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Dan Le Batard
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Stugotz
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Jeremy
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Stugotz
This is the Dan Levator show with the St. Gats Podcast.
Dan Le Batard
Stugott Jeremy was breathing his hot baseball breath on me during the break during football season. Yeah, but what he was doing was valuable because he's just ramrodding a number of Shohei Ohtani facts at me, just yelling them at me. And I've told you before, I feel like we are living in an age of real sports mastery. And basically whatever Babe Ruth is now to you listening to this, Shohei Ohtani is going to be 70 years from now when people talk about what was this thing that came over here and was better at baseball by leaps and bounds than anyone else playing baseball. The stats on the MVP voting on Shohei Ohtani suggest a level of mastery that you will not find anywhere else in sports. Not from Jokic, not from Serena Williams, not anywhere.
Mike Ryan
To put it in perspective, Babe Ruth only ever won one MVP in his career. This is Ohtani's third. And not only is it his third, Shohei Ohtani just won his third unanimous MVP in Major League Baseball. No other athlete in any of the four major professional sports in America has ever won more than one unanimous mvp. He's done it three out of the last four years. And in that fourth year where he didn't win mvp, he just happened to be second in MVP voting and fourth in Cy Young voting.
Roy
How many Super Bowls has he won? I mean, it's November. We're talking about Ohtani.
Mike Ryan
He's the greatest athlete who's ever lived.
Roy
He's got about 500 home runs to.
Mike Ryan
Go before he the greatest athlete who's.
Roy
Ever before he catches Ruth. I mean, seriously, stop it. You're embarrassing yourself.
Dan Le Batard
Stugotts book dot Com. Tomorrow, it. It will have pages for all of you.
Mike Ryan
I do want to push back. Only with one athlete that I think we can compare to him. Jokic. Did you see this play that he almost did against the Lakers the other day? 0.3 seconds left in the court in the quarter. He's all the way across the court, the full court length. So he's like, okay, point three seconds. There's not enough time for me to catch and shoot. So, hey, teammate, toss it to me and I will bat the ball.
Roy
No.
Mike Ryan
All the way down the court, and I will almost make it. It's one of the crazy.
Billy
He missed it.
Mike Ryan
It was an air ball, but it's still one of the more impressive things I've ever seen in sports. Best basketball play ever.
Dan Le Batard
It's pretty good.
Mike Ryan
It's crazy. Imagine if he made that.
Billy
Wow.
Dan Le Batard
I surprised he didn't. I gotta be honest with you. Given that guy's level of mastery over.
Mike Ryan
Everything he's doing, those two guys should start a podcast. Ohtani and Jokic. Just two guys that we never hear from, but are actually the best athletes ever. You bitched the Travis Kelsey pod before people did get on that one.
Billy
Okay, well, they were brothers.
Stugotz
That was right.
Roy
It was a little more sense.
Mike Ryan
I don't even think Stugots had Jason involved in the Travis podcast.
Dan Le Batard
One of these people needs an interpreter.
Roy
It was me.
Mike Ryan
Think about the reach.
Dan Le Batard
It's a terrible podcast, okay? Like, truly terrible.
Mike Ryan
Like, I disagree.
Dan Le Batard
We can't put you in charge of anything.
Chris
They probably both like horse racing.
Dan Le Batard
I would listen to that podcast.
Mike Ryan
There he goes.
Stugotz
Allegedly.
Chris
A horse racing podcast with Shohei and. And Joe.
Mike Ryan
I didn't say what it had to be about. I said, we get those two people, make a podcast.
Stugotz
Changes everything.
Roy
I mean, he's right on name value. I mean, it's an easy sell.
Mike Ryan
I mean, everything. I can't say anything around here. It's just a flat out great idea. And everyone's like this idiot.
Dan Le Batard
It's not a great idea. It's a terrible idea. It's. It's a truly bad. One of the worst you've ever had. And it's competing with a lot of others that. That is not. Of all the ways the serial draft.
Mike Ryan
The serial draft would have crushed Jokic won't look.
Dan Le Batard
Does Jokic strike you as somebody who wants to be doing podcasts? And go ahead and tell me all of the entertaining interview that Ohtani has given over the years. Horse racing over the years. Tell me. Think about what those stats are that Jeremy's Giving you however big a star this human being is in America, he deserves to be a bigger one. The cultural barriers make it so that we are not celebrating as a country, one who isn't our own. Being a good deal better than everyone, and a thing that nobody's ever allowed to be a good deal better than everyone.
Roy
He should have chose football.
Dan Le Batard
It's true.
Roy
Yep. Thank you.
Dan Le Batard
It's true.
Mike Ryan
Pretty crazy that two of the last five American League MVPs play for the Dodgers, right? Is it two of the last five American League and technically two of the last five National League, because Ohtani's done both.
Dan Le Batard
I'm with Stugott on this. It's too much baseball for a football move.
Mike Ryan
I'm sorry. It's my fault.
Dan Le Batard
And. And Billy. Billy, since you mentioned the. Kelsey's pretty awesome, right? Billy thinks that Jason has gotten one over on Travis, has he not?
Stugotz
I think he has. Here's the thing. Here's my thinking. And I was thinking about this. And Stuart, I'm surprised that you're not on board on this too. Right.
Roy
Well, I haven't heard it yet.
Stugotz
So, like, obviously the Kelsey name has a certain pull at the moment. Of course. Right. And you know, a lot of it is tied to Taylor Swift, and they had a very successful podcast as it was. But, you know, obviously Taylor Effect helped with that situation, and that's going to last as long as that lasts. And I think Jason realized that this may not last forever, so he got out of football. Meanwhile, Travis is still there and he's. He's playing football now. Jason has a new late night show that he got. They have the podcast, he has his gig on espn. He's getting all these jobs, but the jobs are at a certain point going to dry up while Travis is still playing football. And now that, you know, Jason's making all these connections now, as the jobs become available, Kelsey. Oh, I have Jason's number. Jason's a cool guy. I talked to Jason. Oh, yeah, Jason. And Jason's just going to keep getting all these. All these jobs while Travis might be. Some are saying. Not. Not me, that. Let me get ahead of this right now.
Roy
You're not saying it.
Stugotz
I'm not saying.
Dan Le Batard
Again, another thing you're not saying.
Stugotz
I'm 100% not saying this. I do not want you to pin this on me. I know the way that you work and you say Billy said no, I'm not saying that Travis Kelce is washed. I'm not saying that. People have made such an accusation, though, and said his Best years are behind him. So it seems like Jason made the prudent decision and he retired when he could have maybe played another year or so and he started the next phase and he's getting all of the jobs that you would think Travis would get. And no, Travis is just doing smarter than a fifth grader right now. He's taking the jobs that he can take in the off season where Jason's here, Pac manning it up, eating all the ghosts, taking all the jobs.
Dan Le Batard
Are there going to be limits on the amount of jobs that Kelsey's can get? Because there weren't limits on commercials they can get. I would assume that Travis will have whatever job you think I've got it wrong to say that if Travis wants to be doing what Gronk is or if Travis wanted to be doing what Tony Gonzalez did, that he could have whatever job he wants. They just invent another seat at another table for him.
Stugotz
Not if he breaks our sweet baby Angel's heart.
Roy
Right.
Stugotz
If that doesn't end well with Taylor, those jobs are going to go away. He's going to be Persona non grata. And you need to get the jobs now while you're Persona grata.
Roy
Right. It has to end well with Taylor.
Billy
You're right.
Stugotz
It has to end well with Taylor or that's all going to. He's going to. He's going to become a villain if they break up. Like an actual villain.
Dan Le Batard
You have his broadcasting jobs dependent on his relationship.
Stugotz
You don't.
Dan Le Batard
I don't.
Mike Ryan
Not NFL broadcast. What about this? Let me go down a scenario. What if it ends, but it ends with nice statements and it's actually a good breakup, but it won't.
Stugotz
You do not know how Taylor Swift breakups go.
Mike Ryan
That's true.
Dan Le Batard
Travis Kelce has the level of fame that he has now and he does not need any more to get all these jobs that you're speaking of. I don't think he needs his relationship for anything as it relates to whatever future jobs.
Roy
You cannot be the reason to break her heart. Her in particular. You can't be the reason. Now, if she did something to him, perhaps, but if he did something to her, forget it.
Stugotz
You break her heart, you're not playing as well. Guess who's going to go back to talking to stugatito.
Dan Le Batard
You guys are of the belief years that if he has a breakup in which he dumps her and hurts her feeling or feelings, or worse, gets caught in some sort of betrayal, immortality, immorality. No, you're saying an Essie Mend, you're saying.
Roy
Not saying anything.
Stugotz
I didn't say any of that. Again, I got out in front of this.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah, a messy ending or an Essie mending is what I was going to call it.
Stugotz
How do you have this ending?
Dan Le Batard
I don't care how it ends. I'm just telling you that I don't think it has anything to do with what jobs are going to be available to him.
Mike Ryan
He doesn't get to be Michael Strahan in broadcasting unless he stays with Taylor Swift. Otherwise, he's an NFL broadcaster.
Roy
Otherwise, he's cheeky.
Mike Ryan
He'll have plenty of great moments as an NFL broadcaster, but he doesn't get to be a beloved American broadcaster or host or all of those things if he ends up in a messy breakup with Taylor Swift. You do not understand the fan base of the Swifties. What do you want to be? That's possible. Hey, Kelsey, you want to be Strahan, or do you want to be Gronk on Fox?
Dan Le Batard
Okay, well, the jobs that Jason Kelce is getting are not the transcendent ones. They're the ones in sports. Those are different jobs. He's accusing Jason of stealing up all the jobs Travis wants. And Jason's not getting the. He's getting the greatest of the football jobs. He's not getting the greatest of the all encompassing. I get the housewives. I get morning television. I get. I'm God bless America, Good Morning America.
Stugotz
And he's getting those if he breaks up with Taylor Swift. No, he's not. And now the sports jobs are drying up as well. I think we may be running into a situation where he's looking for a job.
Dan Le Batard
You've had a number of different voices today that have been whispered or spoken through your teeth, and I don't know which one this is.
Stugotz
How so?
Dan Le Batard
Well, I think that Travis Kelsey will get the jobs that he wants, and he's got the amount of fame now that he needs to get those jobs.
Stugotz
Now, though. Now. But he's playing too long. He needs to retire if he wants these jobs. And Jason's the one that realized this. Fame is a fleeting thing, Dan.
Roy
He just wants you.
Stugotz
It's a fleeting thing and a cruel mistress, and you need to play it right.
Dan Le Batard
Both of those things. I thought your listener league was the cruel mistress.
Stugotz
Oh, that. That listener league. I think you know what happened here. I think you know it didn't go swimmingly for your boy, and that's why you bring it up this week. Every time I do decent, you seem to forget about it. But this week, you Know old Billy didn't do so hot. So you said, why don't you tell us about your listener league this week? Yeah, because you know I didn't do well. You go to DKNG co Smirnoff if you want to participate. It's presented by Smirnoff, the world's number one vodka. Please drink responsibly. Dan. It was looking like it was gonna be a really bad week. 506 people competed with us this week. 505 people competed against me. And it was looking like it was gonna be a very, very bad week. But no, I persevered. I had a late. A late push in the 4 o'clock window and I moved all the way up to 485th out of the 506 after what was looking like a very bad week. Had a late push, moved up at 485.
Roy
You said it was your week.
Stugotz
I did say it was my week. And you can accuse me of stealing this because I broke this news as two guts earlier this week. I've been a good coach. I've said all the right things I felt like leading up to this week and I'm not going to do that anymore. It's my players fault. Okay? They're the ones that didn't score any points. They're the ones that sucked this week.
Billy
No need for that.
Dan Le Batard
No need for that.
Stugotz
They're the ones that weren't doing well. I try. I pick the guys that I think are going to go out there. All I can do is have faith in my guys. Am I going to be accused of having too much faith in them?
Billy
Yeah.
Stugotz
Yeah. That's the problem. And I'm not going to apologize for that. I'm not going to say I shouldn't have faith in my guys. I have faith in them. Every week I have faith in different guys. And every week they let me down. It's going to be a long Thanksgiving. A long, cold Thanksgiving. Because we're going to talk about it. This isn't going to be those awkward Thanksgivings where everybody's sitting at the table, there's the elephant in the room. No one's talking to each other. Everybody knows there's tension. No, it's going to be there right next to the fixings. We're going to be talking about all of our issues on Thanksgiving and we're going to get back on track for next week fixings.
Roy
Yeah.
Stugotz
Next to the stuffing, next to all.
Roy
Of it, a bowl of tension.
Stugotz
Next to the mashed potatoes. Next to the Mac and cheese.
Dan Le Batard
People associate fixings with Thanksgiving. I feel like fixings are more buffets. I think fixins. Is that a.
Chris
This is the holiday for fixins.
Stugotz
Thank you.
Dan Le Batard
Is it Mike?
Stugotz
It's the super bowl for fixings. Uh huh.
Dan Le Batard
Okay.
Stugotz
And it's going to be there on the forefront. We're going to to talk about it. Dkng co Smirnoff, if you want to talk about it.
Dan Le Batard
Are fixins side dishes or fixing sort of things that you would take from a salad bar?
Stugotz
Side dishes.
Mike Ryan
I'm seeing fixings or foods that are traditionally served with a main dish such as vegetables, sauces, salads.
Dan Le Batard
Okay.
Roy
All the fixings, fixings.
Stugotz
What I'm going to be doing to my roster if these guys don't start shaping up because they're going to be shipping out.
Dan Le Batard
I really don't want to hear any.
Stugotz
More about your list. Why don't you do it next week with us?
Roy
Yeah, try it out.
Stugotz
Come on.
Dan Le Batard
Because it sounds awful. I didn't think I.
Stugotz
It's so fun.
Chris
And this is low key segment that we put these concepts over and make it seem like something that's super fun to be in.
Stugotz
It is super fun to be in.
Billy
Maybe don't call it awful.
Stugotz
I had a late push.
Chris
You know what? For Thanksgiving, Billy. I will be in.
Stugotz
Take his phone.
Billy
I will be.
Stugotz
Take his phone.
Chris
You make it sound amazing.
Stugotz
I will be open right now.
Chris
That's what you say.
Mike Ryan
You know, I'm joining too.
Stugotz
Wow, look at this. A Christmas mirror. Me three on Thanksgiving. Come on.
Mike Ryan
Come on.
Roy
Roy.
Stugotz
Dan. Sure derized Dan.
Jeremy
Thank you.
Mike Ryan
Smirnoff.
Stugotz
Get. Get his phone. DKNG co. Get his phone. Sign him up right now. It's so fun. Dan.
Jeremy
What's your code?
Stugotz
Dan? It's like, don't even think of it like fantasy. Don't even think of it like fantasy sports or football. Because I know that's how you think about it. Think of it like this. One of your favorite things. Budgeting. Think of it like monies. You know what I mean? You get your 50 thou and then you have to kind of put a team together with the 50 thou. But everybody's worth a different amount of moneys. And then you have to figure out how to manage those monies to get the winning pieces. Boom, boom, boom, boom.
Dan Le Batard
I got railroaded.
Stugotz
It's a math problem.
Dan Le Batard
By just the conversation in general. And so it may have sounded like I was saying that the listener league itself sounded awful. That is not what I meant. What I meant is Billy yammering about finishing 485th.
Stugotz
After a late push, I surged to.
Dan Le Batard
45 to have more of that in my life. Next week is not something you know what it is sign up for.
Chris
You're afraid.
Roy
Afraid of meh.
Dan Le Batard
Another voice. Chicken.
Roy
Chicken.
Dan Le Batard
Chicken. Great. Now your voice is a chicken.
Chris
You're a chicken.
Dan Le Batard
That's what it is. All right, I'm in.
Billy
All right, I'm in.
Dan Le Batard
He's in season. I'll play the game. You will not call me A in front of the nation. I will not be called the champion. J, we did it.
Billy
Woohoo.
Roy
Yes.
Stugotz
Now it's only the 1:00 and 4:00.
Dan Le Batard
Not if you call me a chicken.
Roy
To download the app for you.
Jeremy
Right.
Dan Le Batard
When you cross the line of intimidating me by peer pressuring me by calling me a chicken, that is when I show you guys and I spite you guys by joining a listener league that I hate because Billy's in it talking all the time. I don't hate the listener league because the listeners. I hate it because I've got to listen to Billy.
Roy
Yes.
Dan Le Batard
I finished 485th at a late point, sir Surge. You should have seen what I did in the 4:00 window.
Roy
Well, Billy wants you in so badly, so why don't you negotiate with him? Like, perhaps if you do the league this week, Billy won't talk about it next week.
Chris
Or he already committed the only thing he's just in to prove he's not chicken.
Roy
Ah, okay. All right.
Dan Le Batard
That's the most important thing. I think we can all agree. I'll show you America. You think I'm a woke chicken. I'm not. I'm just woke. But I'm not a chicken.
Roy
Oh, man. I hope you win it.
Dan Le Batard
I will play this with you. And I wanted to move off of the listener league for a moment, Stugatz, because I don't know if you have seen on Max. Colin Farrell is there hiding in plain sight. I am not somebody who likes the Dark Knight and its derivatives. I don't dislike it. It's just not something that grabs my attention. But Colin Farrell getting in makeup for three hours a day so that he could be totally un unrecognizable as the Penguin. Not want to ever do a role like that again. Because for the length that we're here working on air roughly, Colin Farrell was spending that day in makeup for that long in getting into a costume that even once you're in, it had to be fairly unpleasant to drag around with you every day.
Chris
I mean, don't sell us Short Dan. I often spend three hours in makeup before these shows.
Dan Le Batard
The mask that he's weari makes it so that you would simply not recognize in any way that this is Colin Farrell. It's not a fat suit. It's just layered on makeup that make him unrecognizable. And it's not something I would do for a part. Like, it's not. If I was at his pace, at his point in his profession, this is not a task I would want to undertake. I would. It wouldn't be worth the work to me.
Chris
But everybody would see this and be like, well, that show's not going to be very good, right? I. The Batman, you know, had kind of a split audience. Everyone kind of respects the new vision on it, but it was actually released quite a while ago. This series comes out and you're skeptical, but you're like, I'll give it a try. Because Colin Farrell, it won't fail because of his level of commitment. No matter what, he will be committed. And you watch it and haven't watched the entire series. I will concede it's formulaic. I will concede maybe sometimes it's overacted. I will concede maybe sometimes it's overwritten and it's still awesome. It's great. It's fine. Follow a formula. You want to be the Sopranos in a comic book world. Be that the music's great, the performances are great, they get you to care. And it's not just. I would say that the Penguin is not the most interesting character in this show. He's probably like, third.
Roy
Ron say.
Chris
They found a lot of great material here, and they showed that in this entire Gotham world world, there's so much meat on that bone. And it actually makes me think that Batman's asleep at the wheel because there's all sorts of evil criminal underworlding that's happening here that he doesn't step in one bit.
Dan Le Batard
Mike Ryan, as we celebrate our 20th anniversary here, I want you to appreciate that once again, I heard Roy laugh through a soundproof glass because Stu Gotch just barked. He disoriented you as you talked about the Penguin by saying simply shouting ron say at you. Because that was Ron say's nickname when he was a third baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1980s, early 80s.
Chris
I have to be honest, I'm bummed that you set it up so well, because I just wanted to talk about Advent Malkin, and you would have just been the Penguins taking over pop culture. Everywhere I see everyone's talking about this Penguin, Evgeny Malkin, has bounced back. However, they need some blue line help. That defense is out.
Dan Le Batard
If you insist on talking about hockey, how about we talk of Etchkin wanting all of Gretzky's goal records?
Chris
It's going to be tough.
Dan Le Batard
Now.
Chris
I wanted to have the excited conversation about, look what's happening. He's on pace for 68 goals. He's actually going to break one of the games unbreakable records and do it in fewer games than Wayne Gretzky did. Alexander Ovechkin was the story in the NHL and I've wanted to talk about it so long that in the middle of me wanting to talk about it, he has a broken leg and is out six weeks. So he might not get it this year, which is a huge bummer.
Roy
We missed our window, Roy.
Dan Le Batard
How is it possible that he would be improving past his prime as a gold score a goal scorer, injured or not?
Billy
Well, the Capitals are better, that's why.
Chris
Yep, big time. They do not have blue line help. They got guys that are willing to feed him the rock in front of the net. He is. Credit to him. Everybody was having a go at him for his off season training habits. But you know what I've never seen before and yeah, you can laugh at all these pictures of Ovechkin looking the way that he does, running on the beach and playing pickleball. I had never actually seen him go through an off season training regiment that wasn't celebrating a Stanley cup championship. So this dude has actually put in more work and it shows in his play. I love the off season that they had the Capitals, even throughout this injury. Panthers have a tough game against the Capitals tonight. They look like a playoff team and it was really cool to see Ovechkin with his old man game actually rekindle that goal scoring form. Unbelievable that he was on pace to break it in fewer games than Wayne Gretzky and now it's probably ripped away from us in a more of a next year conversation.
Dan Le Batard
How did we manage when Stugots came in here talking of football and saying what a day to talk hockey, baseball, Penguin and Ron say, and Ron say in one segment.
Roy
Don't forget that coffee table, man.
Stugotz
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Jeremy
Power of Energizer into his workshop.
Dan Le Batard
Whoa.
Billy
The Energizer Bunny's got so much power.
Dan Le Batard
Wait, he's powered up all the toys.
Billy
I think that means we're done for the year.
Dan Le Batard
I love this bunny.
Jeremy
He's the hardest working helper the North Pole has ever seen. And he wants all your gifts to have the power of the number one longest lasting AA battery. So this holiday season, stock up on San and the elves favorite battery, Energizer.
Stugotz
Ultimate Lithium, Don Ler, the Miami Heat.
Billy
And all their fans and Heat culture and Jeremy, Tashay and Coach Spo and Bam. Adebayo and the corpse of Kevin Love can all go to hell.
Dan Le Batard
Stugots.
Billy
And when they get there, say hello to Parakeet Cortez for me. And then tell Parakeet to say hello to Art Briles.
Stugotz
This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats.
Jeremy
By the way, everything I say on air or, you know, on TV or something is a message to me. It's not how I really am. It's like, maybe if I listen to myself, I might be that. So take it with a grain of.
Billy
What are we talking about?
Jeremy
Me.
Dan Le Batard
His favorite.
Billy
Your favorite subject.
Dan Le Batard
Oh, he loves it so much. Actually, we're talking about the way you talk about him is what we were talking about. Mike Sher and Ted Danson are with us. A Man on the Inside is the number one show on Netflix in the United States as we speak. Variety calls it charming, hilarious. Rolling Stone, Alan Sepin Wall says Danson remains one of the most graceful, versatile, and game comic performers that television has ever been lucky enough to have. And the Hollywood Reporter says that if anything characterizes Mike Schur's worldview, it's a generosity of spirit. Both of these men are disgusting. They're disgustingly positive. They make charming, charming television. And it makes me nauseated to see them have what, Happiness. The number one show on Netflix. It bothers me that Mike Schur has yet another success in his arsenal of successes. It's annoying.
Billy
Great to see you too, Dan. How you doing?
Dan Le Batard
How did you, by the way?
Jeremy
We did. We did lose a lot of, you know, viewers just then.
Dan Le Batard
Just now. How did you rope dancing into another one of your failed projects?
Billy
He owes me a lot of money, and he's. And he's. And he doesn't have any. So he's slowly paying off his debt to me by appearing in TV shows that I make.
Jeremy
That's kind of true, by the way.
Dan Le Batard
Are you. Why are you still grinding, Ted? Why are you. Why are you still.
Roy
It's such a great question. If you told me back when he was Sam Malone doing Cheers that he'd still be going at it and doing well in 2025, I would have laughed you out of the room. What are you doing, Ted?
Jeremy
I'm. It makes me so happy to go through studio gates and work with crews and actors and writers. I mean, that's the nauseating answer. The other one is I spend everything I make, so. So.
Dan Le Batard
How does this work with you? Sure. When you open a project like this, do you have nerves? How do you measure success on something like this. Obviously, you're birthing something you guys have been working very hard on over the last. I don't know what, more than a year, right?
Billy
Oh, yeah. Almost two years, all told. I don't have nerves because I can't control it anymore. I have nerves while I'm making it and writing it and shooting it and editing it. But once it's over, it's sort of. I get into this kind of stoic place of, like, well out of my hands now. So, you know, you drop it and you see what happens. It's also very different from the old system. The old system was. It was airing once a week, and so you could track this sort of week to week. Are people sticking around? Are they. Do they drop out after the first episode? Are they. Are they still watching in the fourth episode now? You just don't know. It's a black box. So you just kind of hope for the best. And you get these little snapshots that say, oh, you know, it's number one in these countries, or it's top 10 in these countries. But it's hard to know how to interpret it, and it's hard to understand what that really means. So I just kind of throw up my hands and say, like, well, I hope people like it. And, you know, I guess so far, so good is what we would say. You know, that we'll. We'll know a lot more in about a month when they kind of come back to us with a full picture of how it's performing until then.
Jeremy
Okay, see, that's an example of the adult in the room. I pop champagne corks, I buy something, and I'm in debt again.
Dan Le Batard
Okay, so. Okay, so you measure success differently, though, right? You get to operate, Ted, in the safe, safer space of I make it, and then I can let go of it.
Jeremy
I'm also at the kids table. I mean, that's what actors are. You know, we. Mike has to deal with the real world and with people who are dealing with big money. I don't. I'm at the kids table and they treat me as such. And it's. I get a lot of kind of freebies as a result.
Stugotz
Mike. I guess it's got to. Sorry. I guess no different than, like, a movie that's like 90 minutes or two hours.
Billy
Right.
Stugotz
But, like, is it weird that you spend two years of your life working on this project and then, like, someone like me just sits down for three and a half hours and knocks it out and then I'm done with it?
Billy
It's it is. It is very much like a movie, which is obviously not how TV used to be. This is like, I had this thought, thought at some point when I was finishing the last episode of, like, been thinking about this and working on it for two years. And when I'm done, someone will be able to watch the entirety of our work on one flight from LA to Chicago. And that is not what TV used to be. TV used to be this thing that slowly unfolded over, you know, 22, 24 weeks from September to May, and now it's. Everything is sort of being herded toward the movie model.
Stugotz
And.
Billy
And I, you know, look, it's amazing that we still get to do this. So I'm not complaining, but it's just an.
Stugotz
It's.
Billy
The thing that TV used to have over movies was that you, like, watch characters slowly grow and change over months and months and months and years and years and years. It's sort of not like that anymore. And it a little bit bums me out. Like, I feel like that was the advantage TV had over movies from a storytelling perspective, and it's sort of disappearing. But again, you know, it's. I'm not complaining. It's a great job. I'm happy I get to do it.
Dan Le Batard
Still, Ted, when he frames it that way, though, does it make it impossible for you to have this character resonate the way that Sam Malone did? Because it's an audience growing old with a television show as opposed to watching it on a plane flight?
Jeremy
I suppose just because of the weight of 11 years and 22 episodes a year, that's just some degree true. But we are. We're making movies. We're not making TV shows the way they used to be. So the mo. The story is way more important than anything else, you know, and so. No, I kind of like this, to be honest. I really do.
Dan Le Batard
You guys tackled, with some of Mike's projects, you're tackling the spiritual, you're tackling mortality in this. When you're going into a nursing home, I imagine we're playing some here with age. Mike, are you trying to summon a character? Are you trying to take us to a place closer to where Ted Danson is working undercover in a retirement home around people who are in their 80s?
Billy
Yeah, that's the. What the documentary is about, which is, you know, was our North Star when we were making it into a series. It's about aging and. And to some degree, mortality and. And memory problems and tricky adult relationships and stuff. So, yeah, that's very explicitly the point of the Docum. And I wanted to do it in part, not just because the documentary is great. You should all watch it if you haven't already. It's called the Mole Agent. That's from Chile. And it's great. But I had this, I've had this off for a while that, like, this country is extremely bad about talking about those subjects. Like, we just, we don't, we don't really discuss them. Aging is seen as something that's like embarrassing or shameful or that we need to walk on eggshells around and, and I've said this many times, but like, that aging is like the good outcome. Like, that's the, that's the better of two possible outcomes, is that you get old. And I just am curious as to why we're so bad about talking about it and confronting it and just dealing with it openly and honestly. And so I liked that the documentary was discussing those ideas even tangentially, because I feel like there are things that we should be better at talking about. And that's very much the heart of the show and the point of making it.
Dan Le Batard
Why are we bad at that, Ted?
Jeremy
I. Yeah, I don't know. I mean, I, myself, I, I watch myself. I hear of a friend passing or somebody, and I go, okay, what did they do wrong? Oh, I see, I see. You know, it's almost so I can avoid it. I don't know. You know, I. When you get to be my age, you are grateful that you got here and you, you realize you still have something. I mean, here's the thing that I took away from being in this. It's like you still get to play right up until you're dead. And you should not prepare for death. It's coming. But just be an inspiration to those behind you, the younger folks, and say, listen, you don't have an expiration date on your creativity and your, you're, you know what, you can contribute to the world. You still have something to give. So that's one of the reasons why I really love doing this. It's a true celebration of life.
Mike Ryan
Mike, what did you think of Jimmy Butler's 33 point performance against the Mavericks yesterday and their overtime victory?
Billy
Oh, shut up. I'm glad you asked me about this. I have several thoughts about Miami Sports. Number one, congrats on beating the Luca List Mavericks at home and overtime.
Mike Ryan
They were 2 and oh. Against OKC in Denver.
Billy
So huge, huge win. Great job by Tyler Hero, 8 for 25 from the field. Also, great job by the Dolphins, beating the worst football team I have literally ever seen in my life. Huge. It's definitely. I would take a lot from that victory if I were you guys. I would be very confident in your team. I don't think they're going to have any problems playing anybody else under any circumstances. I think you guys are headed for the playoffs.
Dan Le Batard
Ted just left. He's so tired of this. Sorry, Ted just walked off.
Billy
Can I say. I would like to say something, something real quick to all of the teams who have to play the Miami Heat starting now. If the game is tied or the Heat are up by. Or down by one and there's like four seconds left and they're running an inbounds play, maybe don't D up really closely at mid court. Maybe let them inbound the ball so they can't sneak behind you and get an easy layup at the rim. I don't. This is the second time this has happened in two weeks. What is wrong? What happens to teams when they play the Miami Heat? What? Where does their coaching go? Go. How? Why do they all forget how to play basketball? I don't understand.
Dan Le Batard
I'm so happy you got to see this side of Mike. Sure. That you've never seen. Unhinged and enraged about everything. Look at it.
Billy
No, not everything. Miami.
Dan Le Batard
Miami. He's more passionate about this than he is the opening of your show by far.
Jeremy
If you want to see something even worse, ask him something about the Yankees or compliment them and watch what happened.
Dan Le Batard
Do you know anything about baseball, Ted? Do you like baseball?
Jeremy
I like it. And no, I don't.
Dan Le Batard
Okay.
Roy
What. Wait a second. Time out. Time out. This is the kind of baseball we talk about. Sam Malone, who played a former Red Sock pitcher, does not like baseball.
Jeremy
No. Like it. Don't know anything about it.
Dan Le Batard
Know about baseball.
Billy
What he had to have. Didn't you have a. Didn't you have, like, a coach who, like, taught you about baseball when you were on Cheers?
Jeremy
No, sorry. But that great photo. That great photo of Carl Yastremski.
Stugotz
Yes.
Jeremy
It was a double header against the Angels. It was in between, and they had lost the first game, and they. They made him pose with these two actors that no one had heard of because Cheers wasn't on the air.
Dan Le Batard
That's what.
Jeremy
And he was so pissed off.
Dan Le Batard
I've never seen anyone, you know, he didn't want.
Billy
Fantastic.
Stugotz
Yes.
Dan Le Batard
Didn't want those people, these dumbass actors on his baseball field.
Stugotz
No, no.
Dan Le Batard
Getting in the way of everything. Mike, how I. This is for both of you. But first for you, Mike, how do you Pick your projects. How? Pick what you're going to invest. Two years of obsessive compulsive thinking over.
Billy
I don't know. I mean, this just. This was a situation where my longtime producing partner, Morgan Sackett, sent me an email and said, have you seen that documentary, the Mall Agent? We should remake that as a series and write it for Ted. And it was just sort of instantly a good idea. Like, we had been working on Field of Dreams for a long time, and it became. It was becoming clear that that was not going to actually get made, and we were sort of floating a little bit, and then he had a really good idea. And I thought, yeah, that's right. And I don't know why I thought that or how I felt so strongly about it, but I think at some level, it's just what hits you on a gut level or what makes you feel like, oh, yeah, yeah, I can see that. And, you know, but they're all different. The Good Place was just a series of thoughts that had been swirling around in my head for years that it sort of coalesced into an idea.
Roy
And.
Billy
And, you know, Brooklyn Nine Nine came from me and my friend Dan just, like, actively working on what would make a good show. So it's not one thing or one place. It's just you. You get a feeling, you have a lot of ideas, and then one of them starts to kind of glow a little bit or, like, feel more real than the other ones. And then you pursue that, and you see if there's a show in it, it's not. There's no magic formula. I don't think it's just what interests you about the world at that moment.
Dan Le Batard
Ted, could you feel this written for you? You.
Jeremy
Yes. Yes. And I knew it would be because Mike knows me, cares for me, and knows what I'm good at, what I'm not so good at. And, yeah, it felt. It felt perfect. You know, I. If I were at the beginning of my career and had the stupidity to think that writers like Mike or A Dime or doesn't, you know, I. What I would do with the rest of my life, it would be kind of up for grabs. But now that I know the truth, I just want to work with Mike forever. Mike, I want to work with you forever because he is so purposeful in what he chooses to do. I'm kind of answering the question you asked, Mike. You know, I want to be part of something that reflects the human condition. It can be silly, it can be poignant, it can be scary, whatever, but it needs to be a thoughtful presentation of here's life, here we are kind of thing. And that's Mike.
Dan Le Batard
What is the most appreciative thing that you can say, having now worked on a couple of these creative projects where he is, you know, your career has been an amazing one, but the fruit that you get here at the end of this is fairly magical to watch in a Hollywood that's crumbling as actors are struggling to find all sorts of work everywhere.
Jeremy
Let's hope it kind of builds back up. But yeah, it is a true blessing. I mean, first the Good Place. You know, all of a sudden I have 14, 15 year olds, you know, young kids coming up because they devoured the Good Place. They devoured it two or three times. They can quote things and, you know, to have that all of a sudden be part of my life was just truly amazing. And now the response that we're getting from this, just from friends who write in and are saying all the things that I think Mike and all of us hoped would happen, which is, you know, somebody lost their husband a year ago and hasn't been able to get out and is saying thank you. You've given me the encouragement and the inspiration to get out again. You know, it's everything we wanted. You know, it's, yes, it's sweet, kind and up and not cynical, but man, it's making people feel good and that, that's such a joy to be part of.
Dan Le Batard
It is strange that you guys can have that as your brand now. It's not exactly a syrupy time everywhere. The ability to make sweet things that make people think, but are also kind. Ted, I wanted to ask you the same question I asked Mike. How do you measure success with these projects?
Jeremy
I just want to throw in, I am playing adults, Hitler in a musical. Sorry.
Roy
Odd thing to throw in there.
Jeremy
Hey, hey, I'm, I, I'm, I'm a wow. I throw in. I fall into every actor trap known to man. So it's wonderful to have the response that we're getting. It's one, the results still matter to me in, in a way that probably, probably is more than it should. But it is true that what you really get to take away is, you know, the crew that, that Mike brings with them, the camera operators, the sound operators, everyone who wants to work with Mike over and over and over again. You know, you get to have that experience of family. That's important. That's success. You, you get to work with actors who maybe have only a day part, and they're so happy to Be there because they've been written in a complete character, a complete person. So you're working with everybody on the set who's grateful. That's success. So the experience, you know, of just going to work feels like success to me. And the results are lovely.
Dan Le Batard
Mike, you're working with your friends at this point, correct? The making your characters and some of the actors that you've worked with are sprinkled all over the show. Yes.
Billy
Yeah, absolutely. Stephanie Beatriz, who was in Brooklyn 9 9, is in the show and she's great. And Eugene Cordero, who was in the Good Places, has a role and a lot. We have this little repertory company now, which is really fun. And we, you know, have these parts that are. That need to be filled and we have this stable of actors that we can just contact and say, like, hey, do you want to come do this for a couple episodes? And it's great. It's lovely to have that. And also to work with a bunch of people we've never worked with before. I mean, so many of the cast who populate their retirement community that Ted's character lives in are people I'd never met before. Sally Struthers and John Getz and Stephen McKinley Henderson, who. You might not know that name, but if you looked at a picture of him, you'd be like, oh, that guy. I love that guy. And that there's just a whole host of actors who have Susan Rutan, who was in LA Law at the same time that Ted was on Cheers back in the 80s on NBC. And they're great. They're so good. And it's. That. That was a really fun part of it. Sally Struthers, by the way, has like 25 of the greatest stories you've ever heard. Like, there was. There were a bunch of people. Bunch of people were talking backstage or like off set at some point, and the subject of Elvis came up. I don't. Ted, do you even remember how it came up? I don't remember.
Jeremy
I don't remember how it came up, but it was. Oh, yeah, we. We went out for like two years together.
Billy
She dated Elvis. Yeah, she straigh. Dated Elvis in like the early 70s, like before all in the Family. And everyone was like, you dated Elvis? Like, what? He was like, yeah, for like, you know, a year and a half or whatever. That was really a wonderful part of the show was just everyone sitting around telling stories, telling old war stories of shows they'd been in, her plays they'd done and stuff.
Dan Le Batard
We.
Jeremy
Whenever she'd tell a story About Elvis. She wouldn't say Elvis. She'd say. And I'd say to E. She called.
Billy
E. That's what she called him, E. Yeah.
Roy
Well, if you're dating them, I mean.
Dan Le Batard
Right?
Billy
Yeah. That is tremendous boyfriend.
Dan Le Batard
A Man on the Inside is on Netflix, and it's number one as we speak. I will let you guys go on this note. Whether it's the Good place or this, Mike Scherr tends to tackle the hardest things. You wrote a book during the pandemic about all of philosophers, philosophies. When you make something like this, where are you trying to meet people spiritually?
Billy
I don't know that I think about it in that specific way. I think. Think that I'm trying at some level to raise and discuss a bunch of subjects that seem relevant and interesting and important at this moment in time, and hopefully they connect. But you don't. I don't think of it as like. It's not a calculated thing. It's not a. It's not a. It's not a math problem. I'm just trying to do a show that discusses some aspect of life that I think is worth discussing. That's all. And I'll leave you on this note. Do you feel upset that you took where at 15 when McCain was right there and when it went at 16? Because I think that could have really made the Heat into a more interesting team this year. And he was sitting right there for you. And yet. Yet you made the wrong choice. I don't know if you feel good about that or I don't know. What do you think, Jeremy?
Mike Ryan
I plead the fifth.
Stugotz
Very telling.
Billy
You're a coward. You're a coward.
Mike Ryan
Where is going to be a dynamic 5 next to Bam when he's a 4? Don't you worry about it, Mike, Long.
Roy
Term, I thought that question.
Billy
You took Precious Achua right before.
Mike Ryan
I don't want to talk about it.
Roy
For those that don't know, Ted Danson was a former college basketball star. So, Ted, we play a game around here. It's called Shot for your Life. Okay.
Jeremy
Can I. Can I just correct you real quick? That'd be high school. School.
Roy
Yeah. Okay. Okay, okay.
Jeremy
As far as college, I walked onto the court at Stanford and at freshman ball and turned right around and went home and became an actor. But go on.
Roy
All right, that's a heady play. But you like basketball. You don't like baseball. That's still that.
Dan Le Batard
He didn't say he didn't like baseball.
Roy
It's gonna take me a day to get over this.
Mike Ryan
He hates baseball.
Dan Le Batard
He doesn't know baseball.
Roy
He doesn't know.
Dan Le Batard
God Almighty, listen to somebody.
Roy
So college basketball, okay, you played high school basketball, but a shot for your life. Okay. You need to choose one of these two guys. Guys. To hit a three pointer. Okay. If it goes in, you're living life. I'm just making sure Ted understands.
Dan Le Batard
Know what it is? Shot for your life.
Roy
So we establish a shot for your life. Here are your two choices. Okay. Steph Curry or Larry Bird.
Jeremy
Wow. Okay. I'm gonna have to. Because he's of my ilk age. Larry Bird.
Dan Le Batard
Yeah.
Jeremy
As much as I. As much as I used to love to hate him, he was the guy who would do the impossible thing to beat the Lakers at the last second.
Roy
So.
Jeremy
Larry Bird.
Roy
Yep. You're alive. Congratulations. Way to go.
Billy
When you gave me this question, it was Larry Bird or J.J. redick.
Roy
Well, yeah.
Dan Le Batard
See you later, guys. Congratulations on the success of the show. A Man on the Inside on Netflix.
Jeremy
Thank you.
Chris
How do you feel when you switch to Geico and save on your car insurance?
Dan Le Batard
It's like going to work on one.
Chris
Thursday morning morning and thinking to yourself.
Dan Le Batard
Just one more day until Friday.
Chris
But then somebody in the elevator says, happy Friday. Then you check your phone quickly and discover today is actually Friday. So yes. Happy Friday, random stranger in the elevator.
Dan Le Batard
Happy Friday indeed. Yep.
Chris
Switching and saving with Geico feels just like that.
Dan Le Batard
Get more with Geico.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz – Episode Summary
Title: Hour 2: Ted Danson & Michael Schur On "A Man On The Inside"
Release Date: November 25, 2024
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz
Guests: Ted Danson, Michael Schur
Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
The episode begins with the usual energetic banter between Dan Le Batard and Stugotz. They navigate through a series of advertisements, seamlessly transitioning into their primary content without lingering on promotional segments.
A significant portion of the early discussion centers around Shohei Ohtani’s unparalleled mastery in baseball. Dan Le Batard passionately compares Ohtani to legendary figures:
Dan Le Batard [01:04]: "I feel like we are living in an age of real sports mastery. And basically whatever Babe Ruth is now to you listening to this, Shohei Ohtani is going to be 70 years from now when people talk about what was this thing that came over here and was better at baseball by leaps and bounds than anyone else playing baseball."
Mike Ryan further emphasizes Ohtani's dominance:
Mike Ryan [02:12]: "He's the greatest athlete who's ever lived."
The hosts debate Ohtani's historical significance, highlighting his unprecedented achievements, such as winning three unanimous MVP awards—a feat unmatched in American professional sports.
Transitioning from baseball, the conversation shifts to fantasy football, specifically the show's listener league. Stugotz humorously discusses his performance:
Stugotz [11:14]: "506 people competed with us this week. 505 people competed against me. ... I moved all the way up to 485th out of the 506 after what was looking like a very bad week."
The hosts engage in playful teasing about competing in the listener league, with Dan committing to join despite his initial reservations:
Dan Le Batard [17:14]: "I will play this with you. ... I'm not a chicken."
This segment underscores the show's interactive nature, encouraging listener participation and fostering a community spirit.
Midway through the episode, the discussion pivots to pop culture, specifically Colin Farrell's transformative role in "Gotham":
Dan Le Batard [27:34]: "Colin Farrell getting in makeup for three hours a day so that he could be totally unrecognizable as the Penguin... it's not something I would do for a part."
Chris defends the show's creative choices, emphasizing Farrell's commitment:
Chris [19:12]: "It's fine. Follow a formula. ... It's still awesome."
The hosts dissect the show's reception, noting its position as Netflix's number one program and exploring its thematic depth, including its portrayal of aging and mortality.
Throughout the episode, host interactions are interspersed with advertisements for Peloton and DraftKings Casino. These segments are cleverly woven into the conversation, maintaining engagement without detracting from the main content.
As the episode progresses, Dan transitions to the highlight segment featuring Ted Danson and Michael Schur discussing their Netflix show, "A Man On The Inside."
Praise and Critique:
Dan offers a mixed review of the show’s reception, acknowledging critical acclaim while expressing personal discomfort with its optimistic tone:
Dan Le Batard [26:45]: "Variety calls it charming, hilarious... Both of these men are disgusting. They're disgustingly positive."
Despite the jarring statement, the interview delves into the creative process and thematic intentions behind the show.
Michael Schur explains the shift from traditional TV formats to a more cinematic, movie-like structure:
Billy [39:00]: "It's sort of like a movie now. TV used to unfold over months, but now it's all herded toward the movie model."
Ted Danson reflects on the show's exploration of aging and mortality:
Ted Danson [34:14]: "...you can contribute to the world. You still have something to give. So that's one of the reasons why I really love doing this. It's a true celebration of life."
Success Metrics:
The guests discuss alternative measures of success beyond traditional ratings, emphasizing the emotional and societal impact of their work:
Jeremy [42:15]: "You get to work with actors who maybe have only a day part, and they're so happy to be there because they've been written in a complete character, a complete person."
This perspective highlights a fulfillment derived from meaningful storytelling and positive audience reception.
The hosts engage in light-hearted games, such as "Shot for Your Life," where participants choose between sports legends like Steph Curry and Larry Bird to determine their fate. This segment adds a playful dynamic, showcasing the hosts' chemistry and wit.
Dan Le Batard concludes the interview segment by reiterating the show's success:
Dan Le Batard [48:50]: "Congratulations on the success of the show. 'A Man On The Inside' on Netflix."
The episode wraps up with additional advertisements, including humorous promos for Geico. The hosts maintain their signature humor, ensuring the audience remains entertained until the very end.
Shohei Ohtani's Legacy: The hosts unanimously agree on Ohtani's extraordinary talent, predicting his legacy will eclipse historical greats like Babe Ruth.
Evolution of TV Storytelling: Through the discussion with Danson and Schur, it's evident that modern TV is transitioning towards cinematic storytelling, affecting character development and audience engagement.
Community Engagement: The listener league and interactive segments emphasize the show's commitment to fostering a strong, engaged community.
Exploration of Deep Themes: "A Man On The Inside" serves as a medium to discuss profound themes such as aging, mortality, and the human condition, reflecting a shift towards more meaningful entertainment.
Balancing Humor and Seriousness: Throughout the episode, the hosts adeptly balance light-hearted humor with serious discussions, catering to a diverse audience.
Final Thoughts:
This episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz masterfully intertwines sports analysis, pop culture critique, and in-depth interviews. By spotlighting Ted Danson and Michael Schur's latest project, the show not only entertains but also invites listeners to reflect on the evolving landscape of television and the enduring impact of exceptional athletic talent.