Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker

I am a huge fan of "Cheaps Seats" and just want to put in my two cents about this show. Yes, it is derivative of MST3K. But the Sklar brothers have a unique brand of "back and forth" that serves them well. I actually watched some of the events that they riff on back when they were first broadcast. Their comments make me wish I had said some of those things.

Randy and Jason rank on each other and the show itself. They included the MST3K gang in one episode! I think they are taking a much-needed fresh stab at the "sacred cow" of sports. Comedy is subjective, but my kids love the show and it was the hit of a family reunion last summer.

So, put your tongue in your cheek and enjoy some "Superdogs! Superjocks!" for the absurd exercise it is!

The Sklaar brothers, Randy and Jason, do an excellent job bringing MST3k to ESPN Classic. There is a lot of random, useless stuff that's been shown on ESPN, and it's great to see them put on a show like this, which is what I always think of when I see things like "American Jump-Rope Championship." I find the Sklaar brothers to be quite humorous. I've seen some of their stand-up, which was also funny. They are geeky, but lovable geeks. They give the show a guys-in-their-basement-on-cable-access feel to the show that works well with their sense of humor and the format of the show. Here's hoping there's more seasons.

The Sklar brothers are enormously, uproariously funny and usually show it unequivocally several times an episode. Their spelling-bee-bell montage is hysterical, I've recounted it several times to people who blink at me, uncomprehending of the humor. I discovered the show in a dinghy hotel room on a dull business trip; laughing that hard saved my sanity. It's testament to their acumen and humor when people as funny as Jon Benjamin or Ed Helms will work with them. Those guys crack me up.

They have a good thing going, but there are a few big obstacles. ESPN Classic isn't exactly a ratings draw, so they won't get a lot of new viewers unless people stumble across it. It's too irreverent for a Disney network... The source material, too, can be so dull that they can't primp it enough to keep me interested. Steve Garvey made me a bit ill. I also think the genre of running-commentary-over-video is of limited appeal, which is too bad -- I love it. MST3K never really took off, although it stands its ground as a comedy great. Beavis and Butthead, while also enormously funny, had a lot of marketing weight and, let's face it, a bunch of schtick that struck a chord at the time it was out. Far be it from me to question Mike Judge's genius.

This has a sweet spot for viewership that's thirties, educated, geeky sports fans. For those of us in the demo, it's (probably short-lived) heaven. It may have a broader appeal, but I certainly don't hear people talking. I'm interested to see what Randy & Jason do with it, but I think they'll do their best work after it. There is certainly room for the slapdash comedy repartee they get going in mainstream television comedy.

By some lucky chance 4 year ago I happened to come across "Cheap Seats" during the Stanford Cal classic game. At first I thought it was the actual game being rebroadcast until I heard some guys heckling everything going on. Immediately I fell in love with the show. Turns out the episode that hooked me wasn't even close to the funniest that I would eventually see. In all reality I think this is the funnies show on TV right now (Unfortunately Arrested Development was canceled). If you like good humor, give this show a shot. If you are looking for the funnies episode, I would suggest going with Steve Garvey's Billfish tournament. All I can say is Michael Floorwax………..

Cheap Seats is great. One of the few funny shows that airs on TV. Take classic cheesy programs like Cliff Diving, Early 80's wrestling, Steve Garvey 'celebrity' billfishing tournament or classic programs like the Cal-Stanford game from 1982, add two hilarious brothers and you have one funny show.

Sure not all there bits are funny - but most of them are and some of it is beyond hilarious. Lots of references to songs or actors long forgotten. Observations that the normal viewer would miss. Everyone's fair game on this show.

I look forward to each new episode.