View source for Pardon the Interruption

{{short description|American sports television show}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image        = Pardon the Interruption logo.svg
| runtime      = 30 minutes<br />+ ≈3 minutes (''SportsCenter'' segment)
| starring     = [[Tony Kornheiser]]<br />[[Michael Wilbon]]<br />[[Tony Reali]] (2001–2014)
| country      = United States
| location     = [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] Washington Bureau<br />[[Washington, D.C.]]
| network      = [[ESPN]]
| first_aired  = {{start date|2001|10|22}}
| last_aired   = present
| num_episodes = 3,000+<ref>ESPN: PTI podcast listing</ref>
| related      = ''[[The Sports Reporters]]''<br />''[[Around the Horn]]''
}}
'''''Pardon the Interruption''''' (abbreviated '''''PTI''''') is an American [[sports talk]] [[television program|television show]] that airs weekdays primarily on [[ESPN]] but can air on various TV channels in the event of live sports or breaking news. It has been hosted by [[Tony Kornheiser]] and [[Michael Wilbon]] since the beginning, they discuss, and debate, the top stories of that particular day in "sports... and other stuff" (as Kornheiser put it in the show's original promo).

Similar in format to [[Gene Siskel]] and [[Roger Ebert]]'s ''[[At the Movies (1986 TV program)|At the Movies]]'',<ref>{{Cite book|title=ESPN: The Making of a Sports Media Empire|last=Vogan|first=Travis|publisher=University of Illinois Press|year=2015|isbn=978-0252039768|location=Champaign, IL|pages=96}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Magazine/September-October-2014/Bethesda-Magazine-Interview/|title=Michael Wilbon: sports writer turned TV star|last=Elfin|first=David|date=September–October 2014|work=Bethesda Magazine|access-date=2017-07-07|language=en}}</ref> ''PTI'' is known for its playful banter between the cohosts, humorous and often loud tone, and a "rundown" graphic which lists the topics yet to be discussed on the right-hand side of the screen. The show's popularity has led to the creation of similar shows on ESPN and similar segments on other series, and the rundown graphic has since been implemented on the morning editions of ''[[SportsCenter]]'', among many imitators.<ref>{{cite news |last=Grant|first=Michael|date=September 27, 2021|title=Happy 20th anniversary to PTI, the sports show that changed sports talk|url=https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/happy-20th-anniversary-pti-sports-show-that-changed-sports-talk.html|work=Awful Announcing|location= |access-date=}}</ref>

==History==
The show began in 2001,<ref name="icom">[http://www.icommag.com/october2001/video-news.html Atlantic Video, Inc. Welcomes ESPN's First Washington DC Daily Show: Pardon the Interruption] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061026165411/http://www.icommag.com/october2001/video-news.html |date=October 26, 2006 }}. (2001, November). ''iCOM Magazine''. Retrieved December 16, 2006.</ref> and has emanated from [[Washington, D.C.]] since its debut, as both Kornheiser and Wilbon were writing for ''[[The Washington Post]]'' at the time.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/television/2014/01/30/the-enduring-allure-espn-pardon-interruption/utjIAy7extaoJLbjLADksO/story.html|title=The enduring allure of ESPN's 'Pardon the Interruption'|last=Austerlitz|first=Saul|date=30 January 2014|work=Boston Globe|access-date=2017-04-13}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/16/sports/tv-sports-this-debate-show-is-all-con.html|title=TV SPORTS; This Debate Show Is All Con|last=Sandomir|first=Richard|date=2004-07-16|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-07-07|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In addition, both men appeared frequently on ESPN's Sunday-morning discussion program ''[[The Sports Reporters]]''. The pair's frequent arguments during their time at the ''Post'' are often cited (including by Wilbon himself) as both the antecedent and inspiration for ''PTI''.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://wtop.com/sports/2015/01/behind-scenes-pardon-interruption/|title=Behind the scenes at 'Pardon the Interruption'|last=Frank|first=Noah|date=2015-01-23|work=WTOP|access-date=2017-07-07|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/06/AR2010120606607.html|title=For Michael Wilbon, a fond farewell to The Post|last=Wilbon|first=Michael|date=2010-12-07|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-07-07|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/13/sports/football/13kornheiser.html|title=The Public Neurotic of 'Monday Night Football'|last=Sandomir|first=Richard|date=2006-08-13|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-07-07|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/vault/2002/08/05/327407/revenge-of-the-words-the-yak-attacks-of-tony-kornheiser-and-michael-wilbon-on-espns-pardon-the-interruption-prove-that-friends-make-the-best-arguments|title=Revenge of the Words: The yak attacks of Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon on ESPN's 'Pardon the Interruption' prove that friends make the best arguments|last=Mansfield|first=Stephanie|date=5 August 2002|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=2017-07-07}}</ref>

The founding production team behind ''PTI'' includes [[Mark Shapiro (media executive)|Mark Shapiro]],<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2016/10/24/Media/Sports-Media.aspx|title='PTI' guys look back on 15 years with glee, grief, gratitude|last=Ourand|first=John|date=24 October 2016|website=Sports Business Daily|language=en-US|access-date=2017-07-07}}</ref> Erik Rydholm,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/post/erik-rydholm-and-the-10-year-anniversary-of-pti/2011/10/24/gIQAIe9IDM_blog.html|title=Erik Rydholm and the 10-year anniversary of PTI|last=Steinberg|first=Dan|date=24 October 2011|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2017-07-07}}</ref> Todd Mason, James Cohen,<ref name=":3" /> and Joseph Maar.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nesn.com/2012/07/nesn-hires-joseph-maar-as-vice-president-of-programming-and-production-executive-producer/|title=NESN Hires Joseph Maar as Vice President of Programming and Production, Executive Producer|date=2012-07-23|work=NESN.com|access-date=2017-07-24|language=en-US}}</ref> The original deal was for two years with an option for a third.<ref name="rlrassociates.net">{{cite web |url=http://www.rlrassociates.net/clients/wilbon092201.html |title=Clients in the News- ARTICLES |access-date=2009-02-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808073333/http://www.rlrassociates.net/clients/wilbon092201.html |archive-date=2007-08-08 }}</ref> Originally, the show also aired Sunday evening, but this stint was short-lived.

Originally produced at Atlantic Video's facilities in Washington, the show now occupies space at [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]' Washington bureau. Voice actress [[Kat Cressida]] lends her voice to commercial bumpers for the series and has since its premiere. From the premiere of ''PTI'' until September 5, 2014, [[Tony Reali]] served as the show's statistician (earning him the nickname "Stat Boy") and eventually became a de facto co-host.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/24/AR2006082401457.html|title=Pro Sports Fanatic|last=Williams|first=Paul|date=2006-08-27|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-07-07|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Reali became the host of ''[[Around the Horn]]'' in 2004, but remained on ''PTI'' until 2014, when he relocated to [[New York City]] to work on ''[[Good Morning America]]''<ref name=":3" /> while continuing as host of ''ATH''.

Kornheiser began exclusively hosting from his home upon the show's return from its 2020 [[COVID-19]] hiatus, though he made an in-studio appearance on December 5, 2023 but cautioned to viewers "Don't get used to it."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Novak |first1=Chris |title=Tony Kornheiser makes his long-awaited return to the 'PTI' studio |url=https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/tony-kornheiser-pti-studios.html |work=Awful Announcing |date=6 December 2023}}</ref> He has since returned to the studio on sporadic occasions when Wilbon was also in studio.

The show won a [[Sports Emmy Award]] for [[Outstanding Studio Show]] in 2009, 2016, and 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 27, 2010 |title=ESPN Wins Seven Sports Emmy Awards |url=http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2010/04/espn-wins-seven-sports-emmy-awards/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100606040633/http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2010/04/espn-wins-seven-sports-emmy-awards/ |archive-date=2010-06-06 |website=ESPN Media Zone |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thewrap.com/2019-sports-emmy-awards-espn-nbc-lead-the-pack-with-six-wins-each/|title=2019 Sports Emmy Awards: ESPN, NBC Lead the Pack With 6 Wins Each|last=Lincoln|first=Ross A.|date=May 20, 2019|work=[[The Wrap]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521153741/https://www.thewrap.com/2019-sports-emmy-awards-espn-nbc-lead-the-pack-with-six-wins-each/|archive-date=May 21, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Broadcast details==
''PTI'' airs at 5:30&nbsp;p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN,<ref name=":0" /> occasionally moving to ESPN2 in the event of live sports or breaking news coverage airing on the main channel. Replays also appear on ESPN2 or [[ESPNEWS]] at various times.
* In Canada, [[The Sports Network|TSN]] airs the show live at 5:30&nbsp;p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|ET]]. In 2011, the ''[[SportsCentre]]'' edition following ''PTI'' now features the final segment, but previously TSN did not air it. Tony acknowledged this frequently at the end of the show, often signing off while waving a [[Flag of Canada|Canadian flag]].
* Since April 17, 2006, ESPN has also offered a free audio [[podcast]] which cuts out commercials and includes all segments. The podcast is usually made available two to three hours after its original telecast on ESPN.
* [[BT Sport ESPN]] airs the show across the UK in a late night slot, usually at 11:30&nbsp;p.m. unless pre-empted by live sports coverage. It is also repeated during the following day at 7:30&nbsp;a.m.
* [[ESPN Latin America|ESPN 3 Mexico, Central America & Caribbean]] airs ''PTI'' in original language at 10:00&nbsp;p.m. (Central Mexico Time) from Monday to Friday.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://guia.espn.com/?id=418|title=Guia ESPN - Mexico}}</ref> The show is not broadcast in any other part of Latin America.
* Since May 7, 2018, PTI started to be aired on [[ESPN 5]], the sports block of Philippine-based TV channel and ESPN affiliate [[The 5 Network]], on a delayed telecast basis. It is aired weekdays from 9:30&nbsp;a.m. to 10:00&nbsp;a.m. [[Philippine Standard Time]].

===Viewers===
''PTI'' averages a little more than one million viewers daily.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=viewers2>{{cite web|url= http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/08/18/bam-viewers-dont-leave-in-droves-or-really-at-all-when-dan-le-batard-hosts-pardon-the-interruption/60409|title= BAM! Viewers Don't Leave in Droves (Or Really At All) When Dan Le Batard Hosts 'Pardon The Interruption'|publisher= TVbytheNumbers.com|date= August 18, 2010|access-date= September 24, 2010|first= Robert|last= Seidman|archive-date= August 22, 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100822231419/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/08/18/bam-viewers-dont-leave-in-droves-or-really-at-all-when-dan-le-batard-hosts-pardon-the-interruption/60409|url-status= dead}}</ref><ref name=viewers3>{{cite web|url= http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/08/11/sorry-haters-but-the-viewer-numbers-for-vh1s-t-o-show-just-arent-that-bad/24651|title= Sorry haters, but the viewer numbers for VH1′s T.O. Show just aren't that bad|publisher= TVbytheNumbers.com|date= August 11, 2009|access-date= September 24, 2010|first= Robert|last= Seidman|archive-date= August 15, 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090815085908/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/08/11/sorry-haters-but-the-viewer-numbers-for-vh1s-t-o-show-just-arent-that-bad/24651|url-status= dead}}</ref>

Famous fans include [[Barack Obama]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nesn.com/2013/07/barack-obama-joined-by-pardon-the-interruption-hosts-michael-wilbon-tony-kornheiser-on-golf-course-video/|title=Barack Obama Joined by 'Pardon the Interruption' Hosts Michael Wilbon, Tony Kornheiser on Golf Course (Video)|date=2013-07-15|work=NESN.com|access-date=2017-04-13|language=en-US}}</ref> [[George W. Bush]],<ref name=":2" /> [[Tom Hanks]],<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Great Book of Washington, D.C. Sports Lists|last1=Pollin|first1=Andy|last2=Shapiro|first2=Len|publisher=Running Books|year=2008|isbn=978-0762433568|location=Philadelphia|pages=146}}</ref> [[Bill Murray]],<ref name=":5">{{Citation|last=FM|first=Player|title=Pardon The Rest: 4/12/17|url=https://player.fm/series/pti-1203964/pardon-the-rest-41217|language=en|access-date=2017-04-13}}{{Dead link|date=December 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [[David Letterman]],<ref name=":5" /> [[Tom Cotton]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/apr/24/thomas-bryant-cotton-20160424/|title=HIGH PROFILE: Senator Tom Cotton|last=Franco|first=Cheree|date=2016-04-24|work=Arkansas Online|access-date=2017-07-06}}</ref> [[Hank Azaria]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://art19.com/shows/the-tony-kornheiser-show/episodes/2a1413e4-d794-4334-be30-354c73ed87e0|title=Now that's a lotta show!|date=4 April 2017|work=The Tony Kornheiser Show – ART19|access-date=2017-07-24|archive-date=November 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107020419/https://art19.com/shows/the-tony-kornheiser-show/episodes/2a1413e4-d794-4334-be30-354c73ed87e0|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Chris Christie]],<ref name=":6">{{Cite news|url=https://art19.com/shows/the-tony-kornheiser-show/episodes/24999e41-bf94-44ce-b075-fd3ca9565855|title=Try the Kendall Jackson|date=27 April 2017|work=The Tony Kornheiser Show – ART19|access-date=2017-07-24|archive-date=November 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107011717/https://art19.com/shows/the-tony-kornheiser-show/episodes/24999e41-bf94-44ce-b075-fd3ca9565855|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Eric Stonestreet]],<ref name=":6" /> [[Matthew Morrison]],<ref name=":6" /> [[John Heilemann]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/jheil/status/781139620503388160|title=Hey, yo, I watch @PTI every day -- how much Mr Tony does one man need (or can one man take)?https://twitter.com/ThisShowStinks/status/781138371670372352 …|last=Heilemann|first=John|date=2016-09-28|website=@jheil|language=en|access-date=2017-10-30}}</ref> [[Penny Marshall]],<ref name=":2" /> [[Michael Kelly (American actor)|Michael Kelly]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://art19.com/shows/the-tony-kornheiser-show/episodes/7560eb96-5139-4ea5-83ed-41231f1a28f9|title=Do I have to eat with you?|date=26 October 2017|work=The Tony Kornheiser Show – ART19|access-date=2017-11-15|archive-date=November 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116081936/https://art19.com/shows/the-tony-kornheiser-show/episodes/7560eb96-5139-4ea5-83ed-41231f1a28f9|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Eva Longoria]],<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2011/10/24/Media/PTI.aspx|title=Ten Good Years: Michael Wilbon Talks About "PTI" Reaching A Decade On The Air|date=24 October 2011|website=Sports Business Daily|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227054006/http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2011/10/24/Media/PTI.aspx|archive-date=27 December 2017|access-date=2017-12-27}}</ref> [[John McCain]],<ref name=":8" /> [[Tim Russert]],<ref name=":8" /> and [[Maury Povich]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/art19/tony-kornheiser-show/e/52107193|title=The Connie and Maury Show|website=The Tony Kornheiser Show – Stitcher|language=en|access-date=2018-01-04}}</ref>

The October 24, 2011 episode featured a message from then-[[President of the United States|President]] Obama commemorating the tenth anniversary of the show.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pga.com/news/golf-buzz/pardon-interruption-golf-president-obama|title=Pardon the Interruption for golf with President Obama|last=Holmes|first=John|date=13 July 2013|website=PGA.com|language=en|access-date=2017-07-06}}</ref> On July 12, 2013, Kornheiser, Wilbon, and Reali were guests at the [[White House]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2013/08/13/tony-kornheiser-mike-wilbon-didnt-know-they-were-in-oval-office/|title=Tony Kornheiser, Mike Wilbon didn't know they were in the Oval Office|last=Kogod|first=Sarah|date=2013-08-13|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2018-01-11|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> After lunch, the trio met in the [[Oval Office]] with Obama.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/07/obama-plays-golf-with-espn-hosts-michael-wilbon-and-tony-kornheiser/|title=Obama Golfs With ESPN Hosts Wilbon and Kornheiser|last=Good|first=Chris|date=13 July 2013|website=ABC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130714123013/https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/07/obama-plays-golf-with-espn-hosts-michael-wilbon-and-tony-kornheiser/|archive-date=2013-07-14|url-status=dead|access-date=2017-07-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2014/07/14/this-is-the-white-houses-favorite-media-outlet/|title=This is the White House's favorite media outlet|last=Zezima|first=Katie|date=14 July 2014|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2017-07-07}}</ref> Obama also provided taped congratulations on the show's 20th anniversary episode on October 22, 2021.

==The set==
{{multiple image
| footer    = Tony Kornheiser (left) and Wilbon, the show's hosts.
| align     = right
| image1    = Tony Kornheiser 2011.jpg
| width1    = {{#expr: (145 * 341 / 272) round 0}}
| image2    = Michael Wilbon 2011.jpg
| width2    = {{#expr: (165 * 2764 / 1873) round 0}}
}}
For much of its run ''PTI'' had a unique studio layout featuring a "wall" full of cut-out cardboard heads of athletes and celebrities that had been used in the "Role Play" segment,<ref name=":9">{{Cite news|url=https://the-cauldron.com/why-espns-pti-is-the-best-news-show-on-television-e47373391155|title=Why ESPN's PTI Is The Best News Show On Television|last=Buschel|first=Bruce|date=2014-10-29|work=The Cauldron|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107223017/https://the-cauldron.com/why-espns-pti-is-the-best-news-show-on-television-e47373391155?gi=d6d11183797a|archive-date=7 January 2018}}</ref> [[bobblehead doll]]s of the show's hosts and Reali, [[Etch-A-Sketch]] art of Kornheiser and Wilbon, multiple [[penguin]]s and several other toys and [[:wikt:trinket|trinket]]s they have received, such as Kornheiser's beloved "Leg Lamp" from ''[[A Christmas Story]]'', [[Stewie Griffin]], and [[Elmo]].

For different American holidays, the set would be decorated with other [[Theatrical properties|prop]]s to match the theme of the day. For example, on Halloween, carved [[jack-o'-lantern]]s of the host's heads are also present. The color of the rundown graphic is also changed to fit with the holiday theme (e.g. red, white, and blue to represent [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]], green for [[St. Patricks Day]], red and green for [[Christmas]]).

On September 27, 2010, ''Pardon the Interruption'' and ''[[Around the Horn]]'' began broadcasting in [[HDTV|high definition]] and moved from the Atlantic Video Washington complex to facilities in the [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] Washington bureau, where high definition sets were built for both shows.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/12/07/daily83.html | first=John | last=Ourand | title=ESPN's "PTI" and "Around The Horn" going HD next fall | date=December 11, 2009}}</ref>

On January 20, 2020, the current set for ''PTI'' debuted. This was the first major upgrade to the ''PTI'' set in nearly a decade.

==Segments==
''PTI'' is divided into three segments. The first involves the hosts discussing and debating sports news '''Headlines''' (generally, three topics are covered, each receiving 2–4 minutes, in earlier days, more topics were covered with less time assigned to each). The second segment will either consist of a themed game segment that allows for discussion for further topics, or '''5 Good Minutes''', an interview with a guest. The third segment consists of '''Happy Time''', an acknowledgment of any "errors & omissions" from earlier segments, and finally '''the Big Finish''', a high-speed, back-and-forth rundown of more sports topics of note.

For much of its history, the show aired in four shorter segments, allowing for the inclusion of both a game and an interview, or occasionally, a second segment of "Headlines" replacing one of the two. A wider variety of games were played during the time Reali was present on the show, as he would frequently serve as in-studio host/moderator/judge.

In the show's earliest days, it was not unusual for the last point or topic in each section to be about a non-sports-related pop-culture event, but those have been eliminated.

On rare occasions, the show will stray from its basic format, such as on August 9, 2005, when [[Major League Baseball|baseball]] [[Commissioner of Baseball|commissioner]] [[Bud Selig]] was the guest at the very top of the show for an extended interview.

===Introduction/Headlines===
Kornheiser and Wilbon welcome viewers to the show with opening banter.<ref name=":9" /> Wilbon usually opens the show with the line, "Pardon the Interruption... but I'm [[Mike Wilbon]],"<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Great Book of Washington DC Sports Lists|last1=Pollin|first1=Andy|last2=Shapiro|first2=Leonard|publisher=Running Press|year=2008|isbn=9780786741700|location=Philadelphia}}</ref> and then put a question to Kornheiser concerning one of the day's sports or pop culture issues (which he answers sarcastically). The two will then continue a conversation while the opening [[Intertitle|title card]] is shown. The theme song (as well as the commercial [[Conclusion (music)|outro]] music) thematically references the song "[[Cut Your Hair]]" by [[Pavement (band)|Pavement]].<ref>{{Citation|last=Domino Recording Co.|title=Pavement - Cut Your Hair (1994)|date=2010-02-18|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTTgpTeb0Z8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/QTTgpTeb0Z8| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|access-date=2018-01-07}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On rare occasions when more serious news will lead the discussion, such as the death of [[Junior Seau]], the hosts will omit their typical intro banter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espnradio/podcast/archive?id=2406595|title=PTI Show - PodCenter - ESPN Radio|website=ESPN Radio|access-date=2018-01-07}}</ref>

Kornheiser then says "Welcome to 'PTI', boys and girls." Kornheiser then gives a brief introduction before moving on to the first topic. During the course of this segment, Wilbon and Kornheiser will alternate topic introductions up for debate. Each topic is listed in chronological order on the right side of the screen, and a countdown timer is shown indicating how much time is allotted to discuss a particular topic, the hosts can, and usually do, briefly go over the time limit in order to make a final point about any particular topic.

===Five Good Minutes===
Kornheiser and Wilbon interview a sports figure, writer, or analyst typically for a period of time from three to six minutes.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news|url=http://uproxx.com/hitfix/tv-s-best-of-the-decade-no-14-pardon-the-interruption/|title=TV's Best of the Decade: No. 14 — 'Pardon the Interruption'|last=Fienberg|first=Daniel|date=2009-12-18|work=UPROXX|access-date=2017-07-24|language=en-US}}</ref> The interview itself is actually recorded prior to the rest of the show and then trimmed down for broadcast. According to ''PTI'''s [[Remote broadcast|remote]] producer, with some exceptions, guests are booked the day of the show as they try to obtain the most relevant news of the day.<ref name="Collegiate Times">Wright, B. [http://www.collegiatetimes.com/news/4/ARTICLE/8119/2006-12-01.html An insider's look at PTI] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927104235/http://www.collegiatetimes.com/news/4/ARTICLE/8119/2006-12-01.html |date=2007-09-27 }}. (2006, December 1). ''[[Collegiate Times]]''. Retrieved December 16, 2006.</ref> Other times, there are two "Five Good Minutes" segments with two different guests, there are also shows where two related guests appear during one segment, such as [[Joe Buck]] and [[Tim McCarver]] of ''[[Major League Baseball on Fox]]'' broadcasts (Another example of this was [[Al Michaels]] and [[Doc Rivers]], when they appeared together while covering the [[2004 NBA Finals]] for [[NBA on ABC|ABC Sports]]). There have also been occasions where Kornheiser or Wilbon, while on vacation or in another city to cover an event and not hosting the show, have been the subject of "Five Good Minutes" themselves.

Guests almost always appear from a separate location, usually the site of an upcoming game or their home city, appearing with the hosts via split screen. On a few occasions, the guest has appeared in studio with Kornheiser and Wilbon. This may be the case if the guest is an athlete or coach in Washington to play a game that night, such as when [[2008–09 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] guard [[Chauncey Billups]] appeared on February 6, 2009, prior to a game against the [[2008–09 Washington Wizards season|Washington Wizards]]. When this happens, the guest will sit on Wilbon's side of the table, sitting diagonally from Kornheiser.

On Thursdays during the football season, ESPN analyst [[Ron Jaworski]], a former [[Philadelphia Eagles]] quarterback (a.k.a. "Jaws" and "the Polish Rifle" - the latter usually rendered in a [[Howard Cosell]]-like voice), frequently guested, until his departure from ESPN. Before that, Jaworski would come on the show on Mondays to offer analysis of the previous day's games and a prediction for the ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' game that night.

On rare occasions, "Five Good Minutes" runs especially long, such as on June 8, 2005, when [[National Football League|NFL]] agent [[Drew Rosenhaus]]'s interview ran 11 minutes, forcing the cancellation of the following segment (Role Play), on March 23, 2007, when [[2006–07 USC Trojans men's basketball team|USC]] basketball coach [[Tim Floyd]]'s interview ran 9 minutes as he talked about [[O. J. Mayo]], and on October 22, 2009, as reporter [[Jackie MacMullan]] discussed the [[Magic Johnson]]/[[Isiah Thomas]] controversy, forcing the cancellation of the segment Report Card.

On occasions during the show's three-segment format, a separate game is played in lieu of an interview segment.

==="Game" segments===
''PTI'' uses a variety of different game-themed segments to talk about other sports news and make predictions. Many games have been played over the years, but as of 2021, four remain in the regular rotation:

*'''Mail Time''': the hosts read and respond to viewer [[e-mail]] that they take out of a talking mailbox. Early in ''PTI<nowiki>'</nowiki>''s run, an intern named Josh read the mail to the hosts. When the show changed over to the talking mailbox, Wilbon would express disgust at the mail voice, demanding it be omitted. The mail read on air is no longer written by viewers, but rather staff of the show itself.
*'''Toss Up''': the two hosts choose between two sides of a topic announced by the producer, Erik Rydholm, over the loudspeaker, and Kornheiser always claims to be the winner.
*'''What's The Word?''' Introduced in 2009. Reali (later Rydholm) read a partial sentence and the hosts each offer an adjective to fill the blank(s) in the sentence. The game often involves made up or hyphenated words, and usually ends with Kornheiser using an adjective to aggrandize himself or berate Wilbon, such as saying he won with a "Korn-ucopia" of words, or that Wilbon "got Wil-bombed."
*'''Psychic Hotline''' sees the hosts answer questions read by staffers, presented as emanating from an on-set crystal ball. Kornheiser dons a stereotypical fortune-teller costume.

In addition, on the last show before [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving]], the game segment is usually reserved for the hosts to reveal their choices for '''Turkeys of the Year''', usually people during the last year that have usually done notably stupid acts un-befitting of sport (funny or unfunny). As noted by Wilbon at the beginning of the segment, there are no criteria for the selection process, meaning anyone they see fit is eligible. Over the years, the list has vastly expanded from five to numerous candidates being named during the segment.

Among games no longer regularly played:

'''[[Sports betting|Odds Makers]]''', which is featured weekly and involves the hosts giving their prediction in the form of a percentage about the likeliness of a future event occurring. Reali gives the topics and keeps track of responses on a [[chalkboard]], to which he refers at the end of the segment in order to declare a winner. A selection at either extreme of 100% or 0% is well-respected, with the latter being coined by Reali as "squadoosh." Kornheiser often gets his odds to add up to a certain number or form a pattern. "Odds Makers" is also noted for its feud between Reali and guest host [[Dan LeBatard]], who is often accused of ruining the game.<ref>Rodesiler, "A PTI-Inspired Pedagogy," pp. 39–40.</ref>

'''Role Play''', featured fairly often but less so than earlier in ''PTI<nowiki>'</nowiki>''s run, is referred to as "Heads on Sticks" because the hosts alternate speaking as a sports figure with the person's picture on a stick in front of their faces. After a picture is used, it is usually stuck somewhere in the background of the set until it is replaced. The crude connotation of this title has been highlighted as a suggestive musical cue leads the segment.

"'''[[Over-under|Over/Under]]'''", is a segment that alternated weeks with Odds Makers when they were first introduced, but is now featured only occasionally. The hosts argue over whether a certain sports figure or team will go over or under a certain number (e.g. 40 [[home run]]s, 60 wins). Reali also announces the topics for this segment, holding cards up with the statistic, as well. In order to help prevent a "push" (a Wilbon trademark), a decimal figure is sometimes used (e.g. 2.5 touchdowns).

"'''Report Card'''", saw the hosts assign [[letter grade]]s to various events suggested by "Professor" Reali. Usually, Kornheiser's name is spelled "Tiny" instead of "Tony" on the Report Card board.

In '''Good Cop, Bad Cop''', both hosts dress in police hats and sometimes sunglasses. This segment is featured rarely, and unlike Toss Up, the hosts must take an opposite stand on each topic, saying it is either good or bad. This segment is occasionally renamed ''"Good Elf, Bad Elf"'' for the holiday.<ref>Rodesiler, "A PTI-Inspired Pedagogy," pp. 38–39.</ref>

[[File:ATHwhitehouse2.jpg|thumb|Tony Kornheiser, Michael Wilbon and Tony Reali meeting President Barack Obama.]]

"'''Food Chain'''," where the hosts rank a top five list of teams, returned in December 2008 after a long absence. Kornheiser and Wilbon usually have variations in their lists, with Wilbon posting his as each team is introduced. Wilbon refers to his as "A real man's board!," but when Kornheiser switches to his, he claims, "That's it! That's the list!" Another early segment was called '''"Love Em or Leave Em"''' where a female voice cooing "Ooo La-La!" was played before the hosts discussed an individual (whose head was on a stick) they were either "leaving" or "loving" and keeping on their side. A third rare segment is "'''Fair or Foul'''," it was introduced on February 28, 2007, after the hosts began repeating the words "fair or foul" for a few episodes because of a viewer email including them earlier in the week. The hosts discuss a variety of topics and decide if each is fair or foul (acceptable or not).<ref>Rodesiler, "A PTI-Inspired Pedagogy," p. 37.</ref> If a host believes a topic is "foul," he could threw a yellow football penalty flag and/or blow a whistle.

Additionally, during the early run of ''PTI'', a "'''Doctors'''" segment was featured occasionally, in which the hosts had to choose which head to cut off and throw in the trash out of two that were stuck together. The hosts dressed up as doctors for this segment, using coats and assorted accessories.

In "'''Too Soon?'''," Reali asks the hosts if it's too soon for a certain sports situation to possibly occur. In November 2010, a new game entitled '''"Something or Nothing?"''' was created. In this game, Reali asked Tony and Mike if a recent sports event was significant (Something) or insignificant (Nothing). After both hosts gave their answers, Reali, through uncertain logic, determined who was correct. "Too Soon" and "Something or Nothing" were played rarely. (In lieu of "Something or Nothing," the hosts will occasionally base a headline debate on whether a story is "a big deal, little deal, or no deal at all").

Finally, a "time-machine" game was played once in 2005 and never returned.

===Happy Time===
The hosts send out a "Happy Birthday," a "Happy (or in some cases, Not-So-Happy) Anniversary," and a "Happy Trails" (acknowledging a firing, injury, retirement, or such). If the "Happy Trails" segment covers a death, which the hosts often refer to as a "Melancholy Trails," the [[background music]] goes silent as the hosts pay tribute to the person who died.

===Errors and omissions===
Any factual errors or omissions are swiftly rectified before the show plunges into its final 60–90 seconds.

===Big Finish===
From the start of the series until July 2005 and then again since August 2009, the show ends with the Big Finish, in which the hosts alternate quick takes on a list of roughly half a dozen final topics, usually ending with Wilbon answering which telecast of a pair posed by Kornheiser he will watch that evening, or predicting the outcome of a game to be played.

The hosts then give their standard signoffs:

Kornheiser: ''We're out of time, we'll try to do better next time. I'm Tony Kornheiser.''

Wilbon: '' And I'm Mike Wilbon. Same time tomorrow (or 'Have a great weekend'), knuckleheads.''

The half-hour broadcast concludes with Kornheiser waving a small Canadian flag while Wilbon mentions their podcast and pitches the show over to the ''SportsCenter'' studio.

According to Kornheiser, he first waved the flag and said "Goodnight, Canada" after an associate director told him that the additional ''PTI'' segment on ''SportsCenter'' did not air in Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfrontrow.com/2012/06/tony-kornheiser-offers-insight-into-ptis-goodnight-canada/|title=Tony Kornheiser offers insight into PTI's "Goodnight, Canada"|last=Hoffheiner|first=Bill|year=2012|work=Behind the Scenes|publisher=ESPN|access-date=11 December 2014}}</ref> Kornheiser made the routine into a trademark sign-off and continued even after TSN added the extra segment to its early-evening edition of ''SportsCentre''.

If a scant few seconds remain Kornheiser will often offer up a “[[shout-out]]” during the show's final seconds, typically to friendly golf partners, a gift received from a viewer, or a plug for a restaurant or company he had recently received good service from.

===''SportsCenter'' segment===
From July 25, 2005, through sometime in 2011, the format of the show was altered to merge the final part of the show with the beginning of the 6:00&nbsp;p.m. ET ''[[SportsCenter]]''.

Segment 4 would consist of Happy Time, followed by Errors, then the hosts giving shout-outs, as well as their recommendations for television viewing for the night as the last discussion segment of the show before ''SportsCenter''. Wilbon usually chooses a sporting event, while Kornheiser will often opt for pop-culture based programming.

After the opening segment of ''SportsCenter'' (normally 10–14 minutes), ''PTI'' returned to debate an additional sports-related topic, then end with '''The Big Finish''' and the typical goodbyes.<ref>[http://search.espn.go.com/bs-report-1112/]{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

For the re-air on ESPN2, the show would move straight to the post-''SportsCenter'' topic after the third commercial break, skipping segment 4. According to [[Nielsen ratings]], ''PTI'' paired with ''[[Around the Horn]]'' combined to average more viewers than ''SportsCenter''.<ref>[http://media.espn.com/ESPNToday/2007/Jan_07/2006BestYear.htm 2006: Best Year For All ESPN Networks]. (January 4, 2007). ESPN Press Release.</ref>

During football season, Monday editions of ''PTI'' used to air in the former (30-minute) format, with no shoutouts or ''SportsCenter'' segment. Until midway through the [[2008 NFL season|2008 season]] the show also took place at the ''Monday Night Football'' host stadium as Kornheiser was a part of the Monday broadcast team, after that Kornheiser hosted from an undisclosed location in the host city while Wilbon hosted from the ''PTI'' studios in Washington. After Kornheiser's departure from ''Monday Night Football'' after the 2008 season<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/critiquing-kornheiser-the-experiment-is-over/|title=Critiquing Kornheiser: The Experiment Is Over|last=Monkovic|first=Toni|date=18 May 2009|website=The Fifth Down|access-date=2017-07-07}}</ref> ''PTI'' reverted to its normal format for the [[2009 NFL season|2009 football season]] after the first week of ''Monday Night Football'', with Wilbon tossing to the ''NFL Countdown'' crew rather than to ''SportsCenter.''

The show has since reverted to its original format where The Big Finish closes the show, though Kornheiser usually still offers shoutouts at the very end of the show. Wilbon and Kornheiser still have their additional debate as a part of ''SC'', but it is no longer treated as a formal part of ''PTI''.

==Running gags==
The longevity and popularity of the show has led to numerous running jokes between Wilbon and Kornheiser that longtime viewers will recognize. Some of these include such gags as ''The Bald Brotherhood'', ''Blowed Out'', ''(He's) Ya Boy'', ''Beatdown!'', ''[[Joe Namath#Alcohol Problems|Strugg-a-ling]]'', ''[[Yankees–Red Sox rivalry|The Yanks and the Sawks!]]'', ''[[Washington Capitals|Choking Dawgs!]]'', ''The Penguin Dance'', Kornheiser's ''[[I-95]] Bias'', ''The Wilbon Power Rankings'', ''Let Me Axe You Something'', ''[[Uranus#In culture|Uranus]]'', ''[[Jim E. Mora#Indianapolis Colts|Playoffs? Playoffs?]]'', ''Ya Gotta Get Low'', ''[[Chicago Bulls|Bulls Corner]]'', ''[[Drew Brees|Drew Breeees]]'', ''[[2009 Washington Nationals season#Changed uniforms|Washington "Natinals" (purposely mispronounced as such)]]'', ''Good Night Canada'', ''Ball/Puck Night!'', ''The Lig'', ''Tony's "Population Theory"'', and ''The Trampoline Bear''.

In addition, for the first 3½ years of the show, Kornheiser only hosted a few shows away from the studio, with Wilbon during the week of [[Super Bowl XXXVI]]. Meanwhile, Wilbon has hosted many shows at the location of a sporting event he was attending. This has resulted in much teasing of Kornheiser by Wilbon, including Kornheiser's [[fear of flying]]. Finally, on March 27, 2006, Kornheiser for the first time hosted the show away from the studio while Wilbon remained back at the set, as Kornheiser was in [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], [[Florida]], covering the NFL owners meetings. For the first time in November 2006, Kornheiser and Wilbon "chatted [[Split screen (video production)|split-screen]]" from two different locations away from Washington, D.C.

Usually during '''Report Card''', Tony Kornheiser's name is spelled as "Tiny" instead of "Tony." Another common gag is during games such as Report Card and Odds Makers, Dan Le Batard's name will often be Don, rather than Dan.

==PTI in other media==
The short-lived [[CBS]] show ''[[Listen Up (TV series)|Listen Up]]'' was based on the life of [[Tony Kornheiser]].<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html|title=COVER STORY; Introducing the New Sitcom Stars: Men Who Aren't Always Wrong|last=Hart|first=Hugh|date=2004-09-05|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-07-07|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In it, the main characters Tony Kleinman ([[Jason Alexander]]) and Bernie Widmer ([[Malcolm-Jamal Warner]]) co-hosted an off-beat sports show titled "Listen Up!"<ref>Levin, J. (2004, September 22). [http://www.slate.com/id/2107054/ Kornheiser, the Scrivener: What's with all the sportswriters on sitcoms?]. ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]''. Retrieved December 16, 2006.</ref> On the day ''Listen Up!'' debuted, Warner and Alexander appeared in character on ''PTI''{{'}}s intro.

Kornheiser and Wilbon appeared as themselves on ''PTI'' in the 2004 film ''[[Mr. 3000]]'', including doing a Role Play segment with Kornheiser posing as Stan Ross ([[Bernie Mac]]) at one point.

On February 8, 2006, it was announced that Tony Kornheiser would join [[Mike Tirico]] and [[Joe Theismann]] in the broadcast booth during ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' beginning in the [[2006 NFL season]]. Kornheiser continued to host ''PTI'', and Wilbon joined him on the road as they broadcast ''PTI'' each Monday from the site of the ''MNF'' game, and there has also been an extra ''PTI'' segment inserted during halftime of ESPN's Monday night games (although in [[2008 NFL season|2008]], Wilbon stayed in the D.C. studios, on many Mondays).

''PTI'' was featured in [[EA Sports]] video games due to the contract between ESPN and EA. The first game to have the feature is ''[[NBA Live 07]]'' for the [[Xbox 360]] and the [[PlayStation 3]].<ref>Gaudiosi, John. (2006, July 26). [https://web.archive.org/web/20071101094447/http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/jul2006/id20060726_368499.htm?campaign_id=rss_null EA Heads to the Big Show]. ''[[BusinessWeek]]''.</ref>

Wilbon is a frequent guest on Kornheiser's [[The Tony Kornheiser Show|eponymous podcast]].

On October 8, 2010, ''[[South Park]]'' spoofed ''PTI'' in the [[South Park (season 14)|Season 14]] episode "[[Poor and Stupid]]." When Wilbon is on camera you can see the cut outs of their likeness in the background.

On October 30, 2010, ''[[SportsNation (TV series)|SportsNation]]'' did their entire 1 hour show in the style of ''PTI''. At the end of the show Tony Reali ripped the show in a 1-minute rant.

On February 18, 2012, ''[[Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil]]'' featured Wilbon and Kornheiser as the local policemen with a nod to their good cop/bad cop ''PTI'' segment.

From 2011 to 2012, [[The Onion]] had a parody of ''PTI'', "Get Out of My Face" (aka "GOOMF").

''PTI'' was featured in the 2015 movie ''[[Creed (film)|Creed]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.kansan.com/sports/column-creed-delivers-a-true-underdog-story/article_c1603c50-9782-11e5-a1e1-33271dbce727.html|title="Creed" delivers a true underdog story|last=Hoffmann|first=Matt|date=30 November 2015|work=The University Daily Kansan|access-date=2017-07-06|language=en}}</ref>

==Guest hosts==
Over the history of the series, more than 30 guest hosts have stepped in whenever Kornheiser or Wilbon (or both) was absent. The current regular guest hosts are [[Frank Isola (sportswriter)|Frank Isola]] ("Fill-in Frank"), generally replacing Kornheiser, and [[Pablo S. Torre]], generally replacing Wilbon. [[Mina Kimes]] also occasionally appears as a guest-host. All three were regulars on ''[[Around the Horn]]''.

[[Bob Ryan]] of ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' and ''[[Around the Horn]]'' was the show's first regular guest host.

[[Dan Le Batard]], of ''[[The Miami Herald]]'' and his then-ESPN Radio [[The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz|program]], was another frequent guest-host, known for his polarizing irreverence and for punctuating his first appearance in each show with a trademark "BAM!!". Le Batard began hosting his own daily ESPN TV show from the same production company, ''[[Highly Questionable]]'', in 2011, but still occasionally guest-hosted ''PTI'' until his 2021 departure from ESPN.<ref name="viewers1">{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/03/07/bam-pardon-the-interruption-dan-le-batard-doesnt-kill-ptis-ratings/44105|title=Updated: BAM! Pardon the Interruption: Dan Le Batard Doesn't Kill PTI's Ratings|date=March 7, 2010|publisher=TV by the Numbers|access-date=September 24, 2010|first=Robert|last=Seidman|archive-date=March 10, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100310082739/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/03/07/bam-pardon-the-interruption-dan-le-batard-doesnt-kill-ptis-ratings/44105|url-status=dead}}</ref>

''Around the Horn'' panelists [[J. A. Adande]], [[Kevin Blackistone]], [[Tim Cowlishaw]], [[Dominique Foxworth]], [[Israel Gutierrez]], [[Jay Mariotti]], [[Jackie MacMullan]], [[Bill Plaschke]] and [[Michael Smith (sports reporter)|Michael Smith]] have also all had stints as guest hosts.

Others appearing over the years include [[David Aldridge]], [[Skip Bayless]], [[Jay Bilas]], [[Norman Chad]], [[Mike Golic]], [[Sally Jenkins]], [[Max Kellerman]], [[Tim Kurkjian]], [[Patrick McEnroe]], [[Rachel Nichols (journalist)|Rachel Nichols]], [[Keith Olbermann]], [[Rick Reilly]], [[Bill Simmons]], [[T. J. Simers]], [[Dan Shaughnessy]], [[Stephen A. Smith]], [[Michele Tafoya]], [[Mike Tirico]], [[Bob Valvano]], [[Ralph Wiley]] and [[Jason Whitlock]].<ref name=mediazone>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2010/09/did-you-know-wilbon-and-kornheiser-not-the-only-hosts-on-pti/|title=Did you Know?…Wilbon and Kornheiser Not the Only Hosts on PTI|author=jessupk|work=ESPN MediaZone|date=2010-09-24|access-date=2010-09-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928034928/http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2010/09/did-you-know-wilbon-and-kornheiser-not-the-only-hosts-on-pti/|archive-date=2010-09-28|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Kornheiser was absent more than usual during Summer 2006 for medical reasons. During a phone interview on the August 15, 2006, edition of ''[[The Dan Patrick Show]]'', Kornheiser explained this absence in most of July by revealing that he was recovering from [[skin cancer]] surgery.<ref>[http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/20/Sports/The_buzz.shtml The Buzz]. (August 20, 2006). ''[[St. Petersburg Times]]''. Retrieved December 16, 2006.</ref>

==Influence==
Multiple commentators have credited ''PTI'' with inspiring and laying the groundwork for a number of successful TV sports debate shows, including ''[[Around the Horn]]'' and ''[[First Take (talk show)|First Take]]''.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hammondstar.com/sports/hot-take-culture-bad-for-sports/article_4a3ee9d0-d4ae-543f-ad5e-d2af9b686405.html|title='Hot take' culture bad for sports|last=Summerlin|first=J.D.|date=7 June 2017|work=Hammond Star|access-date=2017-07-07}}{{dead link|date=April 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==Cast==
* [[Tony Kornheiser]] (2001–present) 
* [[Michael Wilbon]] (2001–present)
* [[Tony Reali]] (2001–2014)

==Other versions==
Starting in the 2006 NFL season, Kornheiser and Wilbon began hosting ''PTI'' from the stadium that was hosting the ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' game. The [[2007 NFL season|following season]], they began staging a live 3-topic, 3-minute version of the show during halftime of the game.

In 2004, Crackerjack Television started producing an Australian version of the show, which airs weekly on the [[ESPN Australia|Australian ESPN channel]] and features former [[Australian rules football|Australian Rules footballer]] [[Sam Kekovich]] and radio and television broadcaster Russell Barwick. [[ESPN Australia]] also broadcasts the American version of ''PTI'' editions before ''SportsCenter''.

In August 2010, ESPN's British channel (now [[BT Sport ESPN]]) debuted a British version of ''PTI''. The show was hosted by [[Mark Chapman (broadcaster)|Mark Chapman]] and [[Steve Bunce]].<ref>[http://tv.espn.co.uk/gb/espl/tv-schedule/full-schedule ESPN UK TV schedule] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100801211459/http://tv.espn.co.uk/gb/espl/tv-schedule/full-schedule |date=2010-08-01 }} (August 17, 2010). "ESPN UK". Retrieved August 8, 2010.</ref>

The [[ESPN Deportes]] show ''[[:es:Cronómetro|Cronómetro]]'' (Spanish for "[[stopwatch]]") is modeled after ''PTI'' and ''Sports Reporters'', in that it features personalities talking about sports subjects for a set amount of time.<ref>[http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA475682.html No Debate About ESPN Deportes Series] (October 27, 2004). ''Multichannel News''. Retrieved December 16, 2006.</ref> Unlike ''PTI'', there are four panelists instead of two, and segments such as Role Play are not used. Five Good Minutes is used as a discussion of one subject between the four analysts. [[ESPN Brasil]] also has a version of Cronómetro called ''É Rapidinho'' (rough translation from [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]: "It's Fast").

== Bibliography ==
{{Cite book|title=Yin and Yang in the English Classroom: Teaching with Popular Culture Texts|last=Rodesiler|first=Luke|publisher=Rowman and Littlefield|year=2015|isbn=978-1475806885|editor-last=Eckard|editor-first=Sandra|location=Lanham, MD|pages=31–48|chapter=A PTI-Inspired Pedagogy: Appropriating Sports-Talk Discussion Protocols to Facilitate Literature Study}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040202101327/http://espn.go.com/eoe/pti.html Official Site]
* [https://www.espn.com/espnradio/ Podcasts] from [[ESPN.com]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070408165008/http://crackerjack.com.au/pti.html Australian ''Pardon the Interruption'']
* {{IMDb title|0307800|Pardon the Interruption}}
* [https://www.twitter.com/pti ''Pardon the Interruption''] on [[Twitter]]
* [https://overcast.fm/+Jt3ozS2cA Podcast about ''Pardon the Interruption''] by James Andrew Miller

{{ESPN original programming}}
{{Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Studio Show}}

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