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What is Pardon the interruption?
One of cable television's most popular sports programs, this two-man debate show starring Washington Post columnists Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon can be found on ESPN weekdays at 5:30PM (When not pre-empted by golf, which makes me want to gouge my eyes out).
The beginning of the show entails a rundown of about 5 or 6 top sports headlines which are pretty much the most important articles of the day.
After the first commercial break, they'll spend "Five Good Minutes" with an athlete/coach/sportswriter, who which they'll discuss the very top sports story of the day (if its about golf, I generally take a leak-- get the picture about my sports priorities?).
It is at this juncture that they'll play their weekly "game" like "Food Chain," "Over/Under," or "Toss Up," (which is not really a game, but somehow Tony always wins. Hmmm...) or answer fan mail during "Mail Time" or assume the roles of prominent social figures in "Role Play," or as Tony likes to call it, "heads on sticks."
Finally, they'll note some daily landmarks in sports history and have Stat Boy, Tony Reali, read off the errors that each of the journalists made. At the very end, we have the "Big Finish," where both make rapid-fire comments about stories that did not merit a two-minute segment on the show.
- Tony is a shameless shill for his books, television show, or basically any project that he's attached to. Between random Beano Cook references, you'd most likely find him praising "his boy," former camp counselor-turned-basketball coach Larry Brown. Other times, he'll mention how he takes his son golfing or his alma mater, SUNY Binghamton.
- Wilbon is a Chicago boy who graduated from Northwestern and lives and dies with the Cubs and the Bears, and at one time, Michael Jordan's Bulls of the 1990's. Due to his frustration in the performance of the hometown sports teams, you'll often find that Wilbon has no reservations in suggesting that anybody acting like a "dope" or a "fool" be given a prompt "beatdown," and in more extreme cases, the "Bartman beatdown!" Just as Tony sings the praises of Larry Brown, Wilbon has an infatuation with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan F. McNabb, who is a Chicago native.
All in all the show is always highly entertaining not just because of the sometimes antagonistic relationship that Kornheiser and Wilbon have, but rather their chemistry and friendship involved.
Wilbon: "Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon; Tony-- you'll never guess who deserves a BEATDOWN today!"
Tony: "Obviously its not going to be Larry Brown, because he coaches 'em up! Maybe its your boy, Donovan F. McNabb?"
Wilbon: "No! Its Bartman, you fool!"