Before binging, there was cable. Welcome to Basic!, the official podcast bringing you the unofficial history of cable TV. Go behind the scenes of a glorious time in pop culture, when shows like MTV’s ‘The Real World,’ ESPN’s ‘SportsCenter’ and AMC’s ‘Breaking Bad’ made basic cable a must-have for every American home. With the help of guests like Jimmy Kimmel, Cindy Crawford and Amy Schumer, hosts Doug Herzog (former network executive at MTV, Comedy Central, Fox) and Jen Chaney (TV critic at New York Magazine/Vulture) explore basic cable history through the experimental shows, ground-breaking creators, and Zeitgeist-shifting trends that defined the medium. 2023 Signal Arts & Culture Listener’s Choice Award Winner. Part of Pantheon Podcasts.
https://www.pantheonpodcasts.com
Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 1 day 14 hours 42 minutes
episode 12: Samantha Bee
Samantha Bee talks to Jen and Doug about her early days on 'The Daily Show,' breaking the glass ceiling of late night TV, and learning the U.S. national anthem.
episode 11: Jemele Hill - Formerly of ESPN
Former ESPN personality Jemele Hill talks with Jen and Doug about the intersection of sports, news, social media and politics.
episode 10: Bryan Cranston
Emmy award winner Bryan Cranston joins Jen and Doug to talk anti-heroes, the birth of binging, and the 'Breaking Bad' scene he will never forget.
episode 9: Kevin Powell of 'Real World' Season One
From the very first season of The Real World, Kevin Powell joins us to talk the birth of reality TV, peak Gen X, and the legacy of Tupac.
episode 8: Mike Judge
'Beavis and Butt-Head' creator Mike Judge joins us to talk 'Frog Baseball,' earthquakes, and how he may have inadvertently popularized Crocs. His latest work, 'Beavis and Butt-Head Do The Universe' is streaming on June 29 on Paramount Plus.
episode 7: Dan Patrick of 'SportsCenter'
ESPN SportsCenter legend Dan Patrick takes us back to the "must-watch" heyday of 'The Big Show' and his days alongside Keith Olbermann.
episode 6: Cindy Crawford
Cindy Crawford looks back at MTV’s 'House of Style' and how it helped transform her from supermodel to icon, and also reminds Doug that he might owe her some money.
episode 5: Reno 911's Kerri Kenney-Silver and Tom Lennon
Basic cable babies and Gen X comedy icons Tom Lennon and Kerri Kenney-Silver join Jen and Doug to talk about their shared partnership that stretches from ‘The State’ to ‘Viva Variety’ to ‘Reno 911.’
episode 4: Tim Gunn
Tim Gunn of 'Project Runway' shows Jen and Doug how to “Make It Work” and answers the question, “Do you own a pair of sweatpants?"
episode 3: 'Yo! MTV Raps' host Fab Five Freddy
Fab Five Freddy "drops some science" on Jen and Doug and tells us how MTV finally embraced hip-hop and changed everything.