Toucher & Hardy: Hardy reveals 2024 MARCH PLAINNESS Tournament SNUBS
During yesterday’s Toucher & Hardy radio program, Fred unveiled the brackets for a tournament which shall go unnamed. Why unnamed? Well, the name we use on the air is largely for alliteration purposes, and when you see it in print, it doesn’t do the conversation justice.
So, let’s just say Fred chose 16 women that he thinks I would be attracted to, and starting on Monday, I’ll go through the matchups until we have a ‘winner.’ Now, this goes FAR beyond physical qualities. Mind, soul, and resume are all important considerations. You could say the body of work is way more important than the body.
Fred mentioned that his field of 16 was a combination of what he knew about me and my ‘predilections’ (I hate that word) and suggestions from Dan, Mike, Nick, and the audience. And of course, there were some key players left out.
Some of the names I’ve heard would not have fit in this tournament. But these 3 who ended up outside of the bubble would have been great.
AMY ADAMS
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 26: Actor Amy Adams attends the 2017 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Graydon Carter at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 26, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Ms. Adams could have easily made the tournament as a 2 seed. Wholesome, immensely talented, and not a hint of pretense about her. Easily believable as a nun in ‘Doubt’ or as an alien befriending linguist in ‘Arrival.’ Too bad. The tournament is worse off without her.
DEBRA WINGER
ROME, ITALY – NOVEMBER 04: Jury member Debra Winger walks the Closing Ceremony Red Carpet during 6th International Rome Film Festival at Auditorium Parco Della Musica at Auditorium Parco Della Musica on November 4, 2011 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images for Lancia)
Compelling suggestion. She was a sensation in ‘An Officer and a Gentleman,’ ‘Terms of Endearment,’ and the best part of Steve Martin’s ‘Leap of Faith.’ I think of her along the same lines as Mary Tyler Moore, who also would have been a fine choice. In fact, when MTM was left out of the field, my friend Dave was outraged:
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 18: Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, winner of Best Actress in a Comedy Series and Best Comedy Series for “Veep”, poses in the press room during the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Maybe the biggest snub. I think she’s a delight, and not just because of ‘Seinfeld.’ Watch the movie ‘Enough Said’ with James Gandolfini and tell me she’s not wonderful, even if her character is kind of awful. Come to think of it, that’s what JLD does – she plays very flawed characters, but she makes you love them anyway.
There are more that were left out, but I felt the need to celebrate a few of them here. And on Monday, the celebration continues – in the guise of a tournament, which I still will not name in print.
Rob “Hardy” Poole is the co-host of Toucher & Hardy radio program. You can follow Hardy on X/Twitter here. Wanna connect to the show? Follow the link: linktree.com/toucherandhardy
Toucher & Hardy: 2024 MARCH PLAINNESS - Who made the tournament?
During this morning’s Toucher & Hardy, Fred revealed the contenders in the highly anticipated tournament, March Plainness! Who will Hardy choose?
In the world of sports talk radio, unexpected debates can lead to epic events. This was exemplified when a straightforward question regarding preferences in women ignited Toucher & Hardy’s “March Plainness” tournament, captivating the attention of listeners.
It all began with a casual inquiry posed to Rob “Hardy” Poole during the highly popular, totally original Email segment. A listener asked Hardy to choose between two actresses from the popular TV show “Modern Family”: Sofia Vergara, known for her role as Gloria, and Julie Bowen, who portrays Claire Dunphy. To the surprise of his co-host Fred Toucher, Hardy opted for Julie Bowen over Sofia Vergara, noting a specific clip that’s ingrained in Hardy’s mind.
WATCH HERE:
This seemingly innocuous choice set off a chain reaction. Listeners flooded the show with emails and phone calls, expressing their opinions and suggesting other contenders who fit Hardy’s preferences. Fred took on the challenge of organizing a tournament to determine the ultimate winner in Hardy’s wheelhouse.
And so, “March Plainness” was born. Toucher carefully curated a list of 16 women who aligned with Hardy’s tastes, creating a bracket-style competition akin to the NCAA tournament in March. The matchups were designed to pit fan favorites and Hollywood stars against each other, sparking debates and discussions among listeners.
As anticipation builds for the upcoming tournament on the highly-rated Toucher & Hardy’s radio program, fans are eagerly anticipating each round, ready to cast their votes and share their predictions. The excitement is expected to reach new heights as the field narrows, with potential for unexpected upsets and thrilling showdowns that will keep everyone on the edge of their seats.
The culmination of intense deliberation and competition will ultimately reveal the winner of the tournament. But you may be asking, “Who made the cut? Who’s in this highly anticipated tournament?” Well, you’re in luck! Below are the women who made the tournament, along with their seeding.
You can also fill out your bracket and predict who will Hardy ultimately choose! Scroll to the bottom.
MARCH PLAINNESS CONTENDERS:
Nick Gemelli, the wizard behind the scenes at Toucher & Hardy and a maestro on 985thesportshub.com, kicked off his radio escapade back in 2007 as an intern for Toucher & Rich on WBCN. After navigating through WFNX and the Boston Phoenix, he made a triumphant return to the show in 2016. Hailing from Marshfield but currently holding it down in Tewksbury, Nick’s radio journey is as dynamic as his Twitter feed. Nick writes about what happens on the Toucher & Hardy Show and Boston area lifestyle content.