Crossballs: The Debate Show

Crossballs: The Debate Show
Created by	Matt Besser Charlie Siskel
Starring	Chris Tallman
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	24
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	Comedy Central
Original run	02015-07-06-0000July 6 – August 27, 2004 (2004-08-27)

Crossballs: The Debate Show is a Comedy Central television show which poked fun at cable news networks' political debate shows, especially CNN's Crossfire and MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews. In each episode, comedians posing as experts on a particular subject would debate two real commentators. The true experts were unaware that the show was a sham. Topics ranged from reality television to religion to violence in video games.

It debuted on July 6, 2004 and ran for eight weeks. It aired Tuesday-Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The twenty-third and final episode aired on August 24, 2004. Show number 24 ("Pistol Whipped America") was taped but never aired, after one of the unsuspecting guests, James March, threatened to sue Comedy Central.

Cast members

Chris Tallman - Host of Crossballs
Matt Besser - Fake Guest Debater
Mary Birdsong - Fake Guest Debater
Andrew Daly - Fake Guest Debater
Jerry Minor - Fake Guest Debater
Sean Conroy - Occasional Fake Guest Debater (3 episodes)
Rich Fulcher - Occasional Fake Guest Debater (2 episodes)

Notable real guests

Chris Simcox - Minuteman Civil Defense Corps founder and spokesperson
Wiley Drake - outspoken Southern Baptist evangelist
Dave Kong - director of the American Atheists California chapter
Jackie Christie - wife of professional basketball player Doug Christie
Zulu - Owner of famous LA tattoo shop Zulu tattoo

External links

Crossballs: The Debate Show at the Internet Movie Database
Crossballs: The Debate Show at TV.com
articleDigital Spy
Crossballs Puzzle: Why don't the guests on Comedy Central's fake debate show get the joke?, Jacob Sullum, Reason, July 30, 2004
CrossballsEmail account of nearly appearing on by Lauren Weinstein

Comedy Central programming

1990s debuts

Afterdrive (1991)
Alan King: Inside the Comedy Mind (1991)
Bob and Margaret (1998–2001)
Clash! (1991)
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (1995–99, 2002)
Exit 57 (1995–96)
Frank Leaves for the Orient (1999)
The Higgins Boys and Gruber (1991)
Make Me Laugh (1997–98)
The Man Show (1999–2004)
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1991–96)
Night After Night with Allan Havey (1991–92)
Politically Incorrect (1994–97)
Premium Blend (1997–2006)
Pulp Comics (1997–99)
Short Attention Span Theater (1991–94)
Sports Monster (1991)
Strangers with Candy (1999–2000)
Upright Citizens Brigade (1998–2000)
The Vacant Lot (1994)
Viva Variety (1997–98)
VS. (1999)
Win Ben Stein's Money (1997–2003)

2000s debuts

American Body Shop (2007)
BattleBots (2000–02)
Beat the Geeks (2001–02)
Blue Collar TV (2004-2006)
Chappelle's Show (2003–06)
Chocolate News (2008)
Clerks: The Animated Series (2002)
The Comedians of Comedy (2005)
Con (2005)
Contest Searchlight (2002)
Crank Yankers (2002–05)
Crossballs: The Debate Show (2004)
Drawn Together (2004–07)
Distraction (2005–06)
Dog Bites Man (2006)
(2000)
Freak Show (2006)
Friday Night Stand-Up with Greg Giraldo (2005–06)
Futurama (2008–13)
Gerhard Reinke's Wanderlust (2003)
The Gong Show with Dave Attell (2008)
The Graham Norton Effect (2004)
Halfway Home (2007)
The Hollow Men (2005)
I'm with Busey (2003)
Important Things with Demetri Martin (2009–10)
Insomniac with Dave Attell (2001–04)
The Jeff Dunham Show (2009)
Kid Notorious (2003)
Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire (2009)
Let's Bowl (2001–02)
Lewis Black's Root of All Evil (2008)
Lil' Bush (2007–08)
Live at Gotham (2006–09)
Michael & Michael Have Issues (2009)
Mind of Mencia (2005–08)
The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show (2007)
Primetime Glick (2001–03)
Reality Bites Back (2008)
Reno 911! (2003–09)
The Sarah Silverman Program (2007–10)
Secret Girlfriend (2009)
Shorties Watchin' Shorties (2004)
The Showbiz Show with David Spade (2005–07)
Stella (2005)
Straight Plan for the Gay Man (2004)
Strip Mall (2000–01)
That's My Bush! (2001)
Too Late with Adam Carolla (2005)
Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn (2003–04)
Travel Sick (2001–02)
Trigger Happy TV (2003)
TV Funhouse (2000–01)
Wanda Does It (2004)
Weekends at the D.L. (2005)

2010s debuts

The Ben Show (2013)
The Benson Interruption (2010)
Big Lake (2010)
The Comedy Awards (2011–12)
Jon Benjamin Has a Van (2011)
The Jeselnik Offensive (2013)
Mash Up (2012)
Nick Swardson's Pretend Time (2010–11)
Onion SportsDome (2011)
Sports Show with Norm Macdonald (2011)
Ugly Americans (2010–12)

Current

Late-night	Adam DeVine's House Party (since 2013) @midnight (since 2013) The Colbert Report (since 2005) Comedy Underground with Dave Attell (since 2014) The Daily Show (since 1996) Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand Up Revolution (since 2011) The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail (since 2014)

Primetime	Brickleberry (since 2012) Broad City (since 2014) The Burn with Jeff Ross (since 2012) Comedy Central Roast (since 2003) Drunk History (since 2013) The Half Hour (since 2012) Inside Amy Schumer (since 2013) John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show (since 2010) Key & Peele (since 2012) Kroll Show (since 2013) Nathan for You (since 2013) Review (since 2014) South Park (since 1997) Tosh.0 (since 2009) TripTank (since 2014) Workaholics (since 2011)

Upcoming

Another Period (2015)
Big Time in Hollywood, FL
The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore (2015)

Crossballs: The Debate Show