Todd Gallagher

Todd Gallagher is a US writer, TV producer, and comedian.

He was raised in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. At the age of 14 he won the grand prize twice on the ESPN quiz show Dream League. [ [http://todd33.com/galleryphoto9.html Letter from ESPN referencing winnings] , from Todd Gallagher's website] At age 21 he became the youngest coach and Director of Player Personnel in the history of pro basketball for the United States Basketball League's New Hampshire Thunder Loons. [ [http://espn.go.com/page2/s/questions/muniz.html An interview by Todd Gallagher] - bio at bottom of interview.]

He parlayed his basketball experience into a series of writing assignments in Australia. He returned to the United States where he wrote for ESPN, conducting interviews with people throughout the sports and entertainment world. [ [http://sportsmed.starwave.com/page2/s/questions/ludacris.html Interview with Ludacris] ] [ [http://espn.go.com/page2/s/questions/moochie.html Interview with Moochie Norris] ] [ [http://sportsmed.starwave.com/page2/s/questions/cube.html Interview with Ice Cube] ] [ [http://sportsmed.starwave.com/page2/s/questions/moakler.html Interview with Shanna Moakler] ] [ [http://espn.go.com/page2/s/questions/muniz.html Interview with Frankie Muniz] ] [ [http://espn.go.com/page2/s/questions/bellamy.html Interview with Bill Bellamy] ] He left ESPN to pursue a career in entertainment. As a television writer and producer he has sold, developed, and run various shows including an MTV special about the movie "" with stars Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn. [See IMDB link.]

"Andy Roddick Beat Me with a Frying Pan: Taking the Field with Pro Athletes and Olympic Legends to Answer Sports Fans' Burning Questions" (Random House, 2007) which is Gallagher's first book, contains answers to sports questions that people have been debating for years, many of which he was asked repeatedly by fans during his tenure at ESPN. Professional athletes including Andy Roddick [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3073902 "Andy Roddick could beat an average player with a frying pan" - Chapter Excerpt on espn.com - 10/23/07] ] , Lebron James, Mike Tyson, Dwyane Wade, Johan Santana, Maurice Greene [ [http://www.thefinalsprint.com/2007/11/maurice-greene-featured-in-new-book-by-todd-gallagher/ The Final Sprint article] ] , Freddy Sanchez, Pete Webber, Rocco Mediate, the NHL's Washington Capitals [ [http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119153223734549348.html "From Mr. Magoo to Baghdad" - Wall Street Journal Article with interview and video - 10/5/07] ] , participated in events and interviews to help answer the questions, many of which border on the absurd: Gallagher has stated in interviews that the athletes were not paid to participate, went along with the stunts because of the quality of the ideas, and that he did the book as well as filmed the events across the country on a shoestring budget. The style has been described as irreverent, comedic, and informational, [ [http://www.gelfmagazine.com/archives/the_sports_speculator.php GELF interview] ] and has led Gallagher to be called "Plimpton on acid" [ [http://www.dailynews.com/search/ci_7302227?IADID=Search-www.dailynews.com-www.dailynews.com "WRITING ON (AND OFF) THE WALL Ideas have some weight" - Los Angeles Daily News - 10/28/07] ] . The book itself has been described as "a weird amalgam of serious inside-the-ropes research germane to the games and of ludicrous just-outside-the-asylum performance art." [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/19/sports/arena.php "Book poses the sports questions that arise after a few cocktails; If Roddick were using only a frying pan, could you beat him?" - International Herald Tribune - 10/19/07] ] Praise has come from the Wall Street Journal [ [http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119143109983647814.html "Andy Roddick Beat me With a Frying Pan" Book Excerpt in Wall Street Journal - 10/6/07] ] , International Herald Tribune, Los Angeles Times [ [http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-briefing16oct16,1,1421088.story "Answers in form of questions" - Los Angeles Times- 10/16/07] ] , and Washington Post [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/10/AR2007101001587.html "Gene Voted Sexiest Man Alive: We'd tell you the truth, but you can't handle the truth" - Washington Post - 10/14/07] ] [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/09/25/DI2007092501188.html "Chatological Humor aka Tuesdays with Moron" - Washington Post - 10/2/07] ] [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/27/AR2007022701476.html "Oh, Shoot: A free-throw contest gives Gene that sinking feeling" - Washington Post - 3/4/07] ] , and the book has been excerpted by many of these outlets. Commercially, it has sold well, reaching number one amongst all sports books on Amazon.

Gallagher has appeared as a guest on numerous national radio [ [http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/PORTLAND-OR/KEX-AM/RoddickPanPodcast.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=PORTLAND-OR&NG_FORMAT=newstalk&SITE_ID=610&STATION_ID=KEX-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=Scott_Lynn&PCAST_CAT=Sports&PCAST_TITLE=Scott_Lynn's_Sports_Interviews Todd Gallagher talks with KEX Sports Director Scott Lynn about the new book "Andy Roddick Beat Me With a Frying Pan" - 11/1/07] ] [ [http://www.everyzing.com/viewMedia.jsp?index=53&match=none&expand=true&filter=1&num=16&dedupe=1&start=48&ci=28&col=en-all-public-ep&channel=132&res=0&e=12747846 First Light Radio Clip - 10/16/07] ] [ [http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/SANFRANCISCO-CA/KNEW-AM/ang%204%20101007.mp3 Armstrong and Getty radio show - Sound clip of interview with Todd Gallagher - 10/10/07] ] [ [http://www.mancow.com/show;jsessionid=F0EBC4F0904FDD3C9D43F203E41F5866?action=viewRadioShow&showID=514 Mancow's Morning Madhouse radio show - Link to sound clip of interview with Todd Gallagher - 10/10/07] ] [ [http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/MIAMI-FL/WIOD-AM/10-10%20%20TODD%20GALLAGHER%20-%20BOOK_1.mp3 South Florida's First News host Dave LaMont interviews Todd Gallagher about his book "Andy Roddick Beat Me with a Frying Pan: Taking the Field with Pro Athletes and Olympic Legends to Answer Sports Fans' Burning Questions" - 10/10/07] ] [ [http://www.coasttocoastam.com/guests/1565.html Coast to Coast AM Bio of Todd with sound byte of radio segment] ] and television shows, including appearances on CNBC, Entertainment Tonight, MTV, Fox Sports, E!, the BBC, and Fox News.

References

External links

* [http://todd33.com/ Todd Gallagher website]
*

[http://www.bostonherald.com/track/inside_track/view.bg?articleid=1043901] - "How to kick-start an NFL career" - The Boston Herald - 11/11/07

[http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/no-borders-for-cup-of-plenty/2007/10/21/1192940903419.html] - "Sporting life" - The Age (Melbourne, Australia) - 10/22/07

[http://www.newsday.com/sports/printedition/ny-spten215426290oct21,0,7643727.story] - "THE BIG TEN" - Newsday - 10/21/07

[http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/101907/spo_209861635.shtml] - "T-U 2: Playing with a pan/Small ball" - Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville) - 10/19/07

[http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-sp.flipside17oct17,0,6873251.story] - "Roddick's game pans out even with half-baked gear" - Baltimore Sun - 10/17/07

[http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/other/10/19/1019sptmakers.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=54] - "Book of sports oddities hits the shelves" - Austin American-Stateman - 10/19/07

[http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=6fb2d4f0-57fb-4ca8-b071-0527a0b9e5e3] - "Book gets panned" - The StarPhoenix - 10/16/07

[http://www.mcall.com/sports/all-wakeup.6094869oct17,0,5287578.story] - "PETERED PAN" - The Morning Call - 10/17/07

[http://www.sptimes.com/2007/10/14/Life/Columnist_unveiled_as.shtml] - "Columnist unveiled as Iranian spy" - St. Petersburg Times - 10/14/07

[http://www.amny.com/sports/am-andyroddick1011,0,1461328.story] - "Oddball stunts for athletes" - AM New York - 10/17/07

[http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/sports/story/220518.html] - "Morning Briefing Racket just doesn't pan out" - Myrtle Beach Sun News - 10/17/07

[http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/269644.html] - "Odd questions, funny book Out of the 'Frying Pan'" - Fort Worth Star-Telegram - 10/16/07

[http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=17473] - ESPN chat with Todd Gallagher (10/2/07)