Guys are supposed to like sports and booze, and I've never been that fond of either. I understand the allure of both, but I've never been one to gleefully take part in anything so organized as a sport. And a tall, frothy Budweiser, while considered ambrosia to many, is turned into something that tastes like licking the inside of an 11th grader's backpack when it hits my tongue. I just wasn't designed for that sort of thing, but ESPN Classic did have one show I enjoyed, and that was Cheap Seats, hosted by comedian twin brothers Jason and Randy Sklar.
Alas, the show's fourth (and last) season comes to and end tomorrow with the final episode airing at 4:30 pm as part of a marathon that will air from 10 am to 5 pm. The premise of the series is that Randy and Jason watch old clips of ESPN coverage of sporting events that are hardly sports at all, such as spelling bees, poker games, frog jumping contests and other assorted nonsense. The brothers provide an MST3k-like commentary for the footage, as well as comedic bits thrown in here and there for good measure. I'm not saying it was the greatest show in the world, but if it got an artsy band nerd like myself to actually watch an ESPN channel, that has to mean something.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-18-2006 @ 4:53PM
Preston said...
I think that the show was good, but maybe the ESPN execs weren't amused to see the old footage again. All the late 80s coverage the big hair, the time when some people were out of shape before this current stay fit get healthy world. Jason and Randy Sklar were that good making fun of the sports ESPN used to show. Long before they put all that money on Sportscenter, that slick studio set and that catchy Da-Da-Da Da-Da-Da theme song. Well one thing that ESPN or ESPN2 does show is poker games and they've run with that craze for 2 years now. The other stuff, they've ditched. Also, the couch potato concept doesn't work these days in a time when men have massive entertainment rooms, extravagant furniture and home theaters and flat screen TVs. To Jason and Randy Sklar, I wish you the best in your comedian gigs and that you did a fine job for 4 seasons. It's good for the network to laugh at itself of its early beginnings before they became the worldwide sports leader. Trust me, they never expected their network to explode like that in 25 years after a once shoestring budget.
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11-18-2006 @ 5:00PM
Melissa said...
I saw the Sklar brothers perform in L.A. once, and they were fantastic. I'm sure they'll have no problem finding something else.
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11-18-2006 @ 6:01PM
Toby OB said...
The only episode I ever saw, and I have it here someplace in this hovel, had the MST3K crew on to do their thing while watching the Sklars do their show.
Made for a fun mix of the two shows. (Not sure it could really be considered a crossover.....)
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11-18-2006 @ 6:43PM
Tawantha Hines said...
Ilive in bessemer alabama. I love watching the show.I despirately would like to be a contsetant on the show.
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11-18-2006 @ 11:56PM
RAB said...
Oh man...why am I only finding out now this show even exists, just in time to mourn its cancellation? Those guys are great and I so totally would have watched it.
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11-19-2006 @ 2:30AM
RolFF said...
The show rocked and it will be missed....
by the six of us...LOL
Will miss the Cheapies....Cheapies...Cheapies theme song and all the classic lines about mulleted bowlers and weird looking kids spelling words too big for me to repeat here.....
Box Set ESPN...cmon
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