The Tony Kornheiser Show – "The Good Parking"

Date: April 6, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode blends classic "Show" humor and camaraderie as Tony Kornheiser, joined by regulars and sit-ins, recounts a recent night out at a live comedy event, delves into NCAA basketball (men’s and women’s Final Four), shares first-hand impressions of Michael Jordan’s private golf club, and hosts an illuminating segment with NASA scientist Noah Petro detailing the new Artemis II moon mission. The unique perspective and banter amongst Tony, Michael Wilbon, and company touch on aging, sports fandom, family dynamics, space exploration, and—the most important thing—good parking.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Comedy Show Outing: Greg Garcia, Nate Bargatze, and "The Good Parking"

[01:50–09:13]

• Tony shares the saga of attending comedian Nate Bargatze’s live arena show (with Greg Garcia as opening act), emphasizing his reluctance for large outings unless two conditions are met: good seats (suite) and, critically, “good parking.”
• Parking logistics: "Parking is the most important thing. If we don’t get the player lot, we’re not going." (Tony Kornheiser, [04:36])
• The group, including Michael Wilbon’s kids and Liz Wilbon, experience the “loading dock” VIP parking, parking within 200 feet of the exit, right next to the tour bus.
• Family dynamic themes: Matthew Wilbon jokes about now driving Tony and watching him take the back seat (“I'm not driving. It's understood.” – TK, [05:20])
• Food highlights from the suite: The "best chicken tender I’ve ever eaten in my life" (Tony Kornheiser, [06:54]), and communal popcorn.
• Discussion on Nate Bargatze’s family-friendly, non-political and non-vulgar comedic style that appeals across generations.
  • Tony: “If you are a 40-year-old man... and you want to take your children and your parents, you can.” ([08:18])
  • Matthew: “It is predictable. And that’s so important when you’re trying to plan a night out.” ([08:30])

2. Comedy Style Appreciation & Arena Atmosphere

[09:13–11:50]

• Tony and Matthew admire Bargatze's storytelling: “He’s... just like you. He lives in the same world that you live in, but certain things occur to him in a strange way that you don’t see...” (Tony, [10:06])
• Arena humor: Bargatze keeps the show intimate in a giant space ("150 ft above... he brings screens," [09:13]); the challenges for opening comics like Greg Garcia.
• Memorable bit: “How many chickens can you fit in a horse?” (Tony Kornheiser, [11:03])
• Post-show, comedians turn out to be sports fans themselves—spotting Tony as “the guy from PTI”—a meta, mutual appreciation moment.

3. Sports Talk: Nationals’ Pain, Augusta ANWA, and More

[12:00–16:41]

• Tony and friends briefly lament a Nationals bullpen meltdown against the Dodgers.
  • “Nats had a 6–1 lead... he [Perez] has to be DFA'd. I can't believe he's on the team today.” (Tony, [12:18])
  • Silver lining: hitting is up, thanks to new hitting coach Matt Boras (whose brother is a friend of the show).
• Augusta National Women’s Amateur ("ANWA") review: a showcase of young talent, near-collapses, and major comebacks.
  • Matthew gives a play-by-play of Maria Jose Marin’s victory, the pressures of Amen Corner, and the significance of the event for women’s golf.
  • “Anytime you can see Augusta, sit down, see it. Sit down and see it. And you'll be able to see it all this week.” (Tony, [16:20])
• Family anticipation of Masters Week and Tony's “aging parent” status is joked about in car navigation and parking chatter.

4. Aging, Family, and Role Reversals

[16:47–17:04]

• The group reflects on jokes from the comedy event about role reversals—children caring for parents.
  • Tony: “You know that this is it. I'm the aging parent.” ([16:47])
  • Liz: "Changing of the guard." ([16:51])

Interview Segment: Michael Wilbon

[19:40–34:38]

1. Grove XXIII – Michael Jordan’s Private Golf Club

[19:40–24:33]

• Wilbon describes his awe after playing Michael Jordan’s exclusive golf course ("Grove 23"), calling it a "singular" accomplishment for a Black man in America.
  • “For Jordan to do it... this is singular. I don’t know anybody else... who in that way is like me and my son. And the answer is no damn body.” (Wilbon, [21:42])
• Star-studded potential sightings, but primarily relished the location, the company, and the personal experience.

2. NCAA Men's & Women’s Final Four Reactions

[24:44–36:58]

• Men's Final Four:
  • UConn's dominance, Illinois' predictable fall, and Michigan’s blowout of Arizona are analyzed.
  • Hurley’s coaching highlighted: “He’s great. Historically great coach.” (Wilbon, [27:04])
  • Tony and Wilbon debate evenly-matched UConn/Michigan final prospects.
• Women’s Final Four:
  • Focus on UCLA’s Kiki Rice and Wilbon’s personal/family connection.
  • Tony roots for UCLA as a change from usual East/South dominance.
  • The team praises senior leadership in defense and notes the shifting nature of program stability in the transfer portal era.
  • Wilbon sharply criticizes UConn coach Geno Auriemma’s post-game sportsmanship and his public dishonesty:
    • “He was both so small and petty and a liar, a public liar to boot, and still hasn't apologized directly...” (Wilbon, [34:05])

Interview Segment: NASA's Noah Petro on Artemis II

[40:55–52:11]

• Mission Summary: Artemis II launched April 1st, carrying four astronauts for a lunar flyby—the first manned trip near the moon in 50+ years.
  • Crew: Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, scientist Christina Cook, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
• Government vs. Private Effort: This specific Artemis mission is "fully NASA," with private vendors only involved in future missions.
• Historical Context:
  • Last moon visit: Apollo 17 (1972).
  • Previous returns to Earth-orbit-only focus; Artemis is the first deep-space manned push since then.
• Why Return? & Mars ambitions:
  • Tony asks: “Is it important to go to Mars?” ([47:43])
  • Petro explains both the practical (technological advancements, knowledge of Earth’s history) and spiritual (curiosity, species-wide achievement) motives.
• Living on the Moon:
  • Artemis' goal is to develop extended lunar habitation as a precursor to Mars—eventual "moon base" for longer stays, prepping for multi-year Mars missions.
  • “[We] want the lunar missions to build up to weeks and months in duration and then to turn into something like the ISS where people are living there...” (Noah Petro, [46:00])
• Astronaut Commitment:
  • Being an astronaut now means a possible multi-year commitment away from planet Earth, with prospect of first Mars trip open for this new class.
  • "[Astronauts] all sign up with the notion... maybe I will be on one of those early test missions to go to Mars as well..." (Noah Petro, [49:58])
• Events: NASA TV coverage of Artemis II’s lunar flyby—"put the kids in front of the TV" ([51:07]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On parking:
  "Parking is the most important thing. Like when we go to see the Nats… If we don't get the player lot, we're not going. It's as simple as that." – Tony Kornheiser ([04:48])

• Comedy universal appeal:
  “He does not curse… not do politics… So… if you want to take your children and your parents, you can.” – Tony Kornheiser ([08:18])

• On Michael Jordan’s legacy:
  “For a black man in America to conceive of, execute, own, and operate… the vision to do what he did, this is singular.” – Michael Wilbon ([21:42])

• On Geno Auriemma post-game:
  “A public liar to boot, and still hasn’t apologized directly to the coach he offended… you got to walk across the floor and say, hey, you got me today. I got to eat that.” – Michael Wilbon ([34:05])

• On Artemis II's big picture:
  “That’s one of the benefits of Artemis… very different than Apollo… we are doing this and the 'we' is bigger than just the U.S.” – Noah Petro ([49:20])

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Start | End | |:----------------------------------------------|:--------|:--------| | Comedy Night Recap & Parking Obsession | 01:50 | 09:13 | | Nationals Blues & Augusta Women’s Amateur | 12:00 | 16:41 | | Aging Parents & Role Reversals | 16:47 | 17:04 | | Michael Wilbon on Grove XXIII | 19:40 | 24:33 | | NCAA Final Four Men’s & Women’s Review | 24:44 | 36:58 | | NASA’s Noah Petro: Artemis II Deep Dive | 40:55 | 52:11 |

Tone, Language & Show Flavor

• Conversational, irreverent, blend of nostalgia and present day worries
• Sports deeply personal, as is family, aging, and friendship
• Technical topics (NASA segment) made accessible via show’s informal, questioning approach
• Plenty of digressions, personal anecdotes, and recurring “Show” obsessions (food, parking, aging)

Useful For…

• Fans seeking Tony and Wilbon’s takes on current NCAA tournaments
• “Littles” who love the show for its personal stories, running themes, and curmudgeonly humor
• Anyone interested in NASA’s upcoming moon missions made understandable (and funny)
• Listeners looking for laughs about life, sports, and the unavoidable advance of age

Note: Ad breaks, intros/outros, and non-content sections are intentionally omitted.