From the category of “Even the Best Announcers Sometimes Make Mistakes,” Mike Breen confused a couple of TV shows during a New York Knicks broadcast Monday night.
Breen quickly caught the error but seemed embarrassed to have let it slip.
In the second half of the Knicks’ game against the Orlando Magic, the MSG Networks’ play-by-play announcer pointed out some figures on Celebrity Row.
“Actress Susie Essman from Pardon the Interruption,” Breen said. He got the actress right but had the wrong show. Essman starred in Larry David’s HBO comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm, which ran 12 seasons between 1999 and April 2024. Pardon the Interruption, of course, is ESPN’s long-running show featuring Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon.
Unfortunately, Breen kept going down the wrong road, talking with broadcast partner Walt Frazier about Essman’s show.
“My guess is you never saw, Pardon the Interruption,” Breen asked Frazier.
“Nope,” Frazier said. (Whether he meant he’d never seen Curb Your Enthusiasm or Pardon the Interruption, we’ll never know.)
“Well if you want, Susie Essman’s dialogue would make you blush,” Breen continued. “She was hilarious … not Pardon the Interruption, Curb Your Enthusiasm, excuse me. I don’t know why I said Pardon the Interruption. My mistake, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David’s spectacular show.”
Mike Breen accidentally confuses “Pardon the Interruption” with “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and he’s very sorry about that.
(h/t @PSchrags) pic.twitter.com/M9dalje7WN
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 7, 2025
A few sports media pros checked in on X to note Breen’s miscue.
Mike Breen seems mortified that he just called “Curb Your Enthusiasm” “Pardon My Interruption”. It’s ok. You’re allowed to mess up once in 30 years, Mike.
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) January 7, 2025
I would watch a show where Larry David and Tony Kornheiser argue about sports.
— John Ourand (@Ourand_Puck) January 7, 2025
David, a huge Knicks fan, would certainly be willing to forgive Breen for the innocent mistake.
[Peter Schrager]