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

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Creators:

Matt Besser
Charlie Siskel
(more)

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)

(more)

Series Directed by
Dennis Rosenblatt		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Aaron Blitzstein		(13 episodes, 2004)
Paul Scheer		(13 episodes, 2004)
Matt Besser		(unknown episodes)
Mary Birdsong		(unknown episodes)
Chad Carter		(unknown episodes)
Andrew Daly		(unknown episodes)
Dannah Feinglass		(unknown episodes)
Chris Gethard		(unknown episodes)
Brian Huskey		(unknown episodes)
Laura Krafft		(unknown episodes)
Jerry Minor		(unknown episodes)
Dylan Morgan		(unknown episodes)
Seth Morris		(unknown episodes)
Joe O'Brien		(unknown episodes)
Josh Siegal		(unknown episodes)
Charlie Siskel		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Matt Besser	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Bart Coleman	....	associate producer / segment producer (unknown episodes)
Erika Euler	....	producer (unknown episodes)
John C. Fitzgerald	....	supervising producer (unknown episodes)
Gil Lopez	....	line producer (unknown episodes)
Justin Roiland	....	associate producer / segment producer (unknown episodes)
Gary Rosen	....	show producer (unknown episodes)
Gary Rosen	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Jeff Sammon	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Charlie Siskel	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Lauren A. Stevens	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Kevin Bourque		(unknown episodes)
David Gibrick		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Jeff Hall		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Karen E. Weber		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Rod Rinks	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Joe Siraki	....	post-production manager (unknown episodes)
Sherry Sternosky	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
John Jackson	....	sound re-recording mixer (13 episodes, 2004)
Margit Pfeiffer	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Michael Skuras	....	digital artist (4 episodes, 2004)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
John C. Morgan	....	lighting designer (13 episodes, 2004)

Series Editorial Department
Sam Perotti	....	post-production coordinator (13 episodes, 2004)

Series Other crew
Jennifer Foy	....	production secretary (unknown episodes)
Ernesto Fuentes	....	field coordinator (unknown episodes)
Chris Gethard	....	assistant to writer (unknown episodes)
Wendy Hernandez	....	assistant to producer (unknown episodes)
Malia McInnes	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Sevan Najarian	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Humberto Ramos	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Caroline Stack	....	rights and clearances (unknown episodes)
Pete Szilagyi	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Peter Szilagyi	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Seth Taper	....	assistant to writer (unknown episodes)
Marie Yamamoto	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Charlie Siskel Productions

Distributors

• Comedy Central (2004) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Production Group Studios, The  sound stages and lighting

Also Known As:

"Crossballs" (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

USA:30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Charlie Siskel Productions

Trivia:

Most the dialogue was improvised by the cast. The other guests had no idea that the show was staged and believed that they were appearing on a real public affairs debate program.

Quotes:

[talking about file sharing]
Host: Do you consider yourself a music pirate?
Anti-RIAA Activist: Naw, man. I think pirates are gay.

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.