The Weirdest Athlete Television Appearances

Whether they're performing their profession or merely talking about it, athletes are on TV all the time. And oftentimes, it is when they're not performing their profession when they're the most interesting.

Perhaps that's why athletes are so often sought for exclusive TV appearances, whether we're talking arranged interviews or cameos on various shows.

For the most part, these arrangements end up being pretty boring. But there have been quite a few TV appearances through the years that stand out because they were just darn weird.

And for your entertainment, we have decided to put the 20 weirdest athlete television appearances into a neat little slideshow.

Enjoy.

20. Matt Hasselbeck Randomly Shows Up in South Park

I would have happy enough just watching a South Park episode that parodied Inception, but then Trey Parker and Matt Stone went ahead and randomly threw Matt Hasselbeck into the mix.

Why? I have no idea.

But that's clearly the point.

19. Bo Knows the Fresh Prince

I consider myself to be one the biggest fans of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air in existence. Maybe even the biggest.

All sorts of stars made cameo appearances on the show, but for some reason, I remember Bo Jackson's as being the most pointless. I couldn't find any video of the actual show, but I think this promotional video does a good job of capturing the spirit of his appearance.

18. Family Guy Has Some Fun with Tom Brady

I knew I wanted to sneak one of Tom Brady's many TV appearances in on here somewhere. There's nothing too weird about his appearance on Entourage, but I did think there was something weird about watching Family Guy have so much fun at Brady's expense.

That might have something to do with the fact that I just can't picture him reciting his lines for his shower scene with Peter.

17. Hulk Hogan and William Perry Join the A-Team

Between the two of them, Hulk Hogan and William Perry have probably done every job there is to do in show business.

Of course, this would include the episode of The A-Team they did together in the '80s, in which Hulk plays a tough guy, and the Fridge plays a jolly fat guy.

You could say there's nothing overly weird about their performances, but I just find the whole idea itself to be pretty odd.

16. Derek Jeter Cross-Dresses for SNL

Derek Jeter has made numerous appearances on Saturday Night Live, all of which are equally funny.

That being said, I've always wondered how they sold him on the idea of dressing like a woman for that one skit.

And you know what, I probably don't want to know.

15. Owen Hart Trash Talk Fail

Have you ever kicked somebody's leg out of their leg?

Owen Hart did. Apparently.

Nevertheless, may he rest in peace.

14. Brian Wilson Is Too Much for Jim Rome

Rome Is Burning has to be the most pointless show on ESPN. A lot of this has to do, I suspect, with the fact that Jim Rome's novelty wore off many moons ago.

That being said, Brian Wilson's appearance on the show this past September never gets old.

A word to the wise: This is not the only appearance that B-Weezy makes on this list.

13. Shaq Serves Justin Bieber

I will admit that I have no idea who or what Justin Bieber is. I asked my sources, but I can't help but think they're pulling my leg with their answers.

I will also admit that I don't watch Shaq Vs. on a regular basis (who does?). That being said, Shaq and Justin Bieber could very well be the strangest pairing in the history of television.

But I think the main reason I think this clip deserves a place on this list is because I didn't think it could get any weirder than Kazaam.

Speaking of Kazaam, when the hell are we going to get a Blu-ray?!

12. Charles Oakley Has a Cooking Show?

Before I stumbled across this while researching this project, I had absolutely no idea that former NBA player Charles Oakley had his own cooking show, Oakley Cafe.

I did, however, know that Charles Oakley is probably the last person in the world who could carry a TV show of any kind. The dude just has zero personality.

You're going to have to go watch the clip directly on YouTube, but suffice it to say that you will see what I'm talking about.

11. Freddie Mitchell Is All About Conspiracy Theories

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

JACKSONVILLE, FL - FEBRUARY 6: Wide receiver Freddie Mitchell #84 of the Philadelphia Eagles stretches before the start of Super Bowl XXXIX against the New England Patriots at Alltel Stadium on February 6, 2005 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Jed Ja

Former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver is responsible for one of the great plays in NFL playoff history back in 2004. We all know it simply as "4th-and-26."

Of course, Fred-Ex was also quite the outspoken chap. And apparently, he thinks the media downplayed his achievement on his great play.

You can watch the whole video on RedLasso.com but be warned that Mitchell is definitely the conspiracy theorist type.

10. Lennox Lewis and Hasim Rahman Fight Before Their Fight

The smartest thing ESPN has ever done was to schedule Lennox Lewis and Hasim Rahman to do an interview at the same time on the same show, and then line up questions that had a very good chance of inciting violence.

I say again, smartest thing ever.

By the way, fake or real?

9. Edge on Professional Wrestling

Everybody knows that professional wrestling is fake.

Or at least, everybody should know that professional wrestling is fake.

If you don't, just make sure you don't tell Edge. He might get offended at how stupid you are. It is, after all, his livelihood.

8. Miguel Tejada Gets Owned

Miguel Tejada found out the hard way never to accept an invitation to an exclusive interview.

He also found out how old he is.

I, for one, give the man credit. At least, he didn't act like he forgot the English language, unlike some other Dominican slugger we all know.

7. Muggsy Bogues Gets Checked Out by Larry David

I suppose I'll apologize ahead of time for the colorful language, and it goes without saying that any Curb Your Enthusiasm clip is NSFW.

But because it features a decidedly weird cameo that focuses around the nether regions of former NBA point guard Muggsy Bogues, there was just no way in hell that I was going to keep it off the list.

In addition, it's just funny watching the 5'3" Bogues threaten to beat up Larry David.

6. Brian Wilson Welcomes the Machine

The legend is born 43 seconds in.

I need not say more.

5. Mike Tyson's Upcoming Pigeon Racing Show

Did you hear Mike Tyson is going to have his own show about competitive pigeon racing?

Nope. I'm not pulling your leg. It's called Taking on Tyson, and it's a six-episode series that will air on Animal Planet starting March 6th.

Feel free to go set to go program your DVR and then return to this slideshow later.

And yes, I know it's not out yet. But the premise alone is enough to land it on this list.

4. Scottie Pippen Sings About a Certain Kind of Love

I've never actually watched an episode of The Cleveland Show, but I have to say I have the utmost respect for the show's producers.

I mean, they convinced Scottie Pippen to come in and do a song about being balls deep in love, so they must be good.

3. Jim Everett Assaults Jim Rome

Brian Wilson may have had his way with Jim Rome by weirding him out, but then-NFL quarterback Jim Everett decided to be much more phsyical.

Ah yes, one of the most infamous interviews of all time, and "weird" is just one of many words that you could use to describe it.

One thing we know for sure is that watching Everett lose his cool and then throw Jim Rome to the ground is infinitely re-watchable.

2. Barry Bonds Discovers His Secret Weapon

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 27: Former Major League Baseball player Barry Bonds watches warm-ups before the start of Game Two of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2010 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Sta

Who here remembers Beverly Hills 90210?

I suspect that question just eliminated at least half of you, but you should nonetheless hear me out. After all, it could very well be that this show could be responsible for Barry Bonds' tainted legacy.

Indeed, we're talking about one scene in particular where Bonds is playing golf with a couple other characters. After one of them hits an impressive shot from the tee, Bonds inquires if he has "some kind of secret weapon."

To which the character mysteriously replies, "Yeah, something like that."

Coincidence? I think not.

1. Mike Tyson Impersonates a Statue on Barbara Walters

Who can forget the time when Mike Tyson and his first wife, actress Robin Givens, were interviewed by Barbara Walters in 1988?

Indeed, while I don't mean to make light of the fact that Givens wanted people to know she was actually afraid of her husband, Tyson's demeanor never ceases to creep me out.

I mean, did they drug him before they started the interview? What's going on here?

Never mind, I don't want to know. All I know is that it doesn't get any weirder than this.