The Dan Patrick Show (Covino & Rich)
Episode: C&R – Greatest Sidekicks Ever & YouTube Winner
Date: December 5, 2025
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts & Dan Patrick Podcast Network
Episode Overview
In this lively episode, Covino and Rich pay tribute to the “sidekick”—those in sports, pop culture, and entertainment who start as supporting players and, sometimes, steal the spotlight to become stars in their own right. Inspired by Jay-Z’s birthday (who began as a sidekick to Jazz), the crew and callers share and debate the greatest sidekicks, both those who stayed in their role and those who turned into icons. Listeners join in with personal favorites and clever anecdotes, spanning TV, sports, music, and even presidential history. The show is fast-paced, humorous, interactive, and loaded with nostalgia.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Sidekick Turned Superstar: Setting the Stage
[04:15]
- Rich brings up Jay-Z, noting his humble beginnings as Jazz’s sidekick before evolving into one of the greatest rappers of all time.
- Covino relates, sharing his own days as a radio sidekick:
"I was a producer and sidekick on the air in New York City, KROCK New York, on a show called Solid State with Liquid Todd." (04:43, Covino)
- The hosts open the floor to all genres for examples: sports, music, movies, TV—even sports coaching hierarchies.
2. Classic TV Sidekicks Who Became Stars
[06:09]
- Covino:
"Number one has to be our good pal Henry Winkler. The Fonz, he was just the sidekick…He became the dude…the main attraction. It’s a very similar story with Steve Urkel." (06:13)
- Rich:
"Urkel—'Did I do that?' He was supposed to be just the goofy neighbor, and he stole the show." (07:08, Rich & Covino)
3. Sports Sidekicks: Coaches, Players, and More
[05:28 & 14:53]
- Rich reframes offensive/defensive coordinators as ‘sidekicks’:
"Some become a head coach and you’re like, yep, they’re meant to do it. But with others…like Josh McDaniels…you’re better as a coordinator, not a head coach." (05:28, Rich)
- Callers point to Lou Gehrig (behind Babe Ruth), and Barry Sanders (backup to Thurman Thomas at Oklahoma State).
- In the NFL coaching tree, examples include Mike Holmgren (assistant to Bill Walsh) and Belichick under Parcells.
- Caller:
"Would you say John Madden was Pat Summerall’s sidekick?"
- Covino:
"You do associate the color guy as the sidekick to the main broadcaster…" (08:13)
4. Listener & Staff Picks: Pop Culture and Beyond
[09:41 - 13:33]
- Bruce Lee as Kato (sidekick to the Green Hornet):
"Super cool example, man. I love that." (09:57, Covino)
- Jimmy Kimmel: From “Win Ben Stein’s Money” sidekick to late-night star.
- Saul Goodman:
"A side character on Breaking Bad…Better Call Saul was a fantastic spin-off." (11:06, Rich and Covino)
- Donkey from Shrek and Uncle Kracker (Kid Rock's DJ, became a solo artist).
- Neil Patrick Harris:
"How I Met Your Mother is a story of Ted…Barney Stinson became the star of that show." (16:03, Rich)
5. Rapid-fire: More Examples from Listeners
[13:21 - 41:12]
- Frasier/ Cheers, George Costanza/ Seinfeld
- Carlton on Fresh Prince, Jennifer Garner (Felicity), Barney Stinson (HIMYM), Tupac (Digital Underground)
- Laurence Fishburne as Cowboy Curtis (Pee-wee’s Playhouse)
- The Eagles:
"They were Linda Ronstadt’s backup band, and then, boom, they become the Eagles." (19:28, Covino)
- Phil Collins (Genesis), Randy Jackson (from Journey to American Idol judge)
- Slick Rick (Dougie Fresh’s sidekick), Lil’ Kim (Biggie’s protégé), Busta Rhymes (Leaders of the New School)
- Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies):
"Delari was the star of that show and Tom Hanks overtook everything and became what he is today." (22:42, Caller)
- Leonardo DiCaprio (Growing Pains), Buddy Lembeck (Charles in Charge)
- Ryan Seacrest (American Idol co-host, outlasting Dunkleman)
- JLo (Fly Girl on In Living Color), Kevin Hart (small roles to superstardom)
- Ron Howard ("Opie" to great director)
- The Rock, Diesel/Kevin Nash (wrestling)
6. Fun Outlier: Historical and Political “Sidekicks”
[38:45]
- Caller JJ:
"How about the guy who was supposed to be John Wilkes Booth's sidekick the night he killed Abraham Lincoln? He was supposed to kill the Vice President but instead went to the saloon and got too drunk and forgot to do it." (38:45, Caller/Listener JJ)
- Hosts riff on presidential sidekicks becoming presidents (e.g. George H.W. Bush).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the thrill of a sidekick breaking out:
"It’s cool to see when that second guy becomes the superstar because no one really expects that, right?" (33:20, Covino)
-
On Jimmy Kimmel’s journey:
"Remember when Jimmy Kimmel used to be the sidekick for Win Ben Stein's money? And then he got his own talk show, late night?" (11:11, Caller/Listener)
-
On the character of Barney Stinson:
"Any clip or any memory you have of that show—it’s like Barney Stinson was the funny of that show." (16:36, Rich)
-
On being a lifelong sidekick:
"Flavor Flav, he's always a side…He's like Scottie Pippen, but he's always the second…but he did become his own star. That's a good one." (21:35, Covino & Rich)
-
History twist:
"How about the guy was supposed to be John Wilkes Booth sidekick…the guy who was assigned to…take out the VP…got a little too much sauce." (38:45, Caller/Listener, Rich)
Important Segments & Timestamps
- 04:15 — Introduction of Jay-Z’s journey and the sidekick theme
- 06:09 — The Fonz and Urkel: TV’s classic breakout sidekicks
- 05:28, 14:53 — Coaching/athlete sidekick vs. main star analogies
- 09:41 — TV and pop culture sidekick examples roll in from listeners
- 13:21+ — Frasier, Cheers, Seinfeld, and more sidekick deep-dives
- 19:28 — The Eagles and other famous band transitions
- 21:35 — Flavor Flav as the prototypical hype man/sidekick
- 22:42 — Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio: from TV to movie stardom
- 26:13 — Hip-hop sidekick breakouts: Slick Rick, Lil’ Kim, Busta Rhymes
- 38:45 — Outlier: Booth’s drunken sidekick and real-life failed history
- 47:14 — Wrap-up with sidekick-related sports analogies (Larry Holmes/Muhammad Ali), YouTube chat, and prize winner
- 48:36 — YouTube Nerf Turbo stocking stuffer winner: "Mr. T from the A Team" by Scott for Mayor
Tone & Atmosphere
- Playful, energetic, and nostalgic
- Deeply interactive—callers and staff become part of the show
- Jam-packed with quick-witted banter, one-liners, and rapid-fire references
- Appreciative of listeners’ contributions ("You make my commute home…I talk to you like you're my best friends." — Allison in Syracuse, 15:14)
- Loads of pop culture knowledge and trivia, with regular self-deprecating and improv humor
Conclusion & Takeaway
This episode celebrates not just the “number ones” but the journey of becoming one. Covino and Rich, along with their callers, round out decades of entertainment, sports, and history with stories, laughs, and clever analysis of how sidekicks sometimes end up writing their own legend—or become cherished for always being the perfect supporting act. The show closes with an invitation to join their YouTube channel and a tease for their bonus “Over Promised” episode, keeping the community engaged and entertained.