Dan Lebatard Dad Gonzalo Le Batard Originally Started The Show Together

Dan Le Batard brought in the idea of his father Gonzalo Le Batard, co-hosting his new ESPN show in September 2011. The father-son duo started after the positive reviews, especially from their Latin audience.

The senior Le Batard was born on September 7, 1943 in Havana. He grew up playing baseball with his friends on the streets in La Vibora.

Gonzalo also played left field during high school, where he was nicknamed "Legs" due to his fleet-foot ability. However, the nickname story is most likely a joke from the elderly's side due to his habit of constantly lying for fun, Dan revealed with The Athletic.

Le Batard senior's love for baseball made him go watch Sandy Amoros’ famous catch in left field in Game 7 of the 1955 World Series when he was 12. 

Moreover, the Cuban-born was part of an orchestra, La Orquesta Hermanos Le Batard, along with his brothers. The group had become quite successful in the country back then.

However, Gonzalo moved to the United States when he was 18 and started working in factories in Brooklyn to start a new life. He went to Fairleigh Dickinson University in Rutherford for a master’s degree in industrial engineering.

Mom Lourdes Le Batard Is Also A Cuban

Dan's mother Lourdes Le Batard is a fellow Cuban immigrant. She and Gonzalo started their small family in Central Islip before moving to Miramar, Florida.

The Le Batard couple taught Spanish to their kids. Dan is thus very fluent in Spanish, which he solely learned at home. 

While growing up, Dan was motivated by his pop to play a variety of sports, including baseball, football and soccer. Meanwhile, Gonzalo himself coached all the teams of his offspring.

During the game days, Gonzalo looked after the team while Loudres ran the concession stands. The whole Le Batard household was supportive of Dan and Gonzalo's decision to come on TV together back then.

Gonzalo had become a quick hit among the Highly Questionable viewers. He was called "Papi" by the fans, as Dan called him Papi at home.

His comedic ways of talking, continuous fake handshake pranks with fellow co-hosts, and after-the-show fun with the crew were the highlights of his TV career. While he had starred as a daily co-host of HQ since the early days, that stopped in November 2019.

His old age pulled him off the shooting schedules that disrupted his screen time. Hence, the prankster Papi made infrequent appearances until 2021.

The staggering father-son duo appeared together on 4th January 2021, their last episode of the show.

Meanwhile, the show continued with the ESPN correspondents as the new hosts, including Pablo Torre, Bomani Jones, Clinton Yates, Sarah Spain, Katie Nolan, Israel Gutierrez and Mina Kimes, among many others.

While Papi Le Batard has officially retired to his home, Dan continues his media career spanning more than three decades coming into 2023.

Dan Lebatard wife Valerie Scheide tied the knot on 16 November 2019 in Miami. Valerie is a former model for Centro Models.

She is originally from Miami and later moved to St. Louis under the guidance of her modeling agency. She is active on Instagram as @vawee.

The beloved couple first met at a restaurant in 2016 where Papi and Loudres were celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary.

Le Batard got on one knee during a vacation in Kenya and Tanzania in 2018. Their engagement happened during their safari organized by Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill, a regular weekly guest on Dan’s radio show.

Greg "Scoops" Cote was the one who revealed the details of the engagement in the article. The news was published when Dan was on the air, while his consent to share the news was not taken.

However, the two parties remained on good terms, and Dan married Valerie the following year. He was 49, while his bride was two decades younger than him.

Their wedding video was shot by Pink Dust Films for Sugarfree Studio. The two opted for the 1970 soul song "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" by Stevie Wonder for the video.

Longtime friend and HQ co-host Pablo Torre officiated the ceremony, while another best friend, Jon Stugotz, was the best man. Despite Valerie's choice for privacy, she recently appeared in a May 2022 vlog with Jon and Dan.

Before getting hitched, Dan was named People magazine's "100 Most Eligible Bachelors" in 2001, a feat that he had achieved back in 1996.

Dan Le Batard has a younger brother named David Le Batard. The two are five years apart in age and grew up together in South Florida.

David occasionally appears on Dan's shows and podcasts though he rarely attends any sporting events. Moreover, he is often compelled by others to attend such events.

He serves as the art director of Dan's shows, where he designs their graphics. He also looks after the art side of his older brother's studio at the Clevelander Hotel.

David Le Batard Is An Artist

David was born on November 19, 1972. He attended the Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School and later graduated from Florida International University.

He was a lecturer in residence at the International Museum of Cartoon Art during his college days. Moreover, he is also the winner of the 1990 Silver Knight Award for his art. 

David is considered one of southern Florida's "most recognizable artists" and "almost an institution" in the art world for his works. 

Besides murals, live paintings, and sculptures, David's art has flourished in fabric, aircraft exteriors, cruise ship hull artwork, stained glass, furniture pieces, and flower shops. He is the official designer of the exterior of Norwegian Getaway. 

The younger Le Batard is also imminent by his nickname LEBO, named after his LEBO Studios. The studio has been in operation since 1996.

His artworks represent his self-proclaimed "Postmodern Cartoon Expressionism" movement that uses cartoon imagery combined with richly saturated balances of color and unique linear composition.