Dan LeBatard is Highly Questionable is a sports talk show currently seen on ESPN 2. The show features Miami Herald columnist and ESPN contributor Dan Le Batard answering topical sports questions with the help of his father Gonzalo better known as Papi. The show features four segments over thirty minutes.
The Setup- Dan and Papi sit in a colorful set made to look like a kitchen in their Miami hometown where the show is filled. The first segment features Dan answering questions read by Papi. An off screen moderator often chimes in to add facts or to redirect the questions. The second segment is traditionally Dan interviewing a guest via remote. The third segment known as "Do you question" is Dan and Papi watching sports clips and viral videos as in "Do you question whether this skier checked his bindings before making this jump". The final segment is called "Si or No". The off screen producer asks both men if they are interested in watching various TV shows that will be on later that day. The men answer by holding up cards that say Si or No taking advantage of their Cuban heritage.
What I love about it- The LeBatard's are the most engaging a pair of commentators that ESPN has had since Cowherd and Beadle. The draw of the show is it lacks the yelling, backbiting, and animosity of most of ESPN's commentator based shows.
These men love each other and genuinely crack each other up. Papi exuberantly defends his Miami Heat in his thick Cuban accent while Dan shakes his head at his fathers bombastic sentiments. Both men are likable and Dan is extremely knowledgeable and fearless when his opinions run counter to his ESPN bosses or the general public.
The interview segment usually features questions that are not your mainstream sports fare. LeBatard is a journalist first and this segment highlights his skill. Not all of the guests are athletes and coaches. Pat Sajak famously told a story about how he did Wheel of Fortune drunk one time.
The best segment is "Do you question" which gives both men a chance to laugh hysterically at a collection of bloopers and viral videos. They do a great job of finding videos you probably have never seen.
The show ends with Papi's signature " Si Si I am very intrigued" retort at every TV offering the producers provide.
Papi is the shows Costello but without Abbot he would be lost. The fun of Papi is that he is a fan first and has no problem giving insulting nicknames to coaches and commentators he doesn't like.
What I hate about it- Not much. I love the show but I realize this is not everyones cup of tea. Younger fans will have trouble relating to a duo whose mean age is 58. The show bounces from timeslot to timeslot and is often displaced by live sporting events. They bring in Bomani Jones ( Better known as Stephen A Smith light) way too often for my tastes. This signals to me the show may be in a bit of trouble.
8 out of 10 Couch Potatoes. Good solid fun with a likable cast this show makes for a sigh of relief from your usual sports talk show.
UPDATE: 7/12/2013
The Bomani Jones experiment has been extended making this show a permanent threesome. Jones has moved in full time and they have even changed the name of the show to Highly Questionable with Dan LeBatard and Bomani Jones. Papi is still there but with a reduced role. The only thing missing now is the family dynamic, the charm, and the uniqueness. ESPN has a long history of bold moves that they quickly back away from and you can now add DLHQ to that list. This show has been turned into a carbon copy of everything else the network does. ESPN obviously prefers loud and combative in its commentator shows and for me that is more than a little sad. Thanks for the fun Dan and Papi it was great while it lasted.
4 out of 10 Coach potatoes
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