10 out of 10
The Show That Broke the Mold - And We're Still Not Over Its Ending
There was nothing - absolutely nothing - like Highly Questionable. It wasn't just a sports talk show. It was a weird, wonderful, heartfelt, hilarious experiment in what happens when you strip away all the pretense and just let real personalities be real. And it worked. Better than anyone expected.
Hosted by the ever-sharp Dan Le Batard and his iconic father Gonzalo "Papi" Le Batard, Highly Questionable blended sports, culture, absurdity, and a whole lot of heart into something that could never be replicated.
Why Did It Work So Damn Well?
Because it was honest.
Because it was fun.
Because Papi didn't care about sticking to scripts or hot takes - he just wanted to know who was acting like a fool. And Dan? He gave you smart, thoughtful, sometimes chaotic commentary with no filter and all the depth.
Then you had the rotating guest chairs - Bomani Jones, Katie Nolan, Pablo Torre, Mina Kimes, Israel Gutierrez, and others. Every guest host brought something unique, turning the show into a wild, electric roundtable that never felt stale.
Why Did It End?
Short answer? Corporate trimming and creative differences.
Long answer? ESPN underwent major changes, and the Le Batard camp wasn't afraid to push back. The Le Batard & Friends universe was always about authenticity - even when it made things uncomfortable. And that doesn't always fit the corporate mold. Eventually, the powers that be decided to cut costs, and Highly Questionable was quietly removed from the lineup in 2021.
Dan left ESPN. The heart left with him.
And the show - that beautiful chaos that never took itself too seriously - was gone.
What It Leaves Behind
Highly Questionable showed us that sports media could be funny without being mean, smart without being smug, and emotional without being soft. It carved out space for culture, laughter, family, and actual humanity in a world obsessed with stats and shock jock garbage.
10 out of 10.
Because even in its weirdest moments, it always knew who it was.
And we miss it more than words can say.