Best of DLS: Merry Thickemas

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Best of DLS: Merry Thickemas – Remembering Alan Thicke

Date: December 25, 2025
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Chris Cody
Guest: Alan Thicke (archival interviews)

---

Episode Overview

In this festive holiday "Best Of" episode, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, and team pay tribute to the late Alan Thicke — iconic TV dad, songwriter, and self-professed hockey fanatic. With a mix of humor and nostalgia, the episode spotlights two classic interviews with Thicke, covering stories from his sitcom days (especially “Growing Pains”), songwriting, celebrity hockey adventures, and personal life, including his Canadian pride and sharp comic timing.
The show’s tone is playful, affectionate, and sometimes irreverent, fitting the “Merry Thickemas” theme and Thicke’s indelible legacy as both entertainer and friend of the show.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Alan Thicke’s Entertainment Legacy

• Introduced as one of the all-time great TV dads and theme song writers.
• Dan is amazed to reveal that Thicke wrote classic TV themes including for “Diff’rent Strokes” and “The Facts of Life”.
  • Quote: “It can be argued, yes, successfully, Alan, that you were more successful as a writer of songs than you were as an actor, even though you were successful at both.” (Dan, 04:42)
• Thicke discusses denying his musical artistry (“I had four, four or six chords that I kept recycling”) and credits his son Robin’s greater musical talent. (Alan Thicke, 05:16)
• Thicke jokes about theme song revenue being “enough to have three prenups” (05:49).

2. Personal Life, Humor, and “Pimp” Banter

• Alan tells how he met his wife at a Miami Marlins fundraiser he hosted, turning the anecdote into a running joke about “procuring hookups” and being “selfish” (“I'm more selfish than that.” 07:37).
• Exchanges with Dan are playful, poking fun at sitcom dad stereotypes and reputation:
  • Quote: “You’re kind of a pimp, you know.” (Dan, 07:24)
  • “The pimp would be procuring hookups for somebody else. I'm more selfish than that.” (Thicke, 07:27)

3. “Growing Pains” Nostalgia and the End of the Family Sitcom Era

• Alan reflects fondly on playing Dr. Jason Seaver and the show’s values.
  • “I'm proud of that role. It was, you know, there was some family values that we all try to aspire to. And so, you know, we had seven great seasons. And if that goes on my tombstone, I'm happy with that.” (Thicke, 07:59)
• Observes the decline of traditional TV dads and “family hour TV,” comparing it to the multi-TV household era (08:23, 08:55).
• Favorite current sitcom is “Modern Family,” likening Ed O’Neill’s character to his own life (09:04).

4. Theme Song Creation & Lasting Impact

• Alan breaks down the creative challenge of writing catchy, explanatory sitcom themes in “24 seconds” (10:07).
  • On “Diff’rent Strokes”: “On different strokes. I sang that theme. That's my voice. Probably an octave and a generation earlier, but that was paid.”
• He shares an anecdote about college kids competing to recite TV lyrics — “that's how I make my money these days.” (11:09)
• Live, tongue-in-cheek mini-performance of “Diff’rent Strokes” theme (14:54), and playful roleplay with Dan as President Bush singing “Facts of Life” (15:35).

5. Parenting, Celebrity Offspring, and “How to Raise Kids Who Won’t Hate You”

• Thicke promotes his parenting book with characteristic sarcasm, admitting the title is “a false premise” but reflecting on strictness, family, and fame (“they're going to hate you for…a minute or a week…” 16:34).
• Looks at child stars and the pitfalls (“Every kid who got fame on Different Strokes ended up being some kind of maladjusted.” 16:19).
• Leveraging jokes to blend book discussion and serious, relatable parenting observations.

6. Sitcom Secrets: Writers’ Room Moments

• Shares behind-the-scenes trivia, from high school mascot “the Dewey Hooters” to getting the nickname “Boner” on air (17:45).
  • Thicke attributes this to naive censors (“removed from contemporary colloquial sexual references”) (18:27).

7. Unfulfilled Sports Dreams and Canadian Hockey Love

• Alan laments failing as a sports reporter, recounts playing and “career-ending” football injury (19:02).
• States his dream sports job would be LA Kings color commentator, and shares anecdote of singing the anthem at Tampa Bay Lightning’s first home game (19:45).
• Playfully acknowledges his womanizing reputation as it relates to sporting events and team functions (20:08).

8. Hockey Stories, Celebrity Perks & Canadian Identity

• Thicke’s passion: lifelong “hockey groupie” — practice sessions with legends (Orr, Esposito), fantasy camps with Gretzky, and playing with Michael J. Fox, Alex Trebek (29:25, 31:25).
• Recounts hockey injuries as badges of honor (“five teeth knocked out,” 21:29; “nose broken with Gordie Howe and Stan Makita,” 31:47).
• Tells “I wet the other guy’s pants” joke after a midget hockey fight (29:02).
• Montages of Thicke’s celebrity hockey team formation and participation in hockey’s wildest moments, including near-riots and brushes with the law (33:25–34:43).

9. Vancouver Riots & Sportsmanship vs. Hooliganism

• Thicke compares Vancouver hockey fans to Miami Heat fans after high-stakes losses, highlighting the grace and sportsmanship of Canadian hockey crowds (“the traditional handshake between the teams at the end” 27:53).
• Disappointment in the “thugs and hooligans” responsible for Vancouver riots (26:24–27:53).
• Ends with characteristic wit: “We're sorry to see all that beer wasted. The land of Moosehead, where Moosehead is more than a beer, it's a way of life.” (37:13)

10. LeBron, NBA Finals, and Media Hot Takes

• Weighs in on LeBron James’s first Miami Heat Finals, expressing some empathy for media scrutiny and ultimately rooting for the “old guys” (Jason Kidd, etc.) (35:17–36:30).

---

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Alan Thicke on his music:
  “I did write a bunch of theme songs… But I wasn’t really a musical artist. I had four, four or six chords that I kept recycling. And since my son has become such a wonderful artist, I don’t call myself a musician anymore.” (05:16)
• On sitcom dad status:
  “I placed in the 30s somewhere in a recent TV Guide poll, so I’ve got to go with them.” (07:45)
• Reflecting on fame:
  “My music is the soundtrack of the dark side of your life.” (09:58)
• Live “Diff’rent Strokes” performance:
  “Well, the world don’t move to the beat of just one drum, what might be right for you may not be right for some.” (14:54)
• On writing sitcom themes:
  “Your challenge was to explain the whole show and put it in context…and you had 24 seconds to do it…” (10:07)
• Parenting reality check:
  “A false premise, it can’t be done. It was just to get people in the tent.” (16:34)
• Hockey fight humility:
  “I got in one fight and I got so scared I wet the other guy’s pants.” (29:02)
• Canadian hockey groupie perk:
  “Through no fault of my own…I have gotten to play with…Howe and Gretzky. And at the 1988 All Star Game in St. Louis…I actually suited up and dressed for the pregame warmups and all. I have had lots of thrills through my affection for hockey.” (30:24)
• On Vancouver riots:
  “It was embarrassing for the city and to some extent for the country…thugs outside, you know, it was looking like a soccer crowd for a minute.” (34:48)
• Classic sign-off:
  “We're sorry to see all that beer wasted. You know, the land of Moosehead, where Moosehead is more than a beer, it's a way of life.” (37:13)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|---------------| | 03:19 | Banter about Christmas, intro to Alan Thicke interviews | | 04:42 | Alan Thicke on theme song writing, sitcom legacy | | 05:49 | Earnings from theme songs, meeting his wife | | 07:45 | Poll rankings for TV dads | | 08:23 | Proud of “Growing Pains,” end of family sitcom era | | 09:04 | “Modern Family” comparisons | | 10:07 | Writing TV themes, memorable rhymes | | 14:54 | Alan Thicke sings “Diff’rent Strokes” | | 15:35 | Presidential rendition of “Facts of Life” | | 16:34 | Parenting book discussion, “false premise” | | 17:45 | Sitcom inside jokes (“Dewey Hooters,” “Boner”) | | 19:02 | Failed sports reporter ambitions | | 20:47 | Play-by-play hockey goal calls and lampooning | | 21:29 | Hockey injuries and groupie stories | | 24:26 | Second Thicke interview opens (Stanley Cup, Canucks, riots) | | 26:24 | Alan on Vancouver riots, sportsmanship | | 29:02 | Slapshot stories, “wet the other guy’s pants” | | 31:25 | Michael J. Fox, Alex Trebek celebrity hockey anecdotes | | 34:48 | Embarrassment about Vancouver riots | | 35:17 | LeBron James, rooting for “old guys” | | 37:13 | Canadian apology and Moosehead beer joke |

---

Final Thoughts

This “Merry Thickemas” episode is a fond, hilarious look at Alan Thicke’s multifaceted life: classic TV dad, prince of catchy theme songs, and unabashed hockey-obsessed Canadian. With Dan and Stugotz’s offbeat questions and Thicke’s quick, warm wit, the episode is both a celebration and a gentle roast — ideal holiday comfort food for pop culture and sports fans alike.
Thicke’s stories, jokes, and perspectives continue to endear, offering rare glimpses behind sitcoms, theme songs, and the glories and oddities of celebrity hockey fandom.

Transcript

[Dan LeBatard]

Critics are calling Marty Supreme a full throttle masterpiece and the best movie of the year. I couldn't be more excited to see this one. That's got my boy. Timothee Chalamet. From A24. And starring Timothee Chalamet alongside powerhouse cast Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa Azion and Tyler Acoma. Marty supreme now playing only in theaters.

[Chris Cody]

All right, kicking things off with Smirnoff, the official vodka sponsor of the NFL and the number one vodka in the world. Chris Cody, you're here.

[Alan Thicke]

Smeared off.

[Chris Cody]

Wow, you're on the money with Smirnoff. Chris, do you know what goes great with Smirnoff? Yes, but I'm really talking about game day fit. The style's gotta match the vibe.

[Alan Thicke]

Fair enough.

[Chris Cody]

All right, here's the deal.

[Alan Thicke]

Game day is everything.

[Chris Cody]

And that's exactly why your fit has to match the occasion. Starting this December, Smirnoff is giving fans 21 and over the chance to score limited edition Smirnoff commission merchandise from some of today's top creators and including Kayla Jones, Gavin Matthew and Aleli Mae. Here's the kicker. One lucky fan will take home the grand prize, a trip to the biggest game of the offseason. Plus, one fan will win a Laylee May's one of one game day jacket.

[Stugatz]

Wow.

[Chris Cody]

The merch will be dropped on select dates from December to January 21st. And it's all courtesy of what brand? That's right, Chris. Fans 21 and over can head to Smirnoff socials to learn how to sign up. And don't forget to grab a bottle of Smirnoff vodka number 21 at your local retail. Please drink responsibly. Smirnoff number 21, vodka distilled from grain, 40% alcohol by volume. The Smirnoff Company, New York, New York. Please do not share with anybody under legal drinking hate Smirnoff. No purchase necessary. Must be legal. US resident, 21 or older. Sweepstakes starts 12:15, 2025 at 12:00am Eastern and ends 1:23, 2026 at 11: hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds p.m. eastern. See official rules at program website.

[Stugatz]

Today's episode is brought to you by Venmo. Look, no matter how your favorite team does this season, there's still one way to feel like a winner, and that's with Venmo. That's because when you use venmo to transfer $50 or more to a DraftKings DFS account for the first time or the first time in three plus months, you'll get $25 in DraftKings bonus credits. Terms apply. Just go to DraftKings.com venmoffer to activate your offer. Then choose Venmo to add Funds to your DraftKings account. Add $50 or more and boom, 25 bonus credits will appear in your DraftKings account if you're eligible. This offer is only good through February 15, 2026 or while supplies last, so don't fumble your chance before time runs out. Here's the deal. Venmo is a fast, easy way for you to add money onto DraftKings. And if you don't have a Venmo account yet, don't sweat it. You can download the app and sign up in minutes. So what are you waiting for? Just add $50 or more to your DraftKings DFS account with Venmo and you'll get $25 in bonus credits. Go to draftkings.com venmo offer and go get that bonus. Gambling Problem Call 100 Gambler in New York, call 877-8-HOPE NY or text Hopeny at 467369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888789, visit ccpg.org 18+ in most eligible states, but age varies by jurisdiction. Eligibility restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. 1 per customer minimum $50 transfer from your Venmo account to DraftKings DFS account. 25 reward issued as non withdrawable DK dollar site credits that do not expire while rewards last 20,000 total transfer redemptions available. See [e-mail] Venmoffer ends February 15, 2026 at 11:59pm Eastern this is the Dan.

[Dan LeBatard]

Levator show with the St.

[Stugatz]

Ah, the Day After Christmas.

[Dan LeBatard]

Jeremy well, that's tomorrow because this is hour two of Christmas Day.

[Stugatz]

Oh, I just, you know, once you get to the back half of Christmas, you're already starting to think, well, you.

[Dan LeBatard]

Just heard all of that great Christmas stuff, you know what I mean? And so as a result, you were thinking like, oh my God, how could there possibly be more?

[Stugatz]

Sometimes I get ahead of myself.

[Dan LeBatard]

How could there possibly be more?

[Stugatz]

And let's finish Christmas before we get to the Day After Christmas.

[Dan LeBatard]

How about this little Christmas treat? How about this little Christmas treat? Alan Thicke Two different interviews with the Gone but Not Forgotten Alan Thicke hello. It's these are great interviews, I think, based off of the the tone of the very first one. I think it's the first time he was ever on the show. Tomas hurdle back in 2009. And he, he does, he does that. And then the second interview begins by Talking about the 2011 Vancouver Canucks going to the Stanley Cup Final. So he's there as a hockey expert.

[Stugatz]

One of the all time friends of the show.

[Chris Cody]

Rip.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah, these, the, the energy in these interviews, it's spectacular. So Rip the great Alan Thicke and enjoy this little Christmas treat, hour two with our guy, Alan Thicke.

This is very exciting, Stugatz, because this is a man who is among the most famous television sitcom dads ever. But what I wonder and what I think a lot of people don't know, Stugatz, I was stunned to learn this, is that he also wrote the theme songs for Four Facts of Life and Different Strokes. It can be argued, yes, successfully, Alan, that you were more successful as a writer of songs than you were as an actor, even though you were successful at both.

[Alan Thicke]

Well, I did write a bunch of theme songs, some of which are still on ringtones today. But I wasn't really a musical artist. I had four, four or six chords that I kept recycling. And since my son has become such a wonderful artist, I don't call myself a musician anymore.

[Dan LeBatard]

Well, but still though, Alan, I mean, this is kind of amazing. How much money, how much money do you actually make just from the fact that you wrote two of the most famous television songs ever written?

[Alan Thicke]

I made enough to have three prenups. I'm on my third marriage, a delightful woman, who, in fact, I owe my acquaintanceship with her to the Florida Marlins. I was emceeing a fundraiser for them some years ago. She was a model on the show. So I did what any self respecting actor would do. I hit on her. And we've been together for 10 years now, as of this Saturday. 10 years.

[Dan LeBatard]

The Marlins.

[Alan Thicke]

Yeah, Florida Marlins had a big banquet and they, they were nice enough to bring me in to host it. And the rest was matrimonial history.

[Dan LeBatard]

Well, how did this happen? Why, I don't even understand. I don't remember this. I've been in South Florida all my life. I don't remember you hosting some sort of fundraiser and meeting your wife at a Marlins fundraiser.

[Alan Thicke]

No, you see, we kept you out of the loop in a lot of that detail, Dan, but it really happened. It was 10 years ago this month.

[Dan LeBatard]

And your son, for those who don't know, Robin Thicke, I mean, he is, he is enormously accomplished.

[Alan Thicke]

He's pretty terrific and very proud of him. You know, as much fun as it is to do things in your own career, it's Even more fun, I think, when your kids do it.

[Dan LeBatard]

Somebody's writing in it. Was Jim Leland's wife. Thick as a homewrecker now, I think I would have heard of it if that was the case.

[Alan Thicke]

No, no. This is a young woman, never married before, and we plucked her from the runways of Miami and doing fine ever since.

[Dan LeBatard]

You're kind of a pimp, you know.

[Alan Thicke]

The pimp would be procuring hookups for somebody else. I'm more selfish than that.

[Dan LeBatard]

You're procuring the hookups for yourself.

[Alan Thicke]

Where do you rank down? We had this discussion earlier. Where do you think you rank as.

[Dan LeBatard]

Far as top TV sitcom dads of all time?

[Alan Thicke]

I placed in the 30s somewhere in a recent TV Guide poll, so I've got to go with them.

[Dan LeBatard]

Do a lot of people call out to you, you know, Mr. Seaver, do they say to you lines from the show?

[Alan Thicke]

I do that. I get a lot of, hey, where's Mike? You know, and did he finish his homework? And hey, Dr. Seaver. And you know, that kind of thing. And I'm proud of that role. It was, you know, there was some family values that we all try to aspire to. And so, you know, we had seven great seasons. And if that goes on my tombstone, I'm happy with that. When did that become annoying?

[Dan LeBatard]

Honest?

[Alan Thicke]

No, never. Honestly, it doesn't. As I said, I'm proud of the role, proud of the show, what it stood for. And it really was the end of a Breed. You know, back in the early 90s, the Nielsen research people discovered that households now had two televisions so they could make one show for kids and one for the grownups and they'd watch separately. We were the last of a Breed of the so called Family Hour, where you had to make shows for everybody to watch together. And that was the Cosby Show, Full House, Family Ties, who's the Boss? And us.

[Dan LeBatard]

It's interesting because we were just discussing before you came on, There are no more television dads. It's gone. The breed, it doesn't exist anymore.

[Alan Thicke]

Well, they're still around, but they're way more interesting. In fact, my new favorite show is Modern Family where Sofia Vergara plays my wife and Ed o' Neill plays me. They're really kind of acting out our story there. Tanya is a hot young Latina and I'm a middle aged, and that's being generous. A middle aged guy married before with a blended family. We're getting a big kick out of that show.

[Dan LeBatard]

You seem, you seem to be very happy with your marriage.

[Alan Thicke]

I am. I am. You know, I've been happy with all of them.

[Dan LeBatard]

Alan Thick with us on 790 here. We've got a variety of different things to talk to him about. Stu, guys, I had no idea. He also wrote the theme songs for Wheel of Fortune and Joker's Wild. Do you realize how ever present Alan Thicke is in every part of your life? No.

[Alan Thicke]

My music is the soundtrack of the dark side of your life, which is.

[Dan LeBatard]

The one you like the best, the one that you say you're proudest of.

[Alan Thicke]

Well, Facts of Life had the most clever rhyme scheme. I think it was always a bit of a challenge, a bit of an art form to write those jingles for sitcoms, because your challenge was to explain the whole show and put it in context and set you up. And you had 24 seconds to do it and had to try to make it reasonably memorable musically, too. So it was an interesting, interesting job. And I liked what we accomplished in the rhyme of that. On different strokes. I sang that theme. That's my voice. Probably an octave and a generation earlier, but that was paid. What happens now is that, you know, the ringtones. Technology didn't even exist back then, but nowadays, apparently, college kids go into a bar and after hoisting a little beer pong, they bet each other on who can remember the most lyrics from shows their parents watched. And that's how I make my money these days.

[Commercial Announcer]

It's the holiday season and the 50th anniversary of Miller Lite. The holiday is all about spending time with friends and family. Why don't you sit back and toast a few Miller lights? Make your holiday time. Tis Miller time. And with the 50th anniversary of Miller Lite, you get to remember and reflect on all the good times that you had with your trusty buddy by your side. Miller Lite. Brewed for flavor with simple ingredients like malted barley, rich balanced toffee notes, and that iconic golden color. And at 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces, it lets you enjoy the season without weighing you down. The original light beer since 1975 and still hit indifferent 50 years later. The best holiday beers are the ones you don't expect. Miller Lite great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Tis Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

[Chris Cody]

If you could stop somebody from breaking in before they got inside your house, why wouldn't you? Most old school systems only go off after somebody's already in your place, opening your fridge, petting your dog, whatever. At that point, it's too late. It's reactive. Simplisafe is different. It's proactive. With this double layer of defense that helps stop crime before it even starts. First, their AI powered cameras spot potential threats outside. Not just in motion, but an actual person lurking around in the bushes, behind a tree, in a car, under the car, wherever they may be. Then live monitoring agents jump in right away. They talk to the person through the camera, let them know they're on video and that cops are getting called if they don't leave. That's how you stop crime before it starts. Personally, I trust Simplisafe to protect what matters no most at my house, my wife, my daughter, my possessions, my things, my home, my safety, my peace. I trust that to Simplisafe. That's it. That's the list. No long term contracts, no hidden fees. And Simply Safe was just named the best home security in 2025 by U.S. news & World Report. Right now, it's the best time to jump in. Simply Safe's Last Chance Black Friday sale 50 off any new system, go to SimpliSafe.com DLB Again, that's Simply Safe.com DLB There is no safe like.

[Commercial Announcer]

SimpliSafe. Quick break to talk to you about the official ticketing partner of the Dan LeBatard Show. Game time the NFL regular season is already winding down and this is when the games get really good and tickets are in high demand. Some of them really difficult to find. So why don't you take the guesswork out of buying NFL tickets with the game time map? I use it all the time because it gives me the advantage. That's right, sports fans take the power back. It's the hack for grabbing amazing tickets in just a couple of taps. Super easy, super reliable, and with a gametime guarantee, you're getting 100% authentic tickets on time and at the best price. Plus fees are included. What you see is what you pay. Do yourself a favor, open up the gametime app right now. You'll see tons of seats available. Lower bowl, midfield, upper deck and NFL tickets starting at around 100 bucks. Pick what you want. Tap.

[Alan Thicke]

Tap.

[Commercial Announcer]

Done. Take the guesswork out of buying NFL tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use code DAN for $20 off your first purchase terms. Apply again, create an account and redeem code Dan for $20 off swipe, tap Ticket. Go download the GameTime app.

[Dan LeBatard]

Today. Dan LeBatard the Hoy is Captain Slappy Stugats. Is this Chum Bucket. This is the Dan Levatar show with the St. Do you. Do you sing anything? Do you. I mean, is that. Is that too much of making this a piano bar situation? Hey, Alan, think. Do. Alan Thick, do a. Do a dance for us. Like, do you sing? If we were to get you to sing a lyric from one of your theme songs, what would you go.

[Alan Thicke]

With? It'll cost you because I get royalty. This could cost you anywhere between 30 cents and a buck. But here goes. Stand back. Well, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum what might be right for you may not be right for some. Thank you. Thank you. I can hear the walking ovation, what he's.

[Dan LeBatard]

Saying. Thank you. But we've sort of forced us. He sort of strong armed us into applauding there. We weren't going to applaud, but he started taking.

[Alan Thicke]

Chances. I don't do encores. I just. I mean, I try to milk it early.

[Dan LeBatard]

On. Would you. Would you like to hear the President. The former President of the United States singing Facts of.

[Alan Thicke]

Life? That would be more than I could dream of. You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both, and there you have the Facts of.

[Dan LeBatard]

Life. Facts of Life, that's all we got for.

[Alan Thicke]

You. I like it. I wonder what Mr. Bush is doing these.

[Dan LeBatard]

Days. Alan Thicke with us on 790. I've been remiss here. His new books do got how to Raise Kids who Won't hate you. Bringing Up Rock Stars and Other Forms of Children. It is in stores now. This is a complicated one. I mean, it's hard to raise kids under any circumstances. It is gotta be impossible to raise kids. You know, Robin Thicke going into music, kids from television. I mean, you've seen with. With Different Strokes. Every kid who got fame on Different Strokes ended up being some kind of.

[Alan Thicke]

Maladjusted. I think it was because of the theme song. I think having to hear that every day probably sent some of them over the edge. You drove them.

[Dan LeBatard]

To the. You don't want to talk about your book. You just want to make a joke about Different Strokes. No.

[Alan Thicke]

No. Happy to promote the book, how to Raise Kids who. First of all, a false premise. It can't be done. It was just to get people in the tent. We called it that. But I do believe that, you know, they're going to hate you for whether it's for a minute or a week or a month. But the idea is better to be a little more strict with them now. Make sure your voice resonates in the cacophony of the universe that kids are exposed to nowadays. Better to have them hate you for a week now than hate you for the rest of their lives as adults because you didn't do the right.

[Dan LeBatard]

Thing. How to raise kids who won't hate you. Bringing up rock stars and other forms of children. Alan Thicke is with us on 7 90. You remember him as Mr. Jason Seaver, the father on. On. Good Lord. I just drew a blank.

[Alan Thicke]

There. I left you hanging there. I could have jumped.

[Dan LeBatard]

In. You could have. And you gave me no help there because I was thinking about the fact that I got stuck on Seaver because I happen to know, having dated Danielle Koozman, that. But the Seavers and the Koozmans live next to each other because I guess the guy who did the show is a huge Mets fan.

[Alan Thicke]

Right? That's true, too. The writers. When you write a sitcom, you get away with whatever you can. Or the writers would go nuts in the writers room for all the hours they have to spend there. So they did come up with some favorite names. For instance, the name of our high school was Dewey High School, and the name of the team was the Hooters. So the Dewey Hooters were the football squad of record. And the proudest moment was when they managed to nickname the other neighbors a fellow named Stabone. They nicknamed him Boner. And they got that past the censors and went with that for seven.

[Dan LeBatard]

Years. How'd that happen? How were they able to get Boner past the.

[Alan Thicke]

Censors? Well, if you've seen some of the censors at the network, you understand how they would be somehow removed from contemporary colloquial sexual.

[Dan LeBatard]

References. How about this one? Stugatz? How about this one? The guy has written theme songs for Wheel of Fortune, Joker's Wild. He's written theme songs for Facts of Life for Different Strokes. He's an immensely famous sitcom dad. And, you know, he's got a son who's an accomplished. Who's an accomplished musician. How about this one? The only thing he's failed at was he wanted to be a sports guy. He.

[Alan Thicke]

Failed. I did. I did. I was. I played a little college football. I was a receiver and a punter. My career ended when I. I was in midair punting one day and got hit high and low from either Side. And that was the end of my cartilage. So I became the football reporter for my university paper and wanted to expand that into a career covering the Hamilton Tiger Cats at the Canadian Football League. And I never made it that.

[Dan LeBatard]

Far. So if I gave you as a sports fan, if I gave you the ability to do something in sports right now as Alan Thicke, the job you would choose is.

[Alan Thicke]

What? I would have something to do with hockey. I'd probably be the color commentator for the home games of the LA.

[Dan LeBatard]

Kings. That's what you go with?

[Alan Thicke]

Yeah. Send somebody else on the road. But I'd be happy to do a little color commentator. I have some other Florida hockey history. I sang the anthem at the very first ever Tampa Bay Lightning home.

[Dan LeBatard]

Game. Did you steal anybody's woman there, too, and marry.

[Alan Thicke]

Her? I was already womaned up at the.

[Dan LeBatard]

Time. Alan Thicke with us on 790. We got to get this guy on more often here. Because you're Canadian, because you love hockey. We air the Florida Panthers games on our station, and our play by play announcer actually tries to spice up goal calls by throwing in random movie lines, music lines, TV lines for our listeners. I get the impression from Alan Thicke's sense of humor that he might actually really enjoy this. It might be something that he would do. Let's. Let's play a goal call for Alan Thick here. Stillman.

[Alan Thicke]

Shot. Rebounding. Shoot. They score. Get in my.

[Dan LeBatard]

Belly. Ballard ties it up.

[Stugatz]

Here.

[Dan LeBatard]

12. That's from Austin Powers. Let's play one more for Alan Thick. One more.

[Stugatz]

Leopold. No.

[Dan LeBatard]

Look. Pass right out in front. He goes off him right back and he scores. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Totally.

[Alan Thicke]

Random. I like that. Arguably one. Le bout the Canadien Comte pal. Jean Believo. Assist. Maurice Richard, Doug Harvey. Le.

[Dan LeBatard]

Temps. Wow, what a flourish there. You really got into that. How did you fail at.

[Alan Thicke]

This? I've been a lifelong hockey groupie, and I paid the price for it. A couple of years ago I had five teeth knocked out and I'm still getting them implanted as we speak. I have another two months to go. They couldn't do them all at once, so they. They stretch them out for.

[Dan LeBatard]

You. What's your favorite sports television.

[Alan Thicke]

Show? Sports television show. Well, I never miss. Pardon the interruption. And around the horn. That's my appointment Television every.

[Dan LeBatard]

Day. God, how lame. Are you just throwing that up there to try and get me a compliment? Alan Thicke, thank you for being on with us. We much appreciated. Hopefully we'll get you around here. More often the name of the book. How to raise kids who won't hate you. Bringing up rock stars and other forms of children. It was a.

[Alan Thicke]

Pleasure. Thanks, Dan. My pleasure. Will talk again.

[Dan LeBatard]

Sometime. I hope so. Alan Thicke. Be careful. He'll steal your.

Women. Critics are calling Marty Supreme a Full throttle masterpiece and the best movie of the year. I couldn't be more excited to see this one. That's got my boy. Timothee Chalamet from A24. And starring Timothee Chalamet alongside powerhouse cast Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa Azion and Tyler Akoma. Marty supreme now playing only in.

[Chris Cody]

Theaters. Alright, so apparently everyone is launching their own AI agents now. You get an agent. No, you get an agent. They're automating tasks, running workflows, making decisions, and occasionally absolutely wrecking your day. You know what I'm talking about. An agent deletes the wrong files, changes something you've never approved or just goes completely off script. Like it's trying to improvise its way out of a paper bag. And suddenly you're the one stuck trying to figure out what went wrong. Unless you're using Rubrik Agent Cloud. Because here's the thing. AI is moving fast. Like, really fast. Rubrik Agent Cloud is the only platform that lets you monitor, govern and rewind AI agent actions. One platform that lets you unleash more agents faster without fear that they're going to burn the place down. You get full visibility into what your agents are doing. You can enforce guardrails, you can actually quantify the risk. And if something breaks, you just rewind it. Like an undo button, but for AI. And that rewind happens in minutes, not hours or days. And if your business relies on AI agents, you need the ability to monitor, govern and rewind their actions. Right now, Levitard show listeners get exclusive early access to Rubrik Agent cloud. Head to rubrik.com that's R U B R I K.com rubrik.com those jingle.

[Dan LeBatard]

Bells remind me that holiday basketball is.

[Alan Thicke]

Here. And when stars like Kobe White.

[Dan LeBatard]

Jalen Williams and Tyler herro start cooking. DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA is where you wanna be. I keep singing that song when I do this.

[Alan Thicke]

Read. I can't help.

[Dan LeBatard]

It. But don't forget, DraftKings has you back with early exit. If your player goes down in the first half, you still get paid in.

[Alan Thicke]

Cash.

[Dan LeBatard]

What? Is this true? This can't be.

[Alan Thicke]

Really? Oh, my.

[Dan LeBatard]

God. It's absolutely.

[Alan Thicke]

True. It's absolutely.

[Dan LeBatard]

Real. If your player goes down in the first half, you still get paid in cash. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app and use Code Dan. That's Code Dan. New customers can bet five bucks and get $200 in bonus bets. If your bet wins in partnership with DraftKings, the Crown is.

[Alan Thicke]

Yours. Hell.

[Dan LeBatard]

Yeah. Gambling.

[Stugatz]

Problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny 467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-78-9777 or.

[Dan LeBatard]

Visit. Please play responsibly on behalf of.

[Stugatz]

Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Kansas. Pass through of per wager. Tax may apply in Illinois 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void In Ontario, restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive bonus bets which expire in seven days. Minimum odds required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG Co audio limited time.

[Dan LeBatard]

Offer. Don LeBatard There is no question, Dan LeBatard Cho included, anybody else, that this guy is the best player on the.

[Alan Thicke]

Planet. Whether he wins the Stanley cup.

[Dan LeBatard]

Or the Con smite this year, there is no question about it. St Wa what's going on? Dan Leard, how you doing? Living in an altered world or.

[Alan Thicke]

What? Oh, my.

[Dan LeBatard]

Goodness. This is the Dan Leitar show with the stuff. Alan Thicke joins us now. You know, one of the great sitcom fathers of all time, father in Growing Pains, friend, friend of the show. Now, if you were talking to the Vancouver rioters, Alan, the way that you would talk to Kirk Cameron as a parental figure, you would tell Canuck.

[Alan Thicke]

Fans, well, I think that if their team was as tough and aggressive as the fans were in the streets, they would have had a different result. And I would also, I would certainly chastise the thugs and hooligans who gave Vancouver a black eye by running rampant in the streets afterwards. But I would like to point out in celebration of the fan who were in the arena, if you notice, they continued to cheer and recognize the excellence of the Boston Bruins and Tim Thomas after the game was over. Good sportsmanship from fans who know their hockey and appreciate good hockey. And in turn, the Canucks, losers that they were, raised their sticks and in that circle of celebration and appreciation in tribute to their fans. And then we have the traditional handshake between the teams at the end. We always like to see that Canadians and hockey fans are always proud of that tradition. And I wish that we would have seen some of that in basketball in Miami last week as opposed to the total silence of the fans, the quick departure of the Heat and no real sense of celebration, closure, and finality to the NBA playoffs until DeSean Stevenson got.

[Dan LeBatard]

Arrested. I was gonna criticize you for being a sports gas bag until right at the end, you came in with. Saved it with a little. With a little humor. I understand that they're calling Luongo.

[Alan Thicke]

Lebrongo. Well, he certainly more than disappeared. And, you know, he had a. Not a horrible game yesterday, but very shaky. For the three that they lost to be outscored by the Bruins 23 to 8. When you've got, you know, the regular season scoring leaders and the big men in nets like that is pretty embarrassing way to go out. As you know, the Swedes historically were regarded as not being very tough in the. In the final stages of any playoff. They used to say that the Swede could go into the corner with an egg in his pocket and come out with it unbroken. I don't know that that's true anymore. And the Swedes certainly equipped themselves well in international hockey, but they got out muscled. They certainly. Boston beat them up pretty well. You know, I go back to the old days of war and Esposito and more recently, recently, Cam Neely. Real good pals with all those guys. Used to get to practice with them. And it's been a long time since Boston could celebrate. So happy for all of those.

[Dan LeBatard]

Guys. Slow down. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. You used to practice with Cam.

[Alan Thicke]

Neely? Not Neely. But I played golf with Cam, but I used to practice with or and Espo, including in the old Boston Garden. And when they would come to la, I would be invited down, and it was kind of embarrassing. I would. You know, they do the slap shot drill from the blue line. And I remember on one occasion, Jerry Cheevers actually taking off his goalie gloves and catching my slap shot with his bare hands. Pretty much speaks for my. You know, the Bruins were tough. They were known as the big bad Bruins. I was. I was never a fighter. I mean, I. In midget hockey, I got in one fight and I got so scared I wet the other guy's pants. So nobody bothered me after.

[Dan LeBatard]

That. Wait a minute, wait a minute, Alan. Like, in terms of career highlights, you're a huge hockey fan. I mean, where the perks that fame gave you, where does that rank? Where does it rank? Getting to practice with hockey.

[Alan Thicke]

Legends? Very, very high. You know, through no fault of my own, as no reflection of my hockey hockey skills, I have gotten to play with. On the same line with Howe and Gretzky. And at the 1988 All Star Game in St. Louis. I actually suited up and dressed for the pregame warm ups and all. I have had lots of thrills through my affection for hockey. I'm. I go, yeah, I'm a groupie. I'm a hockey groupie. I. It's the most fun I ever had with, with naked guys was playing hockey and being in the locker.

[Dan LeBatard]

Room. Your funniest Cam Neely.

Story.

Please. You've got to, you've got to have gotten like, crazy drunk with Cam Neely.

[Alan Thicke]

Right? No, no, no, not with Cam. I do remember I've been around on a few occasions with some guys and you wondered if they would ever be heard from again after the night that we had. But, but no, no, nothing scandalous with.

[Dan LeBatard]

Cam. I want to hear. Go ahead. Alan Thicke with us on 790 the Ticket. I want to hear you rank celebrity perks here. Because when you're talking about as big a hockey fan as you are, when you're saying, I got to practice, I mean practice with Bobby Orr, I mean, it's incredible. I mean, where I want. What celebrity perk do you put above that? Give me the one you put above.

[Alan Thicke]

That. That's right up there. Most recently, meaning just this past February, I played in Gretzky's fantasy camp, which I do every year, and was on the winning team. And, you know, Wayne played with us for a while, as he did with the other teams, but to win something with Gretzky on the ice, that was a big deal. I had my nose broken while I was on the ice with Gordie Howe and Stan Makita. That's pretty good. You know, I've paid my dues. I've lost teeth and lots of scars, mainly because I'm no.

[Dan LeBatard]

Good. It's a funny.

[Alan Thicke]

Visual. I used to be a better puck ducker and that slowed down. I get hit once in a.

[Dan LeBatard]

While. Have you ever hit any of.

[Alan Thicke]

Them? No, not that they would notice. I think I've been laughed off. I remember big, big crunches from Terry O'Reilly, for instance, back in the big bad Bruins days. And I've, I played with the, the Flyers. You know, I, I put together the very first celebrity hockey team in la, and that was with my old pal Alex Trebek many years ago. And wait a minute, we played fundraisers all around the country and now it's a, a big deal. And, you know, we, we actually make money doing it. There are many more celebrities playing hockey nowadays. Tim Robbins, Dennis Leary are in many of the events that we play on the East.

[Dan LeBatard]

Coast. Wait a minute. Alex Trebek, he doesn't play, does.

[Alan Thicke]

He? Well, he, he did. You know, this was back in the 1920s, but we, we, we, we came. I brought Alex Trebek to this country. I was producing game shows for NBC. Alex and I were pals and we put together that first team. Michael J. Fox played a lot with us back in those days. So, yeah, we've paid our dues. And I was. In fact, the last great Canadian riot, other than people waiting for Justin Bieber tickets, was in 93, and that was in Montreal when the Kings played. The only time the Kings ever made it to the finals. And Montreal won the Stanley cup that year. And I was there for the last game. And we went and got in the limo. I was with Bruce McNall, the indicted owner. Of course, you were from the Felons division of the NHL. And we got in the limo afterwards and the riot started and guys were jumping on the hood of our car. Life threatening experience. They're bouncing the car up and down. And these were the winners. So this is the last time a Canadian team won. So you can imagine how they felt in Vancouver when they, when they.

[Dan LeBatard]

Lost. Well, help us out with.

[Alan Thicke]

Something. Were you more embarrassed for the.

[Dan LeBatard]

City, for the team, for country or for sport last.

[Alan Thicke]

Night? It was embarrassing for the city and to some extent for the country. You know, it's a great city and they didn't, they didn't behave like this when they won the national or the international event at the Olympics. So you wonder why they were such bad sports. But, you know, again, the fans inside the arena, the true hockey fans, acquitted themselves very nicely. The thugs outside, you know, it was looking like a soccer crowd for a.

[Dan LeBatard]

Minute. You are a huge sports fan. Were you rooting for or against LeBron James? How did you feel about everything that happened with LeBron.

[Alan Thicke]

James? You know, I had mixed feelings. I think that the press is incredibly sensitive when they get there, all excited about, you know, Dwayne and LeBron walking through the hallway mimicking Nowitzki's cough, you know, after game five or six. And about the things that LeBron said, the final press conference after the final game, I mean, come on, get over it. Have a little sense of humor. Let's. The guys certainly paid some dues and got well remunerated in return, of course, but I was kind of pulling for them up until the finals. I had to go with my demographic in the finals, which is pulling for all the old guys like Jason Kidd, who won't get another shot, possibly. Even though he says he's going to play for a couple more years. But. But I had to pull for the older guys in the end. Also knowing that LeBron and the guys are. Those guys are going to be around for years to come and they'll win their.

[Dan LeBatard]

Share. Alan, always enjoyed talking to you. Thank you for regaling us with just amazing hockey stories. And then you stuck Alex Trebek in there and then Michael J. Fox and then Bruce McNall is.

[Alan Thicke]

There and you're in a limo and.

[Dan LeBatard]

There you're in a riot. Just incredible. Just tremendous. Like you. What's the story? Alan Thicke whips out. Not sports related, just cocktail party. You're married to a hottie now. You met her here in Miami. The cocktail party story that Alan Thicke is telling in order to impress everyone in the crowd is what? Because you just told 10 of.

[Alan Thicke]

Them. Well, by the way, that's. My limit for a day, is 10. I don't know if I have another one. You'd have to invite me.

[Dan LeBatard]

Back. All right, we'll do.

[Alan Thicke]

That. But I will. I'll just go out by apologizing for the Canadian thugs outside in Vancouver. And we're sorry to see all that beer wasted. You know, the land of Moosehead, where Moosehead is more than a beer, it's a way of life. Remember that? That's how we feel in Canada, where we can stand on cars and actually see Sarah Palin's house from downtown Vancouver. We like our hockey, we like that city. And it was unfortunate that that was the picture we had to leave you.

[Dan LeBatard]

With. See you later, Thick. Always good talking to.

[Alan Thicke]

You. Thanks, Dan. Bye bye. Thank you.

[Commercial Announcer]

Alan. Quick break to talk to you about the official ticketing partner of the Dan LeBatard Show. Game time. The NFL regular season is already winding down and this is when the games get really good and tickets are in high demand. Some of them really difficult to find. So why don't you take the guesswork out of buying NFL tickets with the gametime map? I use it all the time because it gives me the advantage. That's right. Sports fans take the power back. It's the hack for grabbing amazing tickets in just a couple of taps. Super easy, super reliable and with a game time guarantee, you're getting 100% authentic tickets on time and at the best, best price, plus fees are included. What you see is what you pay. Do yourself a favor, open up the gaming time app right now. You'll see tons of seats available, lower bowl, midfield, upper deck and NFL tickets starting at around 100 bucks. Pick what you want. Tap.

[Alan Thicke]

Tap.

[Commercial Announcer]

Done. Take the guesswork out of buying NFL tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use code DAN for $20 off your first purchase terms. Apply Again, create an account and redeem Code D A n in for $20 off. Swipe, tap, ticket. Go download the Gametime app.