# Bill Simmons' HBO show cancelled after 17 episodes **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 11, 2016, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489 "2016-11-11T12:51:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/1 "2016-11-11T12:51:38Z")
Kind of a bummer; I watched every episode and thought it was a good show. I didn’t really know anything about Bill Simmons before this HBO show. Aside from the at-times-tedious Boston homerism, he had interesting ideas. Sadly, [there weren’t many others](http://www.businessinsider.com/bill-simmons-hbo-show-any-given-wednesday-ratings-2016-9) besides me watching it. Dan Le Batard talks about [the cancellation](http://awfulannouncing.com/2016/listen-dan-lebatard-on-bill-simmons-any-given-wednesday-life-outside-espn.html), and opines that this signifies the end of HBO trying out any more sports talk shows. He also talks about how the ego makes people think they’re the star at ESPN, but ESPN is what makes you a star because for many sports fans, ESPN isn’t just entertainment, it’s a habit. Hearing that reminded me of [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735377). ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/2 "2016-11-11T13:14:46Z")
That makes me sad, but it also doesn’t surprise me a whole lot. I never tuned in the day of to watch, I always watched it in batches. It also doesn’t surprise me because Simmons’ loyal fans want to hear HIM talk about things, not whatever random-ass guests he has on that week. ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/3 "2016-11-11T14:17:39Z")
I listen to his podcast when he has Cousin Sal on, or other interesting guests like Klosterman, and I enjoyed his writing back when he actually used to write. I also subscribe to HBO. I never watched his show. The initial promos were so cringey with his dumb “I Believe” speech, and he is just not good on TV. If he couldn’t get a fan of his with an HBO subscription to tune in even once, it’s safe to say “didn’t resonate with the audiences” is an understatement. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/4 "2016-11-11T14:26:47Z")
I liked Simmons way back when was The Sports Guy at ESPN. But Le Batard, much as I hate to say it, is right that ESPN makes those guys famous. Almost all of them crater after they move on. Craig Kiborn, Keith Olberman, Colin Cowherd, Skip Bayless…the list goes on. Dan Patrick is probably the exception, but he’s not as popular as he was at the mothership. I don’t get HBO, I didn’t see Simmons’ show. But honestly I probably would not have watched anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/5 "2016-11-12T01:20:16Z")
Too idiotic for HBO…that’s a first. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/6 "2016-11-12T03:04:54Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I liked Simmons way back when was The Sports Guy at ESPN. But Le Batard, much as I hate to say it, is right that ESPN makes those guys famous. Almost all of them crater after they move on. Craig Kiborn, Keith Olberman, Colin Cowherd, Skip Bayless…the list goes on. Dan Patrick is probably the exception, but he’s not as popular as he was at the mothership. > > I don’t get HBO, I didn’t see Simmons’ show. But honestly I probably would not have watched anyway. I wouldn’t put Olbermann in that list. Countdown ran for eight years and I think he could still be on MSNBC if he hadn’t had that idiot Phil Griffin gunning for him for years. I’ve found that the only show on ESPN Radio I really like listening to these days is Le Batard’s. ---
**Author:** ![Textual\_Assault](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@Textual\_Assault](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Assault)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/7 "2018-07-11T18:12:02Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I liked Simmons way back when was The Sports Guy at ESPN. But Le Batard, much as I hate to say it, is right that ESPN makes those guys famous. Almost all of them crater after they move on. Craig Kiborn, Keith Olberman, Colin Cowherd, Skip Bayless…the list goes on. Dan Patrick is probably the exception, but he’s not as popular as he was at the mothership. > > I don’t get HBO, I didn’t see Simmons’ show. But honestly I probably would not have watched anyway. So making more than $40,000,000 from Current Tv as Olbermann did is considered ‘cratering?’:rolleyes: Yeah yeah, sure thing.:rolleyes: Bayless and Cowheard both got multi million multi year deals from FS1. tell us how does it feel to be absolutely wrong about everything you post? Is it enjoyable? Do you pour yourself a big glass of box wine and settle in every evening and review your posts? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/8 "2018-07-11T20:15:12Z")
I guess looking back 2 years later, maybe Kilbourne is the only one who really “cratered.” But I’d certainly argue the others, whatever their pay situation may be, are not reaching the audience they did at ESPN. Of course, even ESPN itself is not reaching the audience that ESPN did a few years ago, so I’m not sure what that says. I’m more of a beer guy than a wine-o. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/9 "2018-07-11T20:47:35Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Aside from the at-times-tedious Boston homerism… I did not hear (or see in his voluminous writings) anything other than tedious Boston homerism. I think he got paid by the word. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/10 "2018-07-11T20:48:15Z")
Simmons was a scream, a total must-read, in his old [bostonsportsguy.com](http://bostonsportsguy.com) days. But then he got an ESPN deal and immediately tried to out-pompous Bob Costas. It’s probably incurable at this point. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/11 "2018-07-11T23:54:49Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I guess looking back 2 years later, maybe Kilbourne is the only one who really “cratered.” But I’d certainly argue the others, whatever their pay situation may be, are not reaching the audience they did at ESPN. Of course, even ESPN itself is not reaching the audience that ESPN did a few years ago, so I’m not sure what that says. > > I’m more of a beer guy than a wine-o. Craig Kilborn cratered? After he left ESPN, he hosted the _Daily Show_ for its first three seasons, then CBS’s _The Late Late Show_ for five. Some crater. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/12 "2018-07-12T15:41:45Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Craig Kilborn cratered? After he left ESPN, he hosted the _Daily Show_ for its first three seasons, then CBS’s _The Late Late Show_ for five. > > Some crater. Yeah, his first gig after leaving ESPN. And did his jobs get progressively better or worse after that? His most recent work, according to Wiki, appears to include a commercial for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in 2016 and one episode of Workaholics in 2017. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/13 "2018-07-12T15:51:54Z")
I saw Simmons when he guest hosted PTI. He may be a great writer, but I thought he was _weak_ as on on-air personality. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-simmons-hbo-show-cancelled-after-17-episodes/771489/14 "2018-07-12T17:51:16Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Yeah, his first gig after leaving ESPN. And did his jobs get progressively better or worse after that? His most recent work, according to Wiki, appears to include a commercial for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in 2016 and one episode of Workaholics in 2017. I’d say following Tom Snyder on _The Late Late Show_ was a great gig, keeping the seat warm for Craig Ferguson and James Corden. In 2010, he basically said he left because he had achieved all his career goals and that late night TV wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. He had two high profile jobs which undoubtedly paid him very well for eight years. I’d like to have that kind of career crash.