Michael Schur, best known on the internet as Ken Tremendous, is the guest on this special Christmas-week edition of the Awful Announcing podcast.

Schur and Dan Levy spend a good 70 minutes—good in terms of length and, hopefully, quality—talking all about his career as a television writer and producer for Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation, going back to his days at The Office and SNL as well, and how all that comedy writing compares to what made him internet famous a dozen or so years back: Fire Joe Morgan.

Here is a quick rundown of most of what we discuss during the conversation. 

-Talmudic Law and the notion of being "half-Jewish"
-Jews for Jedis
-Christmas with Regis Philbin
-Filming holiday episodes in October (and Halloween episodes in August)
-The legacy of television comedy, and how that's changed from watching re-runs of Gilligan's Island in the '80s to now
-Harold Reynolds, Tom Verducci and John Smoltz
-NFL, Star Wars, DraftKings and the Parks & Rec future of seven companies running the world
-Andre Braugher's comedic presence, and why he doesn't win every award, ever
-Chris Pratt, and if/when Schur knew he was going to be the biggest star on the planet
-Writing comedy for comedians, and the collaborative process of producing quality TV
-Aaron Sorkin
-Donald Trump Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AA Podcast #123 – Michael Schur, Ken Tremendous, on TV writing, the legacy of FJM, Donald Trump & Christmas with Regis

One of the premier sports blogs on the Internet now has its own podcast. Some of the biggest names and newsmakers in sports media will join us regularly on the Awful Announcing Podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News

Sports

Sports News

Host Brandon Contes interviews broadcasting legend Bob Costas. Brandon and Bob discuss a wide range of topics including his feelings on Donald Trump before and after becoming president, Bob's infamous gun culture essay, how Tom Brady would be as a broadcaster, and more.
For even more discussion, head over to awfulannouncing.com and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube: @awfulannouncing.
-1:07: Being selective with doing podcasts -5:19: Thoughts about Joe Biden and Donald Trump -13:19: Relationship with Trump pre-president -17:55: Covering the Olympics -19:50: Hearing back from China after being critical of them -21:50: Responsibility of not “sticking to sports” -24:14: Jim Nantz and the Masters -26:27: Misconceptions surrounding gun culture essay -33:47: Biggest detriment to the essay -35:37: Can it be “not worth it” discussing serious topics when people can make their own headlines and twist around those words? -36:34: NBC coming to Bob with issues they wanted him to talk about -36:58: How did NFL owners and Roger Goodell react to some of Bob’s essays? -38:04: Watching the NFL -38:26: How will Tom Brady do as a broadcaster? Could Brady do this for a long time? -40:23: Social media/aggregate media causing change in media -48:41: Doing “Later” on NBC -49:59: Can long-form interview format work on TV today? -50:27: Why Bob feels he couldn’t do a show like “Later” anymore -52:19: No studio audience on “Later” -54:27: One thing in sports Bob would like to see happen before retirement Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bob Costas on Donald Trump, Olympics, Tom Brady, and more

Host Brandon Contes interviews "Parkins & Spiegel Show" co-host and co-author of the book "Pipeline to the Pros," Danny Parkins. Brandon and Danny discuss a wide range of topics including Caleb Williams (very likely) going to the Bears, being the best man at Nick Wright's vow renewal, breaking the news of the Jovan Belcher tragedy, and more.
For even more discussion, head over to awfulannouncing.com and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube: @awfulannouncing.
-:42: Writing a book -3:46: Difficulties of writing a book -5:57: Moments Danny felt like giving up on book? -8:06: People who declined to be interviewed -10:02: Jeff Van Gundy stories -13:29: Duncan Robinson -15:41: Will book change how DIII schools are valued? -17:40: Sports media not playing sports stigma -19:40: BrainUp -21:56: Dealing with real things and sharing that with the audience -24:10: Becoming comfortable with discussing difficult personal things -26:31: Landing first full-time on-air radio job -28:17: Kansas City and Nick Wright -29:39: Jovan Belcher murder-suicide story -32:06: Difficulty reporting a story like that -34:21: Lines between sports journalists and radio hosts being blurred? -35:49: Do aggregators make life difficult in terms of separating media journalism and media entertainment? -37:51: Not sticking to sports -40:20: Jason McIntyre’s comments about Chicago -41:13: Colin Cowherd calling Danny the “most talented sports talk radio host” -43:13: Feelings of ESPN embracing digital for shows compared to his situation -46:41: Landing dream job at a young age -48:12: Working with Dan McNeil -49:28: Having a say in a co-host after Dan was fired? -51:07: Caleb Williams -52:37: Divide over trading the pick or drafting Williams? -53:42: Fans concerned about Williams’ eccentricities? -54:36: Being friends with Nick Wright Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danny Parkins on Caleb Williams, Nick Wright, Danny's book, and more

Guest host Jessica Kleinschmidt interviews ESPN MLB reporter Buster Olney. Jessica and Buster discuss a wide range of topics including the slow pace of the MLB offseason, Scott Boras taking some losses in negotiations, helping Buster Posey be more media friendly, and more.
NOTE: We recorded with Buster on Friday March 22, so in between recording and posting, some details about the Shohei Ohtani/Ippei Mizuhara gambling story have been updated.
For even more discussion, head over to awfulannouncing.com and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube: @awfulannouncing.
-:43: Baseball coverage changing over the years -2:26: Relationship with players changing -3:55: Clubhouse access -6:00: Waiting around -7:42: Covering Chuck Knoblauch during the "yips" -9:30: Helping Buster Posey be more media friendly -12:57: Embracing players as people in terms of social media -14:16: Benefit to players having their wall back up? -15:06: Embracing social media at the start -16:04: Do the positives outweigh the negatives on social media? -18:01: Buster being able to separate from work in his personal life -21:06: This offseason compared to past years -23:52: Who is a “middle class” MLB player? -25:36: Players speaking up -26:35: Buster’s take on a salary cap in MLB -27:45: Top paying players involved in salary cap discussions? -28:52: Scott Boras conspiracy theory -31:26: TV concerns -32:52: Increase in opt-out contracts -34:54: Shohei Ohtani -38:23: Ippei Mizuhara gambling scandal -40:42: Personal relationship with an interpreter -42:47: How would this go if it didn’t involve Ohtani? -43:33: Not really unchartered territory -45:20: Shock factor of Ohtani news -46:42: Joey Votto -48:49: Reds not bringing Votto back -49:56: Votto’s potential post-playing future Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Buster Olney on MLB offseason, Scott Boras, Shohei Ohtani, and more

Host Brandon Contes interviews MMA reporter Ariel Helwani. Brandon and Ariel discuss a wide range of topics including discovering mixed martial arts and going to school to cover the sport, Dana White running the UFC, Joe Rogan as a UFC commentator, and more.

For even more discussion, head over to awfulannouncing.com and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube: @awfulannouncing.

-:45: Confidence level on the New York Knicks
-4:05: Why be a fan of the Knicks instead of the Bulls in the 90s?
-5:54: MMA fandom
-9:20: Famous classmates at Syracuse
-11:15: MMA as a stepping stone?
-12:55: MMA 20 years from now?
-15:05: Covering UFC for Fox and ESPN
-18:29: Benefits to working with a big company rather than being independent?
-20:32: Anticipating roadblocks at ESPN?
-22:32: Leaving ESPN
-24:24: Why is ESPN deal with UFC important?
-26:30: UFC recognizing the value ESPN is bringing
-27:36: Why did Ariel’s relationship with Dana White sour?
-32:53: Does Ariel miss going to events?
-34:58: How is Ariel perceived by UFC fans?
-37:35: Did ESPN attempt to foster a conversation between Ariel and Dana?
-39:45: Dana White, UFC, and the media
-41:54: Does Ariel think that White thinks Ariel is good or bad for MMA?
-44:19: Sean Strickland’s response to Alexander Lee’s question about Strickland’s previous anti-LGBTQ posts
-47:32: White’s “freedom of speech” mandate for the UFC
-50:20: ESPN’s lack of response to Strickland compared to network going after other athletes for controversial things they said
-55:10: What is Dana White’s best quality?
-57:30: Relationship with Joe Rogan
-1:00:46: Kids being fans of UFC
-1:02:14: Covering boxing in Saudi Arabia
-1:06:01: Biggest thing Ariel does to be a great interviewer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ariel Helwani on UFC, Dana White, Joe Rogan, and more

Host Brandon Contes interviews ESPN WNBA and college basketball analyst and Basketball Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo. Brandon and Rebecca discuss a wide range of topics including Caitlin Clark and the growth of women's college basketball, going to the White House to interview Barack Obama filling out his bracket, her reaction to Kim Mulkey's comments, and more.

For even more discussion, head over to awfulannouncing.com and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube: @awfulannouncing.

-:47: How Rebecca and husband Steve Rushin met
-3:03: How does Steve feel about the WNBA now?
-4:38: Viewpoint of athletes now being on the media side
-6:18: Being interested in media
-7:37: Envisioning top women’s college basketball games doing better ratings than the NBA
-9:05: Importance of Caitlin Clark to women’s college basketball’s growth
-10:51: Clark’s impact on women’s college basketball already changing the WNBA?
-12:08: Jay Williams’ Caitlin Clark take
-13:52: Getting caught up in a take
-15:08: Maya Moore “nasty woman’ comment
-16:51: Filling out a bracket with Barack Obama
-18:00: Going to the White House 
-19:01: Playing in the 1996 Olympics
-20:20: Excitement level of the start of the WNBA at the time
-21:23: Envisioning the WNBA 25 years later?
-22:10: Equality among women’s and men’s college basketball
-24:21: Last year’s championship game on ABC
-25:39: Frustrating that women’s college basketball and WNBA constantly need to prove to be on a bigger platform?
-26:51: NIL helping grow the WNBA?
-28:04: NIL in college sports
-29:10: College coaches expressing disdain for NIL
-31:13: South Carolina-LSU fight, Kim Mulkey’s comments
-33:17: Added excitement calling title games
-34:20: Preparing for NCAA Tournament
-35:45: Relationship between WNBA and media
-38:03: Are there enough beat reporters at games every day in order to build trust with players?
-40:04: Does the WNBA get unfairly judged in comparison to the NBA?
-41:15: Steph Curry-Sabrina Ionescu competition at the NBA Skills Challenge
-42:51: Ryan Ruocco
-44:11: Knowing when to lay out for the play-by-play voice
-45:42: Ruocco growing with the WNBA
-47:36: Doris Burke
-50:05: Working NBA games?
-53:02: Coaching at the college or pro level? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AA Podcast #123 – Michael Schur, Ken Tremendous, on TV writing, the legacy of FJM, Donald Trump & Christmas with Regis

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