Make no mistake about it, Ronny Chieng’s interview on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz earlier this year was a total disaster.
And nearly 10 months later, The Daily Show correspondent still seems bitter about it.
On Thursday, Chieng joined another daily sports program, The Rich Eisen Show, to promote the upcoming Hulu series, Interior Chinatown. But while doing so, the comedian couldn’t help but take repeated shots at an unnamed sports show he had previously appeared on — an apparent — if not obvious — reference to the Le Batard Show.
“Thanks for having me on,” Chieng told Eisen. “It’s nice to be on a sports show with a host who actually wants guests on the show. Versus some other sports podcast shows I’ve been on, so great.”
After Eisen made reference to the treatment Chieng had received on his own show, the 38-year-old replied: “Yeah, make it normal and be a cool person, which is what you did for me. Which is more than I can say for most of these other sports shows out there that have people on that they don’t even want them on. These names that will remain anonymous.”
“I think people might be people might be picking up what you’re putting down right now,” Eisen replied.
In case they weren’t, Chieng made perhaps his most direct reference to Le Batard as the interview came to a close.
“It was great. Much better than almost any other sports podcast experience I’ve been on,” Chieng said.
“How many other experiences have you been on?” Eisen inquired.
“I’ve been on Pablo Torre. He’s my good friend. I love Pablo,” Chieng said. “Intelligent sports analysis. Versus other shock jock controversy-seeking former ESPN people who are abusing other people to just get clicks. You know who you are.”
Ronny Chieng on Rich Eisen clearly talking about his interview on @LeBatardShow when they kept cutting to @tvippolis on a speed boat pic.twitter.com/8s7ry2jiPt
— Mark (@lebatardshowfan) November 15, 2024
All things considered, Chieng’s reaction appears to be outsized for what was ultimately a disastrous, but relatively harmless interview that occurred nearly a year ago. After the comedian seemingly took exception to Le Batard beginning the interview by asking about the internal reaction to host Trevor Noah’s departure from The Daily Show, the conversation continued on awkward terms, before the show ultimately bounced back and forth between the interview and video producer Taylor Vippolis, who was inexplicably on a speedboat.
“You know, you can ask me about sports. We don’t have to keep forcing these Daily Show comedy questions, man,” a visibly annoyed Chieng told Le Batard at one point. “That’s what I know you from – is from Around The Horn.”
That actually proved to be the funniest part of the interview, as Le Batard has never actually been an Around The Horn panelist.
Naturally, the awkward interview made for fodder on the Le Batard Show, especially with regard to Chieng’s friendship with Torre, a member of the Meadowlark Media family. That, however, was seemingly the end of that until Chieng’s appearance on The Rich Eisen Show on Thursday.
Taking to X on Friday, longtime Le Batard Show producer Mike Ryan Ruiz told Chieng to “get over it,” noting that the show had apologized sincerely to the comedian for the interview. Based on Thursday interview, it doesn’t appear that apology was accepted, as Chieng seems to still be holding a grudge 10 months later.
