- 3 minutes ago
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:09Welcome to New York Gun Game!
00:1653 years of waiting.
00:18A championship finally delivered and now the challenge of doing it all over again.
00:22The New York Knicks, they are defending NBA champions.
00:24And while their title defense has gotten off to a little bit of a rocky start,
00:28there's still plenty of reason to believe in the orange and blue.
00:30So our next guest, he knows all about the highs and lows of being a Knicks fan.
00:35You know him from his roles in Entourage and Power,
00:38but he's also one of the biggest Knicks fans in Hollywood.
00:41Joining us courtesy of BetMGM, the one and only actor Jerry Farrar joins us now.
00:46Jerry, what's going on, man?
00:48Dexter, I cannot believe we are sitting here today and you're in your intro
00:53talking about the Knicks or the Champs.
00:54This is not a day I thought was coming in at least 10 years since I last spoke with you.
00:59So I'm very happy to be here.
01:01I know, man.
01:02I know.
01:03I think a lot of people are still, even today, you know, as we are in November,
01:07it's just still, it's a little, it's still a little shocking, right?
01:10I still can't believe that it's actually real.
01:12It's actually happened, even though we're now into the season.
01:14We've seen the banner grow up.
01:15You were there on opening night.
01:16So, you know, it's all that.
01:18So let me ask you this, Jerry, because you lived, you know, like me,
01:23lived through the heartbreak of the 1999 finals against San Antonio.
01:26And then, yeah, I hear the sigh.
01:29And then, before this finals, you, I saw you, I saw you out here.
01:33You were talking a little trash to Spurs fans before this year's finals.
01:37So take me back to the moment when the Knicks finally finished the job against San Antonio.
01:42What was your reaction and did you have any, I told you so, messages ready to send people?
01:48So, I am a pretty optimistic Knicks fan.
01:52I would always get a lot of crap out there in the world.
01:54People thinking I'm just trying to protect selfish interests of like,
01:59oh, because could you get tickets to the Knicks games?
02:01You don't want to talk bad.
02:02No, I would, I always talked realistic about the team.
02:05But, I mean, it's so easy to be down on what the Knicks were for years and years
02:10up until the last three or four years since Brunson got here.
02:12I tried my best to put a positive spin because if not, what else are we watching each and every
02:19night?
02:19I love watching basketball.
02:21But with that optimism comes a lot of fear once things start going well.
02:26Like, almost like this is going a little too well.
02:29Like, this is too good to be true.
02:30When is the other shoe going to drop?
02:32Because that's usually what happened for the Knicks.
02:34So, I, on social media, on Twitter specifically, which I only really use X for Knicks talk,
02:39I talk a lot of trash a little bit.
02:41But inside, I am just a scared, scared fan.
02:45But this team, with their resolve, like you really couldn't ever bail on any situation.
02:51They earned that right for you to sit through some bad play because you never knew when that switch was
02:56going to flip.
02:57And we saw some of the most historic comebacks in playoff and finals history.
03:02Yeah, it was just, it was beautiful.
03:03Just even when I see the images still, it's still so beautiful that we got to go through it.
03:07And then, for me, with you, one of my favorite stories from the Knicks championship celebration,
03:11we were just talking about this before we started recording, was hearing your son, who's, he's seven, right?
03:17Your son is seven, and he was getting emotional and crying about the Knicks winning.
03:22And he's only seven.
03:23So, he hasn't seen the pain that you've seen, that some other Knicks fans have seen.
03:27So, as somebody like yourself, who's waited so long to experience the moment when the Knicks won,
03:32what did it mean to you to share that championship experience with your son and see that same love that
03:38he had for the Knicks?
03:39What did it mean for you to see that?
03:41I'll say he started peeking in, like, two years ago when, like, the Knicks played the Sixers in that first
03:47-round series,
03:48one of the best first-round series of all time.
03:50He would, like, take a look, but he didn't really care.
03:52Last year, he was, like, starting to really become a big fan, and that game one, the Halliburton game,
03:59which I think we've exercised those demons, that hit him so hard that he became a fan from that pain.
04:06And then I started as a dad thinking, why are you doing the same thing that was done to you
04:10to him?
04:11Why are you bringing him up in through all this Knicks drama and pain?
04:15But he really got invested after last year's series.
04:18And, Dex, I kid you not, I don't force this on the kid.
04:21Obviously, I watch a lot of hoops.
04:23He always asks about it.
04:25He's obsessed with cards and stats.
04:27He could name you.
04:28He came with me to the Knicks banner night because my wife wanted to come,
04:32but then his whole case was, Mom can't even name two other players on the Sixers.
04:38Wow.
04:38He made a Sixers case.
04:39And then he went deep.
04:41He mentioned Paul Reed when talking about the Knicks, the Sixers starting five.
04:46I'm like, wow, man.
04:47You at least know what you're talking about, even though Paul Reed's on the Pistons now.
04:51He was once.
04:52No, he was once a Sixer, so I gave him credit for that.
04:55So, yeah, seeing his reaction, though, the cool thing about him breaking down in tears like that was
05:01it was the first time he ever had happy tears, and he didn't know what was happening.
05:05He just kept saying, Dad, I'm crying, and I don't know why because I'm not sad.
05:09And I said, Son, those are happy tears.
05:12Those are the tears that we like.
05:14Those are tears of joy.
05:15So I'll remember that like years from now when I'm already old.
05:20When I'm old and gray, I'll just be talking about that moment with my son.
05:24No, it was a beautiful moment.
05:26It reminds me of I was outside the garden before the banner night, and I was talking to this father
05:31and his son.
05:32And the son is nine years old, and I was interviewing him, and he said, I don't know why my
05:37dad had to wait this long.
05:39He didn't understand the pain.
05:41He's like, why do you have to wait this long all this time?
05:43But I'm like, hey, some Knicks fans have been waiting a long time for 53 years.
05:47But, Jerry, speaking of that long time, you were representing the Knicks as a fan long before they were champions,
05:53including during your years filming Entourage.
05:54So what's your favorite or craziest Knicks memory from that time?
06:00Did anybody on the Entourage set ever get tired of hearing you talk about the Knicks?
06:03They were like, get out of here.
06:04We don't want to hear about the Knicks anymore.
06:06Did you ever experience that hate?
06:08Well, I do remember when we were shooting Entourage, like the pilot episode of Entourage,
06:13I had the Bernard King jersey on.
06:16And I just remember thinking, like, this is awesome for me.
06:18I hope people – like I knew my friends back in New York would appreciate that.
06:22And then the coolest thing that really happened to me, Dex, like a few years into Entourage
06:27and how this whole, like, me going to Knicks games even started was I shot a commercial
06:32that Spike Lee directed for, like, MSG at the time.
06:37And it was me – and they were highlighting, like, the Nate Robinson, David Lee,
06:42like those young rookie Knicks that were going on.
06:44So that's what got me in the building.
06:46One of the coolest things, though, with the Knicks that ever happened to me was I was shooting power.
06:52And Porzingis went on – I don't know what radio show he went on.
06:56He went on some New York sports radio show, and they asked him.
06:58They said, hey, Chris Stapps, any celebrity you could meet in Celebrity Row, who would it be?
07:04And he says, Jerry Ferrara.
07:06Wow.
07:06Dude, my phone blew up.
07:08People from the Knicks – that night they had me courtside meeting Porzingis for the first time.
07:14And I tell you this because I'm, like, the younger version of me would never fathom that this was possible.
07:21And outside of, like, financial security and reaching some of my dreams, it's the best thing that's happened to my
07:27–
07:27because of my acting career.
07:29Besides the financial security and, yes, lifelong dream, the Knicks stuff was the best thing that ever came from my
07:35acting career.
07:36For sure.
07:37That is really dope that they made that happen that – the next game.
07:41That night I was on set.
07:42And shout-out to the power crew.
07:44They got me out.
07:45Like, we filmed my stuff, and I was out by 5 o'clock, and I was heading over to MSG
07:49by 6,
07:50and I was on the floor pregame hugging and shaking hands with Porzingis before tip-off.
07:56That's insane day.
07:57No, that's a dope moment there.
07:59So, Jerry, as you know and fans all know here, Knicks finally end that 53-year championship drought.
08:04Now they're seven games into their title defense, and they're sitting at 3-4.
08:08And most people say that doesn't feel like a championship start to this season.
08:12But how much of a pass are you giving this team after what they accomplished last season?
08:15Or is the old Knicks fan of you already starting to panic a little bit because you're 3-4?
08:21You know, I want to be that shrewd.
08:23I want to be that much of, like, this is unacceptable.
08:27You just can't be.
08:29They get a pass.
08:30The only way the pass runs out is if we're in, like, early April, and we're in, like, the play
08:37-in tournament.
08:38If that's going on then, it's going to be, you know, big problems in New York.
08:43But, no, they get a pass.
08:44You don't want to say, like, the regular season doesn't matter because it, of course, does.
08:48But for so long, the Knicks were the hunters, and a three seed meant the world to Knicks fans
08:55because that means we were in the playoffs and we had some home games to look forward to, right?
09:00It used to be just get in the playoffs at all costs.
09:02Then it became, wow, we can maybe get a top three or four seed.
09:05Great.
09:06Then it slowly kept escalating.
09:07And now that this banner has been hung, believe me, it's not like, well, they don't have to win it
09:12this year.
09:13Who cares?
09:13Because that's never going to fly in New York.
09:15But you certainly give them the time and space to work it out coming off the year and the summer
09:21that they came off of.
09:22I am going to be very, very patient as a fan, and I encourage everybody else to be as well.
09:27Yeah, I've been trying to do that.
09:29Some people are not patient at all whatsoever, Jerry.
09:31I mean, listen, this is New York.
09:32You understand that some people are just not going to be patient at all whatsoever.
09:35But as we record this, the Knicks do have an opportunity to get to 500 on Wednesday, so maybe things
09:40could be a little bit better.
09:41They host the Bulls.
09:42What do you want to see from the Knicks in the next game that will make you feel, you know,
09:45a little bit better about where this team is headed?
09:49So, you know, I like that we, you know, won, like, a few ugly, messy games, and then we looked
09:54very solid against the Nets.
09:56Could have probably blown them out, but the Nets hung around.
09:58I think that's always going to be a tougher matchup than the records would show.
10:02And the Bulls hung around the last time, too.
10:04So now I want to start seeing some take care of your business versus the teams that you should beat.
10:09And this is no disrespect to the Bulls.
10:11So many young players.
10:12Shout-outs, Madis Bazilis.
10:14That's my guy.
10:15But, like, take care of business, especially on your home floor.
10:18Take care of business.
10:21Don't make this like a, like, all right, we're up four with three to go.
10:26No, no, no.
10:26This has got to be a no-sweat game.
10:28Take care of your business.
10:29Don't play with your food.
10:30That's usually my mind.
10:31Don't play with your food.
10:32All right, Jay, I got it.
10:33Before I get you out of here, I know you have a couple things I want to talk to you
10:35about, too, about what you're doing right now.
10:37But I do got to get a bold prediction from you because, as you said, we know what this Knicks
10:41team is capable of when everything clicks.
10:42We saw it this past spring.
10:45When we get to the playoffs next spring, yes, I'm saying that.
10:47I assume the Knicks will be in the playoffs, not in the playing tournament, as you kind of brought it
10:50before.
10:51Do you expect New York to be right back in the championship conversation?
10:54And who do you think is the player that will be the biggest X factor in getting them there?
10:59So, look, I do expect them to be a part of the conversation.
11:04I do think, you know, the way the NBA is now, I'm not saying they don't want to see repeat
11:10champions, but the way the salary cap and the apron and all that stuff works, like losing Mitchell Robinson is
11:16a prime example of making it harder for anyone to repeat.
11:20And the Thunder went through a similar thing.
11:23Look, I know you mentioned I'm here with support of BetMGM, and if you look on BetMGM right now, I
11:28think the Knicks are plus 1,000 to win the NBA championship, but I think they started off as plus
11:34700.
11:35So, they started off 3 and 4, and they knocked them back up to plus 1,000.
11:40So, I think if you, you know, if you like to venture in a little wager, I'm definitely going to
11:45just put a little entertainment money on the Knicks to win the championship.
11:50I think that's the only way to go.
11:51I think it's a good time to get it in.
11:53But there's such a long, long way to go, and as we see even what happened with the Thunder with
11:58injuries.
11:58So, but I do think that's a unique Knicks talent is the health and durability of these guys.
12:03So, I fully expect them to be in the conversation.
12:06I don't know if this is the team, if we're doing a run back, like, you know, Leon Rose always
12:11makes small but smart moves.
12:14Like, the Jose Alvarado move was brilliant when it happened.
12:19You know, but if this is the final form of the team, you know, I do think that, obviously, the
12:25Stars will do what they do.
12:26I do think it's those bench guys.
12:28I think it's the Alvarados, the Clarks, and seeing Tyler Kolick develop.
12:32I'm curious to see what happens with the center minutes with Drummond and all that.
12:37But I think it's going to come down to that bench.
12:39Like, do we get the Landry Sham at that shot 90% in the finals?
12:43Like, if that happens, we're a very big problem for a lot of teams.
12:46Yeah, the bench, who actually has been good to start the season, Landry Sham is shooting like over 45%
12:51from downtown.
12:51So, he hasn't been back.
12:53I love the value you gave there from MGM, that plus 1,000.
12:56So, if you're looking for some value for Knicks fans, you might want to hit that right now.
13:00Could you let the people know what you've been doing with MGM?
13:02Because you've been doing some good work with them.
13:04What's going on with that?
13:05Yeah, it's been about three years now since I've been working with MGM as an ambassador.
13:10They have also done, you know, so right by me by supporting my sports media career, whether it was with
13:16a previous podcast and throwbacks now that I have with Matt Leiner.
13:19They're on with sponsorship there.
13:21And they have brought me to some unbelievable experiences.
13:25They've brought me to the Super Bowl, where, by the way, my pick for that Super Bowl I was live
13:29tweeting for them was it was the Niners Chiefs and I predicted overtime.
13:34Now, I'm not trying to say I'm some guru because I'm not, but it was one of the coolest picks
13:37I ever had because that's only the second time the Super Bowl went to overtime.
13:41I had a shoot around and I played a game of horse at MSG.
13:44So they've put me at all these amazing experiences.
13:47And like I said, you know, I always bet responsibly.
13:50It's an entertainment thing for me.
13:52But, you know, I like that they have, you know, with the NBA, they have basically, you know, defense with
13:58injuries where, you know, if you lose a player in the first quarter, you know, because that happens a lot
14:02in the NBA.
14:03So I just think they're doing great things.
14:04And like I said, they've supported my sports media career to this point.
14:08So bet MGM all the way for me, Dex.
14:11All right.
14:11Doing some good things there with them.
14:13And you got to go to Super Bowl.
14:14So that's, you know.
14:15Super Bowl.
14:16Good.
14:17Can't be mad at that.
14:18Yeah.
14:18Who's your football team?
14:20I'm a Giants fan.
14:21Oh, so you're feeling good.
14:23What's happening right now?
14:25You did not expect this at all.
14:27That's what you're saying.
14:29I was very optimistic to watch some football.
14:33Again, the Giants are sort of now where the Knicks are.
14:35Not fully because they've won championship.
14:38Those two championships in the last, you know, 15 years have given us so much.
14:41But this was the year where it's like, okay, maybe we could flirt with that six or seven seed that
14:47where the Knicks were five years ago.
14:49Like, let's get in there.
14:50And then, you know, they're off to such a good start.
14:53Obviously, the dart injury was devastating.
14:54But now it's – I kind of get to this like, I don't want to – don't celebrate.
14:58Now we've got to pump the brakes.
15:00I'm in pump the brakes mode.
15:01Understood.
15:02Understood.
15:03All right.
15:03Last thing before I let you go, Jerry.
15:05You know, everybody, we know you from Entourage.
15:07We know you from Power.
15:08You've been spending some more time writing and producing and doing some – what's next for you in Hollywood?
15:13Are there any projects, any roles on the horizon that you're particularly excited about?
15:17What's next for Jerry Farrar?
15:18The thing I'm excited about most, and I really don't want to do the thing where I can't say too
15:25much.
15:26It's not because I can't say it because I'm not allowed.
15:29It's also, number one, I don't want to jinx it.
15:31And number two, you know, the deal is done, but there's a few steps to go.
15:35But I did just sell a show to HBO, and all I'll say is it is in the sports world,
15:42scripted series, which obviously, you know, you know me now.
15:45That's where my passion is.
15:47So that's one I have a lot of high hopes for, and I've been putting in a lot of work
15:51on.
15:51And then, you know, doing the podcast with Lionheart with Throwbacks, you know, we just had Tiffany Amber Thiessen, one
15:57of both of our, like, childhood crushes, so to speak.
16:00And that episode went bonkers, but, you know, this week we have Cordell Stewart coming on, which that was one
16:07of my favorite players as a kid.
16:09I like that.
16:09I like that.
16:10Yeah, I didn't even know why.
16:11He has a documentary coming out on HBO Max.
16:14Yes, which I have to watch.
16:15I didn't, did you know why they called him Slash?
16:19Um, I believe that.
16:21There's a real reason, like a specific reason.
16:23I thought it was because of his ability to play wide receiver and quarterback.
16:27Well, I'll spoil some of the doc, like Bill Cowher said, all right, I'm not, because, like, it was always,
16:33he always wanted to be a quarterback.
16:34He didn't want to play receiver.
16:36He's like, all right, I'm going to keep you at, I'm going to put you as QB slash wide receiver
16:41slash running back, hence the slash.
16:44I mean, that's how they say it in the documentary.
16:47So, uh, you got that episode dropping, uh, yeah.
16:49Yeah, and his, he describes that famous past with Colorado, the, you know, the mere, the way he described, he
16:56remembers every single facet of details of that play.
17:00He's an unbelievable storyteller.
17:02So.
17:03Can't wait to see.
17:04Hey, I'm excited for what you got coming up, man.
17:06I, you're doing a lot of stuff and writing, producing that, the show that you sold to HBO.
17:10Wishing you a lot of blessings on that.
17:11That sounds like it's going to be, uh, really good.
17:13Can't wait to see that as well, too.
17:14Uh, and continued success, man, on all the work you're doing and, uh, with the MGM.
17:19But, Jerry, I got to thank you, man.
17:21Thank you for joining me here on New York.
17:22I can't appreciate you, man.
17:23Dexter, anytime, uh, I'm a big fan of yours.
17:26Uh, I know we've talked a couple before, but anytime you ever need me, put up the bat signal.
17:31If you want to talk New York sports with somebody who's, uh, passionate, to say the least, I'm always there
17:36for you.
17:37You do a great job.
17:38Thank you, man.
17:38I, I appreciate that.
17:40Uh, you know, just, just try to be good, just try to be great like you, everybody.
17:43That is Jerry Ferrara.
17:44Check out his work everywhere, especially with their MGM.
17:47You know, he's excited about the Knicks and he's ready to see if they can go back to back.
17:51Jerry, thank you again, man.
17:53Go Knicks.
17:55And thanks for watching New York got game.
17:58Boom shakalaka.