Podcast Summary

Podcast: Pablo Torre Finds Out
Host: Pablo Torre
Episode: Behind the Curtain of Distraction: We Went Undercover with the Most Creative Fans in College Hoops
Release Date: March 11, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out dives deep into the wild, creative, and occasionally bizarre culture surrounding Arizona State University’s famed “Curtain of Distraction.” Host Pablo Torre goes undercover and behind the scenes with the students and staff who run the operation, revealing the process, history, and impact of this legendary college basketball fan ritual. Together, they dissect how student creativity changes the outcome of games—and Pablo even pitches skit ideas from his network of comedy and TV collaborators.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is the Curtain of Distraction?

• The “Curtain of Distraction” is an ASU student invention: a 6.5-foot tall, 8-foot wide black curtain on wheels, revealed behind the hoop to distract opposing players during high-pressure free throws.
• Since 2013, the Curtain has produced viral, offbeat moments: from Thanos, to Michael Phelps doing a Speedo striptease, to students in bizarre costumes (02:38).

“A topless student smearing mayo all over his chest...a Miley Cyrus inspired wrecking ball...the actual Michael Phelps doing a Speedo striptease.” — Pablo Torre (02:38)

2. Meet the Masters Behind the Curtain

• Bill Kennedy: Associate Athletic Director, ASU. Oversees the operation (01:02).
• Harry Deco: Grad student, computer science, 942 Crew veteran.
• Logan Sears: Sophomore, graphic design major; current Curtain operations lead.
• Both Harry and Logan see the Curtain as a “writers’ room”—a creatively collaborative, friendly, and sometimes slightly chaotic group (03:27, 04:22).

“Have that curtain of distraction off in the background...Here they come.” — Pablo Torre (05:03)

3. Skit Creation and the Limits of Decency

• Writers’ room style brainstorming: ideas come from pop culture, current events, and whatever might get a laugh or a miss.
• There's discussion about needing to occasionally rein in outlandish ideas or those that might go “too far,” aiming to keep things fun and non-offensive (08:55).

“We never want to do anything inappropriate...but if we needed a miss, might work.” — Bill Kennedy (09:25)

• Some rejected or “nuclear” ideas (“Dogs Being Dogs,” “fat man pooping on a clear toilet,” etc.), illustrating both the group’s creativity and their limits (09:25, 12:05).

4. Pablo’s Comedy Network Pitches Skits

• Notable suggestions (and reactions from the team):
  • Donald Glover: “A fat man pooping on a clear toilet.” (12:05)
  • Mike Schur: “Einstein on the toilet, reading the newspaper, suddenly getting embarrassed.” (12:20)
  • Wyatt Cenac: References to past comedy bits, e.g. “mating bear” (14:47)
  • Mina Kimes: Players seeing AI-aged versions of themselves (“confronting their mortality”). (17:42)
  • More (conjoined unicorns, hamster wheels, Wheel of Fortune skit), many riffed on, evolved, or rejected for feasibility/inappropriateness.

5. Executing the Skits: Game Night

• Highlights from major games (Houston, BYU) where the Curtain crew implemented Pablo's and their own ideas (21:21–41:40):
  • The Conjoined Unicorns: Two performers in one sweater/white morphsuits, making out (23:37; 25:32).
  • Marty McFly/Doc Brown & Old Player Masks: Back to the Future riff, confronting Houston’s LJ Cryer with his “aged” self (27:17; 30:13).
  • Wheel of Fortune: BYU player is distracted by having to “solve a puzzle” at the free-throw line (34:43).
• Onstage logistics: intense planning, teamwork, rapid clothing changes, sometimes only seconds to execute a skit (17:55; 34:53).
• On-air reactions: ESPN broadcasters repeatedly reference the Curtain and its creative stunts, sometimes incredulous, other times giving full credit for missed free throws (24:46; 37:26).

6. Psychology and Impact

• Students relish the feeling of directly affecting the game outcome (06:45).

“Me in a leotard is making you miss something that you’ve trained to do. That’s an amazing feeling.” — Harry Deco (06:45)

• Bill Kennedy likens showrunning the Curtain to coaching, taking real pride in the operation (07:34).
• The Curtain's success: fluctuates, but statistically measurable (this season: “67% success rate” scouted by Bill; sometimes up, sometimes down) (07:55).
• Some teams now “practice against the Curtain” in anticipation (08:33).

7. The Curtain as Tradition & Legacy

• Participation becomes a point of pride and even resume material for ASU students (42:24).
• The Ceremony and Lore: Passing down roles, celebrating records (e.g. Harry’s forced miss streak overtaken by Logan), and inventing new in-jokes/skits each season.

“Some of our students...list on their resumes that they were in the Curtain of Distraction...it has some real world benefits to some of these students.” — Bill Kennedy (42:25)

8. The Payoff: Redemption and Fond Memories

• Even in losing games, the Curtain turns the moment into “something you fondly remember” (40:28–42:20).
• It’s a fleetingly ridiculous tradition unique to college—the kind of thing no professional or Olympic environment could ever replicate (40:28).

“The curtain of distraction is something that a bunch of kids invented and continue to perpetrate...and it is for each of those generations something to celebrate with their friends before they...grow up.” — Pablo Torre (40:28)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

The Magic of Distraction

• Pablo Torre, on missing the ASU student experience:

  “I absolutely did not have the Arizona State college experience either...I certainly have never experienced their legendary curtain of distraction.” (03:27)

• Harry Deco, on the odd power of the Curtain:

  “Me in a leotard is making you miss something that you’ve trained to do. That’s an amazing feeling.” (06:45)

• Bill Kennedy, on running the Curtain:

  “It keeps me young.” (04:43)

The Writers’ Room, SNL-style

• Pablo Torre:

  “I’m realizing now that you are the Lorne Michaels of college basketball distraction.” (10:13)

• Bill Kennedy:

  “That’s absolutely not.” (10:50)

Logistics and Stagecraft

• Bill Kennedy, on time pressure:

  “We have like five to seven seconds to pull this off.” (17:55)

How Far Is Too Far?

• Donald Glover’s skit idea:

  “A fat man pooping on a clear toilet.” (12:05)
  Bill Kennedy:
  “That would definitely be in the category if we needed a miss but we were gonna shut it down immediately afterwards.” (12:05)

• Pablo Torre:

  “Most of them involve—but I’m gonna have some new ones for you.” (43:28)

The Lore (Conjoined Unicorns Skit)

• Harry Deco, describing the mechanics:

  “A big sweatshirt, two armholes, like normal, and then just two heads. And me and Logan were both in there...our idea here was to try to make those inner legs disappear and just have a set of two legs, making the walk look as natural as possible.” (22:32)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 00:42-02:29 | Introduction to the Curtain, history, how it works | | 04:22-07:27 | The writer’s room; favorite skits and memories | | 07:55-08:43 | Curtain’s statistical effectiveness and impact | | 08:55-09:55 | Limits of appropriateness/nuclear curtain ideas | | 11:54-13:15 | Pablo pitches celebrity ideas, the writer’s room reacts | | 17:02-18:43 | Planning & pitching the “AI-Aged Opponent” skit | | 21:05-23:52 | Prepping and performing the Houston curtain skits | | 27:01-30:51 | Marty McFly & Doc Brown “aged opponents” skit | | 33:38-35:39 | BYU game, Wheel of Fortune distraction execution | | 36:07-38:43 | BYU’s meltdown, streak of misses, announcers’ reactions | | 40:19-42:20 | The tradition, student pride, Curtain as resume highlight |

Conclusion

This episode is a lively, nuanced celebration of one of college basketball’s most inventive fan traditions. Through the voices of the people who perform, run, and cherish the Curtain of Distraction, Pablo Torre reveals the mechanics, challenges, and bigger meanings behind what could easily be dismissed as just a college prank. Instead, it stands as a testament to the irreproducible magic of being young, creative, and part of something only possible in college sports culture.

For those who haven’t listened, this episode is equal parts sports journalism, comedy writer’s room, and fond collegiate nostalgia—anchored by Pablo Torre’s infectious curiosity and wit.

Ending Catchphrase:

“As always—Forks up.” — Pablo Torre
“Go Devil.” — Bill Kennedy (43:39)