TV: HBO : Any Given Wednesday
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KallioWeHardlyKnewYe
Hey! We won!
- May 30, 2003
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His interviews are solid. It helps that several of the subjects so far are folks he already has a rapport with. He's a chummy sort of dude, so the discussions have been relaxed.
NO MORE acting/skits. The Tom Brady court case bit was brutally stiff and unfunny. As Simmons himself would say (quoting Dave Chappelle, I believe): "Stay in your lane."
The opening segment is ok. Topics haven't felt all that fresh or interesting but in fairness to him, I've been reading/listening to him for a while so hearing him drone on yet again about how Hall of Fames should acknowledge history warts and all doesn't do much for me since he's written and talked about that many, many times in the past.
While I understand his "Boston fan" roots, I think Boston has been coming up too much in the show. I know that is part of who he is. I just hope it gets a little more tempered now that he has a national television show. Topics don't always have to turn back to the Celtics or Sawx or Patriots. You're talking with Affleck? Sure, I get Boston talk. You're talking with Barkley and you bring up a fight between him and Bird from decades ago? Not needed.
I'd be real curious to hear thoughts from folks who have little to no familiarity with him.
NO MORE acting/skits. The Tom Brady court case bit was brutally stiff and unfunny. As Simmons himself would say (quoting Dave Chappelle, I believe): "Stay in your lane."
The opening segment is ok. Topics haven't felt all that fresh or interesting but in fairness to him, I've been reading/listening to him for a while so hearing him drone on yet again about how Hall of Fames should acknowledge history warts and all doesn't do much for me since he's written and talked about that many, many times in the past.
While I understand his "Boston fan" roots, I think Boston has been coming up too much in the show. I know that is part of who he is. I just hope it gets a little more tempered now that he has a national television show. Topics don't always have to turn back to the Celtics or Sawx or Patriots. You're talking with Affleck? Sure, I get Boston talk. You're talking with Barkley and you bring up a fight between him and Bird from decades ago? Not needed.
I'd be real curious to hear thoughts from folks who have little to no familiarity with him.
b1e9a8r5s
Registered User
I agree. There where a few funny things in the deflategate trial (mostly just Rapaport being funny) but enough with deflategate. No one cares anymore.
Philly85*
I Ain't Even Mad
- Mar 28, 2009
- 15,845
- 3
have zero issues with it and love it all so far, I'm a basketball guy so it's great he's kept a good chunk of the focus on the NBA and the sport in general, it has been a massive off season for the league. But he's had some good guests so far and I thought the C. Jenner interview last night was interesting to say the least, even though I can't ****ing stand her. The deflategate trial was ****ing funny.
Lord Moriarty007
Lets go Avs & Bolts!
Voight
#winning
Simmons has always been one of the best in the biz. Sure he can be Boston-Bias a lot of the time but he is also very informative and isn't afraid to push buttons. Hence ESPN suspending him because he took shots at their good buddy Goodell. He had a show like this a long time coming.
CycloneLaunch
...
Does anyone know how it'd doing ratings wise in the States? I usually judge a shows popularity by how easy it is to torrent and I have had a hard time finding them for this show. The show needs to be an hour imo, every single interview i've watched i would have rather have had it be an hour long podcast. He's also just made bad choices with the interviews parts chosen for the show, there was a far more interesting part of his Affleck interview he released as a podcast. Instead he chose the deflategate part, despite constantly going on about how no one wants to hear about it anymore. He's also incredible awkward in non-interview segments.
He also seems to have weakened the other parts of his business with the show, his podcast has just become Joe House every week and The Ringer is straight up garbage.
He also seems to have weakened the other parts of his business with the show, his podcast has just become Joe House every week and The Ringer is straight up garbage.
b1e9a8r5s
Registered User
I don't believe the ratings have been great. I agree that best parts of the show are the interviews but I think, as you mention, they don't want it to be a video podcast but something more. I wonder if they end up doing something similar to Bill Mahr's show. Just do discussions with multiple people about multiple topics.
The ringer has been very disappointing. The only thing I enjoy is the podcasts. I miss grantland.
KallioWeHardlyKnewYe
Hey! We won!
- May 30, 2003
- 15,769
- 3,807
I also kinda wish it would just be a prolonged interview and not so much of the late night "segment" template. That's his clear strength IMO. That's why I enjoy his podcasts for the most part.
Re: The Trial skit. I don't mind him covering the topic. Brady was still in the news. But Simmons himself isn't a performer, which was my beef with it. He's really stiff and awkward when he's "acting" and it made the bit uncomfortable to watch.
If you've followed him over the years you know his love and reverence for late night shows as a genre. I hope he learns to focus in on his strengths and not push too much into areas he isn't as good at, i.e. bits and skits.
Still early. These shows gotta work out the kinks.
b1e9a8r5s
Registered User
So-so episode. I thought Ricky Williams was probably the best part. He was thoughtful and obviously has a unique perspective about the NFLs drug policy. I like Rembert but I imagine most people are wondering who he is if they weren't followers of Grantland. I'm not sure I like the athlete with the entertainer interviews if they are just talking about sports.
Rogen really is high all the damn time isn't he. I generally like his movies but his non stop pot laugh makes his interviews annoying.
Rogen really is high all the damn time isn't he. I generally like his movies but his non stop pot laugh makes his interviews annoying.
Tasty Biscuits
with fancy sauce
b1e9a8r5s
Registered User
Decent episode. I liked the Hill interview the most. I just don't know how the show is going to catch on though. Now they are going on break for a few weeks. I wonder if they come back with any significant changes.
Philly85*
I Ain't Even Mad
- Mar 28, 2009
- 15,845
- 3
almost every talk show does this, particularly on HBO, Real Time and and Last Week Tonight both take 1-2-3 weeks at a time. Writers gotta write, producers gotta produce etc.
I thought it was a good discussion, nothing earth shattering, but a nice switch up to talk a bit politics and Jonah Hill is a funny, good chat.
b1e9a8r5s
Registered User
Anyone still watching? I think it's gotten better by always having Simmons with a guest, instead of doing the monologue stuff. Bill's best qualities for TV is interviews. I like what the show is now, but I wonder how many people who aren't Simmons fan's actually enjoy it. Enjoyable show to me, but nothing ground breaking.
It's been alright, something to have in the background while I'm doing other stuff like his podcasts. Some of the pre-taped segments have fallen flat (ie, the 'tips for Cubs fan' clip), but Simmons shooting the breeze with the guests is usually decent.
Philly85*
I Ain't Even Mad
- Mar 28, 2009
- 15,845
- 3
Watch every Wednesday night. I wonder the same thing. Me personally, I have probably close to a dozen people I know who watch the show, who are sports fans in general, love NFL or NBA, and know Simmons from Grantland, and ESPN. What can I say the show is nothing ground breaking at all but I like him as a personality and he's had some good guests, some good discussions. Malcolm Gladwell is great whenever he's on.
Philly85*
I Ain't Even Mad
- Mar 28, 2009
- 15,845
- 3
He should've pushed Durant a bit more when he was on the show with Nas a couple weeks ago... that was an opportunity missed IMO, to at least grill him a bit more and get some deeper answers. it's amazing how Durant has turned heel in the past 1.5 years, and obviously full bad guy the past 3 months... he never used to have this kind of attitude. But whatever, as Nas said "do what you gotta do" lol, to put it extremely simply.
b1e9a8r5s
Registered User
I don't know. Didn't HBO pay Simmons big bucks to develop the show? If that's the case, I'd imagine they would be somewhat patient with it.
Simmons too busy jerking off the NBA to do anything else
Ringer is a ****ing joke. Yes, put another article about the Warriors up. That's six today.
Hockey?
Even less than Grantland. At least DGB was great in the Grantland days. The only hockey content we get is an occasional Katie Baker article. She's great, but doesn't write for the site with any regularity.
Ringer is a ****ing joke. Yes, put another article about the Warriors up. That's six today.
Hockey?
Even less than Grantland. At least DGB was great in the Grantland days. The only hockey content we get is an occasional Katie Baker article. She's great, but doesn't write for the site with any regularity.
kook10
Registered User
- Jun 27, 2011
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Pretty sure he and the key producers have year long contracts. I doubt they would pull the plug on it and pay those out since they are a very large part of the cost. It's not like they have a huge crew, big sets to build or location shoots. Also, HBO is subscription based so ratings aren't the sole driver of programming decisions.
