Joe Buck, Artie Lange Butt Heads on HBO's Joe Buck Live

Joe Buck and Artie Lange had an interesting exchange Tuesday night at the debut of HBO's Joe Buck Live, with Lange telling several off-color jokes on TV and then getting even more ribald during a web-only "overtime" segment. The video is below; the audio is not safe for work.

If you can't watch the video but want the gist of it, well, I'm afraid this is a family web site and I can't really tell you much. But Lange's jokes -- mostly at the expense of Buck -- were sexual and scatological in nature, and Buck seemed to feel that they were well beyond the realm of what was acceptable, even for HBO.

Both Buck and HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg told USA Today afterward that they thought Lange crossed the line.

"You know, it's cable, you can get away with it," Buck said of Lange's comments. "It's not my style. But, you do one show and you learn and you move on."

Greenburg added that Lange "bordered on bad taste," and he compared it to last summer's infamous blowup between Will Leitch and Buzz Bissinger.

"Look, live television is all about risk-reward. We know who Artie Lange was when he was booked," Greenburg told USA Today. "We knew there was a certain degree of a risk factor in where he would go and where he would take us. I think at the end of the day, we'll let the public decide. Much the same way the public decided on the appearance of Will Leitch and Buzz Bissinger. ... The public will have the last say in what they thought of Artie Lange tonight."

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

6-16-2009 @ 11:35AM

gawbrooks said...

Lange's appearance was nothing short of disgusting and crude. I blame the producers for choosing to bring him on. What in God's name were they thinking? Here is Buck, a well-respected broadcaster, having to share his show with a lowlife skeez like Lange? To say Lange is troubled is a vast understatement. Moreover, he is not funny and he is an unapologetic drug addict. Buck's show will recover, but half of a show of this kind's success is based on the quality of the guests.

6-16-2009 @ 2:35PM

anthonyandkeisha said...

If you don't want the tiger to eat your lunch guests, don't invite the tiger to lunch. They knew what they were getting when they invited a foul-mouthed comedian to appear on the program. Don't blame the producers. Blame Buck. His name is on the show; he is to be held accountable. Furthermore, attacking Lange's personality flaws does not change the fact that Lange was funny. Proof of that can be found in the fact that people laughed. And, a cheap laugh is better than cheap silence.

6-16-2009 @ 11:42AM

Theeegoldendork4 said...

JOE BUCK IS A MORON.

6-16-2009 @ 12:00PM

DAN said...

it kept me tuned in , and i agree the cowboys do suck

6-16-2009 @ 12:18PM

tetrarquin said...

Joe Buck stinks like weak old butt..he and Thomas Brennaman should both be shot into outer space with a one way missile headed toward Cliche Heaven..

6-16-2009 @ 12:31PM

Fat Boy said...

Artie just put Joe's show on the map. He should be grateful.

I never would have heard of it.

6-16-2009 @ 12:32PM

nohiphop2 said...

gawbrooks Are you Joe Buck?

6-16-2009 @ 12:55PM

mike said...

does any body have hbo, horible box office ,the same movies that were on tv joe buck just another anounceron tv,,,,yawn

6-16-2009 @ 1:04PM

plajack said...

Shows are for entertainment? Right? Artie made me laugh outloud. He was funny and Real as they come. Artie entertained the hell out of me. Relax Joe, take a chill pill.

6-16-2009 @ 1:06PM

Hi Alven said...

Funny was Brett Farve "on some people don't give a shit". Lange sounded like a third grader going off at a family reunion.

I personally do not care for the off the deep end potty mouth rant's. There is a difference between cussing to make points, interject a joke, add power to a statement. HBO or not there is is timing and taste.

6-16-2009 @ 1:24PM

kwc619 said...

Artie made the show interesting. The Brett Favre interview was a snooze fest and Chad Johnson looked like a deer in Michael Irvin's headlights. Irvin believes that he is a motivational speaker or something. He really believes that he is intelligent and interesting...he is not. Nor should he be giving advice to Chad Johnson. Joe Buck had an opportunity on live television to tell Chad Johnson that his antics, while not illegal, frustrates fans and isolates the rest of his team and why that is a problem. But there was nothing. There were no tough questions and therefore no real discussions of interest.

Artie came in and although it was brutal at times, Joe Buck took some digs at Artie and you don’t take digs at a professional comedian of 20 years who does "off color" humor. Because guess what...he will take over your show and make you pay for it.

For better or worse, it made the show interesting. Joe Buck and HBO are secretly smiling because this is now a news story and it has created buzz for a show that might have been one and done based on the first 50 minutes of it.

FYI…according to Joe Buck, he is NOT mad at Artie and may even appear on the Stern show this week to discuss it. In the meantime the Artie appearance is now being discussed on a show with 50 times the audience. A bad thing?

6-16-2009 @ 1:26PM

faundalemyshung said...

Artie Lange is a funny real person. He doesnt hide who he is at all. He made Joe Buck's Show tolerable..get a grip wierdos...life is funny!

6-16-2009 @ 1:37PM

Ray said...

Artie has been hanging around Stern a little too long. It doesn't take talent of any kind to spew that garbage. I realize HBO is a cable network but is there any justification for the obscenities or the crude remarks other than to impress Howard? Of course, based on what I have read here, he also impressed a few low-lifes who probably don't get out much.

6-16-2009 @ 3:47PM

bigswfty58 said...

I AGREE 100% HE JUST ALWAYS COMES OFF LIKE A PISSED OFF RACIST ASSHOLE WITH HIS NOSE UP HOWARDS ASS. HE IS A FUCKING IDIOT!!!!!!!!

6-16-2009 @ 1:42PM

lmclothes said...

If Joe Buck wants to keep that show, he better have more guests like Artie, that say what they mean and are genuinely funny..Artie killed it and making Mr. Buck uncomfortable made the show that much better. People need to stop being so serious and go with the flow. The show was boring and the comic relief was very welcome...Love ya Artie, and good luck Joe Buck.....

6-16-2009 @ 1:58PM

Mike said...

I think he was out of line... but he's the only one i was actually enjoying oddly. he was funny and everyone else was pretty boring. joe buck is so boring and I'm sure i won't watch the show again.. but if lange came back on i'm sure that would be some great T.V and i'd tune in.

6-16-2009 @ 2:41PM

blasteck said...

I liked Joe Bucks show. It is going to save me a furtune in sleeping pills. Come on guy you are on cable now. Dont be afraid to hang it out there and ask some tough hard hitting questions. Make your father proud

6-16-2009 @ 2:46PM

phins2dright said...

First of all I've never thought Lange was funny. Anyone can toss out 4 letter words but it doesn't make it funny. But I must say it was priceless watching Joe Buck getting ticked off. You could see him just sitting fuming. Joe Buck is not half the sports announcer his father was and is so arrogant and smug that I find myself actually prefering Tim McCarver during there baseball telecasts, something I could have never foreseen before these two were paired together.

6-16-2009 @ 2:53PM

nanajox7 said...

I tune in sports shows to hear the latest inside news about teams and players alike. I do not tune them on to hear some grossly over weight asshole. His comments were NOT funny but they were uncalled for unless Artie was confirming how he and his friends relate to one another. Artie you ##*#%%%suck.

6-16-2009 @ 3:00PM

rlbrooks726 said...

Joe Buck would be doing sports on the evening news in Podunk, Iowa if it weren't for his father. The show was a snoozefest until Artie Lange came on. GO ARTIE!!!! BABABOOEY!!!!

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