This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:08] Al Malafronte: Hello and welcome to the Break a Bat Podcast where baseball meets Broadway, an attempt to show that my two favorite mediums don't have to live in such separate worlds and maybe even break some stigmas.

[0:19] Al Malafronte: We're happy to have you with us.

[0:21] Al Malafronte: Now let's play ball.

[0:25] Al Malafronte: Hello and welcome to Break a Bat where baseball meets Broadway and sports meets show business. I'm your host, Al Malafronte, coming at you from the batter's box as we kick off our show's annual Women's History Month celebration.

[0:38] Al Malafronte: An opportunity to celebrate some of the incredible contributions of some of our favorite female personalities from both sports and entertainment. And today's guest is certainly a fitting leadoff hitter.

[0:48] Al Malafronte: Today's special guest is best known for her presence in the basketball world as the host of Handles on NBA TV and her work through the years as a courtside reporter for TNT, the co-host of Inside Stuff back in the day. And I think regardless of whatever role she's playing, she always brings her light of a personality to the forefront, which always makes for a really enjoyable broadcast.

[1:08] Al Malafronte: It's such a thrill to have her join us today. So with that being said, I ask you all to please turn your attention to home plate. Just beyond the marquee. Now batting, Kristen Ledlow.

[1:20] Kristen Ledlow: That was way too nice an intro. Now I can't live up to it.

[1:42] Kristen Ledlow: Okay, I think so too. I did play several seasons of T-ball, one or two seasons of softball. Uh I was ultimately relegated to the outfield because I took my glove off once, set it down, turned a cartwheel, put the glove back on. Like that's that's the highlight of my softball career. My mom has it on film if you need uh basketball was able to keep you a bit more focused then, huh?

[2:12] Al Malafronte: Yeah.

[2:13] Kristen Ledlow: Yeah. Sounds about right. Well, listen, you know, it means a lot to have you here. I know between all the TV work and being a mom, the playoff push, you know, you're very busy. They talk a lot in the NBA about load management. Is there load management for Kristen?

[2:28] Kristen Ledlow: There is. I uh that's a great way to put it. And fortunately, I don't have to specify my injury. I'm resting.

[2:39] Al Malafronte: Oh my gosh. Now, I know you've worked in the game for nearly a decade now, and obviously it's uh evolved quite a bit. How have you enjoyed this season compared to some of the others you've covered?

[2:48] Kristen Ledlow: Yeah, oh goodness. The game itself has evolved. I have, I mean, as you mentioned, going from being 24 to being 34, but sitting in the same seat and hosting alongside a lot of the same people and hosting many of the same shows, it's it's tough to put into words what it is to go from single 24-year-old living in a one-bedroom apartment downtown to married mother of a now by all means a toddler. He's one, but he's full speed ahead. Living out in the suburbs, you know, it's it's it's it's impossible to wrap language around all that has changed in me. And so to sit in that seat and watch all that has changed in the game as well. This season has been unlike any other one. It's my first season back from maternity leave.

It's my first season sitting in that seat as a mother, but it was also our first season back in person, sitting next to each other after this global pandemic meant that there was no basketball for such a long stretch. And then it meant that there was basketball, but it had to be in a bubble. And then so to be back and to be sitting there alongside so many, I thought we may never be sitting in this room again, to be watching these arenas full of thousands of people. I have not found a good way to sum up all that it means to me to sit there this season because it wasn't something that I ever really allowed my mind to think could go away. And so to be back and to be not just in this season of basketball, but in this season of life is incredibly special.

[4:42] Al Malafronte: Yeah, so not to say that you took it for granted, but you're just extra grateful right now. That makes sense.

[4:46] Kristen Ledlow: Of course. Well, so it's one of those things that you think one day this will go away. Of course, either there will be some younger version of me that starts to do it, or maybe I'll need to say no to things that I used to say yes to, but you never really think maybe basketball will cease to exist all at once. That's not when you think, oh, this position is temporary, that's not that's not the kind of temporary you're really talking about. And so to have witnessed that and walked through it, and now to get to be back, it's certainly something that I won't take for granted again.

[5:27] Al Malafronte: Yeah, no, for sure. And I mean, there's so much buzz uh going into this postseason. Now I know you have a great relationship with LeBron James, so I would like to know since we're still in the early stages. You know, you talk about how the game's evolved this uh this play-in tournament to determine the seven and eight seeds. Uh he's arguably been the biggest critic of this format. If the Lakers find themselves in this situation, is he gonna show up or is he gonna protest? Any inside info on that front?

[5:52] Kristen Ledlow: Right. Because now, what, two seasons in a row? He said whoever comes up with that should be fired. And now it's looking like we may go back to back seasons part of it. And and perhaps this season, it may save their season. So I'd imagine I haven't asked him about it recently, but I would imagine that his feelings on the subject may have changed.

[6:16] Al Malafronte: Well, honestly, basketball is in a great place right now, uh, unlike our show's backdrop with baseball. Uh speaking of uh the playoffs, you know, we saw a lot of talk going into the Hawks Pistons game the other night, for example, since it had playoff implications for the Hawks and it had draft pick advantages for the Pistons, should they lose. Uh, you know, we see the subject of tanking is one of the big issues in these baseball labor negotiations right now, and it's a huge reason why they're in a lockout. The NBA has probably the reason why you have to have a basketball guest now, right?

[6:44] Kristen Ledlow: Oh yeah. Well, you know what? I want uh honestly, our our show we we do anything from you know, our favorite performers from the stage, screen and stadium, and sometimes that dips into Muppet performers and morning show anchors, and now Kristen Ledlow. So I mean, this is just uh it had to happen. Like Al Roker and me, you know.

[7:05] Al Malafronte: Al Roker, Amy Robach, Kristen Ledlow. It's a it's a good uh lineup there for sure. But it's uh, you know, trying to, you know, integrate the baseball crossover here in the you know, the CBA negotiations. Um, as far as when that comes on the horizon for the NBA, I guess there's a mutual opt-out. Do you think that the league and the players are gonna try to address, you know, the whole tanking issue and if that's something that could lead to you know something as severe as a lockout?

[7:32] Kristen Ledlow: It's something that has been addressed to an extent in the NBA in the last several seasons, even changing the incentives for tanking, even making it less likely that you'll get that top pick just because you lost the most games. So it's been addressed to an extent. Um but to your point, I I could see both sides wanting to take it a step further as well.

[8:02] Al Malafronte: Yeah, you know, it's gonna be interesting to see how it plays out. And uh, you know, the game's in a great place. I've talked about how much I enjoy what you bring to the broadcast. I've always considered you to be kind of like the female lead of the NBA given how visible you are, and you know, like the journalistic prowess you have. And I think in many ways you've inspired a lot of women to pursue their dreams within the sport, and we're seeing it starting to pay dividends. Can you just talk a little bit about what that responsibility's like for you?

[8:30] Kristen Ledlow: Oh, goodness. I don't know that when it was handed to me, I recognized the weight of the responsibility. Um, but I do know that when I started at our network, there was not a women's locker room. There was a a room that I could change clothes in. But now, 10 seasons later, I I walk into that building and run into Candace Parker in the hallway and walk into our locker room and think, goodness, the names now in our women's locker room alongside mine are much bigger and better than mine has been or ever will be. And so to have the opportunity to work alongside women that I would have bought a ticket to stand in line to meet just not too long ago, um it's an incredible thing.

[9:26] Kristen Ledlow: And when I think about my own journey in the game and all that I wanted to do in and around the game, when I was little, there wasn't really anyone that you could look to and say, look, she's doing it at the highest level. And you know, that was just when I was a kid playing the game. There was no WNBA in existence. So there was no real thought that I could keep playing this game. That there were opportunities perhaps to work in or around it. But even in the decade that I've worked in and around it, there were no women on NBA coaching staffs. There were no women in NBA front offices, there were no all female broadcasts like we see so often now, calling these men's games. There are now women's referees, there are now women calling play by play, not only doing the sidelines, but also working as analysts.

And so when I look at it that way, and when I look back on what it looked like to work in basketball when I was a little girl, and even what it looked like to work in basketball 10 years ago, it makes me so excited for all that's that that's that's next. It makes me so excited for little girls that play now to watch and think like, oh, I can do that, and I don't even have to be the first one. Like I can do it because she's doing it. And that it's it's a responsibility, yes, to work well, to work in excellence. It's also a great privilege. And and I recognize that.

[11:02] Al Malafronte: I recognize that. You know, I think one of your biggest strengths is earning the trust of the players and building relationships. You know, I touched on how close you are with LeBron James. Um, you know, it's a true strength of yours. You know, given the star power throughout the league when you first burst on the scene, some of the diverse personalities, was it difficult when you first started out?

[11:23] Kristen Ledlow: I wouldn't call it difficult. I would call it intimidating. Uh now a lot of the stars in the league are younger than I am. And so it there's something a little less intimidating about approaching a 25 or 26-year-old now than when you are that age, and when the biggest names in the league when I arrived on the scene were LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett. Um, I that it wasn't difficult, but was intimidating.

[11:58] Kristen Ledlow: Um I think though that what has made it a strength of mine is that I recognize the the person behind the player. Like I I recognize that this isn't just all you are, it's just the thing you do, and you do it better than anybody else does on the whole planet, but it's it's not all that you are. And so a great deal of that is frankly doing it season after season after season. Eventually you become the one that is always there and always shows up. And it's also acknowledging that these are not just basketball players, they're their husbands and fathers and businessmen and care deeply about their communities.

[12:50] Kristen Ledlow: And so the opportunity to form friendships and build relationships has always been more important to me than breaking a story or being the first to say that so-and-so isn't playing tonight because of such and such injury. People have always been more important to me than this position. And if there's any one thing that I have gotten right over the last decade, it's that. That's the only thing. Now, have you ever been in a situation where you had the opportunity to break a tough story that maybe someone else didn't have access to, but you didn't because you wanted to prioritize your friendship or relationship with that player?

[13:29] Kristen Ledlow: Yes. I went to LeBron James' birthday dinner a couple of nights before his 30th birthday. He was playing the Hawks in Atlanta and told me then that he was about to take an extended break, the first of his career, because his back was hurting and he just needed to rest. And I knew that for three days before anybody else did. But because I found it out at his birthday dinner alongside his friends and those that we had worked closely with for years already at that point, it didn't feel it didn't even cross my mind that it was a story I was gonna break. I just thought, huh, we're about to witness the very first break of his career. But at no point did I think, well, I could break this story. And it was because what would that matter?

At this point, now, do you even remember the first extended break of his career? No, nobody does. And certainly no one would remember if I were the one who broke that news. But he's what, now 38? So now fast forward all these years later, and he still trusts me with things like that. And those are the kind of building blocks and relationships in the same way that you build friendship that has nothing to do with breaking stories. Uh, that's the way that I see relationships with the men and women that I get to work alongside and cover.

[14:50] Al Malafronte: Now, do you think like the age that we're living in with social media, for example, um, do you see a general difference in attitude in you know some of these players that are coming up the pike? Because uh obviously, you know, a lot of people are focused on their Instagrams and TikToks, not necessarily and sometimes at the expense of winning. I hate to say it, it's the same in baseball. Do you see that?

[15:10] Kristen Ledlow: That's such a great question because that is easily when I'm asked, is there anything that surprised you covering the game as opposed to playing the game for the entirety of your life? That's it. My assumption, because I had always played basketball, was that basketball players care the most about being great at basketball and winning basketball games. And what shocked me covering basketball at the highest level was recognizing I could name on both hands the number of guys that I know for sure care about being great and winning games more than anything else. But that's it. I could name on both hands, and that is it. And there are hundreds that play in the NBA. And so it's not just a new generational problem.

It's the reality of creating superstars that are excellent in this sport. They're going to have different priorities. Some are going to care about being great but some are going to care about the notoriety and the celebrity that comes with all of it and so now which I mean you know it of course this the this younger generation has has just an a new kind of take on influencer slash celebrity, but it's not a new problem.

[16:37] Al Malafronte: Right. No, I mean it's uh you know throughout baseball I'm a Yankee fan unfortunately I think that there's you know too many guys on our current roster you know playing for the most prestigious franchise in the world who are more concerned about you know like Instagram reels and getting likes and stuff like that and they they haven't actually won anything and it's frustrating for us as a fan. So it's interesting to hear your take on it as a journalist. I take it you know you have a broadcast journalism background. I know you worked actually you know as an anchor when you first got started in your career um is it tough to I guess uh or is it do you ever find yourself trying to like have to avoid the temptation to fall into that trap where you know you'd rather you know you obviously want to focus on your job but um you know like the fame and notoriety thing was has that does that ever cross your mind?

[17:02] Kristen Ledlow: Oh yeah, of course. Um the level of importance that is placed on it now. I everything about my job and my ability to get paid is based on the number of people who want to watch me do it. Right. So through the years and certainly years ago, it was a much greater temptation then than now. Um a great deal of that is is just growing up. Um but a lot of it is where my priorities are and and what matters most to me. Um because yeah, I mean it it pays to be well known, but it also can come at a cost. And so regularly rooting myself in truth and surrounding myself by community that cares far more about who I am than what I do has been the game changer there.

[18:35] Al Malafronte: Yeah, and because it, you know, that makes sense that you put it that way, because I always think of you as someone who has a lot of integrity, and you know, you told that story about LeBron before. I think that a lot of the coaches around the league really recognize that too when you were doing the sideline reporting for uh TNT. And I remember back when you would do, I guess after the first and the third quarter, you'd be speaking directly with the coaches, and some have a reputation for being friendlier than others, you know, Greg Popovich comes to mind. Um you know, if going back to the subject of like challenges and you know, difficult ways to uh break into the game, you know, at the time was it difficult for you, like because quite often you have a lot of talent, obviously. You have journalistic integrity, but do you have to surrender a lot of control when like the score of the game is gonna dictate the flow and the uh tone of the interview?

[19:27] Kristen Ledlow: Oh, yeah. Well, and those are different interviews to prepare for in that there's not a ton of preparation that can be done in advance of the game. So, like when I'm preparing for a studio show, which is typically what I've done in this season following maternity leave, I can write it at 10 in the morning. And there will be some things that change, like there'll be news that breaks, but for the most part, I can put my baby boy down for a nap. I can write the entirety of an hour-long pregame show, and not much is going to change. That is an impossibility when you are preparing for a live game broadcast because the game itself dictates everything else. So typically the way that I would prepare for those coaches interviews and then like walk-off interviews with the players as well, is in advance, prepare just the several overarching subjects that we would potentially want to hit on.

Say that I'm talking to Steve Kerr with the Warriors. He's a really easy one to talk to, though. And of course, he was he was a TNT broadcaster before he was the Warriors head coach. So I'll use him as the example because I know he wouldn't mind me doing so. Say that I know because I've been at practice for the last couple of days that that their team defense is a priority, and I know that uh Dream on Green is gonna be back in the lineup. Um, so so say we take those couple of overarching themes, and I I write those things down before I go into a live game broadcast, and then I typically hit the very basic, like when you're in seventh grade, you learn how to construct sentences, when you learn how to construct a question, it's who, what, when, where, why, how.

I I kind of go through those topics and I create questions based exactly on that. So if we're talking about their team defense, it's who is it that you are looking to to be your vocal leader on the defensive end of the floor as you're facing this 19 point deficit it's what is it that you worked on this morning uh in shootaround ahead of facing a LeBron James led Lakers team knowing that he their offense was going to filter through him it's so you go through just kind of the who, what, when, where, why, how and that's the way for me I found it easiest to construct those questions just off the top of your head as you go. It's it's prepare the topics in advance and then just go through basic question building.

[21:42] Al Malafronte: Now when you look back on it was there a certain breakthrough moment or interview you did where you realized that you were welcome to the league?

[21:42] Kristen Ledlow: Um, I I hate to to use his name as much as I already have in the in the very short time we've been talking but it was probably the first time that I wrapped up an interview with LeBron on live television and I said thank you and he said thanks Kristen it it was like oh he like he knows my name he he knows who I am and and it's it's one of it's just one of those moments it's like how am I how am I standing right here on a basketball court talking to LeBron James on live television. How does he even know I exist much less know my name right at the end of these three questions that for me when you ask that question that's the first place my mind goes.

[22:41] Al Malafronte: Yeah well it's a testament to the job that that you're doing. So I mean just to be the fact that he can address you by name. It's I mean, that's that that is an arrival moment, 100%.

[22:51] Kristen Ledlow: It it felt that way, without a doubt. I don't know if you ever really feel like oh, I've a rock, I've done it. Did I did it? I've done it. I don't know that you ever feel exactly like that. But for me, that was the moment that I re like it just felt like I don't know if I've I've done it, but maybe I'm doing it, right?

[23:15] Al Malafronte: Yeah, a hundred percent. And I think that you have really helped shape the landscape of the NBA for a lot of women in the sport because of it. And and the league as a whole seems to be moving in a much more progressive direction than most other sports leagues. You know, the Milwaukee Bucks, for example, named Lisa Byington as their play-by-play announcer earlier this season. Uh Kate Scott for Philadelphia. Long-term goal. Do you think play by play is in the cards for you?

[23:39] Kristen Ledlow: You know what's it's funny you asked that because I had never really considered it. Um, summer league, a couple of summers ago, I get my schedule, and I've done summer league like, you know, summer after summer after summer. And I get my schedule, and it's like the first two days I'm there, I'm doing sidelines, the role that I'm I'm I'm used to doing. And then the the last two days I'm gonna be calling the games. And I actually made a call and was like, what was it? Am I supposed to be doing this? Like, is this the and they were like, yeah, you know, go have fun. And so summer league was the first time that I had actually even tried to do it, which is it's kind of insane to think about it that way, like calling an actual professional game on national television was the first time I even attempted it.

But I don't know how many people knew that. So I that was the first time I had ever even given it a go. But I remember walking away at the end of the broadcast, feeling like, goodness, that's something I would love to do more of. So I I love that you bring that up because I had never even considered it, but watching now that it is a possibility and that women have been hired to these positions, and that I really loved taking a shot at it when I was given one.

[24:50] Al Malafronte: Yeah, I didn't think it'd be cool. Would you like to do it on the national level? Or I know you're a big Magic fan, so would you do it for the would you rather do it for a specific team like the Orlando Magic, let's say, or how what do what I'm saying?

[25:01] Kristen Ledlow: I will say I almost had to do it on TNT. Uh I was in New Orleans with Kevin Harlan was going to be calling the game, and Reggie Miller was our analyst. And Kevin, all day long, I mean, like starting from the morning meeting, his voice was gone because you know he calls NFL games all throughout the fall as well. And and his voice was gone. But he has so many tricks, you know, from being this iconic voice over so many years that we didn't really think like it's gonna come game time and maybe he still won't be able to talk because he's he's very quiet in the meeting.

[25:38] Kristen Ledlow: He like he knows the kind of tea to drink, and he has all of the special kind of, you know, what is it that the Mariah needs to sing tonight stuff?

[25:46] Al Malafronte: Like Kamucha or something?

[25:48] Kristen Ledlow: No, no, no, no, no, no. What is it called? He has all of it. So we weren't really concerned. We get down to like I am not exaggerating, nine or ten minutes before tip off, and Kevin still can't talk. And so they called me from our network and they were like, Can you call this game with Reggie? And I was like, Yes. Give me a couple minutes to look at the stuff. And it's like literally nine or ten minutes until the game actually tips off. Reggie and I walk out onto the court and sitting there on his night off, Joel Myers, the again, an iconic voice in and around the NBA, sitting there on his night off, just like a shirt rolled up. We were like, he should do it. Let's get him, like, he'll be ready.

Let's get him to do it. And so Joel was there and just happened to be there. And he sat in the seat. He obviously is the voice of that team all season long, um, game in and game out. But I did think for those like, you know, few minutes, maybe this is something I'm about to get thrown into the fire to do. And on like a Thursday night TNT game as well.

[26:58] Al Malafronte: So the only reason you didn't want to do it was because you felt he would be more prepared and you the, you know, especially being the first time is that kind of was that yes.

[27:06] Kristen Ledlow: It to me was a no-brainer. If he's sitting right there knowing how well prepared he will be, like he's already forgotten more about this league than I will ever learn. And so it wasn't that I would not have wanted the opportunity. It was though that there were nine or ten minutes until tip-off, and I hadn't prepared for that opportunity. And one of the things that I have hung my hat on throughout the entirety of my career is working in excellence. And all of that is is based on preparation behind the scenes. And I had not done the preparation for that particular role that night.

[27:42] Al Malafronte: So let me ask you this, because I mentioned your, you know, journalism background going back to college. Um, you see what's going on in the world right now. Let's say if you let's say if you know the play by play thing doesn't happen for a bit, you see, you know, all this heartbreaking news going on internationally. Do you ever get that itch to, you know, pursuit, you know, work in any other sort of journalism and that hard-hitting reporting on a no, just sports.

[28:08] Kristen Ledlow: Not ever. I I I never feel called to cover those stories, but I have many times over the years felt called to step away from what I'm doing to give in a greater capacity to something that feels like it has eternal value. Um, and I don't know what that could look like or what that would look like, or if that meant longer form storytelling uh because storytelling is is is my background and and what I'm so passionate about. Uh, but no, never do I think I'm gonna give up doing sidelines on TNT to go try and be a reporter on CNN. I I don't believe that that's my gift. I don't believe that that's my calling. Uh those aren't by any stretch of the imagination the stories that I think that I would cover well.

[29:08] Al Malafronte: Um it goes back to what I said at the start of what I think makes me good at covering basketball is what would probably make me bad at doing that. And it's because I care about people so much more than the physician. Now, so much has changed, obviously, um, just as far as the landscape of the sport. One other thing I wanted to touch with uh touch upon with you was uh the presence of gambling within the game, and it's really everywhere you look. Um I have some friends who've never gambled before, maybe outside of a couple of Atlantic City trips, and they're suddenly dropping money on sports betting, even if it's $10 a game. And you know, just yesterday in the NFL, we saw Calvin Ridley of the Falcons get suspended for betting on his own team. I know it's a revenue stream for these leagues, but are you concerned about the impact that this is starting to have on people?

[30:02] Kristen Ledlow: Anytime that you take an entity that can become an addiction, there's going to be concern. But I don't think it was the wrong move to legalize it in these spaces and for leagues to partner with betting organizations in order for it to become part of the business model.

[30:29] Al Malafronte: Yeah, no, it's it's a fine line to walk because I know that they're they're partnered up. I ever every professional league is partnered up with it. You even go to you go to Madison Square Garden. There's a DraftKings lounge. It's just it's everywhere you look. Obviously, when you know it's it can be an addictive thing. And I I'm just surprised to see the way that it has kind of not taken over, but it just has such like a big footprint on the game now. It's like you can't escape it. And it's really it's drawn a lot of people in to their credit.

[30:57] Kristen Ledlow: Yeah, it has. I mean, it can also there are so many, it's not just the business side of it. There are there are a ton of pros, as we can harp on the cons, but there are a ton of pros in that it makes regular season games matter to the average fan. You know, it's not just about the money that it's bringing into these leagues, it's you know, it's it's that it's it's that maybe this West Coast game that doesn't get over until 1 30 in the morning where I live, uh, matters a little bit more now to the casual basketball fan.

[31:37] Al Malafronte: Yeah, I'm too nervous to bet on any of it. I just I've seen too much happen. I've seen too like I've witnessed in person too many 26 point leads disappear like that. My own money on that. Like what? I I um know too many of them. Like you think I'm going to take my hard-earned dollar and bet against Stephen Curry? Excuse me.

[32:01] Kristen Ledlow: I I always tell people that the most the closest thing I ever do to sports betting is is fantasy baseball. And that's honestly is is sick as well.

[32:12] Al Malafronte: Yeah, oh you could do well, yeah.

[32:14] Kristen Ledlow: It's not because it's not like daily betting. It's like, you know, you draft a team, it's like a fantasy football team, except fantasy baseball, but it's 162 games, although it'll be shorter uh this season. But at least we have basketball, you know, playoff basketball to look forward to. Are you gonna be doing handles after the uh last games end?

[32:30] Al Malafronte: Yeah, we're so excited about I I'm glad you brought that up because I hate to shamelessly plug.

[32:36] Kristen Ledlow: But working with Channing Fry for those who of you who didn't know who I was referring to.

[32:42] Al Malafronte: Um New York heavy audience.

[32:44] Kristen Ledlow: We we've no Channing Fry. That's right.

[32:47] Al Malafronte: Um, he but like if I just say Channing, who do you first think of?

[32:51] Kristen Ledlow: Tatum.

[32:52] Al Malafronte: Thank you.

[32:53] Kristen Ledlow: Okay, 100%. And but Channing Fry and I joke about this all the time because we'll use gifts in our text messages like everyone does. And anytime you type in a Channing, you know, just type in Channing. And like I'm looking for Channing Fry to like, you know, make some face, but like all I see is Channing Tatum shirtless and dancing. And so, you know, I send those, I send a ton of Channing Tatum gifts to Channing Fry. Uh anyway, um, so Channing Fry is who I'm referring to. I don't know that anyone in my life would approve of me hosting a middle of the night show with Channing Tatum. But I and I host handles every Friday night after the final buzzer in the NBA, and it's been such a blast. He is the funniest, he might be the funniest person that I know.

[33:48] Kristen Ledlow: I I really think he might be the funniest person that I know. Personality for days, and what's so funny is like the stuff that makes air, because it's a live show, we'll go through like a rehearsal ahead of time, and he will have an entirely new set of jokes ready for the live show that like he doesn't, he's just coming up with this stuff off the top of his head. He will keep me laughing throughout the entirety of a 30-minute rehearsal and then use entirely new jokes come the live show so that I don't have to pretend I'm laughing at the same joke again, because he just comes up with that. I mean, he's just such a blast. It has been my favorite part of this season by a lot.

[34:29] Al Malafronte: Wow. See, it ended up, I mean, I because obviously, you know, you're be you being a mom now and coming back from the pandemic. Maybe it worked out the way it was supposed to, being able to put all this focus into such a great project where I have to give you credit because uh there's not necessarily a lot of people in my immediate social circle that are you know down to keep watching sports past the game ending, and you just bring such great entertainment value to it that it's such a cool format. I love it.

[35:00] Kristen Ledlow: Thank you. All of my the all of the people in my life are sports fans, and everyone I work with is either a former athlete, a current athlete, or an analyst of either. And even that, like we don't even want to be awake at that hour.

[35:16] Al Malafronte: So you you're forgiven by all means.

[35:18] Kristen Ledlow: It's also one of the reasons why it repeats a ton of times through the night and then like through to Saturday morning. So you can just set the little record and it still will count towards our ratings and I can keep a job. So fine. If you don't stay away, it's fine.

[35:33] Al Malafronte: It's absolutely awesome, Kristen. It's just one of the many great accomplishments and uh that you've had in your career. But I should tell you this part of uh Break A Bat might get a little tough for you.

[35:45] Al Malafronte: Um, with the little segment that we do where uh I know you didn't have like the longest career in the batter's box from when you played t-ball and softball, but uh we do a segment here called Fastball Derby where you're gonna be back in the batter's box.

[35:59] Al Malafronte: And um I want you to like imagine a role. Do you know Aroldis Chapman?

[36:04] Kristen Ledlow: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I know the name, yes.

[36:06] Al Malafronte: Yeah, so the fastest throwing man ever is on the map.

[36:09] Kristen Ledlow: Yeah, but I feel like that's what people are asking. Do you have a personal relationship with Aroldis Chapman and what can you tell us?

[36:17] Al Malafronte: No, no, no. That's not the only him nor Channing Tatum, I don't know them.

[36:22] Kristen Ledlow: So basically, think of me as Chapman throwing fastballs at you. Um, I'm gonna ask you a question. You gotta think quick because it's high velocity. You tell me the first thing that comes to your mind since you're such a great storyteller, if you want to sprinkle any of those in there too. Um, do you think you could handle that at that?

[36:38] Kristen Ledlow: I think so. I have gone to the bat in cages several times as an adult, so I understand the concept that you're throwing at me here.

[36:47] Al Malafronte: Yeah, it's a glorified way of saying that it's our lightning round. Sorry.

[36:50] Kristen Ledlow: Right.

[36:52] Al Malafronte: Okay. Uh, batter up. My cousin Joe in Plandum wants to know when you're in New York, what's your favorite pizza spot?

[37:01] Kristen Ledlow: Oh goodness. I feel like Michael Scott right now when he walks through and he's like, this is the city. Like, look, Sbarro, like his favorite New York pizza joint. I am the worst. I'm guilty of just going to the same places just because I recognize them. I hate to say it, but I can't even think of a I I've worked in New York a ton, but not enough to be there like out during the day and walking the streets to find my favorite New York pizza spot.

[37:32] Al Malafronte: Okay.

[37:32] Kristen Ledlow: And I think I would probably embarrass your New York audience if I told you the kind of like like we order pizza regularly, but it's like from the hut or Papa John's.

[37:44] Al Malafronte: So uh sorry, long, long.

[37:48] Kristen Ledlow: I am happy that you mentioned Michael Scott because I'm a huge Office fan.

[37:52] Al Malafronte: And uh I actually did have a question prepared within the realm of uh The Office, actually.

[37:57] Kristen Ledlow: And I'm curious to hear I I might know how you you'll answer part of it, but uh rank these three shows, The Office, Glee, and Modern Family.

[38:06] Kristen Ledlow: Oh, okay.

[38:09] Kristen Ledlow: I will say I've never even watched Glee, so that's last place for me.

[38:15] Kristen Ledlow: Huge Britney Spears fan. That was a great episode, Heather Morris doing a play for you and give me one. I hate that I have just become a name dropper on this episode, but Rico Rodriguez, who plays Manny on Modern Family, is one of my dearest friends in this life. And so I'm a huge fan, quite obviously, of Modern Family. I was a huge fan of the show before he and I even became friends, and it's because he's such a huge NBA fan. So I've got to call those two one A and one B. All right. That's it. That's a fair diplomatic answer. And I love both. Those are like my three favorite shows. So I was actually just curious to hear. I'm glad to hear that you like at least two of them. I'll probably give you a whole bunch of Glee episodes after the episode that I'd recommend beyond the Britney episodes.

If I were to add, so The Office and Modern Family, two of my favorite shows of all time. If I were to add to that little, like Parks and Rec would probably be the other that's like one A, one B, one C. There's no determining that for me. And Michael Schur, who created or co-created The Office, co-created Parks and Rec. Can one person be? Right. Honestly, those are some great answers there. And since I know you're such a big Office fan, I'll change another, uh, I'm gonna change a different question here. What's your favorite Office episode?

[39:33] Kristen Ledlow: Oh goodness. There are so many iconic Office episodes. The one that probably still makes me laugh the hardest is Dinner Party. And a lot of people hate Dinner Party. I love it, but it's relatable on a level I don't want to talk about. So uncomfortable. Like the people hate Dinner Party and Scott's Tots for the same reason I think they're so funny. Um, but if I were to put just an all-time best episode of The Office, I'd have to go Niagara Falls and Jim and Pam's wedding. I love more than anything the very end, that line that he's like, you know, the church was actually plan C. Um, plan B was, you know, what we did. And plan A was marrying her a long, long time ago. It was just the perfect culmination of all we had seen from them season after season.

[40:29] Al Malafronte: That's so sweet and touching. Honestly, that is a great episode. My mind often goes to Michael's toast at the actual rehearsal dinner.

[40:35] Kristen Ledlow: But it's so bad.

[40:38] Al Malafronte: Nana leaves.

[40:43] Kristen Ledlow: They had an accident.

[40:46] Al Malafronte: Nana left.

[40:47] Kristen Ledlow: Oh my god.

[40:50] Al Malafronte: Oh, I'm so glad to know that Kristen Ledlow is a big Office fan. Very good. Oh, I'm currently watching through The Office again, but watching the super fan episodes that they've released with like all the extra, all the it's incredible. Nothing that really like adds to or changes the plot in any way, but I just want 20 more minutes of commentary throughout every episode.

[41:10] Kristen Ledlow: Oh, wait a second. Um, are you talking about so basically with the deleted scenes inserted to okay? So I would recommend the Chair Model episode, which immediately follows Dinner Party, has some classic deleted scenes that actually enhance like that chapter of Office history even further.

[41:28] Al Malafronte: So I'll watch that tonight.

[41:30] Kristen Ledlow: Perfect. There we go. I'll watch that as soon as we're off the phone. Your biggest takeaway from your time in the batter's box is me recommending a good Office episode. Still, yeah, it's recommending the extended Chair Model. That's perfect. Um, okay, you could be the lead in one Broadway musical. What would it be?

[41:51] Kristen Ledlow: This may come as a surprise to you, but it's Les Mis.

[41:55] Al Malafronte: You're a big fan, huh?

[41:57] Kristen Ledlow: My favorite of all time. It is not close. It is like Les Mis and everything else. And the only show I've ever seen on Broadway, actually on Broadway, was Les Mis with Lisa Leslie, actually. I'm just gonna get I don't know why. It's not that I'm trying to name drop this movie. It's just that's who I actually went with. And it was like its final month, perhaps that it was going to be on Broadway during that stretch. But that story, that show, that soundtrack, those songs, it's not even close. I could never do it justice, but that would be my choice.

[42:37] Al Malafronte: Are you a big music fan in general?

[42:39] Kristen Ledlow: Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm married to a musician, and yeah, of music, yes, and all kinds of music, yes.

[42:45] Al Malafronte: Rock concert or country concert?

[42:49] Kristen Ledlow: Depends who's playing. Probably country, though. I'm from the South.

[42:55] Al Malafronte: Okay. Okay, that's a good one. Um, New York baseball question team Jeter or Team A-Rod.

[43:02] Kristen Ledlow: Eh, I'll go A-Rod since he's an NBA owner now as well. I know very little though about either of them as far as baseball playing goes. I know A-Rod dated J-Lo for a long time and is a part owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves. That's the extent of my knowledge.

[43:24] Al Malafronte: Okay, okay, fair enough. So you haven't seen Jeter or A-Rod, you know, on the basketball court, you know, just watching the game, haven't had any interactions with either of those guys.

[43:33] Kristen Ledlow: No, I have not met either of them.

[43:37] Al Malafronte: Most difficult interview you've ever had to navigate.

[43:41] Kristen Ledlow: But not this one. Um, thank you. I think it's a compliment. Uh goodness, you know, a lot of our coverage throughout 2020 felt very difficult to navigate. I was not only pregnant during a pandemic, but there was racial injustice having hit its peak and players are walking out and walking away from playing at all and trying to wrap language around what was happening. Um trying to make sense of all we were seeing in live time. Uh those days were easily the most difficult to navigate, and certainly the ones I had to come back to over and over and over that people are more important in this position. Speak truth. People are more important than this position.

[44:46] Kristen Ledlow: Fact about Kristen Ledlow that would surprise people the most.

[44:58] Al Malafronte: Okay. We'll call that a, uh, like a foul tip or something. Um most embarrassing on-air moment.

[45:08] Kristen Ledlow: Um see the problem is I really this is not just throughout my career, it's throughout my life. I don't have whatever that thing is that makes people feel embarrassed. Like that, that would whatever it is that shoots through your body that makes you feel embarrassed. I don't think I have that thing. And so there's really nothing. No, but like there's really nothing. Like they're like, hey, will you throw this unicorn costume on and go, yeah, absolutely. I mean, I did Celtics coverage once on the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party and went and did an actual Boston Tea Party reenactment with local actors and dressed as in full colonial garb. Like for TNT. I just I don't think I have that thing that makes you feel embarrassed.

[45:50] Al Malafronte: Wow, so you've got some acting chops. Maybe if they revive Les Mis, they'll call on you.

[45:55] Kristen Ledlow: No, no, no. I don't have. Not. No, no. No. I would never do it justice. You don't want to mess with like your favorite show. I understand.

[46:06] Al Malafronte: Right. Okay. Um, best piece of advice anyone ever gave you.

[46:12] Kristen Ledlow: No is a complete sentence.

[46:16] Al Malafronte: Who told you that?

[46:19] Kristen Ledlow: It was about a decade ago. Uh Rachel Nichols was working on ESPN at the time. And I don't remember what it followed. I don't remember why it came up. But it has been a defining kind of piece of advice throughout my career and in my life now as well. I think so often we think that we have to over explain or come up with excuses. And I would say, especially as women working in such a male dominated space. Whatever the reasoning, no is a complete sentence.

[47:09] Al Malafronte: All right, now we're gonna circle back to the original, uh, foul tip here. What's the fact about Kristen Ledlow that would surprise people the most?

[47:18] Kristen Ledlow: That's the problem, is like when I think of see, like usually that question is asked like as a fun fact with a fun fact about me. And you know, I can think of a bunch of those, but I don't know that any of them are really surprising. Like, are you surprised that I have a cat named Magic or that I have a probably unhealthy obsession with Justin Timberlake? Like none of that would surprise you, right?

[47:39] Al Malafronte: Yeah, yeah, I guess you know what? You and I grew up around the same time. So you must have been a big NSYNC, you know, going back to the NSYNC, you've been a big fan.

[47:45] Kristen Ledlow: Okay, that's not true. Yes, my seventh-grade locker when you were like allowed to decorate your locker was a picture of Justin Timberlake with the curly blonde tips wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey. And that to this day, that photo sums me up well.

[48:01] Al Malafronte: And is in your living room right now, obviously.

[48:03] Kristen Ledlow: Yeah, right. And to this day, it's framed in the room.

[48:07] Al Malafronte: Yeah, no.

[48:10] Kristen Ledlow: Oh my gosh. Kristen, this was just such an absolute treat. I'm so grateful that we got to hang out here for this past hour. So like thank you.

[48:19] Kristen Ledlow: No, I've had a blast also. Thank you so much for thinking of me. And I hope that your like New York baseball Broadway audience isn't like, is she serious with the Sabaro pizza? That's gonna be the one thing people take away from this, isn't it?

[48:34] Al Malafronte: That might be the one thing they judge you for.

[48:36] Kristen Ledlow: I don't think it's gonna be the big takeaway, though. Not at all. I've said a lot of things worth judging me for on that, okay? It shouldn't be my taste in pizza.

[48:46] Al Malafronte: The only thing I judged, yeah, was the pizza and the fact that you'd never watch Glee, but we can help you out with that. You get a pass actually, though, because you watched a couple of them.

[48:54] Kristen Ledlow: I have. A couple of them. But no, I never I like I didn't watch it in its entirety. So maybe I should.

[49:00] Al Malafronte: Just do the first four seasons. It's not the same after we lost the great Cory Monteith. Um you know what? That's the other episode I saw, the quarterback. Yes, season five. I remember, even though I had never seen the show, I knew who he was, and I knew that that episode was going to be a huge one. And I sat down and actually watched it live and wept through the entirety of it. I didn't know the story. I didn't know anything about the characters, but I knew that was a real-life person, and they real-life loved him. And watching that episode made me want to watch the rest, and I still haven't. So now that you've encouraged me yet again, I think I should go back and do it.

[49:38] Al Malafronte: All right, yeah, I'll send you some of the DVDs. I actually I do keep the first four seasons in my apartment.

[49:43] Kristen Ledlow: So you keep a DVD player.

[49:45] Al Malafronte: Okay. Now I'm not missing you. Do you know why I keep a DVD player? Because it goes back to The Office. I don't want to pay for yet another streaming service with Peacock. So that's why I have I have all of The Office on DVD also. So yes, it's for The Office and Glee because I have enough streaming services as it is.

[50:04] Kristen Ledlow: Exactly. But Kristen, thank you so much again. This was the absolute best.

[50:09] Al Malafronte: All right, folks. Uh that's gonna close out the ballgame here on Break a Bat. This is Al Malafronte signing off. We'll see you next time.

[50:18] Al Malafronte: Um Thanks for listening to Break a Bat. This is produced by the fine folks at the Broadway Podcast Network. Visit and subscribe at BPN.fm slash breakabat. You can find me online at break underscore a underscore bat underscore podcast. And you can also find the Broadway Podcast Network on Instagram at Broadway Podcast Network. It's been so great having you here with us today, and we'll see you next time.