Fox Sports’ ‘Manning Hour’ mayhem comes to Marietta
Paul Walter Hauser has an Emmy and a Golden Globe. He’s worked with Clint Eastwood and Spike Lee. Starred alongside Margot Robbie and Jeremy Allen White and Liam Neeson.
But on this Thursday afternoon, he’s in a wrestling ring tucked into the corner of a nightclub tucked into the corner of a Marietta strip mall … filming an NFL pregame bit with the least accomplished member of the Manning family.
Who’s offering him Cool Ranch Doritos from the bag stashed inside his Speedo.
“It doesn’t take much to get on ‘The Manning Hour,’” Cooper, the aforementioned Manning, says. You know him. Brother of Peyton and Eli. Son of Archie. Father of Arch.
He continues: “If you can juggle or wrestle or want to get a couples massage with me … or have any sort of skill that doesn’t come into play in any way, shape or form with your current profession, this is a decent spot to showcase those mediocre talents.”
‘Everything Peyton Manning would hate’
To be clear, Manning’s “hour” is a two-and-a-half minute segment that airs on Fox NFL Kickoff. This season marks its 12th.
The mission is to force football players (and the occasional football-loving entertainer) out of their shells. Let them show off something they love, and flash a little personality while they’re at it.
Usually while Manning plays the fool.
There’s a script each week, but it’s more prompt than mandate.
Manning: “It’s everything that Peyton Manning would hate. There’s preparation, but it’s loose and it has a winged feel to it.”
Producer Ben Sorenson: “If you ask the same questions, you get the same answers. So our strategy is to ask really dumb, silly questions and hopefully get an answer that might give you a little window into who the person is.”
On this day, that strategy also includes Manning wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt with sewn-in muscles, a child-sized wrestling belt and a poorly attached Fu Manchu mustache as he asks Hauser about three-named athletes like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Maurice Jones-Drew and, uh, Sarah Jessica Parker.
Hauser’s an accomplished actor, as mentioned, and he also dabbles in professional wrestling — thus the setting, and the flying elbow drops we haven’t mentioned yet. Fans of weirdo sketch comedy will also remember the Alpharetta resident’s turn in “I Think You Should Leave.”
He doesn’t miss a beat. Throws out a “He Hate Me” joke (XFL lore, look it up) and agrees with Manning’s assessment of his own outfit, which involves both boots and shorts.
He does look like a Boy Scout leader, and he should starting wrestling as The Denmaster.
Later, there’s a joke about Manning resembling “Hulk Hogan’s ghost.”
“We get away with a lot more than we probably should,” Manning says.
Secondary discussions
Manning does talk football.
Occasionally.
When asked.
He first met Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. years ago, at his family’s prestigious passing academy. He’s rooting for the QB’s health, and that of rookie executive Matt Ryan.
President of football is a tough gig.
“Hopefully, he doesn’t go completely gray in one year,” Manning says.
He laughs off a question about next year’s NFL Draft and how his son — the current University of Texas quarterback — feels about the city of Atlanta.
“He’s far from focused on anything other than just trying to win the next game,” Manning says.
Forget the fairway
After the slightly deranged in-ring interview (“Want me to get us back on the fairway?” the star asks his producer), activities shift toward the curtains. They’re carefully arranged to accommodate the taping of Manning’s grand entrance.
The crew will eventually get takes with bright lights and various degrees of smoke. More … atmosphere.
This take’s a simple one.
Manning emerges in the full rasslin’ get-up. He grunts. He flexes. He gyrates. He sidles up to Hauser, who’s in street clothes. Hauser says Manning is very late for their appointment.
Joke. Quip. Banter, banter.
By the end of it all, the crew is watching playbacks and roaring with laughter.
Hauser shakes hands and gives hugs, takes a selfie. He asks when this will air (Answer: about 11:20 a.m. Sunday) and encourages the “Manning Hour” folks to reach out again in the future.
“I love this kind of stuff,” he says.
Fade out.