Greatest Athlete Cameos with Jen Statsky

I think you've been out of stand up too long because you like, okay, Well, then you don't have the skills to host. I was going to answer, okay, well here let me that was and then Jen is your long time friend, and then well that's why I thought you had it handled a comedy god before we come in here, when we were Yeah, I think there's probably started on the same day. And listen, there was a fork in the road in the past one different ways. A writer for The Good Place, Parks and Rack, Broad City.

An amazingly talented comedic writer, your old like office mate, office mate, I mean friend, dear friends, very very talented, had a deadline article this week, baby a deadline. Hello, Hi, I'm very happy to be here. CJ really naking me right off the bath. I wasn't on purpose. I I feel like I nagged everyone in the room. Oh I forgot one more thing too, maybe the most important Clippers season ticket holders. Yes, you are a huge sports fan. It's not just like you're a random successful friend we

brought in here. You are, which we will have at some point. You are. I'm a I'm a huge, huge basketball fan obsessed with basketball. We're different from you guys. They think no, pretty much nothing about other sports. Okay, I know, like the basic tools that they use, but yeah, the football, the bad, etcetera. But I I really like the mountain I know about basketball and think about basketball compared to what I think about any other sport. It's it's very different, and was that from a young age.

I think what it was was I grew up playing softball and field hockey, which is it's like mowing grass as a sport, because you're just hacking at the field with a stick to chop down grass. It's truly the worst sports wild wild that it exists. It's pretty wide from thee in Indiana. We didn't. We had no lacrosse, we had no field hockey. It was not the crossing field hockey were big in my town. Really interesting, but

I think it was. And I played basketball, but I think it's a reaction to try to like it was. Basketball was not my main sport growing up. And I think it's a reaction that distanced myself from my childhood because to focus on basketball and forget all the others that a lot of because a lot of our friends it's because like they wanted they embrace their childhood. It's like this is away from it. Yeah, because I mean like the Reds, I like two thousand and four when

they won the World Series. That's like right when I was in Like they were so huge when I was growing up, and my dad used to take me up in my park like a bunch. And yeah, I don't want to think about that. The town is tough for you to lot. Yeah exactly, Well it truly like it is only because like my dad does have the craziest Boston acts and you've ever heard like he came out

maybe a couple of years ago. We were buying my husband and I were buying a house of time and he met the real estate age in my real estate agent plum me aside. He was like, I can't understand him because he has like there. He also like uses old school Southie words that are like like when I moved in college. He my roommate had a photo of her and her boyfriend at the time, and he was like, ah, is that your huga? And she was like excuse me, and I was like, huga he means is that you're

like boyfriend guy? He like he calls coins silva. It's almost like he's trying to hit the lack of the R on where it's really crazy. He's like, it's pilot seats hid, you got to get my brand. But but yes, back to me and c J. For listeners who don't know, I'm sure you haven't talked about it. Um No, I mean I don't. There's not much to know. We we started.

We got hired on the same day at fallon um and this is when it was late night I was with the night before he interviewed because myself Chicago comedian Danny Callis he's a tracker, and our other friend Kenny to force. We just happened to be in New York on like a field trip. It's the only way it can be described because they were all very poor and immature and very and c J was like, I'm in town and we went and had pizza with him and you know at my hotel. Yeah, he had like a tie.

It was not ready for the guys famously because we still have them and love them, took This was pre thirst trap because there wasn't even Instagram. Liza and I took sexy pictures in CJ's hotel bathroom. That's amazing, paid for by NBC Universal. How old because I was howling. And so then you guys were you shared an office? Yeah, we both somehow got hired. Well, the thing is too when they fly, it's also a complete waste of money.

Not that they don't have the money, but like they basically know they're hiring you because they like they flew us both out from California. We didn't know each other, you know what I remember. I just remembered as I was coming in, I e knowled you during like packet submissions, I think, and I was like, hey, I've heard your name from somebody. Do you know, like, do you have

any tips? It was more than anybody it almost like it makes me embarrassed now to this day too for people to know he's my husband and be like, you probably got an email from him or first got unsolicited emails from me. Oh yeah, we're getting like a little um. I loved it. We were getting like a love actually just doing some behind the scenes iPad work here. Yes, I sent you an email I think and just to be like, what are you doing for your packet stranger

something like that. I think we were doing the monologue tryouts at that time where you did like ten a day for a week. It's all just paid. This is the most embarrassed because this is the one and only

like embarrassing unsolicited. I sent Sean O'Connor, who had never met you, the name names um and Facebook message that I would be willing to do whatever job they needed me to do on the Norm Sports show, and I ended it by being like you guys can put cigarettes out on me God, and like did I hear back? I don't think no. Off from the show ended like two weeks later. Yeah, they were like we have a cigarette. Yeah.

And then I remember us taking the same flights and just I think I saw you as we're flying back to l A after interview and just both of us just kind of being a wreck. Oh yeah, because they they you go in and you meet for truly, they've flown across the country and then it's like a five minute meeting at the mine at the time, which I think yours would have been to fallon EP Mike Shoemaker head right at the time, eighty miles uh and who

else I think that might have been it. Kevin was an EP too, Yeah, and you're just like, I think Jimmie talked for my whole meeting, and I was like, well, I didn't get it because I didn't speak, and they probably want I feel like I did not speak. I mean that that should have been. I feel like that's the note I should have got for the weeks that I was there. Um, but we shared an office. CJ and I shared an office for ten weeks. Uh yeah. And then they had to get you away from him.

They were like, they're like, yeah, we can't have him playing hockey in the hallways anymore. My greatest memory, probably of my entire time at that show is the day do you remember this, the day your credit card was hacked? Oh my god, yes, this is an insane story that only you know my credit card because I used to

take But this before is pre uber. I was flying back from Chicago and I would take cars from the airport back down to Manhattan and it would just be random people waiting for you at the baggage claim and be like, hey, I can give you a ride, and you're just like, oh great, And then I would swipe my card or I would give them my card and like, hey, my machines is not working, so they write down my number. And then my mom, who we had like we had, she had access to my bank account. She saw it.

She's like, are you calling sex hotlines? And I was like what um? And we're sharing an office and I barely know this man and I hear him and like I could hear your mom yelling through the phone and you're like, God, no, Mom, and it's like you're out work, and I'm like, I mean, was this before after the incident? This was after. He's not going to want to go into it, but he did overdraft a bank account on

something sexy. I guess I have. I'm a sex addict, and so that's why I'm like, I don't think it's that crazy. That your mom asked this base because when you to even more so, then my I called my credit card company and then they gave me the phone number to where my card was being used. Wait, they wanted you to like them. I mean a bank, isn't Yeah, I mean they're like, you need to call this place. You need to see what's going on, who's using your card.

And then I called that sex hotline and was like, hey, I think someone's using my card. Gave my card number, which again should probably shouldn't have done that, and then they're like, Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We record every message, so we're going to play the messages so you can confirm it's not you. And so I'm like,

I'm finding this. It's all unfolding in front of me, and I'm like, you know, I'm gonna put them on speaker so my office mates can can confirm that this is actually happening, and it's a dude just literally getting off on my my bank. You don't need to listen to the whole thing. I was, yeah, I mean it was like a minute and I was like no, no, but I had to confirm because he did it multiple times. I had to be like, Yep, that wasn't me. That wasn't me. That wasn't like they made you do so

much legwork. It wasn't me. But I do think your girls sound lovely. I love what they're doing to call in the future. I was just getting over that time. It was. It was amazing. It was such a delightful workday thing that happened. I'm glad you guys were able to enjoy that moment. I think I am I can now, but man, wow, Yeah, we went back recently and people seemed genuinely happy. You were a delight. I was delighted.

Was I a comedy writer? I don't know you were, but maybe you were a bit of like a little mascot or like when the class gets a pet. Yes, I definitely was a class pet you were. You're also twenty three. That's so young. Who's ready for a job

at twenty three? Pete Davidson? He is? He? All right, Well, we'll get into some of the history of our careers because I and I didn't mean to force this topic on you, Jen, because he did text me last night, You're like, I don't know if this would be I think my exact message was your podcast is in danger. Well when he because he came in and was like, I know what Jen should do, and I feel they actually needed him to explain what he meant like that,

I'll do a little bit of explaining. Um. So, the topic for today's episode is the greatest athlete cameos, and I think we can make a little bit broad. It's anytime an athlete is on a TV show or movie and they're playing themselves. So I feel like it's a little bit blurred lines here, you know, because some of these characters are big parts, and I feel like maybe you mentioned Jen that you might have one that is like a legitimate costar in a movie. But so should

we just get it right into it? Do you want to start? Megan? I think so yeah, I'm ready to go my first one. Maybe it's good I'm going first. It's kind of a downer and it's very CJ will know. This is very strange for me. This is a Pittsburgh Steeler that I decided to spotlight. But it is such a crazy, wild scene and I do remember watching it in the movie theater being like, well, uh, hinds Ward

in the dark knight rises. Oh yeah, that is so and I rewatched the clip today and and it's funny because they like pan both full teams, and Gotham is playing like rip City or some rapid city. And you see all of these players and you're like, that's not that's not an athlete. That's not an athlete, that's not w And then you see Kinds Ward and you're like, okay, wait are the other Steelers here? And then the kickoff

happens and the stadium is like starting to collapse. I think Kind's Ward had a note for the director too, because he completes a touchdown while the field and I think that was not how it was supposed to go. And he was like, yeah, but I'm so focused. Ten thousand people could die and I would still be going for the goal line. Baby, you can't make me look bad exactly, even if I'm about to die and the

earth is cratering below. You can make me selfish because I'm not been looking at the human carnage around me. But I would never stop that a kickoff charge. It is funny because I recall him him like running and like running very far until realizing everything has collapsed behind him, Like I touched him. I hear someone sneezing like nine houses down from hers, Like you don't realize that the world is collapsing behind. Like I guess Hines War was that good? He was. It was also like years after

he retired, right, it was not prime heinz. Yeah for sure. I have to like, as I'm not a football fan, how how famous is he? Can you give me an NBA? He was? He's been commercials. I'm think bigger than that because he did um he did. He has like a very recognizable face and he was also on the Steelers teams that were really really good. So it's not a Kevin but like I think he's a famous Smith. Yeah, you have to infamous that way. You have to wonder how much did it really add to the movie that

it was a real player. I feel if anything distract Yeah, yeah, that was the That was the Batman that was filmed in Pittsburgh, and so I think that they somebody was like, we gotta get a Steelers player. You know, Ben was busy with his Equit didn't call it the Steelers, you know, And I've been looking at and researching licensing just calling the Steelers. Also, every third person in Pittsburgh looks like a football player, you know, but not like hind not

like a kick returner. But the NFL is so bad with licensing, right, they probably never even for that huge driven movie, did do it? I mean, but then they wouldn't have gone to play Rapid City. Yeah, Rapid City? Who was black and yellow? No? Um, Gotham was black and yellow. Rapid City is blue? See, I don't remember, well, I mean I watched it today. That's a that's a

great one. Does Hindesward have any other credits on his IMDb? Um, not that I think so, but I know that he And now I'm like, am I just confusing Troy Polamalo's head and Shoulders commercial? Ward? Do you know who that is? Jim? I don't love that someone did a head and shoulders? Yeah, And now he's he's reprised. He's like beautiful big. He was like the first football player with a tuft of hair out of the helmet, and so that's how he sort of like rose to be the head and shoulders guy.

And now he's in commercials with Patrick Mahomes. Got it? Got it? That's a whole subsection of this is athlete commercials. There are some good ones of that. That's a whole other episode. Look at me. I'm I'm producing for you guys. Also in The Walking Dead and also this is crazier. It was also on Dynasty the two thousand seventeen. Like he's an ye see, Like this is what I wanted to happen, is to find out these these athletes to get the acting bug and the like what TV shows

will have me? And it's the Walking Day, you know. So he was on Dancing with the Stars too. I have friends that will be like, oh, that's who's that couple player? Just Matt. He was so nice? Does David Ross? And I'm like, how do you know David Ross? Like he was on Dancing with the Stars, So that like raises an athletes profile to the moms and aunts of the country. So I think that's kind of like And he did. He was on the Bachelorette too. I mean, I'm proud of him. He was in The Dark Knight

Raises after Dancing with the Stars. So he got an agent and he said, give me some work. He either has the acting bug or is in debt, has a gambling problem. I so far I don't believe he does. All right, that's a great one, Megan Jen, Yes, what do you got for your first pick? Okay, here's my first pick, and it's a weird one and it's great.

It's very recent, so you might not even know about it, and it's not great in the acting, I believe, And I must say that I haven't seen every episode, but it might be greatest in the most what the fuck of it? Yes? Yes? Uh sorry, that was very Mark Marin. But Martina Navartalova on The Politician playing, do you guys know about this? I did not know about this act. It's true, it's real. I scared to god basically in

The Politician. In the pilot, I believe, or the second episode, Gwyneth's character is married to Bob Balaban, but the conflict recently is that she has fallen in love with a horse trainer at her stable, played by Martina Navratalova. And they like, there's this cutaway to this dinner shot. It's this very extravagant dinner and her she plays this woman, Bridget, Bridget. I don't even know what they said, and it cuts to her and you're like, is that I think it?

That's her? Yeah? Weird and it's so crazy, but also like such funny casting to me that they were like, this will be Gwenny's lover. Does it fit the tone of it? Is it like jarring? The tone of that show is interesting. It's very um I think it is like kind of it's supposed to be very, very campy, and so I think that is what they were going for. And in that vein, I'm like, Okay, that does make sense, right,

That's that's camp being weird. Guess, yeah, I guess. I think it's strange that they didn't have Gwyneth leave her husband for her tennis instructor, which is to me like a class Maybe you didn't know someone that happened in real life left her her spouse for tennis and and I was like, that happens like in real life. And yes, so she needed to sell our old house immediately that me and my um oh, the guy who we just

released ups at Wymer Thomas. We're living together, and she this is one of the I hope they don't listen. This is one of those l a women dresses like little house on the Prairie and drives a range of her She pick up the reason why she was renting out the house to us was because her friend of a friend owned a what's the architect I'm blanking you know, it's literally the most um, it's literally the most famous architect,

Frankoy right in Pasadena. Like, we get to live there indefinitely. Wait, it was a Frankly frank in Pasadena, and my mom has brought up to me that there is a Frankly right in passagen So literally was like, we get the opportunity to live there, but we can't give up our

house because we're trying to be reasonable about it. And they lived there and they got divorced because yeah, because which is interesting to have like one of the greatest tennis players of all time and make her be stable That had to have been intentional, right, because I guess

first thought is like tennis instructor. Second thought is like personal trainer boy, cool boy, right, and then they got down to like someone at her I think it's a big feature of Gwenna's character that she rides horses and own horses and stuff. So that's probably But you're right, why not tennis instructor? I mean, a stable gal is pretty good, pretty good Indianapolis. Really he he hates it. He went to Karmel, which is like the I'm doing

air quote the wealthy part of suburb of Indie. Yeah, he's not talking about indianapolists, you know, but Glee is apparently based on Carmel High School. Yeah, that's nice, that's sweet. I mean, now you guys start off so obscure that I don't feel bad. I mean mine was like mine is easing into it. And literally, I mean the specific it's Barkley in Space Jam, but more so I just want to shout out Barkley as like he's Cameo. He

want onto Cameo and the Goldberg Simpsons Suits, Thunderstruck. And then also this is mainly for me, the Clerks cartoon, which is nothing like the Clerks movie. It's just like a cartoon that joke per second. Um, but he was in it playing himself, voicing himself, and I just Charles Barkley, and especially after this week, like I'm looking at these guys and I'm just like, it's so insane that these are the same guys who walk on the same earth as as like Shack and Barkley. Okay, amazing NFL or

NBA players. And then they're also the funniest people I've ever I've ever seen is the funniest comedy on television. So and I know these guys are like, oh, hey day, I'm gonna go show up and I'm going to be the punchline. But I think Barkley transcends that. He has comedic timing on commercials are so funny. He's funny on his own, just like as an analyst, but anytime, And I think, like the most memorable lines in Space Jam

are Barkley the be gone. I don't know if you guys have If you guys while it's terrible there, but like I guess in my business, yes, Space Champ, it's like he's bad. Yeah, it's terrible. It's a terrible movie. I forgot. I rewatched it and I was like, I love this movie. The first twenty five minutes are Michael Jordan highlights. Of course I liked the movie, but in in it, he like, I think it's like the first

time he really has to act. So one of the famous scenes is him getting his powers taken away from and he has to do like this shake and I want to watch outtakes of him director being like all right, Barkley, you're getting the power stuck or taken out of you and then him shaking or whatever. I could imagined Barkley as being a one take guy though, now that's that's gonna be my best one of the day. It's crazy. I didn't realize he's done so much. That's a lot

of appearances. Awesome. Um, so I think he's like, he's not like an obscure one er, like, but he's always I feel like amongst comedy rooms too, are just like, oh Barkley so funny, or like, can we get Barkley to do this? And he transcends kind of. I feel one thing I've noticed working on some shows that athletes have been on is like it's always very for the most part, half of the room, a quarter of the room is like, holy sh it, incredible, Oh my god, Chris Bosh is going to be on the other half

is like who then is that? But like, Barkley is one of those dudes that everybody knows, and I think everyone knows is funny and like a comedian in that way. So yeah, he's kind of maybe the all star of him and Shack for sure. I go back and forth like, yeah, the shock doing all the commercials and it's just like, yeah, that's worth the money to get he is there is no other person like him. Yes, I go back and

forth on wanting Barkley to run for public office. I mean he's like he's an oprah of like he is a name that gets mentioned as someone who could win in the South and well not in Texas, they hate,

but he's not from Texas. Is from Alabama. Yes, and so he was actually like pretty instrumental in speaking out against Roy Moore when the election was happening, and people, I don't know much about his like politics, but I don't anyone well neither would anyone who voted for I can't imagine it's worse than the rest of what Alabama is shutting up. So I was like, give you a shot. All right, Well it's a break and then we'll be back with more picks. Okay, and we are back. We

are back. They're back. So I guess it's me again. All right, this is my second pick, and this was I my one and two were in my mind locked like excited personal reasons. This is going to feel obscure too, but it is John Madden in Little Giants. I remember when the bus to open and I was like a kid, but I knew that he was a famous cool football guy even though I didn't know who he was, And then he continues to be in the rest of the movie. There was also a Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, who

is a famous defensive end. He's the one who smashes the ball to teach them intimidation, and as I was like, I wanted to read about it and like, remember that I love little Grants. C J got me an icebox jersey that I'm wearing this weekend for the Super Bowl.

Um and so John Madden is in the scene where the really smart like I guess sort of future head coach like the money ball boy, teaches him his play the Annexation of Puerto Rico, which ends up being their game winning play, and it involves like pulling down the pants of your opponent. It involves like on the ground and technically for purists of the game, these movies are really difficult show wild. The Carolina Panthers ran a play called the Annexation of Puerto Rico in two thousand and

eleven that they ended up scoring a touchdown on. That is like absolutely a nod to little Giants. What was it the same player. No, I watched it and it's it's definitely like a trick, like the ball is gone like the stuff. Yeah, yeah, great, Peyton used to do stuff like that all the time. He was like, no for his fake spikes, right, yeah, because Peyton is an actor.

What's a wait, faxa like when people in football, when you spike the ball, it stops the clock, and so there are plays where people like are you just gonna spike the ball so like, or they're just gonna kneel so run out the clock. And so Neil respiked the ball, so he like fake spiked it and then the play was still alive, and then he just walked into the ends because I was like, oh, we thought the play was dead again. That's like a great example of Peyton

being in amaze an actor. Yeah. Peyton was also really really good at catching twelve men on the field, probably the greatest of all time at doing that, which is that cool. But it was like good at telling on someone telling on some it's luring extrements, which I find

even exact. Wait, so he would trick the other team into getting more play would just feel he was just doing the transition like so fat like this is sort of when the no huddle was like being perfected by him, that they wouldn't have time to get substitutions and so they would just get stuck. It would it must be like tag and they just didn't get to base and time. It's like, you know how there's a bunch of rules in the NBA that are such like sticks. It's like

Chris Paul with the jersey. It's exactly that you're gonna win that way. And so yeah, like there are players who I guess they can call it. You know, they'll do anything to win. But it's classic like if it's on your team, and if it's any other, I like that that's insane. But I do love John Madden. He's one of those guys too that I'm like, I'm so happy that we have had you this long. And in Little Giants, I think it's like commonly known John Madden

does not fly. He takes like a big art everywhere, and so that's you know, they always kind of worked his analysis schedule around that. And on Little Giants he pulls up on a big that's where nine other cameos are on. Right, that's one of the other guys they show up to the practice. Yeah, but he is. He's just so likable and like obviously his name will live on because of the video game. Um, there's a really good podcast about the rise of the Madden Football game itself.

But he just is such a gem And he looks just like one of the guys in the game. Guess who? There is a character your dad also looks like a lot of the dozen. Guess who? Or that white haired? He's not gonna like no, but there's a guest who has white hair, but like really luscious lips. Alright, um, all right, Jen, what do you got? Um? So this next one is less I think you referenced it earlier. It is not a cameo. It's more of a full performance I think definitely worth giving a lot of credit to.

And that is Lebron and training. Yes, yes, I think this is this just sets him up as like, oh, you could just fully be an actor, you could lead basketball behind and just this could be your career from now on. I think it's a it's a wonderful performance.

It's also like, as I was kind of doing my research for this for days and days preparing for this podcast, I noticed that like a lot of athlete cameos are on like super for lack of a better term, not to like gender it, but there are movies that I'm like, hell, these are very like broad kind of a lot of Will Ferrell, a lot of Will Farrell, a lot like Entourage's head re Athlete under the Sun. It's incredit should

be called the cameo show. That's what Entourage truly. Yes, the line producer of Ron trouge all the credit wrangling, those schedules. But Lebron in this, like, I think I love it so much because the tone of like the character he's playing, it's so it's more nuanced than your average athlete cameo. And the jokes about like how he's cheap and won't pay for lunch with cater and stuff like, it's so so funny. I think he's so good in it, and I just love it the best. His hair has

ever looked. Risk of the film. He's like, I'm showing him what it could be, what it will never be again. Yeah, you need that Hollywood hair and makeup team. He got a taste of it. That's why he moved to l A. Probably it was it's so funny that you bring up the browness of it, because I was like reading a list and even and that was on there and you're like, oh, yeah,

it was so good. And then like the last line of the guy describing Lebron's appearance on it, Mican come on, was like he was the best if we're being honest, obviously the best part of train Wreck. If you know what I'm saying. It's like, you don't need to take a shot at Amy Schumer. Yeah yeah, right, but that's like they can't like even handle liking a female lead films and take it away. Yeah, it's like, listen, I don't like rom comps, but if I'm gonna like one,

I need Lebron James in. But I just the way they use them too is so great because most of these cameos are like it's athlete and then you know

pedestrians going like whoa. But it's so funny that the relationship is that Bill Hayter just friends with Lebron and then it's not brought up that he's Lebron James for the rest of the movie and they're like they have that that rom com cliche scene where they're like shooting around and then it's Lebron James dunking on Bill Hayter and they're trying to have like the heart to heart. It's yeah, that that was a really funny I read.

I was I was reading an apparently hater there. It's in like the special features of the movie that like Hayter really did score on him once and was so psyched about it, which of course you would be. Yeah, and Lebron is on the next in that movie, right, No, No, he's in it too. He's great too. He's really good too. Yeah, there's a couple of other athlete. He's the Knicks doctor who I think is he a famous sportsman, but his

buddy is Lebron James. I'm confusing that because she does the NIXT day like dances with at the end she dances with the NIXT girls. And Sex in the City Miranda dates the NIXT doctor for the whole season. Oh god, it's his name is I'm like so upset it's not coming to me again. Another show that is Sex in the City where we'll be watching other shows, you know, current and you're like, oh my god, that person was

a he has a unique name. Blair Underwood. Listen. I didn't even have to look at the really good because I was like a woman's day you can't see but she barely touched. That was from her memory sex in the City, and my computer just goes not again. Is that Megan? You know? Um? All right? This one? My second pick is I don't know if you guys remember this show do you get? First of all, start with do you guys remember the Nickelodeon show My Brother and Me?

So Kendall Gill? Do you know Kendall Gill? Is Kendall Gilt beautiful man? Maybe like the most beautiful flat top of nineties n b A. I feel like I always got his card. But it was such a kind of it was a random cameo that we always brought up when talk like, there's two things about the show My Brother and Me that people bring up still, and it's the famous line hit me, where the little brother gets the advice in a fight, you just tell the other

guy hit me, and then he gets hit. It's like that was like a really funny joke from when we were a kid. And then the other one was that the cameo was Kendall Gill, who was clearly the ninth choice, maybe the nineteen choice for NBA player to be in a show. But then upon researching this one, I I remembered that my brother and me for as big as show like Cult Falling it has, it was only like eight episodes, but they just re ran the hell out of it for years and then too, this was the

pilot episode, so to hang a premise. The premise was that they were working at a carnival and had to or wanted to leave to go to a comic bookstore to get Kendall Gill's autograph, which is just like in the writer's room, I feel like you can make this a little bit more realistic, like haven't be at a card shop, haven't been at a game. But yeah, they was one of those home at three pm rasing everyone has kids on the staff. Hey we're getting at here

at three? Was he from Chicago? So he now he might have been from Chicago because he's been i think almost ten years now, has been doing been an analyst for the Bulls. Okay, because I was like, I feel

like I've met him a show where he was. Now I'm looking at I'm like Kendall Gills really ringing a bell from me um and I remember actually at a party when I first moved here that you and Travis jen had invited me to someone, and I love this conversation is like, who are the most beautiful NBA players? And all of us also like Jim Jackson, Rick Fox, and Kendall Gill. So like Kendall constantly just comes up and I've got to look up, look right now. He

looks good. He looks good. Yeah, he's aged. Well, there's like a picture of him and a hat at a golf outing and he's got like a nice salt and pepper beard going on, very very attractive in there. I thought, well, he's a biak, was always a hunt. He's a little too Twilight looking for me, I know, but he's like a classically good looking man. Yeah, I mean, you don't want me to get into my list of NBA players. I think. Another topic for the podcast Hottest and Greatest.

I'm in a like an NBA basketball text threat with like twenty other people and we all all voted on hottest NBA players the hottest team. Yeah, um, who was up there? Horford? Really? Yeah, you gotta look at Al Horford's eyes. He has the most beautiful eyes you've ever sea. It is soft. Yeah, it's almost like an it just find him to have a strange headsheet. I hear that, but I think you gotta look at him, looker you know who? To me j J Reddick, it's basic but

very I mean he looks like a fitness model. Yes, home the one to me, which is not a like Netto is so attractive raw Netto. I don't let's see this is good for yes, yes, this is good for a vision. He looks like we might know. These are all just like dudes who got like an under five a show we've worked on or something could be an improviser. Um, but who do you think current NBA player? I know, I know. I feel like you've said it before. Every time he comes on, you're just like, oh, yeah, there

is someone. There is a guy that I'm always like, what's his story? C J? And now I'm forgetting it too. I always was really attracted to p J. T p J Tucker, Yes, interesting. I loved David West, someone helping people up, but then snaps like I love I love someone like I was as a kid. I loved Antonio Davis.

I thought he was really hot, too interesting, Like you don't, yeah, you don't want any player that looks like you could know him and really someone that I could like, I would look like my bodyguard, Like I could leave c J for a bodyguard someday and I would go have fun. I have to say CJ could be a bodyguard enough for who. Yeah, I looked at p J. Tucker again, I love it, not who I would I know. But then like, okay, but then look at this sure where

he's like smiling. Okay, I'm seeing it. I'm seeing it. I like a little um rough around the edge. All right. What do you think about Kelly Ubre? Oh yeah, I think he's like he's got he's like a model. I think kuzma is looks like a model. Oh no, way out. You don't like his hair recently, it's so bad. I think it's saying. I think it's um. But like when c J was always like, oh, girls love Clay and I was like, I don't see that at all, Clay, what do you think Clay. I'm not that into Clay.

I'm not like, you know, but his girlfriend's very beautiful. Obviously they all have beautiful girlfriends. But Clay doesn't really go Clay doesn't. He's grown on me. Recently personality wise't I like him a lot? Listen, I love that he endorses chocolate milk. I love everything Heaven loves also in that same time, but yeah, he doesn't flip it for pretty sure. Paul George too, oh yeah, is a handsome man. Famously always supported Paul George, even when he requested a train.

I talked about him yesterday about with the man. Oh no, I was getting a new phone, and I like talked about him to the Apple store man. Just like, listen, I'm from Indiana and they boot him, but they voted for Trump, and he's like, your phone is like the X screen. I'm gonna fire a Sunday. It's just like that one lady who like flipped out in an Apple store. You're gonna have like a crazy sports woman at Apple.

Knowing about Paul George, you know, I get to like my friend came and met me halfway through, and then we were leaving and she was like, did you know him? And I'm like, no, no, we connected. I do know. Okay, let's take one more break and then we'll be back with our number one, all right, and we're act with our final picks. And then also I just The one thing that Megan and gen here have in common is that you both have worked with athletes, particularly Blake Griffin,

on productions where these guys are doing comedy. Technically, I think Blake was my boss. I would say worked for yeah, and then General was yours a couple of things actually, So Blake was on Broad City, Yes, a very fun episode, and then also independently from that, I've pitched a movie

that he was producing that no one bought. It's still available, an you want to listening, But Blake what Yeah, Blake was on Broad City and he I mean me, I'm like, he's so so funny, Like obviously we've all now seen him do stand up and like and stuff, but he he was great on Broad City and he was like, there was our director Lucian Yellow, who's a really wonderful director.

She I don't know if you've seen the episode, but he there's like a line where Alana is like, I wish there was a basketball league for women and he's like, yeah, there is, but that wasn't in the script. Lucia is just on so it was like, Hey, I want to say this, say you wish there was a bast weldy for women and Blake say, you watched all the time and you steal all your moves from them, and he did,

and then it's this great rand. He like kept going, He's like, Oh, they're so amazing, Like some of the moves they do, I can't even like the picture to my head, let alone do it. And like he kept going with like, yeah, women, they just always make stuff better. And that was all Blake just improvising, Like he he is so so funny and good and like it makes sense that he's going to go on whenever he stops playing to have a long career in commenting. Yeah, he's

also seems like a really good actor. Like we would give him line raids and it would be like, oh, yeah, you're better, Like I have like a fair degree and you're doing better than me. But we shot there was like a day where we had to film like four different setups, and so he was in like street clothes for the first three and then the final one and

everyone's like, oh, these are great, you're doing great. And then the final one he's playing a ninja who's like fighting five ninja's and so he gets into his costume, which is him shirtless in Ninjapan's and oiled up and he came out and even like the men that did, everybody was just like, oh, yeah, he is different than us. What a good actor. You're being so funny and then it's like you are a specimen I don't even deserve

to look at right now. I mean, and this is why men are broken and stupid and dumb, is that there are like male comedians who don't like Blake because he's so funny and also plays in the NV. He's not taking your spotting because Blake is a JFL totally. He is. If anything, he is taking Paul George's spot like he's only competing with other famous NBA JFL. I feel like we're getting into that territory where a lot

of NBA guys are funny. But yeah, I mean that's Blake is Like, what what is Blake going to do after he's like too good to be an analyst? Yeah,

I think he'll act and stuff. I mean he also that movie that we developed it was with he started a company with Ryan Khalil, who a NFL player who is also like same deal, Like they're both so smart, really good at notes, really like intuitive about script stuff and developing and you're like, oh wait, you're also an incredible I have no other skills, like zero, There's nothing else I can do. And it's so it's it's crazy. It's crazy because I like, and I was just telling

Megan about this the other day. I was like, working on this pitch or the script. I just yeah, I don't think I can do it tomorrow because I have a doctor's appointment at nine am a day. Those guys are like, I'm playing the Knicks and the Nets back to back, but also I'm gonna read Jens stats. Yeah, truly, truly, he was like it was in the middle. I remember there was something we were working on and it was

like right before his agency decision. It's like I was like, oh, yeah, he's also deciding between this multimillion dollar contract to go get paid to play basketball and he's thinking about like the nuances of this carry. It's like, it's really crazy. And then the other one, Parks and Wreck. We had a bunch of athletes Andrew last yea, we have the funniest thing. So that was shot, Like the crew and cast went out to Indianapolis to shoot that. So I

didn't go with them, but he missed. But so what happened though was very nicely the Cults said to us, Hey, we're playing the Chargers in San Diego. If the writing staff wants to go and like go down and go on the field and stuff, you should go. And so yeah,

Megan is, well wait for this. So so it was kind of but it was on like I don't know why this would Maybe it was it must have been Monday night football because it was a work day, and so we kinda were like, like, Mike Shure couldn't go because I think he needed to be in the edit, and he was like, no, I can't just go down to San Diego that and we were like can we? And he very nicely let us go. Pretty Much everyone went, aside from like one writer who was like what is

a football? Um? But so the way we did it is we chartered like this really small bus and the fucking oh but we worked that a half day. We came in and we worked and then we were like, all right, let's leave. The problem is the traffic getting down to San Diego was crazy to leave exactly, which we did not do. We're in the bus, we get to the stadium, then we don't know where the tickets are, We're not sure if they're well this exactly, and so

we finally get them. We walked through the tunnel and they're like, oh, we just closed the field off, so we didn't get to go in the field. We sat through this game, which again I'm not a football van, so I started like whatever. Then the bus on the way back, we couldn't find it to get home to San Diego. So we were just like wandering around the Charger Stadium that like staff of parks and reck like half of us who had like didn't want to come.

And then finally the bus got us. It was like a seven, and then it took so much to get out of traffic getting on the stadium, and I remember there was I don't know why, but there was a screen on the bus and what is that bad bad movie with Will Smith and Jaden m After After After Earth,

After Earth. Joe Mandy, the fucking asshole brought a DVD of After Earth because I think we had had one in the writer's room, and so After Earth just kept playing on a loop and we're all like, we just want to be home, we don't want to watch after We didn't get to do the cool thing. Let us go the Colin. It's a great question. I couldn't tell you. I mean, the Charger Stadium is so bad. It was a horrible stadium, notoriously bad. But yeah, we had and then yeah we had good. We had Chris bosh On

who was very, very cool. He was so nervous about nailing his line that he couldn't hit a shot. The most memorable appearance, yeah Chris bosh Is. I think I remember really liking Chris bosh after seeing him on Parks and Rack. Yeah, he was great. And then Hibbert also Roy Hibbert was love. Yeah, of course you do. I've met or right where I actually seen me do comment. He was like that he was he was so psyched to meet Joe Mandy and John Glazer because he loved Delocated.

He was like snrding out. He's like a huge did he Internet? He Internet some production company one summer and then I don't know if he pushed for a trade to the Lakers, but like I remember, like when he got traded to the Lakers or signed with the Lakers, I was like it kind of made a lot of sense. I wouldn't be surprised if this was like person, Yeah, it's very cool when you realize these guys like like

the stuff. It's it's it's awesome. Well, one of the my my last pick was actually a Parks and Wreck cameo that you didn't mention is Debt left Shrimp. I think, yeah, I don't know if you if you have an interaction with him, but it is truly when I was a kid, just you know, he doesn't look like an NBA player, and so like he was like an ongoing joke kind of like he felt like a carusoe back then. My friend, he was like a legit player and like went to

the finals with the Sonics. But then I remember, you know, I was just as like a person who wanted to be in comedy, loving the Office, and then Parks and Rec and then him appearing on that was such a like specific choice and then it just didn't stuff. Like I think he came on for other episodes, and the way he was used as like just yeah, it is so funny, and he plays himself and he doesn't need to do much, but his appearance and just the way he played stuff was so funny on that show. That's

what that's what's so funny. Who is Like, I think it's also like a lot of credit goes to Mike Shure because he's such a huge sports fan that like we got the people that sports fans were like, holy sh it, that's so funny and specific, and then you know that of the rest of yours were like is that a real player? Who was that? But yeah, that is that's an excellent one. Yes, that's awesome. All right, Well, so Jen had Blake, I had debt lefts. I'm just stressed.

Why are you stressed? Well, because I'm thinking about I'm well, prayer, I have to cut this out. But the shows that I'm like developing right now, one of the main players is one of the main characters is a PACER's backup point guard, and I'm just like imagining all the fun things we could do. I think I think this show has proven to us that like athletes are very desolutely to do whatever. Yeah, we have a Rick Smith's joke in the final draft, and my writing partner was like,

who's that? It's like perfect, And then people like like us will go, oh my god, that's my favorite show because they know who Rick Smith's. Yeah, yeah, that's kind of the It's interesting like it's also an interesting thing because you kind of need to target. I've learned like it helpful to target the people who are in on the joke and get it, like I think Himbert being

such a like comedy fan. Like on Good Place, we have this long running joke about Stone called Steve Auston where you're gonna say, boardles, Yeah, but I grew up like a huge pro wrestling fan and I am extremely sexually attracted to Stone called Steve Aston, and him and Travis kind of look alike. No. Well, it became a joke in the regismeen because I started saying again not to objectify man, but I love a strong, bald kind of actual yeah I love I love like a thick

like pot roast of a torture. Yeah yeah yeah. And then no, like a big really does it for me, and he's exactly that. But so we have this long running joke about one of the characters being like obsessed with him, which comes I think a sleep from me being obsessed. And so we were talking for a bit entertaining the idea of like we should get him to cameo that would be amazing and make sure it was like and I was like, yeah, please, I've never asked you for anything side note gave me my whole career

of asking for a lot. Uh, but like please, let's do it. And he was like no, Like the thing with these things is like you end up chasing them for like three weeks trying to in touch with their

pub like whatever. He's like, I just don't want to like write it in and then spit like so it is an interesting thing where you're like you want to kind of target people you know are are down to like being on the joke and even maybe have a knowledge a bit prior, because it makes it easier probably for them to just be like, oh, yeah, that's so fun. I get it. I want to do that. You know who always wants to be in something and it is literally sitting by the phone t O and and yes similar, Yeah,

they just they love I'll be a cameo. They'll write the script for you. I feel like at the SPS they would if like if if you're in the monologue, you get a closer seat and so interesting, like can you get t O in? And it's like what he has not played in ten you? I know it's funny. Yeah, when dudes You're like, like, Patrick Patterson on The Clippers is apparently a huge like he interned at a film company this summer and stuff like he's a huge nerd about TV and film, and you're like, I don't know

if you want to do in something. You're like, it's kind of tonal. I mean, love love him, happy to have and then they're just trying to have a better season so they can be on a network show. Like I gotta get my numbers up. Okay, Oh gosh, I feel kind of rough that we're ending on me because mine is perhaps this is my favorite movie and I know it has not aged well and it's just I love you Daddy by Louis. Yeah. Yeah, my favorite cameo is Louise Peenie pell Peenie. You know, I wanted to

like be disrespectful to it. Um c J knows this is my favorite movie. I think this this movie sprinkles cameos throughout, so I kind of have to give it up for the movie as a whole. Ace Ventura and my two favorite cameos are obviously Dan Marino, who were kidnapped in the film, and then also points out the Finkel and iron Horn situation. Which is he solves the mystery,

and that is from that movie. The part that has not aged well is that um but then when they're going through the sequence of Ace Jim Carey trying to find the Super Bowl ring that has the missing stone, that he goes to like all of these famous late eighties nineties Dolphins players and like you see him in the shower with football players, him and Don Shula have like a really funny interaction. Like that movie just nailed how to incorporate athletes into it because most of them

didn't have to do anything. Dan was really the only one that had to do any heavy lifting, and he was so good at it, and I just I love it so much. Yeah, and I want to I want to now look up the screenwriter or the director why, like why the Dolphins? Why Dan Marino? But it just it works so perfectly, Like Dan Marino is just such you knew him as like a generic athlete almost. I mean, he was one of the best quarters I think in that era they were the Patriots, but like fun, really

they weren't. They weren't winning, but I mean they had the undefeated team. Marino never won a Super Bowl, so that but like Marino was famous. He was definitely as famous as Brady is now. Don Shula is very very famous. Head coach Miami is beautiful. Do we does I know Dan Marino? Like I know about him? But how is he? Do we like him? Has he remained controversial? Ready to look up his political belief that guy? Yeah, I don't want to judge. I don't want to ruin your favorite

movie either, No, I know. I mean And I had a friend who had never seen ace Ventura and knew I loved it, and she was like, I watched it, Um, it's transphoback. And I'm like, I, oh, shoot, yeah, she missed her window that you don't want to watch that? Um, But you know, yeah, I mean, you can't put a plunger on your face after you find out you kissed a man. But at the time, it is when when is the last time you've seen ace venture a year ago? I mean, when it's on TV. I'm watching it. It

is funny they're they're playing the second one on heavy rotation. Now, the second one, never seen, the second one great Tommy Davidson appearances, but yeah, the first one is problematic and how that's really sad? Okay, but like in Marino won the Walter Peyton Man of the Year, which is the ward that goes to I know, but the heisman doesn't take into account you who you are as a person. A Man of the Years that bears Walter Payton's name. It goes to the person who has the biggest charitable

impact in their community. O J was a co star and Naked Gun. Looking through that list of like cameos as I was prepping for this, I was like, Wow, there's a lot, a lot of the ones I'm skipping here. Yeah, and o J was very good in them. Yeah I knew No, I knew o J as the guy a naked Gun. Well, our best actors are psychopaths. So who can play other people or play people other than themselves the reality where you're not doing those things? Okay, this

is nice, this is good. Marino has the Dan Marino Foundation because his son Michael, was diagnosed with autism, and they have raised over twenty two million dollars research services, treatment programs serving children neurodevelopment disabilities. That is listen, we don't want to know who he voted for. He's a white man born and raised in Pittsburgh, moved to Miami. Let's keep it out of there. But he's done, good work. I love it. And then he points at the it's good,

all right. Do we have any honorable mentions? I don't think I have any. I mean, there's so so many. I'm probably feel like I had. I think Kareem and Airplane. Yeah, he's a pretty pretty fantastic one that that is up there for me. Yeah, and also just Kareem because he's in the scene with the line, right, it's not the Shirley line, isn't that he's the one. It's the line he's like insisting he's someone else. And they're like, He's like, no,

my name is I forget what his name is. But they're like, no, my dad says, you never played defense. And then he like Kareem did a very very any

bit at the SPS. Danna ka Patrick really wanted Game of Thrones in there, even though it wasn't a Game of Thrones year okay, and so they were like okay, and so they care I know, of course, no, no, no, Danna got blessed you, happy to have you, um and so to like, you know, when when talent wants something, you go, we'll find a way so they were like, we'll just do it where like the bit got cut, and so that was the bit, and so they cut to Danna because she's dressed as Kalisi, and then they

cut to Kareem standing in the audience and like full Game of Thrones stuff with a dog that looked like a wolf, and she's like the bit is cut and he's like, oh man, and like he we were like do whatever, and he add I didn't I mean, I didn't speak to him. Someone told him and he ad

libbed that and he was so funny. And so see him walking around and like sitting in the green room eating a sandwich dressed in full Game of Thrones gear was the real highlight of the Microsoft whatever the funk that buildings and bigger than a cameo writer on Veronica Mary. I mean, that is a guy who has transcended his own playing career. What we're learning today is we're all pretty bad. Yea he do one thing and don't I mean,

I guess you're good? Are at um No? I found out last night I played for the first time since my injury, and it is looking like almost going to be over soon. I only have a few more years of playing. It is sad, but yeah, we don't need it. And on that sad note, honorable mentions any cream. I was also saying, you made me think of cream. In Earnest, Ernest plays basketball. I don't know if that's the name of it, but he is a like he plays himself

as like, um, a guardian angel type. And Ernest and then also Isaiah Thomas and fresh Prince was a good one to who did I don't know if I remember that. He it's when Will is having a day dream or no, not a daydream. It's like a dream when he is playing against a rival played by I can't remember, notable actor from the then back then, but he's having a dream where he has his own sneaker commercial and then he plays against Isaiah the commercial and beats Isaiah. And yeah,

just just a great cameo, great show. So many cameos on that show in particular too. But yeah, any parting words, Jen, any more projects on the pilot, Thank you, Thank you so much. No projects. I'm you know, when I was listening to you argue with a sex hotline operator and listening to a man you didn't know getting off, I never thought you'd get a cool wife I know on and so really my parting words are congratulations, thank you so much. Jen. And we used to sing a song

about me finding a wife in the city. Oh yeah, shout out to Patrick Borelli. Yeah, Patrick, if you're listening, he was our third office lovely man. And yeah, we used to sing a son about you finding a wife big city. What a what a full circle, full circle. I can put a bullet in my brain. Don't do that, well, make sure do it after the pilot. Yeah, I'll see if we go to series. All right, well, Megan anything, Um oh, I watched The Good Place to the final

season finale. We can probably the series back and go back and watch it for them. If you have Netflix, you can start from the beginning. Yes, yes, and um, I'm so happy we finally got to meet this first. This is a long time coming. I can't believe, but you stand up in Chicago. Yeah years ago, yeah, years ago. That was. That was when you guys were just friends, just friends. And I remember my friends who are my

friends from back home. We were visiting my friend's sister and we went and we knew you were like, oh, I have a show come And then I was like, yeah, my friend's CJ is performing, and all they talked about was Megan and I was like, yeah, but my friends c J. You're like, uh huh, yeah, he was there and we both love your husband Travis to Oh my gosh, Travis who is track Jen is travisig wonderful man. We need to we need to beat him. We need to get him into the straw balds category. We got to

beat him up because he's been looking pretty shaft. We're gonna shave his head. Yeah, he's been looking if he will kind of look like stone cold bald. I don't you're actually not ron. They have similar coloring. Yeah, all right, Well, we can follow you on Twitter at tends to ask you. You can follow Megan at Megan Gaily, and myself at CJ toldno, um, that's been an episode of the Greatest. Thanks for listening and tune into a future episodes. Thank You The Greatest is a production of I Heart Radio.

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