Brett Favre — merely a player, and football the stage?

Brett Favre: is he a hero, a traitor or just another overblown egomaniac sports celebrity?

Actor, playwright and sports commentator David “Copperfield” Begel joins Mark “Merlin” Metcalf this week to discuss Wisconsin’s own prodigal son through the lens of the Greek Olympian tradition, the aesthetic of movement on the field and the national theater of sports.

At the heart of the pursuit of both sports and the arts, they argue: the creation of magic. Discussed: a California insemination clinic; Edith Hamilton; All My Sons; whether anyone deserves special treatment in our society.

Listen now: Backstage with David Begel: The Favre talk (right click to “save as” and listen later on your computer). You can subscribe to Backstage with Mark Metcalf through iTunes.