J.E. Skeets of Yahoo’s Ball Don’t Lie heard the following exchange take place yesterday when “MSG, NY” reporter Jill Martin appeared on Sirius’ Howard Stern Show.

While they were on the air, Artie Lange (above), Stern’s comic partner in crime, started asking Martin basic Knicks trivia like, “What years did the Knicks win a NBA championship?” and “Where was Stephon Marbury born?” When she struggled to answer, Artie started mocking her lack of Knicks knowledge.

Following this episode, Snapple — longtime enablers of Stern — offered Martin $5,000 to compose “5 Snapple Cap facts about the Knicks” (“Snapple will provide any and all resources needed to research these facts, including: Internet access, direct contact with devout followers of NY sports and the email address of the president of the Patrick Ewing Fan Club”).

Would it be useful for Martin to know that Stephon Marbury  —- who might not even be on the Knicks’ roster come opening night —- hails from Coney Island? Perhaps.  But it seems just a little unfair that she’s the one being singled out by Snapple when the clueless frontman of J.D. & The Straight Shot escapes similar taunts from the advertiser.  How’s this for a new Snapple campaign : $5000 to the charity of his choice if Artie Lange will go on MSG’s “Boomer Esiason Show” and catalog no fewer than 5 bad things that happen when you snort heroin.