"Crossballs: The Debate Show" (2004) TV series

Creators:

Matt Besser
Charlie Siskel

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

6 July 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

What seems real... isn't.

Plot:

In this parody of topical debate shows, Crossballs pits unsuspecting real experts against comedians posing as experts, debating each other on various issues.

Plot Keywords:

Comedian | Debate | Parody | Satire | Improvisation

Cast

Chris Tallman	...	Host / ... (14 episodes, 2004)
Matt Besser	...	Various Characters (14 episodes, 2004)
Mary Birdsong	...	Various Characters / ... (14 episodes, 2004)
Andrew Daly	...	Various Characters / ... (14 episodes, 2004)
Jerry Minor	...	Various Characters (14 episodes, 2004)

Also Known As:

Crossballs (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

30 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Charlie Siskel Productions

Trivia:

The title was a combination of "Crossfire" (1982) and "Hardball with Chris Matthews" (1997). Both shows were spoofed in this program.

Quotes:

Various Characters: [talking about video game addiction] In the real world, or "meatspace" as I like to call it, I was never getting laid and when I did get laid, it was ugly people.

Hilarious---just absolutely hilarious and outrageous. A home run.

This fake show takes professional comedians pretending to be "experts" in one field or another, and has them debating real experts in those fields, on a CNN-Crossfire-type show.

Combined with video clips prepared in advance, and hilarious graphics re-iterating something that's just been uttered a second previous, this parody is hilarious because of the outrageousness of the characters played by the comics, as well as our knowledge that the real experts think they are on a bona-fide cable interview program, and we know they're being had.

It's brilliant, outrageous and simply hilarious. I laugh so hard and so often during Crossballs that damn near soil myself each time I watch.