PWI 12 Questions with Brodie Lee

Pro Wrestling Illustrated recently conducted an interview with indy star (and potential future WWE star) Brodie Lee. Their set up was somewhat awkward. Here is the synopsis for their out of the box questions.

“You’re at the airport. You see your favorite wrestler relaxing in one of the terminals. You rush up to him/her as questions fill your excited mind. There are certain things you just have to know about this person. Well, these are the 12 questions you’d never think to ask:”

1 – What man-scaping advice would you like to give our readers?

What the hell is man-scaping? is kicking people in the face considered man-scaping? I only shower on Tuesdays to get the stank of Bessy off me.

2 – You may have the most effective boot to the face in the business. How did you develop your kicking power?

Helping my friend Grizzly Redwood topple timber in the forest.

3 – What band have you seen in concert the most times?

Hank Williams III

4 – Be honest now: Was your move from traditional wrestling singlet to jeans and T-shirts brought about entirely by a desire to reduce your dry-cleaning costs?

Who uses dry-cleaning? Most wrestlers don’t even wash their gear…just ask Cloudy. Also, beer and pizza stains look better on a wife beater.

5 – Brodie Lee is asked to prepare a dish for a swanky dinner party. What does he prepare?

A bag of premium wood-smoked beef jerky from the truck stop, a six-pack of Genny Cream Ale, and a jug of Jesco’s finest moonshine.

6 – What famous finishing move do you wish you invented?

I already invented The Big Boot…what else do you want from me?

7 – Excluding Bruiser Brody, which is your favorite fellow Brodie: Brodie, the wiseacre from Mallrats, Sheriff Brody from Jaws, or reality TV personality Brody Jenner?

The Little Rig” – Brodie Richard Lee Jr., my son. Also, how dare you put Brody Jenner’s name among other great Brodies? I want to boot him and his family’s faces off, and now yours!

8 – You’ve been called “The Big Rig” and you’ve traveled all the highways and byways. What diner, drive-in, or dive have you discovered that stands above the rest?

Cheeseburger Cheeseburger in Rochester, New York.

9 – What would be the title of your autobiography?

Lincoln, Lot Lizards, & Liquor: All The Gravel In My Travel On The Road Back Home To Nebraska.

10 – What has been the single most surreal moment of your career so far?

Drinking beers with Kevin Nash till 7am, then booting him in the face hours later.

11 – When was the last time you felt intimidated?

When my wife dips into the moonshine and wants to make another baby…a.k.a. Tuesday nights.

12 – Complete the following sentence: One thing about Brodie lee that very few people know is…

Apparently, it’s not well known that I hate to be asked stupid questions.

May 22 2012

Are You Pleased With Ring of Honor’s Shift From HDNet To Sinclair?

*From PWI*

When it was announced that Sinclair Broadcasting had purchased Ring of Honor in 2011, reaction was varied. Some of the fans expected major changes with the television network investing in the company to help improve production values and promotion. Others were cautiously optimistic, hoping that Sinclair wouldn’t meddle with the promotion or make drastic creative changes. Almost a year into the Sinclair agreement, wrestling fans are split as to whether the move from HDNet to Sinclair has been beneficial to the company.

Some say they are grateful for the opportunity to see ROH programming for the first time, while others do not have access to Sinclair. The Sinclair format dedicates more time to fewer competitors, allowing more time for storylines to build and for matches to be more meaningful.

The company still has sub-par lighting, erratic camera work and uneven audio, which at times gives the show a slightly low-rent feel.

What is your opinion? Post your comments and opinions.

May 8 2012

Bodyguard For Hire…? Will Wrestle For Food…?

I get asked a lot of the same questions from wrestling fans. Some of the most popular are: What is this wrestler like?; What ever happened to this wrestler?; How much do these guys really make?; Did you have sex with Tammy Sytch? … Well, let’s just stick to the where are they nows and how much do they make.

About a year ago, I wrote a short post entitled Mike “Virgil” Jones – The $3,500 Slave which talked about my run-in with former WWE star best known as the lackey bodyguard of the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase in the 80′s. I was absolutely amazed at what a douchebag to everyone and the exuberant amount of money he was trying to hustle from promoters for an appearance fee.

The other day, a fan sends me an email with a photo attachment. The fan had read my post and was following up on one of the most expensive non-drawing jabrones in the business. Apparently, I was wrong. And now there is picture proof!

I didn’t know that self proclaimed $3,500 valued talent was taking gigs signing autographs in parking lot flea markets. This is obviously a pit stop before the Hall of Fame. Look at the turn out in this place. Fans are trampling each other just to get close to him. The money is literally jumping out of their pockets and into his hands. The line was so long, fans had to be turned away. The world heard the sound of thousands of children crying because they couldn’t get their life’s fulfillment of being next to the what some may consider the second coming of Christ.

I understand that some fans flew half way across the world from Japan, Australia, Iceland, and Newark, NJ. The Pope doesn’t even get turn outs like this. This is that moment fans have always dreamed of and will tell this tale to their grandchildren where it will become legend. I’ll my grand children he was a legend…a legendary failure!

I’ve seen some pretty desperate things in this business and this is definitely in the top five. Do you think the promoter of the flea market had to pay $3,500 for his top draw? because if you were to ask me, I think Virgil actually paid the promoter $35 for the table. I’m not here to take a big wet shit all over Virgil…ok, yes I am – because he’s a total douche -, but how sad is it that this guy is sitting in a parking lot telling people he sold out Madison Square Garden. Then again, there may be some truth to it. Maybe he didn’t sell out every seat in the arena at The Garden – but there is a good chance he sold out of his promo pictures in the MSG parking lot!

On a serious note, it’s sad to see the grim reality of what life after wrestling can be like. So for any aspiring wrestler out there, I won’t be the one to tell you that your dreams will never come true. But I will tell you there is a chance you can become the next Virgil. Hopefully this scares the shit out of you enough to have a good back up plan. And to Mike Jones… HA HA HAHAHAHAHA HA HA HA HA!!!

May 8 2012

The Rock Looks Like He’s Been Eating Rocks

Has anyone seen Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson lately? Not since the night after Wrestlemania when he announced that he would be “back” and that his little epiphany told him that his next goal was to regain the WWE title. Yeah, that’s about the last time I saw him too.

I wasn’t sure if he had been taken off TV because Brock Lesnar had returned and they weren’t sure exactly how creative would get The Rock into the title picture (although it’s been said that he’ll wrestle Lesnar in the main event of Mania 29 for the WWE title). But Rocky has been gone and somewhat forgotten. Yes, I remember that he has an amazing Hollywood career to return to and I knew that he wasn’t going to be sticking around much longer after Wrestlemania. With the highly anticipated sequel to G.I. Joe coming out this summer and the sixth installment to the Fast and Furious franchise, how can he have time to dress up as a wrestler and roll around in the ring?

The Joe flick has wrapped and will start its promotional tour and junkettes. Filming for the Fast series hasn’t begun yet as Vin Diesel is wrapping yet another sequel to his sci-fi action hero Riddick. So why does out boy dio, he signs on to star in a dark bodybuilding comedy alongside Mark Whalberg and directed by Michael Bay. Yep! THAT Michael Bay. Mr. Transformers-I-Like-To-Blow-Shit-Up-With-Hot-Ass-Victoria-Secrets-Models.

The name of the movie is Pain and Gain, set for release in 2013. And in this set pic, it proves that you are what you eat, as The Rock looks like he’s been chowing down on boulders.

Rocky wasn’t even this big at Wrestlemania! He was trim, lean and agile. here. He looks like a genetic freak (no offense to Scott Stiener). I know the movie has some dealings with anabolic steroids, but it makes me wonder if Rocky got on the juice to enhance his role in the movie? Time will tell when a trailer hits at the end of the year…but in the meantime, He is an absolute BEAST!

May 8 2012

Working With WWE Star R-Truth

You meet some pretty interesting people in the pro wrestling business. You realize that outside of the characters they portray on television, they actually are human beings. Like you and I, they are people with hopes, dreams, problems, stress, and doubt. The know that at any given moment, they may no longer be the flavor of the month or that their spot on the roster might be compromised when a new star is on the rise. When people ask me what it’s like to work with wrestlers, I simply tell them that sometimes it’s the equivalent of babysitting an adult.

You may have followed some of my previous posts where I’ve discussed some backstage stories that I encountered during my time in the business. Some stories are better than others, and some offer more gossip to a rumor you may have heard. But one thing is for sure… it’s not often where you can talk about who a person really is. Sometime you can just get a picture in your head of what that person may be like to deal with based off a story. But who knows, maybe it was just a bad day for them and you can’t judge their character based off of once incident. I’ve told stories about CM Punk, April Hunter, Jeff Jarrett and many others. Most recently I shared my experience in working with WWE superstar R-Truth.

In the post, you’ll read about a man who was unsure of his career in pro wrestling. You sense his insecurities and the obstacles he overcame to get where he is today. You may see him on WWE TV as a co-holder of the tag team titles, or as the wildly popular comic relief with his invisible sidekick, Little Jimmy. But there was a time when R-Truth didn’t know how much longer he was going to be a pro wrestler. There was a time where his heart and passion were somewhere else. And there was a time where an unknown booker for a small northeast indy organization got to know a man who had all the talent but didn’t think anybody was interested in it anymore.

Click R-Truth’s name in the above paragraph to read the story. I’d like to hear your comments and feedback. Share with me YOUR stories of wrestlers you’ve encountered at a low point, or some who you have met that didn’t live up to your expectations. This is just another one of my stories…and there are plenty more to come.

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May 8 2012

ECW Died on Monday Night RAW

Extreme Championship Wrestling wasn’t a wrestling organization. It was a cult. I say that in the most sincerest form. I lived through it. I wasn’t a cult follower, but I was around it. I saw it born. I saw it grow. And on Monday night, I saw it die.

Ever since the original organization fathered by Paul Heyman officially folded in 2001, there have been numerous attempts to resurrect it. But instead of finding Dr. Frankenstien himself to work his magic, the only thing that the ill-fated reincarnations did was dig the grave deeper.

The closest thing to closure was the WWE’s One Night Stand PPV. It was gently placed in Paul Heyman’s hands with the blessing and financing of Vince McMahon. But greed got the best of Vince, and just as he has monopolized the wrestling business and forced monthly pay per views upon us – he thought he too could reboot the organization in his own vision. A vision that was worse than the XFL. Not even Vince’s money could bring ECW back to life.

TNA tried doing something similar with Hardcore Justice last year with an event that was seen by less people than a backyard wrestling show featuring disabled midgets. Then again, I might have actually paid to see that backyard show…Back to the point, not even the ghost of ECW showed up.

A few weeks ago, ECW original Shane Douglas made a last attempt by running a reunion show in Philadelphia – the home of ECW. Although it drew 2000 fans, it ended with 2000 angry fans who raised hell about a show plagued with drugged up wrestlers, incoherent booking, false advertising and dirty laundry list of bad business decisions that burned the ECW faithful and loyalists for the last time.

With the return of Brock Lesnar, there was some speculation that Paul Heyman might make a return to the wrestling world to lend his genius creative mind. But through social networks, he denied the rumors. Perhaps it was to cover up his cameo appearance on Monday Night RAW as the official spokesman for Brock Lesnar. When the time came for Paul Heyman to walk through the curtain and surprise the world…well, there was no surprise. Not because the information had leaked, but because no one knew who he was. Paul Heyman made a grand entrance to no “pop” at all.

The landscape of the business has changed, and since Vince McMahon remodeled the business to a PG-13 tone that caters to a younger demographic, the days of pro wrestling violence are now stories of legend. Kids aren’t use to the blood and hardcore anything goes matches. And to be quite honest, they don’t need it. Kids don’t need to risk their lives and safety while emulating their heroes. But ECW fans have always held on to their hope. Hope that one day Paul Heyman would walk on water as the second coming of hardcore Christ. And when the moment happened on RAW, it proved that ECW is truly dead for good.

The new audience didn’t live it. There is nothing to help them remember it. It was never a Vince thing to begin with. So when Paul Heyman walked the aisle on Monday night, there was nothing but silence…A moment of silence to mourn the official death of ECW.

If Paul Heyman’s appearance didn’t get a reaction from the live audience, then nothing can bring ECW back to life. The young fans looked at each other as if saying, “Who is this guy?… He’s great on the mic, but who is he?” There is an article on WWE.com RIGHT NOW, reminding people who he is with e title “Who is Paul Heyman?”

If Paul E. couldn’t get a response, then his brainchild has no chance of ever making a comeback. ECW is officially dead…forever.

May 8 2012

Lord Tensai is NOT Working

I hate to be the one to break the bad news, but this little Lord Tensai experiment is dead on arrival.

I’m not here to poke holes in everything that WWE creative puts out there. I know how difficult it is to make an engaging product that connects with the fans, and something that is marketable and profitable. And had it not been for the return of the beast Brock Lesnar, this may in fact have worked.

The vignettes were effective. They were simple, but effective. They provided that mystique that a younger generation – who doesn’t remember that mediocre run of A-Train and Prince Albert – needed to believe in order to fear what could have been a dominating force to the babyface roster and the title scene. I guess if I were the WWE, I would have dropped everything too the minute Brock signed on the dotted line. But in doing so, it killed Lord Tensai before he even started to sizzle.

I credit WWE for doing everything in their power to desperately save him before he completely flat-lines. But the damage is too critical. A win over Cena and another over Punk still aren’t enough to get him over. The fans look as his size and at his ability to destruct anything in his path – and the only thing they say now is, “Brock is bigger… Brock is stronger… Brock is better…”

What now of Lord Tensai? The mercenary of John Laurinaitis isn’t a bad role – but now Tensai is the understudy as Brock has snagged that storyline as well. What will it take to get this gimmick from completely flopping? A match with Brock himself? That won’t happen. And if it does, guess who will go over. Not Tensai. How about turning him babyface? but then what’s the point of bringing him in as the much needed monster heel (especially now that Brodus Clay’s career has been ruined)?

It’s a damn shame. Tensai is man past his prime given a rare opportunity to get another strong run – even stronger than his first run over a decade ago. but what becomes of him now? Now that his thunder has been stolen and the carpet pulled from under his feet. Where does he land on the roster? How do you write for him? And is it only a matter of time until the REAL heel in the company, Mr. Laurinaitis himself, wishes him well on his future endeavors?

May 8 2012

Is Anyone Really Buying The Next WWE PPV To Watch Cena vs. Laurinaitis?

Call me crazy, but after coming off of Wrestlemania 29 which headlined with John Cena vs. The Rock, and then rushing into Extreme Rules to get the John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar nut off prematurely, who in their right mind would pay to see Super Dave take on the face of the organization?

I’m still trying to figure out exactly what creative is doing with Cena. I understand the concept of letting him work “featured” matches and letting other young stars rise to the top of the title scene. But creative is literally riding their golden horse into the ground and devaluing his impact on the business.

What is the point of making John Laurinaitis your top heel in the entire company? Other than portraying a character that hides behind his abuse of power, how does this one man become the main antagonist of a weekly story? In the beginning, it made sense that there would be heel heat against the VP of Talent Relations and the play on the phrase “…wish you the best in your future endeavors”, but enough is enough. He is not a wrestler…at least not anymore. I still question whether he was a real wrestler when he was romping around looking like a 40 year old surfer and Point Break reject. He’s not a contender and he’s not worthy of main eventing a pay per view. Plan and simple, anyone who orders this PPV will be subjected to numerous run-ins and false finishes. it’s the equivalent of Vince McMahon being Stone Cold Steve Austin’s arch nemesis. Yeah, it worked for a moment, but how long can you really ride it out before it gets stale? At what point do we cut the cord from the soap opera and get back to wrestling?

As if it weren’t bad enough that there are monthly PPV events throughout the entire year, now you have non-wrestlers filling in the gaps for your main events. I urge wrestling fans to save their money from this debacle. What do you REALLY think you are going to get for your money? Do you think you are going to witness history? Do you think you’re watching something so memorable that it will be replayed and highlighted for years to come? This will be forgotten faster than Braden Walker’s career.

WWE creative, if you want our money – then we demand something worth our money.

Apr 26 2012

Devon Nicholson Challenges Kurt Angle: Real Challenge or Real Good Way To Get Your Name Out There?

Anybody ever heard of “Hannibal” Devon Nicholson?…Neither have I. At least, not until now.

From what I understand, he was a Canadian mainstay on the indies and had a dark match or two for the WWE – but that’s about it. I’m not shitting on the guy because I don’t know him or his work. But at the same time, when you Google his name and read through the Devon Nicholson Wikipedia (that was obviously written by himself, it makes you wonder if he’s just another weekend warrior putting himself over as some great worker, yet was never noticed by a major organization.

Again, I’ve never heard of him – but at the same time, I’ve been out of the indy loop for a few years now. I do know that he wasn’t a name I heard of while i was promoting or booking. And when you invite yourself to the WWE training camp, it doesn’t say much about their interest in you. As a promoter, I shale my head when I read someone’s Wikipedia and it says, “In May 2009 Nicholson attended a WWE try out camp in Tampa Florida. He was told by WWE agent Pat Patterson that he was the best wrestler in the camp.” Sounds like somebody is blowing smoke up their own ass.

The Wiki account also reads – “In 2009, Nicholson was offered a World Wrestling Entertainment contract, but the offer was rescinded, when a medical examination revealed that he had contracted hepatitis C, which he later blamed on his matches with Abdullah the Butcher.[5][6] He also did a try out with TNA Wrestling in October 2010 in Saginaw, Michigan. Despite impressing TNA management they could not hire him because of his Hepatitis C.”

Now that is a story I have heard of, but nothing of value that would make me remember his name. It was always presented tom e as, “Some indy worker got a contract revoked because he has Hep C and now he’s talking about taking them to court”. It’s that kind of simplicity that his name has carried in most circles. If there is any truth to the contract offerings and tryouts, then I stand corrected – but at the same time, what has become of your career since then.

Apparently, Nicholson is now retired and in an attempt to keep whatever is left of his name viable, he’s issued an Olympic challenge to Kurt Angle.

Angle pulled out of the recent Olympic trials for whatever reason. Sometimes I just think Kurt says whatever he wants to get some press because TNA is so lousy at keeping him relevant in the industry. Angle is a beast and arguably the best pure wrestler in the world. he doesn’t need another run in the Olympics and his body isn’t what it use to be in the 90′s. Nicholson said Angle’s book (also released 15 years ago) was his bible. Which doesn’t say much because the book was the shits. But in any case, in an effort to keep his name as relevant as a book that has been forgotten since its release, he’s called Angle out and challenged him to an amateur style match.

Angle hasn’t responded yet. Probably because he doesn’t even know that this video exists. And if he does, he’s probably saying to himself – “Who the fuck is this guy and what has he ever done?”

In this era of social media, anybody can make any claim and have it be heard by millions. But does that mean it makes them relevant? Anyone with a video camera can shoot a promo and issue a challenge, but does it mean that it’s something to take serious and make news with? Or perhaps, I’m asking the wrong questions. Maybe this is effective because it actually has me writing a post about it. Maybe I didn’t know his name before, and now I do. So did I answer my own question on the effectiveness of this video and challenge?

Will Kurt Angle respond? Probably not. Not to mention, he’s not gonna have a match with this guy and risk catching the Hep C. But now people know his name. He can make another video and claim that Kurt Angle is a coward and didn’t respond to the challenge. He can claim that Kurt is all mouth but no balls, because he is ducking him and refuses to accept the match. On the flip side of the coin, I’m sure if you were to ask Kurt what he thought about the challenge, he’d say – “What challenge? What video? Who the fuck is this guy? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I guess if Kurt Angle responded, then it’s a great success. But even if he doesn’t, it still has to be some kind of success because WE are talking about it. And WE are the one really awaiting the response. And WE are the ones who got suckered into giving this guy the attention he craves. What are your thoughts?

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Apr 24 2012

New Website Offers Online Sales for Independent Comic Book Authors

Comicbookprinting.com, a high-quality printer of independent comic books, announces the launch of comicfleamarket.com – a marketplace on which authors can promote and sell their comic books.

Farmingdale, NY-
comicbookprinting.com, a high-quality printer of independent comic books, announces the launch of comicfleamarket.com – a marketplace on which authors can promote and sell their comic books. This site is a portal connecting fans to some of the most talented independent comic book creators out there. A nationwide distribution network servicing comic stores and other mass merchants, is also in the works for later this year.

Comic Flea Market owner Nick Sachs says, “We have been astounded by the success of our comic book printing business. Comic Flea Market is the next natural progression and provides a valuable service to our printing customers – as well as to other aspiring artists out there. We established this site because our competitors took too long to fulfill an order, had poor quality and no customer service.” Authors do not need to be clients of comicbookprinting.com in order to showcase their work on the new website.

Independent comics present an alternative to the “mainstream” superhero comics, which have historically dominated the US comic book industry. Independent comic books span a wide range of genres, artistic styles and subjects. Popular genres include fantasy, comedy, horror, graphic novels and children’s books.
Advances in technology have enabled a new generation of independent writers and artists to attract audiences with their comic book creations. Authors rely heavily on online services, such as comicfleamarket.com, to promote and sell their works. These websites have facilitated exponential growth for the entire independent comic book industry.

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Apr 24 2012

Actor Shia LaBeouf Publishes Independent Comics

It’s no secret that there are comic fanboys in Hollywood. Shit, look at some of the weirdness that has come out of Nicolas Cage and his obsession for comics. That dude is a serious lunatic. Now we get word that Transformers franchise star Shia LaBeouf is publishing his own brand of indy comics. And when I say “indy”, I don’t mean that shit storm known as the Kingdom of Crystal Skull.

After playing slap ass with Megan Fox, Shia created three short graphic novels and a webcomic series through the publishing company, The Campaign Book. Problem is, dude with this kind of money could take a drawing class or two. I’ve seen pre-schoolers doodle better shit than this. And in all honesty, the only reason it’s getting any attention is because it has Shia’s name attached to it.

LaBeouf was also spotted selling and signing them last weekend at Chicago’s C2E2 comics convention. His works are slightly reminiscent of R. Crumb’s scraggly, jagged and often graphic work. The three books, Stale N Mate, Cyclical and Let’s Fucking Party, are all available in print and digital formats through The Campaign Book for $10 and $5 respectively. Additionally, the independent press has also published works by rapper Kid Cudi and goth rocker Marilyn Manson.

If you’re interested in seeing more of Shia’s passion project or are interested in buying these rare not-so-collectible items, check it out at thecampaignbook.com.

I’m all about supporting passion projects, but when this project looks worse than the third Transformers film tied in with the unnecessary Wall Street sequel, then maybe it’s time for Shia to stop playing with his crayons and get back to reading some quality scripts. I’m just saying.
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Apr 24 2012

Skimpy Outfit Gets Lollipop Chainsaw Cosplayer Asked to Change Or Leave PAX Show Floor

Word is that Jessica Nigri, a big-time cosplayer hired to portray the protagonist of Lollipop Chainsaw, was asked to leave the PAX East show floor yesterday. Why, you ask? Oh, I don’t know. Maybe that hot pink jumpsuit with a “neckline” plunging to her crotch has something to do with it.
She’s back today (here is Nigri, as Juliet Starling, at the Lollipop Chainsaw booth.) But Destructoid first reported that she was “asked to leave the show floor” until she had changed out of that pink outfit at right. But after changing back to the Juliet Starling costume, at left—which she had worn all Friday with no issue—she was asked to change again or leave the show entirely.

Nigri’s Twitter feed does reference something like this. “Haha guys! I just had to tone down the costume!” she tweeted this morning.

Robert Khoo, the president of business development for Penny Arcade, verified to Kotaku that Nigri was asked to change, or leave the show floor, because expo staff had received plenty of complaints about her attire, or lack of it.

Khoo said expo staff “notified the WB booth on Friday of our concerns regarding the costumes, and although there was some confusion initially about which outfit was appropriate … they understood the situation.”

Penny Arcade has had a “no booth babe” policy at its expos, not wishing them to be known for models in skimpy clothes hawking products, as they do at other events in the video gaming industry. Two years ago, that policy was put to a vote of its community, which largely reaffirmed the idea. Costumed representatives are required to know something about their product. There is to be “no messaging that specifically calls out body parts,” and while “cosplayed characters are allowed to wear revealing outfits, assuming it is true to the source game,” there is a ban on anything considered “partial nudity.” This policy still is in place, Khoo said.

“Although the policies regarding appropriate attire are clearly laid out in our exhibitor rules, there are times when edge cases like Lollipop Chainsaw, which technically is allowed since it’s the main character in the game, pop up,” Khoo told Kotaku. “For scenarios like that, we need to make a judgment call, and a big factor for this one was looking at the number of complaints we had received.”

“Ultimately the costume policy is designed to keep the show family friendly, as we see a good number of parents being their young children to the show,” Khoo said. “No one, including WB, wants to upset their fans, so I’m perfectly fine standing behind the decision and policy.”

Clarification: This story originally indicated, in parts, that Nigri was asked to leave PAX if she didn’t change. Penny Arcade’s Khoo clarified to us that she was asked to change or step off the floor (technically, to restrict her presence to a demo area inside a bus in the game’s booth). While this means she would possibly not be seen by showgoers had she not complied, she technically wouldn’t have been gone from PAX.

This post is sponsored in part by Build A Photography Website and Online Wrestling Videos

Apr 19 2012

Do I Really Need To Discuss That Pitiful Episode of RAW?

I can’t believe that it’s Wednesday night, and I keep getting emails from YOU fans asking, – “Aren’t you going to make any mention of this week’s RAW?” Do I really need to? The fact that I haven’t written anything about it should sum it up, shouldn’t it?

Well, rather than getting into all the details, let’s do like we to the one night stand girls and just hit the right sports and get the hell out of this mess!

Am I the only one who feels that the WWE has lost creative steam post-Wrestlemania? The return of Brock Lesnar was a major shake-up, but it left so many unanswered questions – let alone feeling rushed into a mediocre PPV at Extreme Rules. The show has become a senseless pile up of badly acted soap opera drama and slapstick comedy. Creative storytelling is supposed to toy with your emotions, not confuse them. When you’re confused, you easily lose interest, and in a desperate attempt to regain your attention, creative shit is thrown against the wall just to see if it will stick.

This episode of RAW was no different. Outside of the bile stench from the R-Truth as Sherlock Holmes skits, the show was outright dreadful. The matches were poorly chosen, the script was poorly written, and the wrong talent worked the show. With talented workers like The Miz, Cody Rhodes and Alberto Del Rio, why did I have to watch matches with The Great Kahli, Brodus Clay and Zack Ryder?

I think the Punk/Jericho feud is stuck int he mud. A Chicago Street Fight at Extreme Rules will do nothing to help it. In fact, it takes away from the magic these two can put on in the ring. The whole “temptation and family of alcoholics bit” is overdone. It was a good lead in for Wrestlemania, but now it’s the same thing EVERY week. Jericho needs to come up with something else, because Punk looks like a deer in the headlights. Perhaps it would have been wiser to sideline Punk after having a bottle smashed against his head. Question if he would ever be able to wrestle again. Let us think he might have to forfeit the title. No I understand the need for a street fight, and I might be willing to pay for it. But nope… he’s good to go for the next week!

Am I the only one who thinks Santino has resorted himself to the lame and toddler demographic services of being a Bushwacker? Yeah, he might not walk like a duck to the ring or lick your face. In fact, you’ll need to be licking a sweaty asshole to get the bad taste of his work out of your mouth. Santino is a glorified jobber to the roster. A Koko B. Ware of sorts. There is no need to put a championship[ around his waist…Oh wait, that’s not a championship belt. That’s a “prop” that was decorated by a pre-school to celebrate the fourth of July.

Zack Ryder, I was rooting for ya buddy. You worked for me at NWA Cyberspace and were a great and humble kid. I really supported how you got on the office’s radar with your web show. But what has become of you? You’re like the nerd who not only drops the ball, but kicks it away too. Like Santino, you’re a glorified jobber with his own merchandise. The chicks dig you, so I’d put you into the “Jim Powers” category. Maybe it’s time for a heel turn? Or are you just patiently waiting for Santinio to get released so you can take over his spot as number one jobber?

The last thing I want to talk about is the build up for John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar at Extreme Rules. RAW aired a pre-recorded interview with Lesnar that was scripted perfectly. This is the way promos need to be designed and delivered. Hard hitting facts that need no sugar coating. No bullshit gimmicks or animated hatred. The real type of “best in the world” magic the Punk/Jericho feud needs. It was summed up when Brock stated that Cena is only in the spot he’s in now because Brock left eight years ago, and that if he were still around, Cena would be the guy carrying his bags into the building.

My question is, why rush into this feud? If you need to make big money outside of Wrestlemanai, then I can understand. If you were building for next year’s Wrestlemania, then it would make even more sense. But to rush it into a gimmick storyline for Extreme Rules? I’m lost. Mark my words – people will buy the PPV to see the return of Brock. Not Brock vs. Cena. But it didn’t have the build that Cena/Rock had for Mania. The storyline of “what would Cena be today if Brock didn’t leave eight years ago” is enough to carry the weight for next year’s mania main event. But instead of the perfect build, you get the answer in two weeks.

This post is sponsored in part by Building A Photography Website and Women of Wrestling

Apr 19 2012

Blast From The Past – Ultimate Warrior vs. Tully Blanchard

Remember the good ‘ol days of pro wrestling? You’re probably too young. But if you’re old like me, maybe it takes you back to a happier time. Ah, I miss those good days. Days when performers wouldn’t overkill the roster. And what I mean by that is that in today’s pro wrestling product, there is no room for imagination. There is no room to daydream and fantasy book. There is no room for the excitement of a dream match.

I guess that’s what made this year’s Wrestlemania so special. You had a match that was built up for a year and there was no physical activity that would take away from the magic of two opponents locking up and exchanging moves for the first time in their careers. It was a never before seen moment, and it successfully drew and audience and profits.

When wrestlers are wrestling each other EVERY SINGLE WEEK, over and over again – you have nothing left to crave. There is no want. If anything, you just want it to be over! This video gives you the sense of what it was like to see something that you have never seen before. Something that was different to the eye and to the senses.

At the time, The Ultimate Warrior was the most popular wrestler in the company. Any match he was in held an automatic interest. Would The Warrior squash his opponent in seconds like he did to The Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental title at SummerSlam 88? Or would the opponent go toe to toe with the face-painted maniac? But in this case, there was another element that added to the magic.

Tully Blanchard was a seasoned veteran. One who made his name while competing in the NWA and as one of the key members of the legendary Four Horsemen. His arrival in the WWF along with tag team partner Arn Anderson was a happening that real wrestling fans clamored. I grew up in Brooklyn, NY and we didn’t get NWA programming. I had learned about the Four Horsemen from the thousands of wrestling magazines I had stacked in my room. Those magazines spoke volumes of how good they were, yet all I had were black and white photos of them in action – never getting the chance to see how good they were in real form.

So when they finally arrived in the WWF scene under the guidance of Bobby Heenan, it was a moment for me to finally see what they hype was all about. And in their matches with The Rockers, I can confidently say that I have never seen better tag team matches in history of the entire business…today included!

Sure, Tully had success as a singles competitor in the NWA while holding multiple championships. But my real exposure to him was in his tag team matches when he paired up with Arn. Although it was a dark match, hearing that Tully was tapped for a singles match against The Ultimate Warrior in the WWF completely blew my mind. I would see Tully tough it out on his own without the assistance of a partner. yeah, he had Heenan in his corner – but the best heels in the business had him too. “The Brain” was part of the magic.

Tully could have faced anyone in a singles match and I would have been happy. But The Ultimate Warrior was different. Yes, I knew the Warrior was going to win the match, but I didn’t have any interest in the final result. Even at a ripe young age, I knew The Warrior was limited in his ring work. After he shook the ropes, what was left? Would this be yet another squash match because WWF fans only knew Tully as a tag team competitor, so they automatically assumed he couldn’t cut it on his own, thus later using the excuse that he’s not accustomed to not being able to tag out? Or was Tully planning on running circles around this jacked up fool. Was he about to expose The Warrior for what he really was – an over hyped, brilliantly marketed character from the inner McMahon vision? Was Tully going to stretch The Warrior since it was a non-televised event? How would the Warrior respond to the scholar ring psychology that made masterpieces with Shawn Michaels in tag action? How would The Warrior respond to a match that actually made sense?

The answer is in the play button. Click it and enjoy. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments section with your thoughts on the match!

This post is sponsored in part by Create A Photography Website and Classic Wrestling Videos

Apr 18 2012

Booker’s Reality Wrestling Has Lack of Perception

I’m a fan of Booker T’s work…but, not so much of his commentary skills. Yeah it’s different, but it has to be one of the worst experiments since the WWE tried to put Superstar Billy Graham behind the stick in the 80′s. Luckily, I’m not here to talk about that right now.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Booker T on numerous occasions, and he is hands down one of the most humble and giving performers in the business. His insight to pro wrestling and his dedication to perfect the craft is what has helped him become one of the most decorated superstars in the history of the business. But what if the creative weight of the wrestling world fell into his hands? Would a spin-a-rooni be enough to get over? What if Booker T were in a position to put on the best wrestling product to engage a wrestling audience?

As some of you might know, Booker T runs his own pro wrestling school in the great state of Texas. With a school, comes student shows. And with student shows, even a veteran wrestler like Booker T soon learns that performing in the ring and promoting what’s in the ring are worlds apart.

The video above is part of Booker T’s new project with his school students, entitled “Reality of Wrestling”. To be fair, I don’t know much about this project at this time – but by watching this video, I’ve already lost interest.

Promoting pro wrestling hinges on the vision of the promoter. Innovation, engagement, uniqueness and most of all, perception are critical elements. Ever seen the film “Boiler Room”? Ben Affleck lectures the young group of salesmen who are still wet behind the ears, and tells them the secret to success is to “act as if”. Act as if you are the boss of the company. Act is if you have a million clients. Act as if you own the most expensive car on the street. Act as if you have 12 inch penis. Just, act as if. Perception is critical.

When you put out a piece of material such as this video, what is your perception? Are you still interested? Does it get the blood pumping? or are you looking at it wondering, “WTF?”

Wht would you build up using these two performers? Why would you build up using sloppy video shooters? Why would you build up letting a pre-school kid edit this on his Fisher Price My First Editing System? This is tragic! A reason to tune out. Most of all, it’s a disappointment because you know Booker T is capable of better. You start to wonder if he officially approved this video or if one intern put this out there for public consumption.

Looking at the arena, Booker T has done his part in putting together a local show for his students to perform in front of their families and peers. And maybe he doesn’t want to become a strong indy organization in the mold of a Ring of Honor. Perhaps he’s content doing what he’s doing. But at the end of the day, this is still a business. His business is judged by his perception. When looking at this video, you question the business. You ask where the money goes. You ask why he doesn’t hire a better production team. You ask if you’re interested in learning pro wrestling from this company or is it just a front with Booker’s name on it.

Now don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying the Booker T school is a scam at all. Booker is all aces in my book. He is one of the few people in this business you can depend on and trust. Booker is a true man of his word. But this video doesn’t help the perception. This video is less than amateur. And without interest you have no growth. Without growth… well, you have nothing. Booker T is more than that, and I have a strong interest in anything he is attached to (except TNA programming… even he couldn’t sit through that). But from a man who has achieved so much, we expect better because if anybody, you know better. And this is far from where a Booker T production should be. Now can you dig that, sucka?

This post is sponsored in part by Build A Photography Website and Online Wrestling Videos

Apr 12 2012

Never Trust A Big Butt And A Helmet

Bell Biv Devoe had it right when they said, “You can’t trust a big butt and a smile” in their smash hit “Poison”. Well, that was the 90′s and here were are in 2012, and these girls went from poison to toxic!

Take a gander at this pic. What’s wrong with it?

She’s hot. Trim, slim, popping in the right areas, and ready to get down with the darkside of the force. That wasn’t an intentional interracial reference, so take it as you want. I was leaning more towards getting down and dirty with some naughty deeds, but the brothers could use the double meaning.

Back to the point – what’s wrong with this picture?

I’ll tell you… Honey is wearing a mask!!! No that might not set off the red flags in your book, but how many girls do you know that are gonna wear a full-on Vader mask. I don’t care how much of a geek you are, if you’re a dude, there are only two things that cross your mind when you see this: 1) How is she gonna give me head? and 2) How ugly is this chick that she has to hide her face?

It’s a staple to men’s vocabulary to call girls a “brown-bagger”. But since supermarkets started promoting recycled bags to purchase, and wholesale stores like Costco were too fucking cheap to even give you bags, the term got lost as culture evolved. Dudes are not saying that they’d bag a girls head if she had the million dollar body and the ten cent face.

Yeah, I called you out girl. Don’t try and choke me out and say that you find my lack of faith disturbing. Remember, the guy who was originally under that mask was a burn victim. What’s your excuse?

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Apr 12 2012

Jessica Rabbit aka Slut-Trooper

I love when artists mix two universes. Here we see the voluptuous Jessica Rabbit from the classic and ground-breaking film, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” dresses in classic Star Wars Storm Trooper gear. I like to call this, Slut-Trooper.

You know how many comic and pop culture porn parodies are out there? If not, I’ll be sure to bring you up to speed in a future post. But seeing this one makes me feel a disturbance in the force.And I mean that in a good way. Look at those boots! She’s not blasting rebels, she’s featuring as a galactic stripper at the Mos Eisley Cantina!

Hard times have come upon Jessie Rabbit. And it’s not the only thing that has come on her. You know the type of crowd that shithole bar brings in. This bitch must have more diseases than the outbreak monkey. When was that Roger Rabbit movie anyway? 1992? She don’t look that good now. I don’t car how advanced photoshop and magic markers are now. She must be going to the same plastic surgeon as Joan Rivers.

That coochie has been had and tossed by the retched scum of Tatoonie. They renamed her vagina The Death Star, because after you get up in that, you’ll be pissing green lasers.

So when Jessica-I-Screw-Like-A-Rabbit tries to hit you up for a lap dance in the champagne room, use the jedi mind trick and tell her, “This isn’t the penis you were looking for… Move along!”

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