Where Justin Timberlake's ESPY Humor Comes From?

"Bruce Vilanch" = the hired gun to write jokes during the Oscars for the host (pictured left). He may know a lot about ugly unfunny t-shirts, and a bit about balls, but he definitely doesn't know sports.

For ESPN's Oscars, "The ESPYs", (aired Sun July 20) head writer Jonathan Drubner (Taft '90, Syracuse Newhouse '94) is the #1 draft pick. Drubner (right), drinking with Survivor's Ozzy Lusth at Sundance '07.

It's not easy to follow in the footsteps of Justin Timberlake's last comedy outing. (No, not Alpha Dog.) You remember the Emmy winning jingle at the intersection of anatomy and geometry? "We try and keep the monologue as topical as possible, " Drubner told TheCHIMP.net exclusively. "Thank GOD soccer didnt become HUGE in America the morning of the show."

Credit the man with a highlight of the show: Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly's list of demands ESPN will have to meet in order for them to host the show. Drub said, "It happened really fast. I had about 15 minutes to come up with a concept, then 30 seconds to pitch it to Will as he made his way from one interview to another during the “Step Brothers” press junket. Luckily, he took the bait. Phew. Had he said no, that would have been my ass." At press time, Drub still had an ass.


When Ferrell later accepted the best male athelete award AS Tiger Woods, speaking as if he were Tiger Woods, a lot of things went through our head. "We wrote that with Will 40 minutes before, " Drubner told us. We're sure it was appreciated by Tiger because... a surprisingly google-proof connection and a real, personal, relationship exists between Ferrell and Woods, that one might say runs through Scandinavia....but its in TheCHIMP.net embargo.