

The Press Box
The Ringer
The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker catch you up on the biggest media stories, from sports to politics and everything in between.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 15, 2022 • 1h 21min
The Glory Days of Entertainment Weekly and Covering the Olympics With Ty Burr, Owen Gleiberman, and Jason Gay
Bryan is joined by film critics Ty Burr and Owen Gleiberman to break down Entertainment Weekly dating back to the '90s. They discuss the evolution of the magazine, the environment and culture that Entertainment Weekly fostered, and of course, the letter-grade reviews (0:33). Later, Bryan is joined by The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay to discuss his experience covering the Winter Olympics in Beijing. They touch on preparations prior to flying to China, what it’s like covering the Games in the middle of a pandemic, and weigh in on why it’s important for reporters to be on site (50:51).Additional information: Ty Burr's Watch List (https://tyburrswatchlist.substack.com/)Host: Bryan CurtisGuests: Ty Burr, Owen Gleiberman, and Jason GayAssociate Producer: Erika CervantesProduction Assistance: Isaiah Blakely Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 14, 2022 • 1h 7min
Super Bowl Instant Reaction Show
Bryan and David react to Super Bowl 56 featuring the Los Angeles Rams vs. the Cincinnati Bengals. They touch on Al Michaels’s calls throughout the game, the subtle video aspects, all of the Super Bowl commercials, and much more! Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David ShoemakerAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 9, 2022 • 45min
Live From Radio Row With Chris “Mad Dog” Russo and ESPN’s Adam Schefter
Bryan is live on Radio Row talking with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo from SiriusXM to discuss his career as a sports-radio host, the difference between local and national radio, what it’s like covering the Super Bowl, and more (0:19). Later, Bryan is joined by ESPN’s Adam Schefter to break down his and Jeff Darlington’s Tom Brady retirement news. They then talk through Schefter’s past Super Bowl experiences and what he has planned this time around (22:33). Host: Bryan CurtisGuest: Chris Russo and Adam SchefterAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 7, 2022 • 43min
Live From Radio Row! Plus, Palin vs. NYT.
Bryan is live from Radio Row to talk with David about the media leading up to the 2022 Super Bowl (0:00). They discuss the hype surrounding the Super Bowl, the Radio Row hierarchy, and the quid pro quos attached to the week (6:43). Later, they break down the ongoing Sarah Palin vs. New York Times libel trial and talk through what we could learn about journalism throughout (25:23). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David ShoemakerAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 2, 2022 • 46min
Al Michaels Revisits the 10 Super Bowls He Called
Bryan is joined by Al Michaels to break down his past 10 Super Bowls called as we approach Super Bowl LVI, featuring the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams. Michaels revisits close games ending in interceptions or stops, discusses working alongside the great John Madden, and talks through what it’s like calling Super Bowls with dynasty teams versus games featuring new teams. Host: Bryan CurtisGuest: Al MichaelsAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 31, 2022 • 39min
Takes on Tony Romo, the Halftime Show Invasion, Sideline Reports, and Tom Brady's Retirement U-Turn.
Bryan and David begin the pod by reacting to all of the pronunciations of the word 'Bengals' by TV and sports radio personalities. They then analyze Tony Romo's announcing performance, (3:17) Andy Reid's clock management, (10:47) and the unfortunate CBS half-time show during the Bengals-Chiefs AFC Championship game. They wrap up the pod by dissecting every chapter of Saturday's chaotic media mishandling of Tom Brady's botched retirement announcement (19:21) and look forward to the bevy of hastily assembled Bengals and Rams profiles being written for Super Bowl week. (34:52)Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David ShoemakerProducer: Erika CervantesProduction Assistance: Chris Sutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 27, 2022 • 1h
The New Yorker’s Jon Lee Anderson on Latin America, War Reporting, and 'Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life'
Bryan is joined by The New Yorker’s Jon Lee Anderson to unpack his career covering topics ranging from stories in the Peruvian jungle to the first democratic election following Peru’s 12-year-long dictatorship. They discuss his stint at Time magazine and then talk through his journey covering guerrilla groups in Latin America and eventually, Che Guevara.Host: Bryan CurtisGuest: Jon Lee AndersonAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 24, 2022 • 1h 2min
More Weekend Football Notes, Media News From Chicago, and the Profile Location of the Week
Bryan and David are back to discuss the weekend full of divisional-round playoff games. They break down the impact these games have had on the audience and touch on Aaron Rodgers’s interview with Kevin Van Valkenburg two days before his divisional game as well as Tony Romo's performance (6:42). Then, they address the potential career moves for New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, former Cowboys star Troy Aikman, and NBC commentator Al Michaels (25:21). Lastly, in the Notebook Dump, they discuss the news that the Chicago Sun-Times was acquired and will become a nonprofit, touch on Robert Costa leaving The Washington Post for CBS News, and then wrap things up with a new feature called Chyron Copy Editor (39:20). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David ShoemakerAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 20, 2022 • 57min
Carl Bernstein on His First Job, Newspaper Love, a Great Prank, and Scandals That Are “Worse Than Watergate”
Bryan is joined by Carl Bernstein to discuss his career as a reporter dating back to his time as a teenager at the Washington Star. They reflect on the newsroom in the ’60s, what it was like covering the Kennedy vs. Nixon presidential election, and how the Watergate scandal compares to recent times.Host: Bryan CurtisGuest: Carl BernsteinAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 18, 2022 • 38min
TV Football Breakdown, Media Piss Test, and Netflix Sports Docs
Bryan and David break down media moments from the football-packed weekend, including Drew Brees’s reporting, Troy Aikman’s Cowboys comment, and Dak Prescott’s reaction to his fans throwing trash on the field (0:28). Then they switch gears for another Media Piss Test, where they decide whether Mike Lindell soiled the bit, before reacting to the news of upcoming Netflix sports docs highlighting both tennis and golf (27:46). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained Pun-Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David ShoemakerAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices