Behind the Scenes with the Puppy Bowl Ref

There's really only one person who knows Puppy Bowl like the back of his best friend's furry little paw, and that's the Puppy Bowl referee.  We recently caught up with the Ref in the Animal Planet office and got some inside scoop on what it takes to make Puppy Bowl!

Q: Do you have a Puppy Bowl moment that stands out above the rest? 

A: I remember one specific incident on the field where I had to call "Unnecessary rrrrrrruffness" on a Corgi puppy for excessively tackling a Beagle puppy. Following the call, the Corgi puppy looked at me and responded with three barks and a growl. "Watch your language," I replied to him, politely.  And then he urinated on the field. Sure, I had to clean up his excrement, but I think my point was made.

Q: Just how many bags of poop would you estimate are collected during Puppy Bowl?

A: First of all, it's not the amount that's pooped, it's how it's scooped. That's my credo.  Sure, puppies poop a lot.  Bags and bags of poop.  But, you know what else puppies do? They play football.  And who refs these football playing puppies? I do.  Sure, I can get into the specifics about how I am constantly cleaning up puppies' "personal fouls," but why bother with the details? I am the Puppy Bowl referee and I take pride in my role.  I want a clean game in every sense of the word.

Q: How was Pepper the Parrot selected to sing the national anthem?

A: Choosing a parrot to sing the national anthem is no small feat.  Have you ever seen American Idol? It was pretty much the same process in selecting the parrot.  Hundred of thousands of parrots from around the country filled arenas for an opportunity to audition.  Week after week, parrots were sent home one-by-one with their dreams of singing at Animal Planet Stadium crushed.  At the end of the audition process, only one parrot stood on top of the perch: Pepper the Parrot.  I have never heard such a sweet singing bird.  After watching Puppy Bowl V, I'm sure America will agree that the correct parrot was chosen.  Bravo, Pepper, bravo.

Q: How long does it take to set up the Kitty Half-time Show set? 

A: It takes about 30 minutes to set up the Kitty Half-time Show set.  I take this break from the action as an opportunity to review my "Official Puppy Bowl Referee Handbook," and refuel with a diet consisting primarily of carbohydrates and sugars.

Q: How long does it take to clean up the confetti from the half-time show?

A: In human or dog years? It takes HOURS to clean up the confetti. It's an over-night process because every nook and cranny of the Puppy Bowl set is covered.  I, for one, do not partake in the cleaning up of the confetti, as I have a no-confetti-clean-up clause in my contract.  While the set is being cleaned, I am getting my much-needed beauty sleep at a nearby hotel.  I apply a peanut butter face mask to my skin before I sleep to receive optimum puppy attention the following day.