The Emmy Award-winning HBO Sports magazine Real Sports returns tonight with two new stories and one updated feature. The main story will focus on Jerry West and his very candid autobiography. Bryant Gumbel will interview the man simply known as “The Logo” as he’s the man who adorns the NBA logo.
Then Andrea Kremer updates her story on a town opposed to sports, part of a Fundamentalist sect, and how a school is expanding its sports program. I saw this story originally and not only was the subject matter uncomfortable, but it was also very fascinating to watch.
The rundown of tonight’s show is below.
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL PROFILES NBA HALL OF FAMER JERRY WEST; EXPLORES THE WORLD OF OBSESSIVE RUNNERS; AND RECONNECTS WITH SPORTS ACTIVISTS IN POLYGAMIST COMMUNITIES WHEN THE EMMY®-WINNING SHOW RETURNS OCT. 18, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 175th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, OCT. 18 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: Oct. 18 (2:00 a.m.), 21 (10:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m.), 23 (7:00 a.m.), 27 (1:00 p.m., 1:00 a.m.), 29 (11:00 a.m.) and 31 (3:00 p.m.), and Nov. 9 (8:30 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Oct. 20 (11:30 a.m., 3:35 a.m.), 22 (8:00 a.m.), 26 (8:30 a.m.) and 28 (4:30 p.m.), and Nov. 1 (1:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m.), 3 (7:00 a.m., 10:00 p.m.) and 6 (7:30 a.m., 4:55 a.m.)
HBO On Demand availability: Oct. 24-Nov. 14
Segments include:
*The Logo. NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West is widely regarded as one of the most influential players ever to play the game, and his mark can literally be seen everywhere, since his silhouette serves as the NBA’s official logo. But there is much more to his story. For all his achievements on the court, West, 73, has waged a lifelong battle with depression off the court. His depression was triggered after suffering the childhood traumas of an abusive father who left him feeling tormented and worthless. Determined to prove himself, West became obsessed with perfection. As a result, he ascended to greatness as a player and as an executive, helping build two separate dynasties with the Los Angeles Lakers, and is currently attempting to do the same with the Golden State Warriors. In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, host Bryant Gumbel travels to West’s home in West Virginia for the first TV interview in advance of his revealing autobiography.
Producer: Lisa Bennett.
*Obsessive Runners. REAL SPORTS explores the sometimes-bizarre world of obsessive runners, who don’t just enjoy running, but are consumed by it. In Miami, a man called The Raven has run eight miles every day since 1975, all without leaving South Beach. Former addict Catra Corbett keeps her drug addiction at bay by traveling the world in search of the next 100-mile ultramarathon. Then there’s Marshall Ulrich, the godfather of long-distance running. Among other accomplishments, he ran straight across the United States – from San Francisco to New York – in 52 days, averaging 60 miles per day. REAL SPORTS correspondent Mary Carillo meets some of these fanatical runners and looks into what keeps them going and how it affects their everyday lives.
Producer: Chapman Downes.
*New School. While it may seem strange that participating in sports could be taboo in America, that was long the case in Colorado City, Ariz. For years, Colorado City has been infamous for the practice of polygamy and for being the home of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and its imprisoned prophet, Warren Jeffs. When HBO last visited the town, the El Capitan High School basketball program was established over the objections of some in the community. Now, following the success of its expanded curriculum, El Capitan has introduced volleyball and football. and plans to add a baseball team. REAL SPORTS correspondent Andrea Kremer revisits Colorado City to discover that the town remains divided about athletics.
Producers: Zehra Mamdani, Ezra Edelman.
REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times, in addition to being the first sports program honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism. In May, the program received the 2010 Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism for Aug. 2010’s report revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS. Overall, REAL SPORTS has collected 22 Sports Emmys® in 16 years.
The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.
Perhaps one or two more press releases before I give you some linkage.
