It took roughly 20 minutes for ESPN's new morning monstrosity to produce its first cringeworthy moment. "Get Up" made its highly anticipated debut Monday, complete with a sleek Times Square studio and plenty of fake laughter. Hosts Mike Greenberg, Michelle Beadle and Jalen Rose are getting paid an estimated $14.5 million to reinvent morning television by playing highlights and interviewing ESPN experts on location.
But oh, these kids have "fun." And it doesn't seem forced at all!
Much like ESPN's last failed high-profile experiment, "SC6," numerous ad campaigns for "Get Up" have been running across the WorldWide Leader's platform for weeks. They should all be scrapped, and replaced with the image of Jay Bilas wearing a hideous cowboy costume –– I'm sorry, "get up."
Get it?
Cowboy Jay Bilas https://t.co/7u0syUrGDD pic.twitter.com/Ahnmyb0GzU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 2, 2018"I was told 'Get Up,' so I wanted to put this 'get up' on," Bilas said at the beginning of his guest spot from San Antonio, prompting awkward hyena-like laughter from the show's hosts.
To be fair, "Get Up" will likely evolve over time. But it's difficult to see how this show, which looks like a jazzed up version of every other ESPN studio program, will differentiate itself from an already crowded morning TV marketplace. It doesn't even appear to be all that much different from "Mike & Mike," featuring many of the same analysts and breezy tone.
I sampled "Get Up" on ESPN. I lasted 14 minutes. Putting 4 faces on the screen and having the 4 hosts talk over each other during highlights was not for me. Back to the NFL Network and "Good Morning Football" - the best morning sports show on TV. pic.twitter.com/Ywjp3e6yLD
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) April 2, 2018In a recent interview with the Sporting News, Greenberg was adamant "Get Up" would stick to sports. But if that means cackling over tired Sister Jean jokes and playing sports trivia contests, maybe they should have gone outside of their comfort zone a little bit.
We've seen how this story ends. "SC6" lasted a little less than a year with Jemele Hill and Michael Smith, with the show quickly reverting to the standard "SportsCenter" model –– despite perceptions to the contrary.
"Get Up" is on a similar clock.
