Ben Grossman of the television industry publication BROADCASTING & CABLE has a brief Q&A with ESPN’s Chris Berman in which Berman addresses criticism of his on-air performance.
(Are they?)
My commentary on the interview is in bold and italics after each Q&A exchange.
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Broadcasting & Cable: “Do you read your press clippings?”
Berman: “I’m aware of them. I don’t really understand them, because I don’t think they’re from the people.”
Brooks: Press clippings aren’t from the ‘people.’ That’s why they’re called ‘press.’
Note how Berman gets in a passive aggressive shot at the media by not acknowledging that he would actually take the time to “read” his press clippings. Only that he’s been made “aware” of them. As if he’s above the ink-stained wretches who write about him.
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Broadcasting & Cable: “Do they piss you off?”
Berman: “I’d say ‘disappointed.’ But I mean, what do they say, that I don’t try hard? No. So then, it’s OK. I know what the people think, so it’s OK. I’m broadcasting for the people and I’m broadcasting for my place. I couldn’t tell you if jealousy sneaks in or not. It doesn’t matter. If you’ve been around a long time, they’re going to shoot at high targets. I probably did it, too, when I was younger. But not quite the same way.”
Brooks: For the record, it was Berman who suggested in the interview that his critics may be jealous of him.
Does Jim Gray “try hard”? Chip Caray? Yes and yes.
If “trying hard” was the prerequisite for on-air talent in the multi-billion dollar sports broadcasting business, your Uncle Louie from Yonkers would be hosting the U.S. Open.
As for ‘the people’, apparently that doesn’t apply to the thousands of Twitter users who were savaging Berman during his hosting of ESPN’s coverage of the home run derby last week. (I was watching the comments pour in via Tweetdeck - that’s what SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’s Richard Deitsch was referencing.)
Truth is, guys like Berman and Rick Reilly have no interest in what “the people” really think because they want to avoid the truth at all cost.
Though if Berman were to ever get on Twitter, he would see just how reviled by “the people” he really is, so he wouldn’t have been able to use his tired “I only care about the people” defense during this interview.
So mark one for Boomer.
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Broadcasting & Cable: “You’re probably one of the most polarizing people in sports.”
Berman: “I’m not sure why. Because if you ask the players and the people in the game, I’m not.”
Brooks: Wait, what about ‘the people’? You forgot them!
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Broadcasting & Cable: “So, is it just the media’s opinion?”
Berman: “I don’t know. I do the best I can; I enjoy what I do.”
Brooks: Checkmate.
Again, if the broadcasting business was only about doing “the best I can” and getting to “enjoy what I do”, your Uncle Louie in Yonkers would … you knew the rest.
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Broadcasting & Cable: “A lot of people think that your personality and golf don’t go together.”
Berman: “Except that the USGA, ESPN and the golfers love it. So, who am I broadcasting for? The viewers, the people in golf, at my place and the USGA. I ask every year what can I do to change it, and they say, ‘Just do it.’ The USGA put me on golf; it was their idea to make it more regular, to make it not just golf. But I’m not trying to be funny. I follow the golf tour pretty closely. I’ve done this since 1986, so now I’m no good at it? So, I don’t know anything about golf?
“For example, they said, ‘How could he say Dustin ‘The Wind’ Johnson?’ [Citing a Berman- esque nickname for a pro golfer.] I was on for 10 hours, not 10 seconds. I said it once. It’s OK, relax a little, would you please? It’s sports. Just relax. It is 10 hours.”
Brooks: Berman’s narcissism, albeit unintentionally, finally shines through. The problem with the nicknames schtick is ‘the people’ don’t watch for 10 hours! ‘The people’ don’t care how long Berman has been on the air that day, they only care about the 30 minutes that they’re watching.
But I thought it was all about ‘the people’?
As for USGA officials relenting and allowing Berman to make a mockery of the broadcast, what else are they going to say? ‘No, you can’t use the only tired device you’ve been flogging for thirty years to fill airtime?’ ESPN is the place where the USGA is going to get the most exposure for its event in the early rounds, and Berman is ESPN’s highest profile personality. You think they’re going to tell Berman what not to say?
It’s not up to the USGA to reign in Berman, it’s up to ESPN. And that’ll never happen.
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Broadcasting & Cable: “Do you see a more rabid media today?”
Berman: “I guess. People are angrier now than we were. It’s OK.”
They are?
11:13 am on July 19th, 2010
Go away, Berman. Please, we beg you.
11:27 am on July 19th, 2010
USGA may like Berman, but Augusta National has no use for him.
11:53 am on July 19th, 2010
Brooks going MST3000 on Berman’s ass. I like it.
11:55 am on July 19th, 2010
“Uh…uh….uh….Tom, what do think?”
Honestly, Berman and Madden should be put down.
I must say though Brooks, you show a lot of disdain for this man. Seems almost like a premeditated attack. To each his own though.
11:56 am on July 19th, 2010
I think he really let his hand show when he kept referencing how popular he is with the players and the golfers. That’s who he’s broadcasting to.
12:37 pm on July 19th, 2010
Einhorn is Finkel,
You’re right. I’ve had 30 years to write this post.
1:03 pm on July 19th, 2010
I like watching sports and formulating my own opinion so much of broadcasting is just white noise to me.
That being said, Chris Berman is one of a very few people who I wish would retire and/or get off my TV.
2:03 pm on July 19th, 2010
Reilly is awful. His columns and comments are filled with old news and conventional, unoriginal “duh” material. Media critics also don’t serve much porpose though. They are mostly hacks
2:05 pm on July 19th, 2010
Purpose*
2:20 pm on July 19th, 2010
>> “Does Jim Gray “try hard”? Chip Caray? Yes and yes.”
Seriously? Jim Gray tries hard? Did you even watch “The Decision?”
3:23 pm on July 19th, 2010
Berman sucks at everything except NFL highlights. When I hear his voice on like MLB games or golf, I turn the tv off.
3:36 pm on July 19th, 2010
This post is from “the people”: It’s not that The People are angry, it’s just that we demand Good Sportscasting, and announcers who can string together several sentences without “Uh’s.”
Also, the Back Back Back gimmick has taken the fun out of the HR Derby, but that’s not really Chris’s fault.
3:39 pm on July 19th, 2010
Just to amend the post, when I watch a live Chris Berman ‘cast, I always feel as I’m watching a well-paid talent who hasn’t prepared that day, and that’s what’s frustrating about it.
4:06 pm on July 19th, 2010
Somehow the number of people who like him (or tune in to see him) must outweigh the ones who dislike him. I would have to think ESPN would give him the boot if he was driving down ratings. It’s all about ratings and advertising dollars. He must bring in enough money to keep the execs happy. His shtick has more than wore out its welcome if you ask me.
4:49 pm on July 19th, 2010
Joe, I don’t know how these execs can figure in who’s broadcasting the game and ratings. Let me ask you, if Berman was doing Game 7 of the World Series and say, Al Michaels was doing the Royals vs. Orioles, who would you watch? Just because more people are watching Berman’s game than Michaels, doesn’t mean he doesn’t suck! I hope the freakin’ execs see this. Its garbage.
While we’re at it, can we get Musberger to stop too? Please!?!
5:54 pm on July 19th, 2010
@Joel - Although, with Brent, I always think he is well prepared for the telecast, no matter if it’s a big game or a smaller college game.
9:54 pm on July 19th, 2010
yes, The Beast of Berman has outlived his uselessness …. his voice = channel change … I’m with LAprGuy when it comes to Musberger and his preparedness … but one question is: why aren’t there any up and comers? Who is going to replace all the tired old faces?
10:01 pm on July 19th, 2010
Berman really should go and could he please take booyah, and linda manly cohn with him?
While im at it take buccigross and verrett as well
12:22 am on July 20th, 2010
Brent Musberger is the BEST. He epitomizes college football and what a big game is all about.
I knew the first time I heard that dumbass, Gus Johnson, yell and scream like some drunk frat boy calling a football game on a webcam, that a certain male demographic would be all “Gus Johnson is awesome!!” and suddenly he would be the benchmark for announcers.
12:01 pm on July 20th, 2010
This guy is the WORST EVER, this article is 10 years overdue finally everyone else is realizing what a douche this idiot is. HE RUINS TV!!!
2:03 pm on July 20th, 2010
A few points.
Berman - I don’t think its personal with the people who hate him or dislike his act. Its that they have heard it for over 25 years and it hasn’t changed so its tired and wornout. Its like Sportcenter if your old ebough to remember when it was about sports then the new show turns your stomach but for the new generation its great.
Musberger - maybe prepared but you can tell who he is rooting for from the get go. My buddies and I swear he bets on the games the way he pulls for one team. Watch a replay of the BCS Championship and he was pulling for UT even with Alabama crushing them.
Gus Johnson and the rest of the wanna be’s need to watch a Dodger game and listen to Vin Sculley, No yelling,no talking over the action just the game action.You know the reason WHY we turned it on in the first place. I live on the East Coast and try and catch Scully on sateliite just to watch a game in peace.
3:42 pm on July 21st, 2010
brooks, such a fuzzer!
4:57 pm on July 21st, 2010
In over 50 years of watching golf on t.v., the ONLY time I have ever used the MUTE button on the remote control is when Berman is doing golf. The folks running the Masters do it right. They do not even let him on the grounds, and insist ESPN use CBS announcers. I am one of the “people” and Chris Berman just ruins the telecast As for Musberger, he was very bad on ABC and is even worse on ESPN. Why is he still broadcasting?