Deadspin: programming

The Mario Lopez Experience

Leitch — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 18:07:13 EDT

We are just six days away from the next undignified gallop toward hipdom attempt by ESPN2, ESPN Hollywood, a show about how athletes and celebrity mix. (Yep.) We'll focus more on the show later, but right now we're gonna talk about co-host Mario Lopez.

For those of you not obsessed with Chuck Klosterman and Bill Simmons, Lopez played Slater on "Saved By The Bell" and has since made a name for himself as the token Latino hunk host of various shows like "Pet Star" and "The World's Most Talented Kid." This has given him such a fan base that he now has his own Web site, The Mario Lopez Network, where, for a mere $30 a year, you can join up for all kinds of goodies, including:

A signed 8x10 photo of Mario himself A detailed biography of Mario Lopez, including details not available ANYWHERE else (not even on this web site!) A birthday card *AND* a special holiday card from Mario 2 *SURPRISE* gifts from Mario! Official Mario Lopez Network membership card Access to exlusive mailings, contests, and merchandise ONLY available to members of the Mario Lopez Network.

This is also a guy who was married to Doritos lady Ali Landry, who nullified their marriage just two weeks in because Lopez was "a cheat." Join the network!

ESPN Hollywood [Reuters]
The Mario Lopez Network [Mario Lopez]

Set Tivos To "Thug"

Leitch — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 13:41:22 EDT

For you night owls who just can't handle hearing Bryan Adams on SportsCenter anymore, we suggest tuning in to ESPN2 tonight at 12:30 ET. It's a special show called "It's The Shoes" — part of ESPN2's "Block Party" — with Eagles wide receiver asspain Terrell Owens and rapper Trick Daddy (who, impressively, has secured the domain Thug.com). They're going to talk about shoes, or, we guess, cleats.

"Block Party" [ESPN]
Thug.com [Official Site]

Smith's Terror Begins In Less Than Two Weeks

Leitch — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 11:39:02 EDT

We are but nine days away from the launch of NBA "analyst" Stephen A. Smith's "Quite Frankly With Stephen A. Smith," the new live-studio chat show, or, as we like to call it, "What The Hell Is Wrong With The Treble On This Television?" Smith, whose wide-eyed stare straight into the camera makes us think a little part of us is dying every second, has parlayed his NBA schtick into the rarified air once occupied by Jay Mohr and Max Kellerman.

ESPN executive vice president Mark "You Know Eventually We're Just Going To Kill Someone On Air, Right?" Shapiro has called Smith "one of the most dynamic voices in sports journalism today, which is kind of like calling the BTK killer one of the more dynamic voices in social interaction. But hey. Someone must like this, right?

Brace Yourself, Fans [JSOnline.com]

ESPN Angers Non-Crack Addict Mayor

Leitch — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 14:08:41 EDT

From the signs your mayor has too much time on his hands department (and/or is a serious masochist), District of Columbia mayor Anthony Williams is pissed that ESPN isn't taking its road show to the nation's capital. Even worse, he offered to show ESPN bloviator Chris Berman around town.

A political commentator has suggested the city boycott ESPN for a week or just simply downgrade to basic cable which, last we heard, included ESPN. Moral: If you have to beg ESPN to come to your town, trust us, everyone's better off without.

ESPN's Omission Inspires Mayoral Response [Washington Post]

ESPN Spreads Its Terror Across The Land

Leitch — Mon, 18 Jul 2005 11:18:28 EDT

Those who were up to watch SportsCenter this morning know that ESPN's already obnoxious "50 States, 50 Days" promotion has begun. The idea, in case it hasn't been sucked down into your soul by now, is that SportsCenter will be at a different location every day for the next 50 days, or pretty much just in time for the NFL season. Last night they were at Fenway Park in Boston, and we knew we were in trouble when the anchors were Chris Berman and Stuart Scott. We're hoping they make them stay in Massachusetts; we don't imagine either surviving Tuesday, July 19, which brings the Snake River Stampede Rodeo in Nampa, Idaho.

We know this is supposed to keep everybody entertained until the NFL begins, through the dog days, so on. Remind us of that when we're hearing about North Dakota defeating North Dakota St. 28-21 in OT in Nickel Trophy game.

"50 States, 50 Days" [ESPN]

ESPN Shows It Cares About The Fans Voice

Leitch — Mon, 16 May 2005 10:56:38 EDT

Advertisement that just ran on ESPN News:
"ESPN gives you your chance to be heard! Watch The Pulse, Saturdays at 1 p.m. on ESPN News."

Another, similar way to be "heard:" Sticking your head out the window and yelling. Or even whispering.

The Pulse On ESPN News

Slow Sports Day for ESPN

Leitch — Mon, 16 May 2005 10:02:45 EDT

All right, fine, so nobody got in a fight last night, no NFL players were busted with a prosthetic penis in their bag and hey, Teammates isn't on again until Tuesday! But still: There must be something more to fill Sportscenter than a dewy-eyed, soft-focus, John Tesh-scored Jeremy Schapp feature on Albert Pujols from seven months ago. Yet there it was this morning, an eight-minute segment on Pujols' devotion to fighting Down Syndrome (he has a child with the disease). It's a nice story, and Pujols seems pretty sincere about the whole thing ... but we were touched (well, kind of) by this story when it ran in October. (Look, we have proof!) Surely Schapp could have found someone else to rub onions under last week, right? (Money quote from the director of the National Down Syndrome Society, clearly a big baseball fan: "People say Albert Pujols has a big bat. And he does. He has a tremendous bat. But he also has a tremendous heart.")

St. Louis Affiliate on ESPN! (National Down Syndrome Society, October 25, 2004)