Fake Cubs Fan Tricks TV


Friday October 17, 2003

BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) -- A man pretending to be Steve Bartman -- the infamous Chicago Cubs fan who prevented Moises Alou from making a key catch -- tricked ESPN into putting him on the air for a live phone interview yesterday. The prank, on the 6 p.m. edition of SportsCenter, was discovered shortly into the interview when the man referred to radio shock jock Howard Stern. The interview was stopped, and anchor Dan Patrick said, "We've been had. That was not Steve Bartman."

"We made a mistake," ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said. "We have a process in place to prevent these type of situations. In more than 24 years it hasn't happened on SportsCenter before. In this instance we should have been more thorough. Once it became clear, we communicated to viewers immediately that it wasn't a real interview."

:lol: What a Sicko!

:lol:

I heard it. The guy sounded very authentic. I swear though, right before he let the cat out of the bag, I thought to myself, this is one of those Stern fan's gags again.
It was quite a lengthy interview, and then the guy blurts out something like, Do you like Howard Stern's a$$ cheese?

Gross, sorry, but it was funny. :lol:

If somebody has an audio file of this ESPN interview, please post it. I love to hear this screwball! :crazy:

Sounds like the work of Captain Janks, a notorious prank caller who has lied his way on the air a lot of times.

Anyone remember the Jerky Boys? Someone lent me their cassette years ago and it was hilarious. :lol:

I watch and listen to C-Span Washington Journal in the mornings a lot of times. Those Stern prank calls come in once in awhile. They are always done by someone who is practiced at the deception. They aren't just BlowBlobJim or SallySinSunny having a little fun. I didn't hear this fake Cub Fan caller but ESPN was probably ripe for being had, and this guy knew it.

Originally posted by Jenya
If somebody has an audio file of this ESPN interview, please post it. I love to hear this screwball! :crazy:


:nod: Me, too.

Check out Monday's Howard Stern show, it's bound to be played there, though I do wish I'd seen and heard that as it happened. I remember years ago watching ABC News coverage of the OJ freeway chase and someone called in to Peter Jennings saying they were one of OJ's neighbors when it was really a prank. Even after the guy said Bababooey, Jennings still didn't know he'd been had.:lol: