The Sklar Brothers get bobbleheaded on their birthday

Ellen Futterman, Chief Digital Content Officer

Published January 11, 2024

Talk about a birthday present with real bounce.

St. Louis natives, identical twin brothers and nationally known stand-up comedians, Randy and Jason Sklar, are being immortalized on their actual birthday, Friday, Jan. 12, with limited-edition dual bobbleheads featuring their likeness, said Phil Sklar (no relation to the Sklar brothers), co-founder and CEO of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in Milwaukee.

“Enough people reached out and asked for them,” said CEO Sklar. “We asked their permission and got it. They’re excited.”

Standing side by side on a rectangular base bearing their names, the Randy and Jason bobbleheads are both casually dressed and holding microphones. The bobbleheads are individually numbered to 2,024 and only available through the Bobblehead Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which can be pre-ordered on Jan. 12 and are expected to ship in March, cost $40 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

The 51-year-old Sklar Brothers, who graduated from Parkway North High School, decided to pursue a career in comedy while attending the University of Michigan. They are best known for their show, “Cheap Seats,” a cult hit that appeared on ESPN Classic for 77 episodes.

Airing from 2004-06, Randy and Jason played fictitious ESPN research assistants who end up hosting a comedy show as they comment on odd and notable sporting events from ESPN’s extensive library. “Cheap Seats” borrowed its format from “Mystery Science Theater 3000” and the cast appeared in the second season opener in their normal silhouette format, making fun of the Sklars’ host show bits.

Randy and Jason have released six critically acclaimed comedy albums, have had two Comedy Central Half Hour Presents specials, had a one-hour special on Netflix titled, “What Are We Talking About,” and had another one-hour special on the Starz network titled, “Hipster Ghosts.” The brothers are also writers, directors and actors appearing in a wide variety of shows from “Entourage” to “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” to “Curb Your Enthusiasm” to “Better Call Saul.”

Since 2017, Randy and Jason have hosted a twice-weekly podcast with Dan Van Kirk called “Dumb People Town.” In addition, they also had a sports/comedy podcast called “View from the Cheap Seats.”

When asked about getting their own bobblehead, the Sklar Brothers said, “We couldn’t think of a better birthday present than having the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum produce a bobblehead of us!”

To view a 2017 video of the Sklar Brothers talking about Hanukkah and their favorite traditions at Kohn’s Kosher Deli

To view the Sklar Brothers talking Purim at their childhood synagogue.

About the Contributor

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-Chief

A native of Westbury, New York, Ellen Futterman broke into the world of big city journalism as a general assignment reporter for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner in the latter part of the 20th century. Deciding that Tinsel Town was not exciting enough for her, she moved on to that hub of glamour and sophistication, Belleville, Ill., where she became a feature writer, columnist and food editor for the Belleville News-Democrat. A year later the St. Louis Post-Dispatch scooped her up, neither guessing at the full range of her talents, nor the extent of her shoe collection. She went on to work at the Post-Dispatch for 25 years, during which time she covered hard news, education, features, investigative projects, profiles, sports, entertainment, fashion, interiors, business, travel and movies. She won numerous major local and national awards for her reporting on "Women Who Kill" and on a four-part series about teen-age pregnancy, 'Children Having Children.'" Among her many jobs at the newspaper, Ellen was a columnist for three years, Arts and Entertainment Editor, Critic-at-large and Daily Features (Everyday) Editor. She invented two sections from scratch, one of which recently morphed from Get Out, begun in 1995, to GO. In January of 2009, Ellen joined the St. Louis Jewish Light as its editor, where she is responsible for overseeing editorial operations, including managing both staff members and freelancers. Under her tutelage, the Light has won 16 Rockower Awards — considered the Jewish Pulitzer’s — including two personally for Excellence in Commentary for her weekly News & Schmooze column. She also is the communications content editor for the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis. Ellen and her husband, Jeff Burkett, a middle school principal, live in Olivette and have three children. Ellen can be reached at 314-743-3669 or at [email protected].