hahn
The best threesome I've ever heard on
- [00:43]
Rosenberg
ESPN New York and streaming live on
- [00:46]
Don Hahn
YouTube 300 one of the big city. Don, Han and Rosenberg on a Thursday. Getting that much closer to Wednesday, which will be Game 1 of the NBA Finals. But tonight we might find out who the Knicks are going to play Game 6, spurs and the Thunder. And that game, of course, could be heard on 1050 tonight. Matter of fact, no, I'm sorry, it's going to be heard on 880 because there's no Mets.
- [01:08]
Alan Hahn
Sure is.
- [01:08]
Don Hahn
So it'll be on our air at 8 o' clock following Dan Grasse so you can scout the next opponent. So a Thunder win, then Wednesday the Knicks will be in Oklahoma City. A Spurs win, that means Saturday there'll be a Game seven and that will be in Oklahoma City. So you'll know by Saturday who the Knicks are playing. But it could be as early as tonight. Got a big show today. Mark Ronson's going to join us coming up in mere minutes.
- [01:33]
Alan Hahn
Minutes.
- [01:34]
Don Hahn
He will be joining us shortly. Huge Nick fan, huge personality in the music business. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. The last time I saw him was in my flex moment at Madison Square Garden a little over a year ago. That's right. I think it was the conference final, if I'm not mistaken, going into Madison Square garden and at four o', clock, J.R. smith, who was almost killed by Knick fans, you don't see that that often. You know what that is? In the midst of a celebration, a former Nick almost dies.
- [01:57]
Allen
That is uncommon.
- [01:58]
Don Hahn
But no, he overcame it and he's great and it's gonna be fun to talk to him. Coming up at 4 o', clock, it's that guy. Thursday at 4:30 we've got E&N. At 6, full frontal show. We're taking you up until 7 o'. Clock. As I mentioned, the Mets are off, so Grasso will take you into coverage of the spurs and the Thunder. But while we have a moment, it's personal to me and I know Allen, you know, got to know him and cover him back in the day. We just got word today that Claude Lemieux passed away at the age of 60. And it's jarring on so many different levels. First level is that we just saw him on Monday, Game three of the Eastern Conference final when Montreal is home. They have a former Canadian who comes in with the torch and lights the fictitious fire on the ice. And it's a big deal. Yaroslav Alak did it last night for the Canadians. So we just saw him 48 hours ago. And then it came down. I got an alert from some of the MSG people and then Anthony sent me a text that the NHLPA had announced that he had passed at the age of 60. He's only a couple of weeks away from his 61st birthday. And now we're learning reports from TMZ that he took his own life, which is jarring because another former NHL player, we've seen so many of these players in past years in the National Hockey League and their lives self inflicted. And he wasn't a fighter per se, but he definitely got some hits. And I know he was an advocate of mental health. He's an agent. He made himself an agent. His son, of course, played for the Rangers and bounced around the National Hockey League. Now he's been out of the league for a couple of years. Brendan Lemieux. And was kind of eerie. One of the pictures that I saw on social media was Brendan in the Stanley cup for one of the cups. That Claude, one, I believe, was in Colorado. But of course we know him here locally because of the two Stanley Cups he won here in New Jersey in 95, and he came back to the team to win another cup. And he, he was something, man.
- [03:55]
Mark Ronson
He.
- [03:55]
Don Hahn
He was one of those guys. The. The Hockey News, after, I believe, the 95 cup, dubbed him the Great one. G R A T E because that's the kind of game that he played. He drove people crazy and of course, you know, almost killed. Killed Chris draper. And in a 30 for 30 a couple of years ago, they actually mended fences. And it was kind of cool seeing him go back to Detroit and all that when he was a member of the Avalanche. But, you know, winning those cups for the Devils. He was the Con smythe winner in 95 when they won the Stanley Cup. And he was someone that you loved if he was on your team and if he was on the other team. You hated his guts.
- [04:31]
Mark Ronson
Yeah.
- [04:32]
Don Hahn
And the two stories that I'll tell because I got a few people. So you have any stories. And one of them told many times on the air, the other one is just as a fan is. There was a game in Boston at the old Boston Garden. It's a regular season game, and I'm listening to the game on the radio. I think Chris Moore was maybe doing the play by. I remember because it was before the cops. And they're in Boston, and all of a sudden, out of nowhere, Cam Neely grabs Claude Lemieux. Like, literally picks him up and throws him against the boards and just pummels him. Gets a game. His conduct. Gets thrown out of the game. And no one has ever told me what Claude Lemieux said to Cam Neely to get him to do that. But people know. I've talked to people who know, who say, I just can't repeat it. I'm like, you can't. Off the air, you can't tell me. It was so vile and so disgusting that Cam nearly tried to kill him on the ice for what he said it wasn't a high stick. Like, he didn't spear him in the groin. He said something. He wanted to kill him. And I cannot for the life of me find anybody that's willing to tell me what he said. I could only imagine. But that's the game that he played. He meant to get under your skin. He wanted to drive you crazy. He wanted you to beat on him, so you ended up getting in the penalty box. And it drove people crazy, because I'll be the first to admit, I was a fan. But he, Turtle, he wasn't going to fight you. That wasn't his game. His game was to get under your skin. So you did something stupid and you sat in the box, and guess what? He'd be the guy to score the power play goal. And they don't win that cup in 95. It wasn't for him. And great stories in Montreal. And then the other story that I had, and I've told it a few times, I'm sure you both know it and probably sick of hearing it, but it's still a great story, is when I covered my first Devil game was a Devil Canadiens game, 1992. And Sportsphone sent me, and they sent me with somebody to train me, and that person to train me was Steve Goldstein, the voice of the Florida Panthers. So it's great that he's doing Panther TV, I'm doing devil TV. But back in 1992, he was showing me around, where to go. And I'm in the locker room and we're waiting. Claude Lemieux was playing his old team and he had a big game. And we're sitting there, we're waiting for Claude to come out. The old Meadowlands, you had the showers. There'd be like a way station where there was a coffee table and a couch. You weren't allowed in there. And then the players would come out. And one of the fallacies, at least in the NHL, is when a player comes out to their cubicle or their locker. So, yeah, they're already dressed, they're already done. They're not sitting there and they're jock
- [07:12]
Alan Hahn
strapped talking to you.
- [07:13]
Don Hahn
That's all done in that other room. Then they come out and they're, you know, back in the day, they'd be in their suit and they talk to you. He wasn't coming out. So we're waiting. We're waiting. And I forget who the PR director was at the time. He's like, claude's not coming out. I'm sorry. And all of a sudden you hear Claude go, you want to talk to me? Like, yeah, it's like, come in, come in. He waved us into that room. We're not supposed to go. And he sits down on the couch and he lay. Does like the Frank. Not the Frank, the George Costanza from the picture from the pharmacy. Remember that one? I'm talking.
- [07:45]
Alan Hahn
Laid across the couch completely naked.
- [07:47]
Don Hahn
And me and Steve had to sit on that coffee table and interview him. It was almost like to say, you want to talk to me? Okay, well, you're gonna get all of me. Let's see how bad you want to talk to me. It was so, Claude, you want to talk to me? And, you know, kind of his. His nickname was Pepe. And. And Pepe was out in the. On the couch.
- [08:08]
Alan Hahn
He was very.
- [08:09]
Don Hahn
Steve. And I sit there at a coffee table interviewing a naked club Lemire.
- [08:12]
Allen
That is wild.
- [08:13]
Don Hahn
He just. That's so, like, it's, it's. Listen, I'm not going to tell you. I knew him personally, just covering games and seeing him, but just as a fan. It's a tough day. I mean, he. You know, growing up as a Devil fan, you win the first Stanley cup, and he's the guy that wins the cons by trophy. And he's so many big goals and such a personality. And it was so cool to see him on in Game 3. And Canadian, they're great stories with the Canadians. Fights before, you know, during warmups, because he'd say just.
- [08:44]
Alan Hahn
Yeah, Really.
- [08:44]
Don Hahn
I mean, for those of you that aren't hockey fans, check it out. Check out some of the videos. But if you're a hockey fan, even if you're a Ranger Islander fan, Alan, you grew up an Islander fan, so you probably remember Claude, probably hating him because he was on the other side of things. But. Yeah, I just. We had a couple of minutes before Mark shows up, Mark Ronson. But I'm grateful for this opportunity to just be able to take a couple of minutes to remember the great Claude Lemieux, who we lost today at the age of 60.
- [09:10]
Alan Hahn
Yeah. First of all, incredibly shocking, incredibly sad. And, you know, the. It's like you want to know what happened, and now you just sort of like, I'd rather not know. You don't want to know. It's. It's one of those situations there. But a player that you described it best, of course, a guy you love on your team but hated to play against. And that, to me is the ultimate respect, isn't it? And it's amazing. The other thing you could say about Claude Lemieux, he was a winner because everywhere he went, he won. You know, that's what it's about.
- [09:40]
Don Hahn
He pulled some stuff, too, with the way he left the Devils and said that it was a fax and the signing of the contract wasn't legal. He ends up going to Colorado and all that stuff. And then he came back to the Devil, made a return to the NHL. I think it was like an 08 or 2010 with the San Jose Sharks.
- [09:54]
Alan Hahn
Sharks. He played like a game.
- [09:55]
Don Hahn
Yeah, just a quick game, but yeah, just a couple of minutes to kind of remember him. We'll get a lot into a lot of Knicks waiting for their opponent. We'll find out possibly tonight if the Thunder win. We are going to have some Yankees, some Mets talk. But no, he says he's your guy.
- [10:10]
Allen
You said the word winner. We brought in a winner, folks. And then we have headphones for you over there, too. The music professional that you are. I mean, this is. I have to hit a flex bomb when the great Mark Ronson is in the building. True, legitimate. We're trying to do our best, Mark, to have true, hardcore, legitimate Knicks fans in here to celebrate this moment.
- [10:33]
Mark Ronson
Is that a tough thing? I feel like. Is that a tough thing to find in New York?
- [10:37]
Allen
No, Honestly, no. I mean, I was doing my hit that I do in D.C. radio today, and they were asking me about what it's like up here, and I said, you know, I think one of the underrated things is like being an out of towner who's now been in New York almost 20 years. There's a lot of New York's the greatest. New York this, New York that. And sometimes it's like it can be a bit much. The one thing on the flip side that's understated is how like authentic and sort of real America, the Knicks fan base is like. It's almost like a middle market kind of fan base, so. No, it's actually the opposite. There are tons of authentic ones. But, you know, sometimes when people see the names who are recent to celebrity row.
- [11:15]
Mark Ronson
Yeah.
- [11:16]
Allen
They don't necessarily know that there are people who go back 30 years who made road trips to Indiana.
- [11:21]
Alan Hahn
Hey, yeah, let's play the game. Can we play the game? That we do.
- [11:26]
Mark Ronson
Okay.
- [11:27]
Alan Hahn
And I know you'll be able to ace this, so there's no pressure here.
- [11:31]
Mark Ronson
Okay.
- [11:31]
Alan Hahn
But we have a thing like strange pulls you have. It's almost like showing your metal as a Nick fan. Okay, give me an obscure play.
- [11:38]
Mark Ronson
Give us a.
- [11:39]
Allen
Just give us a.
- [11:39]
Alan Hahn
Remember watching because you're a fan on a team that wasn't good at all, but you were still rooting for that.
- [11:44]
Mark Ronson
They were still good at that point. But there's like, you know, when I think of like Anthony Bonner and people there you like.
- [11:50]
Don Hahn
That's very good one.
- [11:53]
Mark Ronson
I have pictures of. I DJed Nick's bowl, the Knicks charity, like 98. And I'm wearing this dumbass Hawaiian shirt with beads. And I took a picture with like every single person. Charlie Ward, Jeff Van Gundy. It's like it looks like the Brady Bunch if you put them all together. But it's just pictures of me looking dorky as hell and short. But like, I was such a die hard because I moved here from England in 83. Right. So I didn't grow up with basketball.
- [12:21]
Allen
And you were born in what year? 76.
- [12:23]
Mark Ronson
75.
- [12:25]
Don Hahn
So we.
- [12:26]
Mark Ronson
Yes. I fell in love with the Knicks in that championship run in 94. So I'm not gonna pretend like I was a little late to the party. I was 16, but then I was just so die hard. And like you said, I would fly to Indiana, like they would. That was my whole life. And I think the thing, the years 94 and 97, 99. I remember, like anybody with a hint of orange and blue on their shirt, you were like high fiving. That's like your people. And the thing that you're saying about the feeling of the mid market team is because we're not the Lakers, we're not the Celtics, we're not the Heat. We're not spoiled with these things. So we obviously have that New York attitude. Like we think we deserve it and we have toughness, but we've never had the thing. So when you see a Knick fan, you're also acknowledging, like the shared pain. There's so many goods and this thing. And so many people I know cried in that moment when Patrick gave Jalen the Larry Bird trophy. Like, really, like grown ass man. That's what sports does. Like, I understand that, but that was so crazy to watch that. And. Yeah. So anyway, Mark, we have a lot
- [13:30]
Don Hahn
of suffering fan bases here in New York. Jets, Mets, Islanders, and we deal with them all. And it feels like the Knick fan can be in that category. But I always felt they were a little more optimistic. Like they don't turn on their team as much as the other ones do. That they're still find even. Even in the worst times, still trying to find a silver lining.
- [13:53]
Allen
But that's.
- [13:53]
Don Hahn
That's You. You agree with that, that even as a fan, do you feel that as much as they suffered, they still find a silver lining more than maybe other fans?
- [14:02]
Mark Ronson
There's still this. You're right. This blind optimism. Like any of those years. I always joke. There's that Wyclef line from the Anything can happen. It's obscure. Wyckoff's on for the 90s. Will the Knicks win a championship this year? Anything can happen. Like that's just what we think every year when it happens. And I have occasionally like DJ with Wyclef or done something that's like the first thing I always say to him. Will the Knicks win a championship this year? So, yeah, it's just a very lovely magic.
- [14:30]
Allen
Underrated song. Anything can happen. Underrated record, in my opinion.
- [14:32]
Alan Hahn
Yeah, I always think of. You know, Red Cafe has that line. Only city you can sell Knicks, by the way, because of how much they love basketball. You can still sell that to you.
- [14:42]
Allen
Hold on.
- [14:42]
Alan Hahn
Red Cafe is a.
- [14:43]
Mark Ronson
That's a strange cafe reference.
- [14:45]
Allen
That is.
- [14:45]
Alan Hahn
That's a strange.
- [14:46]
Mark Ronson
That's big Mark.
- [14:47]
Allen
I've been working with Alan for only the last year and change. I did not know you at a Red Cafe. I did not know it.
- [14:54]
Alan Hahn
I love. I love that. Oh, yeah. But that line always gets me because I laugh because it's true. You can't sell that team anywhere else with all the losing that they had.
- [15:02]
Mark Ronson
I actually. Game 6 of 99, when we lost the spurs, we lost to the Spurs. What the hell did I have to do with it? But that's what we. That's how we talked.
- [15:11]
Allen
That's what you did.
- [15:12]
Mark Ronson
And. And I was DJing this nightclub called Life at the time, which was the hottest club in New York City. And the entire San Antonio spurs team came down to celebrate, dancing in front of me in the booth, rubbing it in my face. I still had to, you know, do a good job because I had professional pride.
- [15:28]
Allen
That's right.
- [15:29]
Don Hahn
So you throw like a Barry Manilow song on, stick it to him.
- [15:31]
Mark Ronson
Yeah. Was it Weddington or Purdue? I can't. Was it. It was Wennington.
- [15:35]
Allen
What kind of dancer is Sean Elliott, by the way? I've always wondered that, you know.
- [15:38]
Alan Hahn
No, you didn't.
- [15:38]
Allen
No, I was trying my own.
- [15:41]
Alan Hahn
It'd be great if you played like, all sad songs the whole time.
- [15:43]
Mark Ronson
Yeah. Yeah, I think I did.
- [15:46]
Allen
Have you. Have you figured out whether you're going to be able to swing a finals game? What's the plan?
- [15:52]
Mark Ronson
I'm trying every single contact that I have. You know, I'm like, I'm doing anything not to spend the kids car fund on StubHub, but, like, it. It might go that way.
- [16:01]
Allen
No, it might. And I've looked at the numbers.
- [16:04]
Don Hahn
I mean.
- [16:05]
Allen
Yeah, we're talking about.
- [16:06]
Mark Ronson
I just. How can I. I can't see a world where I'm not in the building. I don't care. I'll sit anywhere. Like, I just have to.
- [16:12]
Allen
This is so you don't have like the Fat Joe rule where you won't sit in the Joe Budden seats, as Fat Joe puts it. Joe, Joe. Fat Joe says, this is so hip hop and insane. Fat Joe makes fun of Joe Budden because Joe is willing to take the second row seats.
- [16:27]
Mark Ronson
Yeah.
- [16:27]
Allen
So Fat Joe refers to them as the Joe Budden seats, which I think Joe feels like totally fine with that. But. Yeah. Any seats?
- [16:33]
Mark Ronson
No, I was on. I was on TV. Like, whatever row the 10th was smacking the thunder sticks on like, you know, one of the many free throw misses from. Was it Jared Allen? No. I really made him miss like four of those things. So, like, I'll go where I'm useful. If I'm useful with thunder sticks, I will be in the eighth row. Whatever it is.
- [16:53]
Allen
It's so funny to me, too, because. And this speaks to what the Knicks are like. When I went to the Knicks game with you last year, you. It doesn't suit your.
- [17:00]
Don Hahn
Your.
- [17:00]
Allen
Your personality necessarily. Like, you're kind of an underspoken, half Brit artsy Fartsy type. At least, at least, you know, you know, you're playing at Gucci shows and doing all these and then like when you get to the game, you just become regular Joe New Yorker. Pass him. The Thunder sticks. And I think it really does like speak to this team and not just the Knicks in general, specifically this team. And, and one thing that I've thought about, and I know, you know, Alan and Mark will both certainly appreciate this, Don, as we've talked about, even though he's friends with Q Tip, doesn't have the music base to lean into this part of it. But like I always say, and I say this to Q Tip all the time, Fife would love this team.
- [17:42]
Mark Ronson
Yeah.
- [17:43]
Allen
Because they are such. He loved shouting out like the random hard nosed player.
- [17:48]
Mark Ronson
Yeah.
- [17:48]
Allen
And that's like. Isn't that like this entire team?
- [17:50]
Mark Ronson
Yeah, that's what it is. And I think actually Anunoby looks a little bit like Jirobi from Tribe Cross country.
- [17:56]
Allen
So there's an extra connection.
- [17:57]
Mark Ronson
There's something about that.
- [17:58]
Allen
But Anunoby's kind of a perfect Nick too. You know, he maybe not be the, he's not the grunt player that a Josh Hart is or whatever. Even that Jalen Brunson is a star. OG is like truly a natural athlete. You can see that. But he's still just very much a Knick.
- [18:12]
Alan Hahn
And he's also from London.
- [18:14]
Mark Ronson
Yeah.
- [18:15]
Alan Hahn
Have you talked to him much?
- [18:16]
Mark Ronson
No, I've actually never got to talk to him. And every time I see an interview because there's so few English people in the thing, there's like this, I want to hear the English accent, but it's
- [18:23]
Alan Hahn
kind of does come out.
- [18:24]
Mark Ronson
It does come out.
- [18:25]
Alan Hahn
Here's the thing. When I've interviewed him, it never happens because he's shy and he's very careful with what he says publicly.
- [18:31]
Allen
Yeah.
- [18:32]
Alan Hahn
But if you're just talking to him like on the side.
- [18:34]
Mark Ronson
Yeah.
- [18:35]
Alan Hahn
And it's just a casual conversation, it starts to slip out and you start to go, oh, there it is. And he, he'll realize it and stop himself. But it's amazing that it's, it's there but not all the time.
- [18:45]
Mark Ronson
I saw you guys on tv. But first of all, I'm a big fan of both of you. It's crazy. I never get to do. Be around. I get to be around a lot of music people but not a lot of like sports. And that's, it's such a love of mine anyway. But it was a thing. It was a thing with. I think you're on too. And he. Charles Barkley just asked him, like out of nowhere. Was just like, how do you say your first name? Yeah, how do you say your name? And you can tell he just got so shy because he probably like his whole childhood as a kid, like having to say that I had such a weird accent coming here when I mean, I still have a weird accent.
- [19:14]
Grainger Announcer
I agree.
- [19:15]
Mark Ronson
But yeah, no, he's so endearing. Yeah. The whole team.
- [19:20]
Allen
I've been working like since I first got to know Mark a few years ago. I'm like always working on my impression of him. And it's like, it's so hard to get because there's just enough British accent that it's not an American. Quite an American accent. But if someone's like, oh, does he have a strong British accent? I'm like, well, no, but there's something there.
- [19:41]
Mark Ronson
Yeah, you have to sound like you took more Sudafed as well. It's kind of like a sleepy.
- [19:45]
Alan Hahn
Was gonna say it gives California right.
- [19:48]
Allen
Maybe it leaves that way a little. Like it's just like very like it's not like all the way. One thing. It's just sort of like Q Tip.
- [19:54]
Mark Ronson
Does it. Q Tip makes fun of me pretty good. We were there at that Larry Johnson four point play, actually. I remember that with Q Tip. And we were not in crazy seats. And. And when the. And we were up in like high in the 1/ hundreds and there was something when that shot hit, I don't know what, but I just looked up and Q Tip was already on the floor. Like he'd run. Like, everybody was so excited. He was just like. And he just ran. Not to go on the floor to hug anyone, but you were just so excited, you didn't know what to do with yourself. So it was like the road run. You're like, yeah, I got to.
- [20:27]
Alan Hahn
That's very Rucker Park. That happens. That's a Rucker park thing. Somebody does something spectacular, you just. Everyone watching just runs on the court for a while, goes crazy and then goes back to the.
- [20:36]
Mark Ronson
Yeah, that's exactly.
- [20:37]
Alan Hahn
So I think that's what he was feeling.
- [20:38]
Mark Ronson
Probably that's exactly what happened. And then, yeah, we would go to the Market Square arena all the time because Reggie Miller's wife at the time, Marita, would like was in the club, so she would give us nosebleeds and you know, that whole era in the 90s, but it's back, you know.
- [20:51]
Allen
Does it feel that way? Does it actually. Cause you were outside in the 90s and you're somewhat outside now, not as much so because you're a dad now, you have a great book that did quite well too. Night how to be a DJ in 90s New York City Mark's memoir is fantastic. This guy's lived like 19 lives. But does it is the vibe in General? Is it feeling 90s esque to you?
- [21:15]
Mark Ronson
It is, but something different in a good way as well. I feel like, you know, I don't know, we just always had, we had Jordan, we had like all these obstacles. I feel like we could listen, the west is crazy, but there's this magic to this thing. And I think also because it really came together so late or early in the playoffs, however you want to say it, the momentum just feels crazy.
- [21:35]
Don Hahn
Mark Ronson is here in studio with us. Can you hang a little bit?
- [21:38]
Mark Ronson
I'd be happy to you one more
- [21:39]
Allen
so you can do another seg with us. All right.
- [21:42]
Bucked Up Announcer
If you've ever wanted real energy without choking down something that tastes like regret, Bucked up is the answer. The flavor is the thing people keep coming back for Insanely delicious, which is not a phrase usually associated with energy drinks. And they're built on real science backed ingredients, clean energy that actually works without the garbage you don't want. Bucked up is so confident you'll love their drinks, they're giving away an island vacation just to prove it. That's the kind of brand this is. No purchase necessary. Giveaway ends May 30th. Enter and find your closest Bucked up at buckedup energy.com Grab a Bucked up and feel like a million bucks.
- [22:23]
Grainger Announcer
As you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Granger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop
- [22:52]
Thumbtack Announcer
by avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes so you don't have to don't know the difference between matte paint, finish and satin or what that clunking sound from your dryer is with thumbtack. You don't have to be a home pro, you just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the thumbtack app. Download today.
- [23:20]
Rosenberg
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [23:23]
Allen
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [23:25]
Rosenberg
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe us wherever you get your podcasts.
- [23:33]
Don Hahn
Mark Ronson, if you want to see his accomplishments, just go and check it out. You'll be impressed. But one of the things, 10 time Grammy Award winner.
- [23:40]
Mark Ronson
10.
- [23:41]
Don Hahn
Unbelievable.
- [23:41]
Allen
Is that right?
- [23:42]
Mark Ronson
It's actually nine, but I like your version more.
- [23:44]
Allen
By the way, when he thought he, when he, when he said it, I, I, I, I thought he meant ten time nominee. You have nine Grammys already.
- [23:50]
Mark Ronson
Yeah.
- [23:50]
Don Hahn
Good Lord, I saw ten.
- [23:53]
Allen
That's.
- [23:53]
Alan Hahn
Would you trade one for a Nick Chick?
- [23:55]
Don Hahn
I think yes. It wasn't Wikipedia.
- [23:58]
Mark Ronson
He tried five of them.
- [23:59]
Allen
Yeah.
- [23:59]
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
- [24:00]
Allen
There's maybe eight.
- [24:01]
Alan Hahn
Wait a minute, eight?
- [24:02]
Allen
No, no.
- [24:03]
Alan Hahn
So I'll be honest.
- [24:04]
Mark Ronson
One of them. I just don't get to look at him anymore. I would trade eight.
- [24:08]
Allen
The most. What's the most important one for you? The most important Grammy?
- [24:12]
Mark Ronson
I think maybe the, the most important one would be with Amy.
- [24:17]
Don Hahn
Amy.
- [24:17]
Mark Ronson
That's what I maybe for Back to
- [24:18]
Allen
Black, that was album of the year.
- [24:21]
Mark Ronson
No, actually, Herbie Hancock got album the year. That thing. I think it was like pop vocal album. And we were for rehab and I won for producer of the year that year. But the thing was this, like, you know, I was 34. I never had a hit. I'd never had any success before. I've been like doing the thing in music for 16 years and kind of just thought it maybe wasn't gonna happen. Like, I was doing music for tv, commercials, jingles, whatever. I met Amy and obviously, like, things change. And so everything about that was pretty, like just magic.
- [24:49]
Allen
So if you could keep that year where you get producer of the Year, you get the Back in Black, get the rehab Grammy, get rid of the other six or seven. If you ask Wikipedia for Nick Ring, you'd consider it?
- [24:59]
Mark Ronson
Yeah.
- [25:00]
Allen
It's that big a deal.
- [25:00]
Don Hahn
Yeah.
- [25:01]
Alan Hahn
He didn't hesitate.
- [25:02]
Mark Ronson
Yeah.
- [25:02]
Alan Hahn
He said you'd consider it. Yeah.
- [25:03]
Mark Ronson
I think this is a whole. Do only I know that the Knicks won the championship or just the whole. Did they win?
- [25:09]
Allen
No, they win. They won.
- [25:10]
Mark Ronson
Oh, my God.
- [25:10]
Allen
It's the real deal.
- [25:11]
Mark Ronson
I go hand them out to the west coast, whoever we end up playing.
- [25:15]
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
- [25:16]
Mark Ronson
Sga. Take these eight. So let's go home.
- [25:19]
Don Hahn
So if you're an NBA basket, if you're a basketball player, winning the title is. Do you think it would be the same feeling as when you won a Grammy?
- [25:28]
Mark Ronson
It's, It's. It's even harder and more rare to win the championship. Right. Because you have, like, 2014. What do you. I'm not gonna embarrass myself. 28 teams, 30 teams.
- [25:37]
Alan Hahn
30, 30.
- [25:38]
Allen
You're right there.
- [25:39]
Mark Ronson
And one of them gets through. And every year, there's just this one thing. It's like, it doesn't even compare because in the Grammys, Oscars, you categories, you have this thing, and I feel like the rarefied air that you have to capture, obviously, everything that goes into it. So it's. There's something. It must feel the same for a musician as it would be. But. But I even think it's. It's. It's hard to compare, but.
- [26:01]
Don Hahn
Yeah, it's hard to compare. But I would think that as a basketball player, your crowning achievement is winning a title.
- [26:06]
Mark Ronson
Yes. Yes.
- [26:06]
Don Hahn
So in your line, in our line of work, the Grammy would be the crowning achievement.
- [26:11]
Mark Ronson
Is the crowning achievement. It's the thing that you would just like, yeah, it would be the thing that you dream of, but it's hard
- [26:16]
Allen
to go apples to apples because there are Grammys for so many things. So, like, you literally could win a Grammy one year that you're like, oh, cool, neat. But I didn't really spend at this point. Now that you have various categories. Yeah, there could be a category when that comes along, you're like, oh, yeah, record. It's not the worst album of the year.
- [26:30]
Mark Ronson
I want to be on record saying I'm very grateful for anything acknowledged for there are some that are more special because you've obviously been put all this work or you built it from nothing.
- [26:41]
Allen
Right.
- [26:41]
Mark Ronson
But, yeah, very grateful for any recognition from the academy. Thank you.
- [26:48]
Alan Hahn
I saw a story or you did the old man in the three podcast, and I thought it was great. Julius Randall, when he was with the. Actually, was he in Minnesota at the time when you did that? Right. So you're sitting with him and you take out your phone and you show a portrait that was done of Randall that you had in your house. You're showing him that. And I just love the fact that you were like, I'm not a stalker, but showing it. But he's gone now. So I imagine of the current team, it might be an obvious answer, but it isn't always an obvious answer. That's why I'm asking, is there a player on this team that is like, that's your guy? Like, if you were going to buy a dress, this is the guy or the portrait you'd Want in your house now of what?
- [27:27]
Mark Ronson
It's hard. I mean, I have a small baby doll of Jalen Brunson, which is not something that's on my bed. It's my daughter's. But like, it's hard not to say Jalen. But like I said, like, like you said before with this team, it's. It's Josh, it's Anunoby, it's Cat. It's just like there's Mitch Robinson. There's just. You just love this whole team and there's a camaraderie with this team that you get the sense that they all just like love each other and that's why this is all working in such collaboration way. So. Yeah, that's. Yeah.
- [27:59]
Alan Hahn
So there isn't one. Jalen is. Yeah, yeah.
- [28:03]
Mark Ronson
If I had to pick one. But Josh Hart as well, because he's like, you know, obviously it's hard not to relate them to the other areas like that Starks energy. And it's just like just the. The crazy hustle and just like puts everything on the line. Everything. And you know, just puts their entire emotional thing and, you know, hard on the sleeve.
- [28:19]
Alan Hahn
What do you think of. We had Clyde on the other day and you. I know this from him is that he doesn't throw around compliments easily, especially when it's compared to his championship era. Yeah, he's very careful with that. Very protective of that.
- [28:34]
Mark Ronson
Yeah.
- [28:35]
Alan Hahn
He said that this current team, in the way they're playing right now, reminds him of the 73 team that you and I both did not get to see.
- [28:42]
Mark Ronson
No.
- [28:43]
Alan Hahn
And so all we can go on is what he says. The late, great Willis Reed used to talk to me about that team. Bill Bradley talks about that team. Seven hall of Famers.
- [28:51]
Allen
Yeah.
- [28:51]
Alan Hahn
Okay. And the run they had in the playoffs. They were a great team that played the same way. Team basketball. When you hear him make that comparison. Because we love the 90s teams. 94, 99. That whole. There was a grit about them, a toughness about them. Wasn't the best looking basketball though.
- [29:06]
Allen
Right.
- [29:06]
Alan Hahn
Let's be honest. It wasn't pretty, but it was a grind and it was sometimes excruciatingly painful. But when you hear him say that about this team.
- [29:14]
Don Hahn
Yeah.
- [29:15]
Alan Hahn
What does that do for you? Just thinking about the history of the.
- [29:18]
Mark Ronson
I can completely picture it. And you're right. We never got to see that team, but it had all the legends. It's the last time that we won, so I absolutely think about that. There's also something so crazy that it happened in the middle of the Atlanta series. Like, I just kept thinking, like, what did Mike Brown say in that locker room? Like, I'm sure you've talked. You probably know what he said.
- [29:37]
Alan Hahn
It's the off day was special. It's gonna be in a book.
- [29:40]
Mark Ronson
Like, what the hell? Like, and then just like that switch to Cat. Cat's gonna play. He's, he's, he's definitely vacillated, playing selflessly, you know, through the seasons here. But just that thing, like I'm gonna stand at the top of the key and I'm gonna just distribute. And then even that game, after Jalen had 39 points, the next thing he had what, like, he always gets 25, but 14 assist. Like now I'm going to let everybody get some. I know it's not that cut and dry, but there's just something magic and selfless about this team. Like, I don't know if we have seven future hall of Famers, but like, you know, some incredible, incredible.
- [30:16]
Allen
And one of the things, one of the things we've continued to talk about is how much the last few weeks has changed. Like the future of these guys lives. Yeah, like before the playoffs started. If they were one and done against Atlanta, Cat's not here next year. They're blowing this thing up. They're going to go for Giannis, they're going to change the whole thing. Mike Brown may or may not be here. We'll see if they go on to win a championship. We all know Jalen Brunson will be in this rarefied air. He'll be one of the biggest Knicks of all time. But a guy like Cat, who would have been Persona non grata, he will become a forever Nick.
- [30:48]
Mark Ronson
It's the craziest thing is that like I think about who's that who says that yesterday's price, tomorrow's price is not today's price. So you think about it and you're like every single player, everybody knows Jalen was the biggest deal and Anunoby, that was an expensive deal. But you think about it and everybody's probably getting double whatever their last thing. Maybe double is a little too crazy.
- [31:10]
Allen
But everybody's price has gone.
- [31:12]
Mark Ronson
It's just like it's yes, the what is done for every single person on the team because they've, they've earned it.
- [31:17]
Allen
I just love what it's going to mean for like Carl Anthony Townes, the human being who like everybody knows is a wonderful guy.
- [31:23]
Alan Hahn
Think about how no one for a while social media wasn't kind to Him?
- [31:27]
Allen
No.
- [31:27]
Alan Hahn
There was a lot of jokes at his expense. There were podcasts of former players at his expense, and now no one is saying anything other than, wow, this. Remember, this guy was the number one pick of the draft. He was the number one high school player in the country. He was always used to being the best. So for him to find this right now and to kind of get that credit is definitely special. I wanted to ask you, Mark, if you can get in the building, that's great. But overall, when you're watching the finals, how do you do it? Like, are you a, I got to be with people, or you a, I got to be alone? I got to be locked.
- [32:02]
Mark Ronson
Like, it doesn't matter if there are people. Like, it's just. I don't know if that's. I've never been a fan of another team. Like, I am in the Knicks. I don't know. But it's. It's so stressful, and. And I'm, like, sitting. Even my wife is a big fan, and we love watching the games together, but I am on the edge of the seat the entire time during it. So, like, everything else kind of fades away. Same thing, even when I'm in the Garden. So, yeah, it's just like, I met this girl the other day. She was like, yeah, me and my husband, huge Nick fans. I was like, where are you watching the game? She's like, oh, he can't watch the games. It's like, he's such a huge fan. He's so stressed out, but he can't actually. He's never watched a game.
- [32:37]
Allen
So what does he do then?
- [32:39]
Mark Ronson
I guess he finds out after. No, that's crazy.
- [32:42]
Allen
I gotta tell you, that borders on
- [32:44]
Mark Ronson
freakish behavior that doesn't even border. That is.
- [32:46]
Allen
You're full on free. Yeah. Like. Like, if you just say you can't watch, it's too much. He has a ritual. He listens. Oh, okay.
- [32:53]
Alan Hahn
I guess around while it's on.
- [32:54]
Allen
Right.
- [32:55]
Mark Ronson
But how do you know you're a fan?
- [32:57]
Allen
How do you know you're a fan?
- [32:58]
Don Hahn
What exactly is being accomplished, though? All right, so they won, but you didn't see it. Like, I don't know what you're doing
- [33:04]
Mark Ronson
if a tree falls in the woods.
- [33:06]
Alan Hahn
Right.
- [33:06]
Don Hahn
That's so insane. Wouldn't you, though?
- [33:09]
Alan Hahn
Like, that's a moment. If I know the game's on and I. Like, if I'm out somewhere or something. The game's on. Now, obviously, most of the time, I'm literally there, but there are times, national broadcasts, maybe I need to know, like, if I know they're playing right now, it makes me crazy not to know what's happening.
- [33:25]
Mark Ronson
No, it's.
- [33:26]
Don Hahn
It's. It's.
- [33:27]
Alan Hahn
There are. There are definitely levels with this fan base. Yeah, there's levels now.
- [33:31]
Allen
Speaking of levels, I told you yesterday, Don, Mark has lived levels in his life. There's a lot of interesting things throughout your book, and when you just talk in life, I end up hearing more things. And I know I've asked you about this one before, but listen, new audience every day. It's in your book. Can you please give us a little bit of information about hanging out with your best friend, a young Julian Lennon? Correct.
- [33:54]
Mark Ronson
Sean.
- [33:55]
Allen
Sean, sorry, apologies. Sean Lennon. And the night that Michael Jackson came over to hang out, I just. The movie's out, by the way. Alan, can you tell. Mark will appreciate this. And then I want the story. Tell Mark what was blaring from the Knicks locker room after the big win the other night.
- [34:10]
Alan Hahn
Oh, yeah, it was.
- [34:11]
Allen
You don't remember? I remember because you told me.
- [34:12]
Alan Hahn
Yeah, I know. The way you make me feel yeah,
- [34:14]
Mark Ronson
the way you make me feel.
- [34:15]
Alan Hahn
The song they were playing in the
- [34:17]
Allen
big Michael Jackson summer has, like, made
- [34:19]
Alan Hahn
it to the Knicks, and it's so that team, by the way.
- [34:22]
Allen
It really is their vibe.
- [34:23]
Alan Hahn
It is so that.
- [34:24]
Allen
So, yeah. What can you take us through that night? What your best memories are of it.
- [34:27]
Mark Ronson
Okay, so Sean Lennon, because he. We were 10 years old, 11, he is one of my best friends. Still is. And he was friends with Michael Jackson because obviously his dad was John Lennon. You know, like, he was around a lot of people. I think Michael Jackson even had the own. The Beatles publisher, another connection. And he was just like, michael's coming in. He's on the bad tour. He's gonna stay over. Yeah, you want to stay over. So I was like, yeah. So I remember Michael had this. This was before, like, you know, 10 years, five years later, you could go to Sharper Image. Everybody had those lights that shown the red laser. When that kind of came out, he had had, like. This is like 10 years before that, he had had his lighting designer, who designed the crazy green lasers on his tour and design a box where he just had, like, one laser he could carry around, and he plugged it into the wall, and it was like this metal box about, like this shape, like a rectangle, and it just shone. A laser. So Sean lived on the seventh floor, this apartment building uptown. And we were just shining this infrared, like, now that I think about it, it's incredibly menacing. It seemed like somebody had an Uzi or something, but we were just shining this dot on the ground in front of people, and they were just losing their minds. Like, where the hell is that coming from? Dogs going crazy. And then he really. What Michael. I remember about that night especially is he really wanted to make soggies, which is when you take a giant mound of wet toilet paper and throw it out the window. And he just, like, obviously we would make sure nobody was coming down the street, but he just thought that. That. That was incredibly funny. He was a kid, and he was. I remember thinking, like, while he was running around going like, this guy. And even at 11, was like, this guy's more of a kid than we are. Like, this is weird. And then not weird, but just like,
- [36:09]
Don Hahn
no, it's very unusual.
- [36:11]
Mark Ronson
Like, now knowing it, he never had a childhood. He stayed. The kids, you know, but. Yeah, and that was it. And then the next night, we went to the. To his concert.
- [36:20]
Alan Hahn
Did you.
- [36:21]
Allen
How was the. Do you remember the concert?
- [36:23]
Mark Ronson
Yeah, I remember. Well, you know, it was dangerous. So I remember was black and white. And, you know, I remember, like, he disappeared on one side of Madison Square Garden and then appeared on the other. And there was that guitar player, the. The lady with the Christmas tree lights around the guitar. Kind of remember flashes.
- [36:38]
Alan Hahn
Did you.
- [36:39]
Allen
Did you see the movie by chance?
- [36:40]
Mark Ronson
I haven't seen it yet, no.
- [36:41]
Allen
Because I'm just curious, even though you were a little kid, I'm just curious, when you see the movie, to see whether Jafar Jackson's portrayal of him resonates with someone who actually met him. I'm curious. Cause on tv, in the movie, you're like, oh, my God, I'm watching Michael Jackson.
- [36:58]
Alan Hahn
Yeah. Yeah, that's what everybody says.
- [37:00]
Mark Ronson
I remember, actually, one thing that was just kind of like a real precursor to the rest of my life. But I remember we were running around being. And I used to go, my stepdad's a musician, the band Foreigner. And he had a home studio. So even at that age, I was making little demos. And at one point, Michael was, like, running around shining the laser or something, and I was like, michael, like, give me a bass line. He was like, what? I was like, give us a bass line. Like, I'll take it back to the studio, make a song. And I remember. And I still remember the bass line to this day. And he put his one hand in the air like this, and, like, snapped the fingers. He went. Like, just four notes. Sounds like a lot of other Michael Jackson things, but still pretty magical. And we went the next day and I made like this six minute song,
- [37:45]
Allen
which is that just the same day
- [37:47]
Mark Ronson
song, boring as hell. Because I wanted to play it for him like at the show that night, like to show him what we had done. Me and Sean made this demo.
- [37:55]
Don Hahn
That's incredible.
- [37:55]
Alan Hahn
I'm floored by how matter of fact all this is.
- [37:58]
Mark Ronson
Well, it's the way I told this story probably a lot. It's crazy. I understand how.
- [38:02]
Allen
Yeah, it's a good. It's a good party story. I'll say. That's a solid one.
- [38:05]
Alan Hahn
It's one of the great stories ever told on this show.
- [38:09]
Allen
Well, no, no, he did not surpass the Mike Tyson story that we got.
- [38:14]
Alan Hahn
Walter Berry story.
- [38:15]
Don Hahn
Yeah, that was Walter Berry.
- [38:16]
Alan Hahn
That story is very brief.
- [38:18]
Allen
It's right there, though. No, it's right there. So very briefly, Walter Berry was a star on the saint, the great St. John's team of the 80s, right. And we happened to bring up Mike Tyson with him because I have a tendency to bring up Tyson with everyone. And Alan told me, he's like, make sure we bring up Mike Tyson.
- [38:32]
Alan Hahn
He's like, I was given a tip.
- [38:33]
Allen
He was like, he's got a story. And I was like, oh, so what's your Mike Tyson story? And I'm sure you've, you've had this. And by the way, I'm sure you have Tyson stories from the late 90s as well. He starts telling the story and we start realizing is he was literally with Tyson at Dapper Dan's the night Mike Tyson fought Mitch Green.
- [38:54]
Mark Ronson
Whoa.
- [38:55]
Allen
He left with Mike in the car after Mike fought Mitch Green.
- [38:58]
Alan Hahn
You're burying the lead.
- [38:59]
Allen
Oh, yeah, I'm sorry. I'm burying the lead.
- [39:00]
Alan Hahn
In the lead. Why was Mitch coming?
- [39:03]
Allen
Sorry. Walter Berry was hooking up with Mitch Green's girlfriend.
- [39:07]
Mark Ronson
So Mitch was coming for Walter Berry. He was basically coming back at school.
- [39:11]
Allen
And it just kind of came out in this way where it's like, it didn't feel like he told it a thousand times.
- [39:15]
Don Hahn
It was kind of like didn't. But he told it in the same way that Mark did because it was just that casual.
- [39:21]
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
- [39:21]
Don Hahn
It was his life, you know, it just.
- [39:23]
Alan Hahn
And then the next day I went straight. I went to the show and then
- [39:26]
Allen
I went to bed. Great show.
- [39:27]
Mark Ronson
I remember the Post headline the next day, all that. He was wearing the triple five sole sock cap. That was such a clear. Oh, man, that fight was lit.
- [39:34]
Don Hahn
But it's so, so real to have you here. I think I told you when I met you last year that Uptown Funk was a big part of my kids childhood. They were two and a half when we were in Covid and they fell in love with the song and the video was on YouTube. We just watched it over and over and over again. And you were, you were sitting on the car, right?
- [39:52]
Mark Ronson
Yeah. So the white guy in the Bruno Mars videos. How I'm known,
- [40:01]
Don Hahn
As much as I'm a sports fan, I've always said that if I had to give up one thing, sports or music, and I make my living in sports, I could not give up music because it's just so important to people that you're able to get into the hearts and the minds and the memories of people. It's just amazing.
- [40:17]
Mark Ronson
I feel very lucky to be a part of songs that have done that. But thank you really.
- [40:21]
Allen
I mean listen, in all fairness, Uptown Funk only has. I want to give Marco and Jalen their credit for what they contributed. It only has 5.8 billion views on YouTube. That's got to be at least 250 from the Lagreca house.
- [40:32]
Don Hahn
It's a great song for two and a half year olds that are curious. It just had a lot of stuff that they did.
- [40:39]
Allen
You know pretty quickly that this is going to be like insane. Oh big no.
- [40:44]
Mark Ronson
Because it took us seven months to write that song because it, because we just like wanted to get it perfect. There were so many late night sessions where we nearly threw the song out. We couldn't just like agree on a verse or a line. So by the time it was finished we all felt pretty good about it. But I remember even somebody from the record company was like, I don't know if you should put the word funk in the title. And someone was like it's four and a half minutes, you got to get it down to three. It sounded like nothing else on the radio that time. So we did it. We just knew it felt great and we started to see as people heard it, they just made them had this feeling. So you know. But no, you never know.
- [41:17]
Allen
Do you, do you ever get sick of hearing it?
- [41:22]
Mark Ronson
I love that like kids love it and I love that it's like a wedding tune and like it's forever wedding like thing. And no, you know, I just, I don't listen to it by myself but when I play it, when I DJ occasionally and by the way, I love
- [41:37]
Allen
the idea of like you know, walking up on you one day like I see you at a light and what do you listen to it? It's just Uptown Funk.
- [41:43]
Alan Hahn
Yeah.
- [41:43]
Allen
Just Blast just in the car, sitting on Houston, just turned up loud, leaning in.
- [41:47]
Don Hahn
It's great. But before we let you go, do you have a preference, spurs or Thunder?
- [41:52]
Mark Ronson
I mean, just because of history, I. I'd like this. I'd to like. Wouldn't mind the spurs, but I think that we could take anyone. I think we have the momentum.
- [42:01]
Allen
I think that's the right approach. Yeah. And the thing I keep feeling is the kind of team basketball they're playing.
- [42:07]
Don Hahn
Yeah.
- [42:07]
Allen
You know, it would be. Listen, Oklahoma City's very good.
- [42:10]
Mark Ronson
Yes.
- [42:10]
Allen
I'm sorry. I am a little. But I'm going to be honest with you. The dynasty talk from last year at this time, I think was a little overstated. I think they're a really good team. Really good.
- [42:22]
Alan Hahn
They are injured, and that's something to
- [42:24]
Allen
watch, and that is important.
- [42:25]
Alan Hahn
And I have a couple of guys they're missing. That's a big deal.
- [42:28]
Allen
But I. But I also don't think they're a dynasty team. I think they're a really good team. Well, but the Knicks can play with either of these teams. They can.
- [42:34]
Alan Hahn
The way they're playing is certainly. Is certainly something different. If I can. I know we're late.
- [42:38]
Don Hahn
Go ahead.
- [42:39]
Allen
You do it.
- [42:39]
Alan Hahn
I need your opinion, your professional opinion.
- [42:42]
Don Hahn
Yep.
- [42:44]
Alan Hahn
The Go New York song.
- [42:45]
Mark Ronson
I knew. I just knew it.
- [42:48]
Don Hahn
We have people standing.
- [42:50]
Mark Ronson
He's going to ask me about a song, and it's. I knew it was gonna be going New York.
- [42:53]
Alan Hahn
It's. It's a song that, when you grow up with it, it's just. It's the jingle.
- [42:57]
Allen
It's.
- [42:57]
Alan Hahn
It's like you're. You hear it, you know it, and you're like. But you don't realize if it's bad or good until other people tell you.
- [43:03]
Mark Ronson
That song sucks. Yeah.
- [43:05]
Alan Hahn
So Jesse did a great job with it. It meant so much to him. It led to big things for him. But in the end, it has become something of, what, a staple for Nick fans who celebrate the song. And I love music, too, but I need your professional opinion.
- [43:19]
Mark Ronson
Deep down, I love the nostalgia. It's probably so ingrained in me. I think now when they play it, it's a remix version or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know.
- [43:32]
Allen
You definitely hear the whole rap.
- [43:33]
Mark Ronson
It's definitely like. And. And I love. They play such good music in the guard and, like, the bumpers and stuff. Now they're playing like, Nas New York State of Mind instrumental and like, as they're bringing the ball up the court stuff. So sometimes there is a little bit, like, when they go to the, the Jesse song, it's a little of a disconnect. But no, it's. He did, he did a service. He did a mitzvah for the city of New York and it's, it's an anthem.
- [43:54]
Allen
I love that. This guy is.
- [43:56]
Alan Hahn
Well done. Yeah, well done.
- [43:57]
Don Hahn
Well, thank you so much, man.
- [43:58]
Mark Ronson
Thank you.
- [44:00]
Don Hahn
Thanks. Mark Bronson, super guy, super Nick fan. What a, what a great way.
- [44:06]
Allen
Well, and, but, and by the way, so I got Mark. So who's up next? We got to draw in another huge Nick celebrity fan as the week goes on.
- [44:12]
Alan Hahn
Few minutes we'll have J.R. smith.
- [44:15]
Allen
That doesn't count.
- [44:15]
Alan Hahn
No, it's great.
- [44:16]
Allen
But you can pull Knicks. We know you can pull Knicks. That's in your Rolodex.
- [44:19]
Alan Hahn
Right?
- [44:19]
Allen
We need you to dig deeper. In fact, I may need to lean on Mark. He may need to be the one who connects to other celebrity Knick fans. We're going to do the work.
- [44:25]
Don Hahn
Don't look to me. Mike Madonna. I could probably get you. Maybe he rooted for the Knicks at one time or another. Sean Burke, perhaps I'll get it done here.
- [44:34]
Windows 11 Announcer
Study and play come together on a Windows 11 PC and for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds. Get the unreal college deal. Everything you need to study and play with select Windows 11 PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft 365 Premium and a year of Xbox game. Pass ultimate with a custom color Xbox wireless controller. Learn more@windows.com studentoffer while supplies last ends June 30, terms at aka mscollegepc.
- [45:04]
Blinds.com Announcer
Did you know if your windows are bare, indoor temperatures can go up 20 degrees. Turn the temperature down with blinds.com and get up to 50% off custom window treatments like solar roller shades and more during the Memorial Day Mega Sale. Whether you want to DIY it or have a pro handle everything, we've got you free samples, real design experts and zero pressure. Just help when you need it. This is your last chance to shop up to 50% off site wide during the Memorial Day mega sale@blinds.com rules and restrictions apply.
- [45:32]
ESPN App Announcer
Hey sports fans. The ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows and originals across the across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional cost. Visit activate.espn.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now.
- [46:04]
Rosenberg
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [46:07]
Allen
I didn't listen to anything you just said.
- [46:09]
Rosenberg
Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
- [46:16]
Alan Hahn
Hey guys, Alan Hunt here to tell you about Rings End. So we have our project starting to come together. Hearing about the French door we ordered from Ring's End and it is actually they expedited it. It's coming in sooner than expected and once the finals are over we're going to get this project going. Rock and roll. And I'm very excited about it and so I want to share with you the great experience I have at Ring's End because they have an extensive inventory of built to last high end product lines that the contractors rely on. And they do it right, they don't do it over. So Rings End has showrooms with products that you can touch and feel and try so you know exactly what you're getting. And if you can't make it to a store and they have stores in Westchester and Connecticut, they have paint centers. They have 12 freestanding paint centers. They have eight full service lumber yards in Connecticut and Westchester county and they are not a national chain. They are local, they are regional. They know the area well. They've been in business for 124 years with deep northeast roots and they support local builders and communities. And as I mentioned, if you can't make it to a store, just simply go online and shop@ringsend.com that's ringsend.com Don McGregor all right.
- [47:22]
Don Hahn
There's so much on the table to discuss. We're with you until 7 o' clock and we're eat all three hours. J.R. smith is going to be joining us in a couple of minutes and we'll get his thoughts on the series and everything with the fans. That was kind of a crazy moment. I guess you can laugh at it now but there was probably a couple of minute span where that was kind of scary during the playoffs earlier. Get into that spurs and Thunder tonight which can hear right here on 8:80 ESPN New York after Dan Grass at 8:00 clock and we've got that guy Thursday at 4:30 and we've got a full enn at 6. So we got a pretty good shot.
- [47:55]
Alan Hahn
We do.
- [47:55]
Don Hahn
We're ready for you.
- [47:56]
Alan Hahn
Can I throw some? We're doing something just out of curiosity, out of both of you guys is the schools of thought about who you want to play because you guys asked Mark, right? And he gave the right answer, it says, as a fan, you got to believe, yeah, they can beat anybody. You don't want to pick anyone. And he looked at the revenge factor of 99, which is just a franchise thing. It's none of the players. But I was wondering this. I asked Dave this this morning when I was listening to their show coming in for get up, and I just said, is there a part of you that would say, give me the Thunder? So if you beat them, no one can say any more about the easy path to a championship. Right? Because that's been the narrative outside. You know, they haven't played anybody. The east is terrible. You know, a lot of people nationally and some others even locally are downplaying, like, the success and everybody being excited about how well they're playing, saying that, no, they didn't play anybody good, but if you beat the defending champs, doesn't that go away? So does that matter? Or is it something that shouldn't even be relevant?
- [49:01]
Don Hahn
Well, it shouldn't be relevant.
- [49:02]
Alan Hahn
The guys said they don't care about that now. But what do you guys think?
- [49:06]
Don Hahn
It shouldn't be relevant. But anybody that wants to go there, really, you're going to go there. If they beat the spurs, that it was an easy path. The spurs and Wemby and a team that knocked off the defending champions, really going to go there. You're going to be an underdog. You were a favorite in all three series leading up to here. And I can understand the narrative that, you know, the three teams that you played aren't. Aren't great teams. Everybody says they're not beating anybody in the West. Nobody's saying they can't beat the Thunder or they're saying they can't beat the West. That's what people around the nation are saying. The championship's going to come out of the West. So I don't really look at it as if they beat the Spurs. That lends to the narrative. They didn't beat anybody. No way they're going to be an underdog. They're going to have home court disadvantage against the best player in the NBA. I'm sorry, if you want to go there, dude, there's not enough traction for me. The Thunder might look different because they're the defending champions.
- [50:00]
Alan Hahn
As a fan, you don't care. No, you wouldn't use that. Like you wouldn't rather that. Because a lot of fans are very sensitive to this criticism.
- [50:08]
Don Hahn
How could you know? Honestly, we'll get into this a little bit later on because we got.
- [50:12]
Alan Hahn
I like it.
- [50:13]
Don Hahn
J.R. smith, somebody with a straight face. If the Knicks beat the spurs. Oh well, you had an easy path. The spurs were the favorite. You had home court disadvantage. I could understand the narrative of the easy path to the final, but no way would this be considered easy.
- [50:31]
Allen
No. So 100% not easy. And also at that point you're telling me you won 11 straight, you swept two series, then beat the best in the west and people would still think it was an easy pat? It would be nonsense.
- [50:43]
Don Hahn
Yeah, that would just be for no reason.
- [50:45]
Alan Hahn
I asked it because.
- [50:46]
Allen
No, it's out there.
- [50:46]
Alan Hahn
It doesn't mean anything to me either. But I asked it because it's out there, because that criticism is growing. The dismissing what the Knicks are doing is getting louder and louder because there's a lot of time to wait before the Finals.
- [50:59]
Rosenberg
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [51:03]
Allen
I don't want to know how the
- [51:04]
Alan Hahn
sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good.
- [51:06]
Rosenberg
Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.
- [51:18]
Don Hahn
This is what everyone's talking about.
- [51:21]
Mark Ronson
Everything's on the table.
- [51:24]
Don Hahn
This is what champions come to take. This is what everyone came to see. No do overs, no second chances.
- [51:34]
Mark Ronson
No more Mr. Nice Guy.
- [51:36]
Don Hahn
This is winner take all. And it's all happening now on the home of the NBA Finals. Don't miss it. June 3rd on ABC and the ESPN applied.