Seth Davis

A great friend of mine named Mitch Brenner was taking a stand-up comedy class at the New School down at Greenwich Village. And as part of the class, you take a few classes and then you get some stage time. And I thought, oh, I could never do that. I can't believe you're doing that. I could never do that. And then he showed me a video of him and his fellow students doing their stand-up.

A great friend of mine named Mitch Brenner was taking a stand-up comedy class at the New School down at Greenwich Village. And as part of the class, you take a few classes and then you get some stage time. And I thought, oh, I could never do that. I can't believe you're doing that. I could never do that. And then he showed me a video of him and his fellow students doing their stand-up.

And of course, being students, they were awful. And I watched that, and I said, oh, I can suck. I didn't realize sucking was an option. That's easy. So I'm going to go out there and suck. And I did, but at the time – You could get five minutes of stage time if you brought three audience members. And those audience members, I think they had to pay a $20 cover and a two drink minimum.

And of course, being students, they were awful. And I watched that, and I said, oh, I can suck. I didn't realize sucking was an option. That's easy. So I'm going to go out there and suck. And I did, but at the time – You could get five minutes of stage time if you brought three audience members. And those audience members, I think they had to pay a $20 cover and a two drink minimum.

And I had a lot of friends in New York, so I would space them out between shows and kind of develop my material. So I had a few good nights on it. I kind of hit the low level circuit. But, you know, to be really good at anything, you've got to be able to commit yourself fully to it. And I was at Sports Illustrated. Things were happening for me there.

And I had a lot of friends in New York, so I would space them out between shows and kind of develop my material. So I had a few good nights on it. I kind of hit the low level circuit. But, you know, to be really good at anything, you've got to be able to commit yourself fully to it. And I was at Sports Illustrated. Things were happening for me there.

So at a certain point, I just kind of decided I was done. I did it. But I will say this. I was that was right about when I was starting to do a lot more television. And you can see how those skills are translatable from the stage to to the small screen. So, yeah, but I've got a lot of mileage out of mentioning it in my bio. So thanks for picking up on it.

So at a certain point, I just kind of decided I was done. I did it. But I will say this. I was that was right about when I was starting to do a lot more television. And you can see how those skills are translatable from the stage to to the small screen. So, yeah, but I've got a lot of mileage out of mentioning it in my bio. So thanks for picking up on it.

Well, the only constant in life is change. And again, it's a great example of an entity not adapting and being stuck in the way things were. And especially when the people making those decisions are so vested in the status quo, that becomes difficult. So, you know, you have two businesses. One is Blockbuster and one is Netflix. Explain to your audience.

Well, the only constant in life is change. And again, it's a great example of an entity not adapting and being stuck in the way things were. And especially when the people making those decisions are so vested in the status quo, that becomes difficult. So, you know, you have two businesses. One is Blockbuster and one is Netflix. Explain to your audience.

uh listeners under the age of 40 or even 45 what blockbuster is so the blockbusters everywhere um and now look at netflix and now nobody knows what blockbuster is so that's kind of what happened to sports illustrated i will say though that um i'm very pleased with the way that um sports illustrated has reconstituted itself with all of the tumult and you know there was a there was a point in time there where we thought it was literally gone

uh listeners under the age of 40 or even 45 what blockbuster is so the blockbusters everywhere um and now look at netflix and now nobody knows what blockbuster is so that's kind of what happened to sports illustrated i will say though that um i'm very pleased with the way that um sports illustrated has reconstituted itself with all of the tumult and you know there was a there was a point in time there where we thought it was literally gone

Completely. So it's still there. It's still a very good monthly magazine. They still have some really good writers there. You know, Chris Mannix and Tom Fertucci and Pat Forty does a great job in college sports. I mean, they have some really good people there. Steve Cannella, the guy who's running the. The magazine is the managing editor has been there long.

Completely. So it's still there. It's still a very good monthly magazine. They still have some really good writers there. You know, Chris Mannix and Tom Fertucci and Pat Forty does a great job in college sports. I mean, they have some really good people there. Steve Cannella, the guy who's running the. The magazine is the managing editor has been there long.

In fact, he and I started on the same day. We shared an office July 1995. But, you know, I think with disruptions, Dan, and changes, and I know you're an old newspaper hack like me, like there's a lot of opportunities. And, you know, this what I'm doing with Hoops HQ is a great example. I mean, we have this new creator economy where.

In fact, he and I started on the same day. We shared an office July 1995. But, you know, I think with disruptions, Dan, and changes, and I know you're an old newspaper hack like me, like there's a lot of opportunities. And, you know, this what I'm doing with Hoops HQ is a great example. I mean, we have this new creator economy where.

You know, if you're willing to hustle a little bit and just think creatively and, you know, use the things that got you there, which is access, storytelling, shoe leather. People want to read. People want to listen. And they'll even give you a couple of bucks for the ability to do that. So I'm not saying it's easy, but life is not easy and life is not fair. And that's kind of where we are.

You know, if you're willing to hustle a little bit and just think creatively and, you know, use the things that got you there, which is access, storytelling, shoe leather. People want to read. People want to listen. And they'll even give you a couple of bucks for the ability to do that. So I'm not saying it's easy, but life is not easy and life is not fair. And that's kind of where we are.

You know, Sports Illustrated is the company that had a chance to buy ESPN in the early 80s and I guess figured maybe cable TV was just a fad. So so that's one of many decisions that didn't work out so well, I guess.

You know, Sports Illustrated is the company that had a chance to buy ESPN in the early 80s and I guess figured maybe cable TV was just a fad. So so that's one of many decisions that didn't work out so well, I guess.