The Press Box

Bryan is joined by sports announcer Kevin Harlan to discuss his journey working in the sports media industry. They touch on Kevin’s first job out of college for the Kansas City Kings, discuss the opportunities that calling an NBA game provides compared to calling other sports, talk about the importance of watching your own film, and weigh in on the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Kevin Harlan Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan and David react to the first round of the NBA playoffs and discuss the Kyrie Irving drama, buzzer-beaters and replay reviews, and the play-in tournament’s impact on the sport (7:47). Then, they break down the USFL’s return, highlight another Media Piss Test, and weigh in on the Announcer Voice (35:42). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In advance of the 2022 NFL draft, Bryan is joined by Peter Schrager to break down his career in sports media, his transition to television, the NFL draft coverage, and media draft cliches (1:38). Later, Dan Woike joins to discuss reporting on this season’s Los Angeles Lakers, from Russell Westbrook joining the team to the post-game interactions between reporters and athletes (44:02). Host: Bryan Curtis Guests: Peter Schrager and Dan Woike Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan and David break down Tiger Woods’s return to golf, the discourse surrounding his career, and interesting TV moments from the 2022 Masters (10:46). Later, they discuss the awful death of Dwayne Haskins, former NFL quarterback, and weigh in on Adam Schefter’s tweets that broke the news (30:44). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan is joined by CBS’s Ian Eagle to discuss his career as a sports play-by-play announcer. They dive into Eagle’s background growing up with a singer mother and a comedian father, discuss his experience announcing basketball at Syracuse to the professional level, touch on Marv Albert’s influence, and more! Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Ian Eagle Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan and David are in Fort Worth, Texas, to break down 'WrestleMania 38.' They talk about covering the event, the impact the sport has had on other forms of media, and discuss the art of wrestling (4:29). Later, they discuss the news that ESPN re-signed Adam Schefter and Woj, weigh in on the Tiger Woods tease ahead of the Masters, and touch on more sports reporting (33:05). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan is joined by WWE announcer Michael Cole in advance of ‘WrestleMania 38.’ They discuss Cole’s former role at CBS News, his transition to announcing for WWE, the mechanics in calling matches, his relationships with former and current announcers and wrestlers, and much more! Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Michael Cole Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan and David talk through the altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the Oscars and discuss how the Academy handled the broadcast (3:10). Later, they break down the NCAA tournament and highlight the commoditizing of buzzer-beaters and Cinderella stories (24:58). Then they introduce a new feature, Who Wants to Be an F1 Analyst?, in which they spotlight media types who share the newfound interest in analyzing the sport (29:36). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan and David discuss the new streaming service on the market, CNN+. They break down the content it will provide, including shows featuring Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, and more, and then address how this transition will affect the way we consume live news (0:33). Then, they touch on The Hollywood Reporter’s "Brutally Honest Oscar Ballot No.3," in which another anonymous member of the Academy has come forward to discuss their honest thoughts on the Oscar nominees (20:33). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan and David open by discussing the boom of Formula One in the United States, Netflix, and how this changes the sports-media landscape (1:08). Then, they weigh in on The New York Times’ editorial column on free speech, the subtweets, and how this was all handled (27:18). They end by paying respect to ESPN NFL reporter John Clayton (35:57). Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Stefan Anderson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan is joined by Associated Press international correspondent Philip Crowther from Lviv, Ukraine. They discuss Crowther’s day-to-day operations, summarizing the news for other countries when recording live shots, covering this war in comparison to others, and more. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Philip Crowther Associated Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan and David address the news that Joe Buck will also be leaving Fox to join Troy Aikman at ESPN. (0:26) Then, they weigh in on media involvement surrounding player communications and breaking news, from Aaron Rodgers staying in Green Bay to Russell Wilson being traded to the Broncos (29:10). Later, they pay tribute to journalist and filmmaker Brent Renaud who was killed in Ukraine as well as actor William Hurt, who starred in 'Broadcast News.' Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Washington Post’s Ben Strauss joins Bryan to discuss the news that after 99 days the baseball lockout has come to an end. They talk through the weight of the story and how coverage was perceived, break down Major League Baseball’s reaction to the lockout, and discuss theories that could potentially influence the coverage of labor issues. Plus, more on Troy Aikman leaving Fox for ESPN and Strauss’s paternity leave experience. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Ben Strauss Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan and David follow up on the ongoing coverage of the war in Ukraine. They discuss The New York Times’ decision to publish a photograph of Ukrainian civilians who were killed as they tried to flee a battle zone, then weigh in on how both countries’ media approaches could affect the perception of the war (0:28). Later, they switch gears and touch on the debut of the new HBO show ‘Winning Time,’ about the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, and discuss the ongoing conversation surrounding Adam McKay and Will Ferrell (23:37). Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan is joined by CBS’s Margaret Brennan following President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address and amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They talk through the ongoing war in Ukraine and touch on how the United States is responding. Then, they discuss the responsibility TV news has to its viewers, and break down the preparation and execution involved in Brennan’s Sunday show, ‘Face the Nation.’ Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Margaret Brennan Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan and David discuss the latest coverage developments from the invasion of Ukraine. They break down the “fog of war” and decipher what we can understand from recent reports, weigh in on CNN’s on-ground coverage, and discuss media moments surrounding the invasion (0:39). Later, they touch on the sports news that Troy Aikman will be leaving Fox for ESPN’s ‘Monday Night Football' (24:10). Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan and David break down the cable news coverage of the invasion of Ukraine. They discuss first impressions of videos and photos being aired, talk through the type of cable news coverage we’re seeing in comparison to the papers, and then specifically dissect CNN’s coverage of the events.  Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan and David kick off the pod by reacting to coverage about Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine and discussing the latest war correspondent to capture America’s heart (00:50). They then break down Adam Silver’s recent comments about restricting locker room access (22:15) and dive into the legacy of satirist P.J. O’Rourke (38:22), before David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline (55:14). Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Devon Manze Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan is joined by The New Yorker’s Clare Malone to break down The Ringer’s new podcast, ‘Just Like Us: The Tabloids That Changed America.’ They talk through the era of Bennifer, the evolution of celebrity, and discuss the values of America seen through celebrity media (0:33). Then, Bryan is joined by musician and novelist John Darnielle to dive into the genre of true crime, touch on writing songs vs. novels, and discuss his new book ‘Devil House’ (31:52).  Host: Bryan Curtis Guests: Clare Malone and John Darnielle Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan is joined by film critics Ty Burr and Owen Gleiberman to break down Entertainment Weekly dating back to the '90s. They discuss the evolution of the magazine, the environment and culture that Entertainment Weekly fostered, and of course, the letter-grade reviews (0:33). Later, Bryan is joined by The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay to discuss his experience covering the Winter Olympics in Beijing. They touch on preparations prior to flying to China, what it’s like covering the Games in the middle of a pandemic, and weigh in on why it’s important for reporters to be on site (50:51). Additional information: Ty Burr's Watch List (https://tyburrswatchlist.substack.com/) Host: Bryan Curtis Guests: Ty Burr, Owen Gleiberman, and Jason Gay Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Production Assistance: Isaiah Blakely Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices