AA Interview: Sports Nation Host Michelle Beadle

Thursday, July 09, 2009


I was hesitant to put this interview up for a few reasons, but the main one being, I didn't want to promote anything involving Colin Cowherd. However, there isn't much going on today, so here you go. After taking ESPN's new show "Sports Nation" in over the past few days, I've decided to post this small interview I did with show host, Michelle Beadle (and no it's not because she's an AA reader....well okay, that's part of it).

If you haven't seen it yet, Sports Nation is yet another show in a long line of programs that are trying to use the viewers as their content drivers. Among our topics include: How SN can succeed where others have failed, what she thinks of Cowherd and of course her daily Internet reads. Enjoy!

1. You've worked everywhere from YES Network, to Animal Planet, and have even covered a few red carpet events. What attracted you to this show?

Michelle Beadle: The guys who developed this show are the best. I met Jamie Horowitz, David Jacoby, and Kevin Wildes many months ago, really before I knew much about the show, and I loved them right away. They were like buddies I'd had for years. That, combined with Colin's sense of humor, seemed to be like a fun way to make a living.

2. Many networks, including ESPN in the past, have tried fan inspired shows like this. What makes you think "Sports Nation" can succeed, where so many have failed?

MB: I hope our show is unique enough to succeed. ESPN needs a way to show we don't expect to have the final say, and Colin and I are happy to be the ones to prove it. We're all fans, obviously, and we all hang out with friends talking sports. We want to have that feel, with the fans as the third "host."

3. With programs of this nature, a lot of work is done on the fly. How much time is spent preparing for the show?

MB: An average day for me is 9 til the end of the day. The producers get in around 8 am, and immediately start scouring the interweb for fun stories. While we script the show, we also try to keep it pretty loose. Colin hates the prompter.

4. Your co-host, Colin Cowherd, has made some waves (to put it lightly) with Sports Blogs in the past. How do you think he fits into the show, and do you think his radio background has prepared him for a studio show?

MB: I never realized the love/hate relationship Colin has with everyone out there. Then friends started sending me articles and blogs ripping him to shreds. Great reading. This has been interesting to watch as he is forced not only to read the blogosphere, but embrace it.

5. With that said, having to peruse Sports Blogs and fan comments for the show. What can you tell us about the better ones and how will they be utilized during "SN"?

MB: Our web producer, Gabe Goodwin, has the best gig. He is the guy who gets to read all the comments and listen to all the calls. As a matter of fact, after yesterday, we got a bunch of "Fake Calls from Real Fans," some great, some just funny. We will use those today. We really want a lot of fan input. After rehearsing and using made-up tweets and emails, we're super jacked to have legitimate material.

6. What are your daily reads when it comes to the Internet?

MB: My daily reads: AwfulAnnouncing (duh), Deadspin, ESPN, TMZ, Pagesix, Dlisted, mediatakeout, sportsbybrooks....the list goes on and on..

7. What are your expectations for the debut of the show? Those in the future?

MB: Our expectations for Monday were simple: get the show on the air. Now we want to just improve every day, and get smarter. There are so many talented people in this group, and I think as we evolve, they will really get to show off.
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Many thanks to Michelle for taking the time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions, and check out the show if you get a chance. It airs Monday through Friday at 4pm on ESPN2.

Posted by Awful Announcing at 10:16 AM

15 Comments:

The show is too damn long.

49er16 said...
Jul 9, 2009, 10:53:00 AM  

Isn't this just like PTI except with a woman and a cunt?

GMoney said...
Jul 9, 2009, 10:54:00 AM  

I'm disappointed, AA...how do you not ask her about dating Michael Kay?

Unknown said...
Jul 9, 2009, 11:50:00 AM  

Beadle is the best part of the show. Even though Cowherd regurgitates his radio "theories" and takes, he's...gulp... tolerable.

SN does need to be shortened to thirty minutes though. Half of the segments just don't work. Good concept, but a lot of tweaking is needed for the show to stay on the air for an extended period of time.

Faux Twitter said...
Jul 9, 2009, 12:48:00 PM  

You would have to tie me down, tape open my eyelids, and threaten me with a vat full of spiders(I have a serious case of arachnophobia) to even get me near a tv when this show is on. Nope. Not gonna happen.

Anonymous said...
Jul 9, 2009, 2:13:00 PM  

It's not proper to capitalize "sports blogs" douche. A sports blog (ie Deadspin) yes. Sports Blogs no.

Unknown said...
Jul 9, 2009, 3:28:00 PM  

I wasn't sure how this show would be, but it was better than I expected. Simply because Cowherd was more analyst than host. Michelle, whom I had never heard of, does a fine job hosting and making the topics fun. Some of the bits are different than other shows, so that has kept me tuning in each day. Who knows if it'll last longer than "Quite Frankly" or the others, but I'll keep watching when I can.

mtjaws said...
Jul 9, 2009, 4:36:00 PM  

I already have enough Cowherd in my life. I'll skip it.

JFreak said...
Jul 9, 2009, 7:08:00 PM  
This comment has been removed by the author.
mandb97 said...
Jul 9, 2009, 8:58:00 PM  

I have seen it a couple of times and I like it. In fact, I believe Rome is burning will actually get burned off the air because of it. Rome has too many interviews which in the terms of the immortal Homer Simpson are, "BORING, BORING, BORING".

mandb97 said...
Jul 9, 2009, 8:59:00 PM  

Watched this by accident the other day. Never again--and I am someone who doesn't particularly hate Cowherd. It's just dull. Asked for an opinion, the typical sports fan is going to parrot back the conventional wisdom on almost any topic you care to name--aggregating the conventional wisdom of a few million fans doesn't make for interesting television, no matter how outrageous Colin Cowherd's take might be, and no matter how hot Michelle Beadle might be.

Anonymous said...
Jul 10, 2009, 7:36:00 AM  

ESPN is usually tops in graphics and slick production but this show's cheesy 80's graphics and clunky production detracts from the content rather than enhance it. Even the set looks cheap. The desk looks like they bought it at Office Max.

Unknown said...
Jul 14, 2009, 4:12:00 PM  

I didn't know anything about Colin, so i had no prejudices going in. That said, i don't quite get his 'appeal,' or why he'd get this gig. I don't see anything there. But, i also still don't know how people like Rome, Stuart Scott, and Steven A. Smith EVER get jobs....

Okay, so that's that.

I am, though, very much in Like with Michelle Beadle. She's charming and fun. I think she must remind me of a particular friend: something about her mannerisms, vocal inflections, etc.... Whatever. She's cute. She's also the real-life incarnation of Cameron Diaz' character in Something About Mary - a groovy, nice-looking dame who just wants to go upstairs, have a beer and watch SportsCenter. Nice.

Unknown said...
Jul 22, 2009, 6:00:00 PM  

In response to cfaddct:

You would have to tie me down, tape closed my eyelids, and threaten to kill me to get me away from the tv when this show is on. This is show is a breath of fresh air from all the crap on tv, besides and I am in love with Michelle Beadle. My only complain is, why no show on Fridays?

Unknown said...
Aug 8, 2009, 11:03:00 PM  

Colin Cowherd is unbelievably awful, but Michelle Beadle is pretty cute, and surprisingly well educated when it comes to sports. I love her.

Anonymous said...
Oct 5, 2009, 5:08:00 PM  

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