Crossballs: The Debate Show(2004)

Crossballs: The Debate Show is a Comedy Central series that satirized cable news political debate programs like Crossfire and Hardball. Each episode featured comedians disguised as subject-matter experts debating alongside real commentators who had no idea they were part of a prank. The unsuspecting guests engaged in heated discussions on topics ranging from reality television to religion to video games violence, unaware they were being mocked. The show premiered on July 6, 2004, and aired weeknights at 7:30 p.m. ET for eight weeks. Twenty-three episodes aired before the series ended on August 24, 2004, when a threatened lawsuit from one of the deceived guests prevented a final taped episode from airing.