Courtesy New York Daily News

(June 22, 2009) There's a story, a plausible one, making the rounds out there and it goes something like this: When staffers initially presented the idea of Artie Lange bringing his comedic dumpster on Joe Buck's new show, HBO Sports boss Ross Greenburg nixed it.

Then, after these producers came back pitching their boss on the edgy virtue and drawing power of Lange, a sidekick of Sirius/XM franchise Howard Stern, Greenburg, who built a solid reputation on excellent instincts, changed his mind.

In case you haven't heard, Lange, appearing with two other entertainers on a "Joe Buck Live" segment, unleashed what he unleashes every day on the radio - a flood of obscenities designed to offend.

They should not hang their heads over this. Nor should they dwell on it any longer. After all, it ain't a cancer diagnosis. It's just showbiz. Buzz is the bottom line.

Besides, when was the last time anyone mistook HBO for FamilyNet Television? The debut of "Joe Buck Live" drew 381,000 viewers. In terms of other HBO Sports offerings, the number is not shabby.

When Lange works live, he works dirty - period. End of story. Hello, when he appears on one of these late-night shows (Letterman or whatever) there's a safety net (duh). The show is on tape. Apparently, HBO suits thought Lange, performing live, would feel so honored to be on their network he would morph into Little Lord Fauntleroy, or faint at the mere sight of Buck.

Why else would Greenburg, in a published report, say: "He (Lange) wasn't who we thought he was."

Neither was Buck.

This is where HBO's real problem lies.

For if you strip away all the righteous indignation over Lange's predictable performance, all the hiss and vinegar, all the self-flagellation by HBO, there is a legitimate - serious - concern.

As things stand now, the decision to give Buck his own show, and invest serious coin in him, was a huge mistake.
Unless Buck gets a serious makeover before the second installment of his show on Sept. 22, HBO suits should cut their losses and cut bait.

They should cancel the show.

Forget about the Lange segment and the Brett Favre interview that went too long. All the failings of this show were best captured during Buck's interview with Michael Irvin, who had past problems with the law, and Chad Ocho Cinco, who hasn't.

Buck was so consumed with trying to get Mr. Ocho Cinco to say he was afraid of being "swallowed up" by the spotlight he craves, he left the impression the Bengals wideout's antics were somehow criminal, or at least an assault on the sensibilities of those sensitive souls who watch NFL football.

Ocho Cinco came right back at Buck when he suggested the receiver may have embarrassed a teammate or quarterback. "Have I ever embarrassed my quarterback? No. No I haven't," Ocho Cinco said. "Never."

Then, Buck started talking about certain stories and "quotes" that would prove otherwise. "You have to show me," Ocho Cinco said. "Pull it up."

"All right," Buck said, "but we're running out of time."

How embarrassing. Clearly, Buck was not prepared to go down this road. If he was, he would have come armed with a gotcha quote. While the oversight is on him, the producers of "Joe Buck Live" did not provide him any cover. This was sloppy, a telling element in a disjointed production looking entirely thrown together.

Buck, out of his element, was totally exposed. The challenge now is to show he belongs.

For if "Joe Buck Live" bombs again, Artie Lange won't be around to blame.