Wake Up Barstool finally launched on FS1 this morning, and instead of a soft-open with light banter and a slow news day, the show booked the most chaotic possible guest for episode one. Lil Wayne walked in, immediately started shouting out half the company by name, and turned what should've been a debut victory lap into a Bears-Packers proxy war.
Big Cat marking the FS1 launch from the desk.
The Tunechi-Big Cat segment is the one that's going to live forever. Wayne is one of the most famous Packers fans on the planet, Big Cat is one of the most famous Bears fans on the planet, and the two of them spent a chunk of national morning TV talking trash about a division race that hasn't even kicked off yet. It built to an actual pact: if Chicago wins the NFC North, Wayne comes back on the show. Big Cat called it the Puddle of Tears Game. Wayne agreed on camera.
The Puddle of Tears handshake — Big Cat and Wayne setting the terms live on FS1.
The Stoolies immediately ran with it, because of course they did. A rematch booking with Lil Wayne as the bag man for a division title is the kind of bit that writes itself into the season, and the audience clocked it instantly as a thing they're going to be referencing every Sunday from September on.
Fans pouncing on the Puddle of Tears Game premise within minutes.
The battle for the NFC North just got a lot more interesting, Puddle of Tears Game at the end of the season would be ELECTRIC
Outside of the football war, Wayne spent the rest of his hit acting like the most plugged-in Barstool listener on Earth. He shouted out Kayce Smith as his "homegirl," asked where Portnoy was (Eddie had to explain Dave does Mondays), told Eddie to pass along that he loves him, and then pivoted to asking BFW to narrate his next album because the accent is unmatched. He also went to bat for TBob. It was a full Rolodex flex from a guy who clearly actually consumes the content.
Wayne running through the Barstool roster, asking after Portnoy and shouting out Kayce.
For a show whose entire pitch is "morning sports talk, but actually fun," booking Lil Wayne on day one and getting him to commit to a return appearance tied to the Bears winning the division is about as clean a launch as you could draw up. FS1 wanted a reason for people to talk about Wake Up Barstool today. Mission accomplished — and now there's a year-long bit hanging over the NFC North to keep it going.