Le Batard & Friends - South Beach Sessions

"Whatever happens that's traumatic in my life, whether it be whatever, a disagreement with your wife, a death, an illness, I try to make humor out of it." If Sebastian Maniscalco isn't doing comedy, he isn't in a good mood... The reigning king of physical comedy shares with Dan how he went from waiting tables at The Four Seasons to setting four records with five consecutive sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden on his recent, "It Ain't Right" tour. Sebastian talks about the evolution of his comedy, overcoming countless setbacks, and how his life off stage has become something he could've never imagined. Watch Sebastian's new Hulu special, “It Ain’t Right” streaming November 21st. Catch Sebastian live on tour - for dates and tickets visit SebastianLive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Late night shows may come and go, but for Roy Wood Jr. the hustle-and-grind never stops. Roy visited Dan in Miami back on July 25, 2023 for a South Beach Sessions unlike any other, reflecting on how far he's come from his scary, early days as a comedian and why he wanted to be the next Stuart Scott at ESPN. Amidst strikes and layoffs in a shaky entertainment landscape, Roy also shares what The Daily Show was like under Trevor Noah, and what the future of late night will look like next. Roy's new book, "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised As A Memoir", is available now and go to RoyWoodJr.com for tour dates, tickets, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vince Wilfork is a natural born leader. The five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, two-time Super Bowl champion, and BCS national champion never faced an opponent he couldn't handle on the field - a credit to his parents and the challenges his family had to overcome. Vince takes Dan through telling his parents he was gonna be an NFL player at an early age, to losing them in college, and what it was like to realize they'd never be able to see him accomplish his dreams. Vince and Dan also dive into the feeling of having Bill Belichick call him the “captain of the captains, the true leader of the team” and “the best defensive lineman I’ve ever coached - that's player, leader, on the field, off the field, practice player." Vince also talks about being a key part of the Patriots' dynasty, his relationship with Belichick and Tom Brady, and how in retirement, he's honoring his father with his own line of barbeque sauce, GHI75. To get your own bottle of Wilfork's signature, delicious, gluten-free barbeque sauce, go to TheGHI75.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NBA season tips-off this week - we look back at the unforgettable conversations with NBA coaching legends Pat Riley and Stan Van Gundy. Stan gets into his relationship with his younger brother, Jeff Van Gundy, what it was like facing off against each other as coaches time and time again, the depth of the love they share as they've gotten older, and what he expects next for Jeff in the NBA. Stan and Dan also talk about how they became friends, seeing greatness in the Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra early on, and the often toxic criticism that surrounds sports today. Then, Pat Riley - the legendary, nine-time NBA championship winning player, coach, and executive - reveals what it was really like forging one of the NBA’s greatest legacies. Pat illuminates his journey crafting Heat Culture - what it was really like at the start of it all, what the team means to him today, and digging into his controlling and deeply emotional relationship with the game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The World Series is nearly set as the Los Angeles Dodgers face the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS and the Seattle Mariners take on the Toronto Blue Jays - we look back at the legends of baseball that have hit South Beach Sessions with Dan Le Batard. The Mariners legend Alex Rodriguez takes Dan through the highlights of his career and the truth about his relationship with Derek Jeter. Then, Frank Thomas looks back on his legacy - a first-ballot Hall of Fame career, and the biggest moments from his dominance in baseball. The voice of the Cubs and Sunday Night Baseball, Jon 'Boog' Sciambi joins to talk about how his love of the game comes through in every broadcast and the legendary voices of MLB that have shaped his career and how fans remember the biggest postseason moments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The world of sports has been forever changed by trailblazers like Napheesa Collier and Nancy Lieberman. Last week, Collier's comments criticizing WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the league's lack of accountability set the sports world ablaze and just the latest in her ever-growing list of accomplishments leading the game forward. "Queen Phee", the NCAA champion, four-time WNBA All-Star, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and co-founder of the empowering women's basketball league, Unrivaled, doesn't shy away from revealing to Dan Le Batard her fears of an early retirement after becoming a mother. Napheesa also shares why she was so determined to create Unrivaled after being fed up with how the WNBA has let its players and fans down with its "tone-deaf and dismissive" leadership. Then, the legend, Nancy Lieberman, also talks with Dan about how women’s basketball has reached new heights, looking back on how far the game has come… and how brightly the stars of the current day – Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, and more – shine when the spotlight is finally put on them. The following are excerpts from episodes of South Beach Sessions originally recorded on March 5, 2025 and June 30, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Even though I am an Argentinian American, Argentina is my blood, and it transported me back to Argentina... I felt part of the team winning, I felt I was representing all Argentinians." Andrés Cantor has been the voice of the beautiful game to millions for decades. Andrés takes Dan through his prolific career, detailing his journey from a young fan in Argentina to working as a student journalist at USC to bringing his signature "GOOOOL" call to the mainstream and more than 25 years with Telemundo. Together, Andrés walks Dan through his viral emotional moment calling Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup win, the undeniable highlight of a storied career. Andrés also speaks about sharing a legacy with his son, Nico, and their history-making experience of calling a game side by side. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Basketball is more than just a love of the game for Eric Musselman... it's a deep family legacy and a driving force in everything he does - it's life. The USC men's basketball coach shares with Dan how his father, the legendary longtime basketball coach Bill Musselman, "was the most competitive person I've ever seen in my life" and how that led to Eric having no choice but to follow in his footsteps, becoming the first father-son duo to serve as head coach in the NBA. The Trojans' head coach talks about the hardest challenges and life lessons learned in his more than 30 years of coaching experience in the NBA and NCAA. Now, Eric continues honing his basketball heritage through his kids - connecting to his sons through their work together at USC and the lessons he's learned from being a parent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"The power of storytelling is to save us.... and to destroy us." Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Viet Thanh Nguyen, is deeply shaped by his identity as a refugee. Viet describes his upbringing, one without many books, one that dealt with violence and isolation, and one that made him incredibly interested in the Vietnam War. The two bond over the shared burdens that family takes on to start a new life and Viet talks about what it was like winning the most prestigious prize in literature for his debut novel, and how he was propelled from a professor to a public figure. Viet also speaks to the importance of sharing and uplifting refugee stories amidst the digital and political dangers facing today's society. Viet’s latest book, “To Save and to Destroy”, an exploration of otherness and a call for political solidarity, is available now wherever you get your books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"I got our name in places it hasn't been before, and I want to continue to do that." O'Shea Jackson Jr. is absolutely his father's son, and he's not shy about it. Instead, he's on a mission to match that passion and legacy. O’Shea talks with Dan about his father’s career and what it means to follow in those giant footsteps… including playing him in 'Straight Outta Compton'. And, of course, O’Shea shares the stories only a star-studded childhood could tell, like calling up Kobe for inspiration. He also dives into his journey through the film industry to franchises like Godzilla and Star Wars, starting with how struggling in school actually taught O’Shea that he was always a writer. Watch, listen, & subscribe to the "No-Contest Wrestling Podcast with O'Shea Jackson Jr. & TJ Jefferson", available wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Margaret Cho is a comedy legend. She’s worn her heart on her sleeve since the start of her career, and now she’s bearing it on South Beach Sessions. Together, Dan and Margaret explore her past: her unusual upbringing, her record and boundary-breaking impact on comedy, and her personal struggles with deep depression and anxiety. Margaret tells Dan about her childhood in the Bay Area, including her early start in comedy and performance, which emerged from a deep feeling of loneliness and being unseen. She ties her queer identity to her growth and development as an artist, but also to her isolation. And, as Margaret embarks on a new tour, they discuss the state of comedy today… including what it means to wholeheartedly push back against an administration that was supported by mainstream comics. Go see Margaret live on her “Choligarchy” tour, dates and tickets are available at margaretcho.com/tour Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"You're always sure that another shoe's gonna drop and this is all gonna go away..."  A teenage icon turned struggling actor to Emmy Award-winning sitcom star, Jon Cryer has seen every side of Hollywood and made an impact most couldn't even dream of. Jon tells Dan what it was like growing up in a showbiz family and how he experienced fame early in his career with "Pretty in Pink", being associated with the Brat Pack, and performing on Broadway as a teenager. He also explains the unique disappointment that comes with working on a failing TV show or a movie that bombs... to the then life-altering popularity of "Two and a Half Men", how he's moved on since it ended, and why he's still not ready to reconnect with Charlie Sheen. Listen to the true crime podcast, "The Man Who Calculated Death", available on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jo Koy makes moves and always brings the laughs. He has sold-out tours, sets new records with the upcoming first comedy event at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (with Gabriel 'Fluffy' Iglesias), and even has holidays named after him... but what he really wants to do is make people laugh. From a hilarious story about betting on himself and producing his own special despite being told (repeatedly) no one wants it... to now multiple Netflix specials, breaking barriers in Filipino representation in entertainment and his pride in his cross-cultural comedy, Jo finds the ultimate joy in connecting with his audiences. Jo also gets real about his family: he tells Dan all about his military brat upbringing to working in entertainment just like his mother, and how humor got him through it all. Jo is currently on his "Jo Koy: Just Being Koy Tour", for upcoming dates, tickets, his bestselling book, and more, visit JoKoy.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From being the face of Old Spice, to Black-ish, to Conan, to touring around the country... Deon Cole is everywhere. Deon tracks his career, from not even knowing he was funny... to performing on Conan and immediately earning himself a job there... to the "awkward" through-line of all his characters. He also memorializes his mother, recounting her love and support of him and why he named his special, "Charleen's Boy," after her. With Dan, Deon explores his grief, and feeling her presence during the performance. Deon's latest Netflix special, "Ok, Mister" is streaming now, and you can watch "Average Joe" on BET+. Visit deoncole.com for upcoming tour dates and tickets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An icon in the flesh, after seventy years in the spotlight, Williams Shatner continues to live long and prosper. William shares over 90 years worth of wisdom, drawn together from a life of incredible experiences— from exploring the final frontier on camera, to real-life space travel. He and Dan explore the beauty of our planet, cosmic joke of our brief existence on it, and the unifying grief all humans share. They also look back on the enduring legacy of Star Trek, the way it forever revolutionized fan culture, and how it continues to change his life and countless others for generations. For an unforgettable experience to see this icon live on stage and a screening of the classic, "Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan," go to WilliamShatnerTour.com for dates and tickets. For all the latest projects and appearances, visit WiliamShatner.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices