Gimmick Becomes Great

On a friend’s advice, who came across this show while seeking advice for his fantasy team on another blog, I invested Sunday night in the “FDH Lounge,” which aired as a combination internet radio-television show on website Sportstalkcleveland.com.

Never having heard of the site, the show, or even the site this show was found on, I set my television for Desperate Housewives. I anticipated that I might have to eject prematurely from this show. I am elated to say this option was not exercised.
While the show echoed the Miller Lite “Men of the Square Table” spots (which it was simply a matter of time before that gimmick was thieved), the panel featured a woman and topics that appealed to sports and non-sports fans alike. From the obligatory, guys discussing hot women and predictions, to the original, an in-depth discussion of John McCain’s merits and a stunning defense of Paris Hilton, the show provoked my thoughts and hit the nerves of each and every host. Aside from their foray into Ohio State’s championship game loss, which I am assuming very few people care about outside of Columbus, the show held my attention in a manner few have recently.

The cast of characters giving substance to the show’s subject matter equally impressed me. Rick Morris, Raymond Smalley, Chris Galloway, and Nathan Noy, all of whom I assume are non-professionals, threw barbs and traded observations in a manner funnier than the hosts of ESPN. There were no awkward silences. It was reminiscent of the banter that flew in the sharply written heyday of Cheers.

What may be best is the show is not scheduled again until January 28. This format, though fresh and funny, could easily be overdone and deadened. With their spacing of shows around wrestling pay-per-views, lame as that concept seems, the show has set itself to both leave the audience wanting more and remain fresh beyond the usual panel show expiration date.