Monday Night Existentialism

Monday Night Existentialism - New York Times:

"LAST year, “Monday Night Football” switched from ABC to ESPN after 36 seasons, ending the broadcasting reign of John Madden and Al Michaels, who moved to Sunday evening. How have they been spending their Monday nights? (Graphic of a clashing pen and scroll.) FRENCH-ACCENTED VOICE-OVER “Are you ready for some existentialist theater?!” (Overhead blimp shot of Broadway theater marquee.) AL MICHAELS It’s show time at New York’s Walter Kerr Theater for tonight’s tragicomedy, “Waiting for Godot.” I’m Al Michaels giving the play-by-play in highbrow-definition alongside John Madden. All week the talk has been about the match-up between the two tramps, Vladimir and Estragon. JOHN MADDEN This tandem reminds me of Loman and Kowalski in their pathos and three-dimensionality. MICHAELS Who do you give the edge to? MADDEN Whoever can exploit the other guy’s weakness, which is that existence precedes essence. MICHAELS Estragon won the Dionysian mask flip and has elected to kick things off. There he goes — immediately trying to remove his boot. MADDEN This is his bread-and-butter stage direction — he’ll do it until the absurdity of the universe saps his will."