PMT DB
Joe Buck, Artie Lange, and Paul Rudd - An Oral History Of HBO’s Joe Buck Live
This very special episode of Pardon My Take leads us on a deep dive of the inaugural infamous episode of Joe Buck Live from June 15, 2009 that was derailed by Artie Lange, ultimately leading to the show's cancellation. We interview Joe, Artie, and Paul Rudd (who was also a panelist on the show) and get a behind the scenes look at what happened before the show, the incident itself, and the ensuing aftermath. Video of the Joe Buck Live appearance can be found here: https://youtu.be/pj8y2Oi1lFk
Recap
PFT CommenterI would not have the same relationship with Joe Buck today if it weren't for the Artie Lange incident
If it wasn't for that Artie Lange show, I don't think that we would have the conversations that we have with Joe Buck.
Interview
Artie LangeBrett Favre and Chad Ochocinco were the real reasons 'Joe Buck Live' was a disaster
Now look, the real culprits to me are fucking Chad Ochocinco and Brett Favre. They were the first 45 minutes of an hour show... and they were boars. They're typical like Dennis Rodman type stuff where they think just because they have orange hair or they change their name they could sit there... but they're just boring people.
Joe BuckHBO was hypocritical for policing Artie Lange's content while airing shows like 'Real Sex'
You can't be on HBO and go, well, this is just way too much when you've got like Pornucopia that's on after that. Real Sex, which is, you know, that's about as far as you're going to go on normal cable. Taxi Cab Confessions. We could go on.
Paul RuddSitting on stage with Artie Lange felt like being a member of Billy Bob Thornton's band
I remember thinking, oh, this is what it feels like to be in [Billy Bob] Thornton's band. Just because I remember about that same month, I think, there was this viral clip of Billy Bob Thornton on a radio show talking about his music... and his bandmates just kind of sitting there and not really saying much and kind of taking it all in.
Joe BuckI threatened to quit my HBO show if they didn't let Artie Lange return for the second episode
I said, I'm either going to have Artie on the show for the second one, or I'm not going to do the show. And I quit. I said, not that this is me walking out of the presidency of the United States... But I said, I'm employed at Fox. I'm doing the World Series and the Super Bowl. You don't know me... But if you think I can't laugh at this... I am not going to go out there and act like it didn't happen.
Artie LangeAthletes are inherently difficult to get good interviews out of
Athletes are tough to get a good interview out of. So I don't think it was my fault, but I think Joe got fucked too.
Joe BuckI would handle the Artie Lange incident much better and more authentically today
If you saw Joe Buck 2018 in that same spot, I think I would have rolled with the punches maybe a little bit better on air. I think I would have been different. I think I would have been better with it, and I would have been more equipped... having gone through this vocal thing that I went through, kind of not really caring anymore what people think... I would have handled the moment probably better.
Joe BuckI have unfinished business with hosting a talk show and would do it again
Yeah, I feel like it's unfinished business. I haven't failed at a lot of stuff in my life... but that was like, man, that really left me disappointed in the result, maybe in myself, in the circumstances. Yeah, I'd like to do it. I had a show and a pilot I did with Rudd and with David Spade and with Molly Shannon for a late-night Fox show that never saw the light of day that I'm really proud of.