Arliss (rendered in its logo as Arli$$) was an American situation comedy on HBO about a sports agent and his group of associates. The series premiered in 1996 and ended in 2003. Reruns of the show now air on ESPN Classic in their comedy block where it's partnered with Cheap Seats.

Arliss stars Robert Wuhl, who also produced the show, as Arliss Michaels, the president of a sports agency who tries to cater to his clients' every need as best as he can. His clients' requests often provide the show's punchlines. Sandra Oh plays Rita Wu, an Asian American woman who sometimes serves as Arliss' best friend and counselor, and who is always very well-dressed. Wu's attraction to Hispanic men is notable. Jim Turner plays Kirby Carlisle, a middle-aged, ex-football star whose excessive enjoyment of women, alcohol and gambling cause him much suffering. Afraid of needles, he later discovers that he is, in fact, a diabetic who requires insulin shots. Michael Boatman plays Stanley Babson, a conservative African American financial advisor who sometimes threatens Arliss's agency's financial health by making mistakes on clients' portfolios.

Real athletes also appeared on the show in nearly every episode. Among the famous athletes who have appeared on the show are Oscar De La Hoya, Dan Marino, Emmitt Smith, Kobe Bryant and Joe Theismann.

Arliss on Other Programs

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In July 1999, Wuhl also appeared on World Championship Wrestling's Monday Nitro in the company's dying days as a guest announcer. Joining Scott Hudson and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Robert did not appear as himself but was named as Arliss and acted in character. He announced that "the WCW" (sic) would appear on Arliss because none of the Big Three networks would have WCW. Arliss stayed in character on color commentary as Randy Savage, Gorgeous George, and Miss Madness walked to the ring. Arliss said he was scouting Dennis Rodman, who was doing his third stint with the company. The Arliss appearance was panned by fans and wrestling critics, especially because most people didn't know what an "Arli$$" was. Wuhl appeared for cross-promotion as WCW was owned by Time Warner (and Nitro aired on TNT), as was HBO. At the time both shows had low ratings, it was apparently hoped that Arliss fans would watch wrestling and vice versa. Whul never appeared or mentioned on WCW TV again and the stunt did nothing notable to improve the ratings of either program.

During the October 12, 2002 episode of Saturday Night Live, guest host Sarah Michelle Gellar delivered the following monologue in a fake television commercial sketch:

You know the feeling. Someone's about to tell a joke, and you panic. What if you start laughing? Lots of us experience slight loss of bladder control. An embarrassing accident can happen any time. Sometimes, just when laughing. That's why I watch "Arliss" on HBO Comedy. It's nice to know that, every weekday at midnight, I can sit down with Robert Wuhl and the gang at Arliss Michaels Sports Management, and, a half-hour later, my drawers will be as dry as a bone. And now I know I'll be able to get 100% bladder control whenever I'm feeling insecure. Because all seven seasons of "Arliss" are now available on DVD. That's over forty hours of keep-your-pants-dry entertainment! So, don't let slight loss of bladder control cramp your style. Watch "Arliss", and take back your life. Ask your doctor if "Arliss" is right for you. Side effects may include nausea, depression, and slight sexual dysfunction.

Criticism

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Despite its lengthy run on HBO, Arliss never caught on with viewers and was bashed by many critics; Entertainment Weekly consistently referred to it as one of the worst shows on television. Many felt that the show was subpar and that the show's frequent use of obscure sports references made the humor something only die-hard sports fans would get. In addition, rumors swirled that Arliss was kept on the air, despite its poor ratings and scathing reviews, mainly because of Robert Wuhl's friendship with top HBO executives.

External links

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• HBO: Arliss
• Jump The Shark - Arliss

HBO network shows | Sitcoms | 1990s TV shows in the United States | 2000s TV shows in the United States