Youshoot with the Honky Tonk Man [Kayfabe Commentaries]



The Good
The Honky Tonk Man was the ideal person to debut the Youshoot series. Although the wacky and even spiteful submissions were not as plentiful in this one, it certainly sold you on the greatness of this series. HTM really comes across as honest and even bitter to an extent, but unlike people like Paul Orndorff, Ole Anderson and Billy Jack Haynes, you do not end up really disliking him. He is, at least in my opinion, hilarious with all his voices and facial expressions that make him a great storyteller. Mud-slinging can get tedious, but Honky just spews it in such a way that you cannot help but love it. And no one seems to be immune to his wrath. Billy Gunn was worthless, Blackjack Lanza was two-faced, Ric Flair was "woooo" a repetitive "woooo" cartoon character, Dynamite Kid is a lying bully, Hulk Hogan was a huge druggie, Jim Ross was a sabotager and on and on. Honky Tonk is very open about his own drug use, promiscuity and limitations as a worker, which allows him so credibility when he rips on others. I still question whether or not he is not working everyone (like the Iron Sheik is).

The Bad
I never liked Honky Tonk Man as a worker, I still don't care for him, yet he was gifted in so many ways. Talking, his strong suit, allows him to get himself over regardless of his physical abilities. He is undoubtedly getting himself over here. He is very careful in what he says and while he may not be entirely accurate or even fair, he says things with a conviction that gets him over. Part of me feels like I get swept up in that charismatic delivery and sometimes I fail to see the gaping holes in his statements. That being said, this is wildly entertaining.

The Rating: *****

Bob Roop ("Shooting with the Legends" Interview)

The Good
Scott Teal's "Shooting with the Legends" series is excellent in so many regards. While Scott himself is very knowledgeable and could intelligently interview any legend, he chooses the best. Bob Roop is one of a number of well-regarded stars from yesteryear that can tell great stories, share unique perspectives and pull no punches while doing so. Roop talks extensively about a number of topics, specifically his amateur background, time as an unwilling hired gun for promoters and his experiences in Florida. Although this is lengthy (about four hours), Roop is able to go all over the place and expound upon whatever he wants. He gives his honest thoughts on Eddie Graham, Gordon Solie, Buddy Fuller and several other legends. He seems very open about his abilities and inabilities, not coming across like the pompous bully he's been labelled as before. A definite highlight of this was Bob talking about his experiences abroad. Not in the common places like Australia and Japan, but also Europe and Iraq. This could have gone on another four hours and I think there'd be no shortage of material. Just a masterpiece that you've got to get your hands on.

The Bad
Certainly there are areas of Bob Roop's career that go uncovered, but I'll take omissions of his tenures in Mid-South, the Army of Darkness and so on for some of the depth and variety he shares. For someone who booked a few notable territories, he sure did not get into booking psychology much. I think Roop tried to be honest, but it seems like some of his stories do not jive well with others'. Regardless of those few negatives, I'd rate this as a top-notch shoot interview.

The Rating: *****

Rocky Johnson Shoot Interview [RF Video]

The Good
If you take a well-travelled and opinionated ex-wrestler and put him in front of a camera he can generally produce a solid shoot interview. Rocky Johnson worked in most major and several minor territories in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, he saw great successes and some disappointments, so why should this not be a fascinating shoot? Even with RF's standard questions, constant name association and fixation on chronology, Johnson is able to pull the listener in with some great tales and bold thoughts. He is honest about those people he disliked, distrusted and disassociated from because they were crooks, racists or two-faced backstabbers. Without seeming bitter or angry, Rocky Johnson is able to tell much of his story. I also felt the parts involving The Rock were kept to a respectful level considering that Rocky has his own legacy.

The Bad
Sometimes these shoot interviews are just long and tedious with little new information, few stories of interest and nothing of great value. This was not one of those, but it did seem to fall short in a way. Rocky Johnson was pretty frank and while he was not the most entertaining interview, he certainly had plenty to say. I actually had pretty low expectations for this, despite Johnson's extensive and well-travelled career. It was, as expected, lacking in both direction and depth. Rob Feinstein was his usual self, all over the place with obvious holes in his(?) research and no follow-up to questions. You could tell that Rocky Johnson, if challenged and guided, could be an intriguing interview. Let's hope somebody of note gets ahold of him.

The Rating: ***3/4

John Nord [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
I think anyone who is strongly associated with individuals in pro-wrestling who either don't do interviews or cannot do interviews (because they have passed away) are always going to have some interest no matter how marginal that person is.  If a guy who worked security for the Von Erichs in World Class or someone who worked as a referee for Killer Kowalski can make for an interesting interview than whose to say who is really deserving of interviews.  John Nord had some success as the Barbarian, the Berzerker and such, but what makes him really interesting is the people he grew up with, worked alongside and got to know in the business.  A childhood friend of Curt Hennig, a later friend of high school rival Road Warrior Hawk and a partner and close buddy of Bruiser Brody, John Nord has known some remarkable people who have passed on.  He is a goofy dude though and while I'm suspicious of some things he says, he certainly can tell some funny and interesting stories.  Whether it's Dusty Rhodes' "muffler," Curt Hennig's legendary ribs or the lockerroom brawl with Butch Reed that is well-known, John Nord had some fresh material for sure.

The Bad
John Nord could be the most sincere and honest person ever, but my gut thinks otherwise.  Not that he's necessarily lying, but if you'd never seen him or heard much about him, you'd be wondering why.  He was basically a midcard talent who got a few solid pushes here and there.  He was friends with a lot of people, he was an impressive looking big man with some athletic ability, he had several key chances to get over.  It never happened.  The few things I've heard people (Bill Watts, Gary Hart and a couple others) mention in other shoots have never been overly flattering.  This is a fun shoot interview to listen to, but I'd definitely take it with a grain of salt.

The Rating: ****

Hardy Boyz: Exist 2 Inspire

Author, Ghost Writer, Editor: Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Michael Krugman
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Released: 3/03

The Good
It's a unique book that gets into aspects of wrestling that we all thought we'd have to wait a while to hear about. The story of being a young guy coming up through the indies, jobbing on TV and working up the card is one will hear in the future and though Foley kind of lived that life, his story is far from typical. As for the dual authors...Jeff is Jeff and that's all that can really be said about that. Matt thankfully has most of the say here and he has many worthwhile comments about learning the craft, the fan-to-worker phenomenon, understanding psychology and some surprising comments about the decline of WWF/WWE. Most comments I've read online have been very positive and I think most people enjoy this book for what it is. I guess some might find it inspirational and others will find it just interesting, but I think this was a decent little book.

The Bad
I started reading this surprisingly shortly after it came out. I got about 1/5 of the way through and was just bored with it. I had other things to do and this book just didn't keep my interest, which is rare. Most people knocked this as WWE trying to cash in on the teeny boppers love of the Hardy Boyz, which it probably was. The format bothers a lot of people and it kind of breaks up the train of thought as there is a looseness to this that you don't really want in a biography because it convinced me this was easy to put down. Their insight is generally good, especially Matt's. The one glaring exception is, "It's a different time now. Jeff and I were part of the last generation to truly pay dues." (pg. 189). This might have been a lash out against Tough Enough, but it seems like a big slap in the face of all the indy talent that work really hard and have probably less chances than the Hardy Boyz did in the 90s.

The Rating: **3/4

Lita: A Less Traveled R.O.A.D. (audiobook)

Author, Ghost Writer, Editor: Amy Dumas, Michael Krugman
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Released: 7/04

The Good
Amy Dumas's life story is an interesting one and her character has connected with so many young women and this is the WWE trying to capitalize on all that. Her pre-wrestling life as a punk rock stripper is unique and this audiobook brings that to life. The pro-wrestling stuff is good lip service and most Lita fans will enjoy it for what it is.

The Bad
Lita's story is interesting. This book breaks down into three basic sections: life before pro-wrestling, the pro-wrestling life and her comeback from a broken neck. The first part is glazed over and could definitely be fascinating, but doesn't do what it could. The second part is her running down her four year career from Mexico to indies to ECW to the WWF. It's all very rushed and lacks both depth and the quality anecdotes to make up for that. The third part is her doing the Dark Angel TV show, breaking her neck, the saga afterwards and the surgery and recovery. This has a lot of real emotion and saves this book from being terrible. Then the comeback...oh wait, it doesn't happen. Due to her never really having a quality in-ring comeback, her character never regaining its footing and the hasty release of this book, this story seems so incomplete. It has the potential and maybe future additions can make it a full story, but for now it is just disappointment. This audiobook version probably detracts from the first two parts and adds to the third with mixed results.

The Rating: **

Pro-Wrestling Journalism and Ethics: A Conversation with Dave Meltzer

**For my 100th content-oriented post, I thought I'd do something a little different.  This is a paper I wrote for a media ethics class as an undergraduate about 10 years ago.**

I will start with a comparison of sorts. Most people like movies; there is such variety that there is always one genre for anyone. I’ll bet you could easily think of ten movies you enjoy. Look at how highly our culture regards actors, we are a people enamored with those who entertain us. Now pretend that only you are a movie-lover and there is an active negative stigma towards Hollywood. What if the majority of the country assumed all movies comprised of pornography, bad sci-fi and horror flicks, cheesy adult thrillers and potty humor comedies. Even if the great actors and movies still existed, no one acknowledged their greatness because the masses assumed the aforementioned garbage was what dominated Hollywood. That is what is like to be a fan of professional wrestling.

I personally do not remember a time in my life I was not a fan. Cartoonish gimmicks drew me in as a little boy and as I grew to understand how the sport worked, I enjoyed it that much more. Yes, I know it’s not “real,” but neither was Braveheart and I still liked that. The fact is pro-wrestling must maintain a certain level of illusion (the insider word for that is “kayfabe”) to keep the fans happy and non-fans just cannot comprehend that necessity. Regardless, pro wrestlers are real people with real lives outside of that “fake” world. When the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) began going into a more mature direction and enjoying great popularity, I began to lose my interest in their product. While I still enjoyed parts of it, I wanted something that was more like a serious sport than a ridiculous soap opera.

Enter Dave Meltzer. I had heard the name here and there, but it was not until I heard his Internet radio show that I discovered the other side of professional wrestling. He talked with the wrestlers, who were not the characters they were on television, instead they were regular guys who played the part. He smartened me up to exactly what I liked about wrestling. Similar to how one might like a certain actor’s movies, but not know why. The little things from facial expressions to believable delivery make actors great – wrestlers are no different. He told me what was going on in other parts of the world, notably Japan, which has the most realistic style of wrestling that I now find the most enjoyable. Dave’s exhaustive study of professional wrestling has been displayed in his successful weekly newsletter, newspaper columns, books, documentaries, TV shows, radio shows and so on. He provides more than just the facts; he gives fascinating insight, critique and analysis. Dave has been quite an inspiration to me in my college years as a student of journalism. So I leaped at the chance of being able to get his insight into media ethics.

Dave Meltzer went to San Jose State University and while he may not have studied ethics, he “absolutely believes in them.” While detractors of wrestling might consider anyone who would cover such a regularly unethical world, unethical by association, Dave is seemingly always the opposite. He understands “some choose to live by them and others choose to live for money or fame.” One who might live for the latter two is Vince MacMahon, the head of the WWF. When covering McMahon’s actions, Meltzer is anything but unfair; he does not avoid criticism when they deserve it or praise when they earn that. “It’s already established WWF will go to any lengths for money.” That sort of scrutiny might be considered harsh, but Dave backs that argument up week after week, showing his not a bandwagon-jumping opponent of the company. While some might believe attacking the most popular wrestling company in the world is career suicide, Dave is so well-respected amongst “insiders” that he does not have to compromise his integrity.

The necessity of “kayfabe” in wrestling makes Dave’s job trickier than in other reporting pursuits. He calls it this the “the biggest challenge [because] it's a world where people are constantly lying and [it is] a profession that considers it honorable to lie.” In spite of this ever-present dilemma, Dave expresses a desire to expose the truth whatever it may be because “it is the most important thing to try your best to do so.”
People who say things with ulterior motives or dodge the truth plague professional wrestling, so Dave’s approach is uplifting and as a result he is highly thought of by many. Since the development of the Internet, less credible “reporters” have been able to elbow in on reporting this other side of wrestling. They may get the scoops, but “it's far more important to get the story right than get it first” and in the end, it is always Dave Meltzer getting all the facts. Dave knows “the nature of all journalism is that sometimes you are going to get things wrong. It's impossible to avoid.” So, in the instances in which he is wrong, he admits his mistakes.
Being so connected to the wrestling community, Dave has his share of friends whose activity he must review. While that seems like a conflict of interest, he remains unwavering in covering their activities. “If someone who I'm friends with has a bad match, I don't have any kind of a problem saying so, and if they get arrested, I haven't had any problem reporting on it.” While his style of reporting has been met with public insults from wrestlers and uncooperative actions from companies, Dave refuses to let it affect his integrity. “I never really worry about how others judge me or will judge me when I'm writing.”

Lastly, he addressed the issue of social responsibility. “It's very important to address social responsibility, but you can only go so far.” Vince McMahon and the WWF are usually at the center of Meltzer’s attacks in this area. They are the ones who push the status quo and catch heat from outsiders and insiders alike. Dave has been featured on documentaries about the negative effects of pro-wrestling and is always quick to set things straight. He does not take the defensive position on McMahon’s side nor the uninformed opposing side that goes with generalizations, but rather raises important questions as to what is really going on because he knows best. When McMahon says the product the WWF produces is no worse than shows on late night cable, Dave always points out how they are in primetime and have a different target audience. “Once you're talking about someone who will peddle softcore porn to a sizeable under-12 audience, you can only say something so many times when nobody cares…you're going to be very disappointed if you expect a wrestling promoter (like McMahon) to be socially responsible.”

Dave Meltzer continues to be an inspiration to me in many ways. I once admired him because he knew so much about such a fascinating and secretive world. Then I saw how much he has done and continues to do as a journalist covering something with such a negative stigma. Now I appreciate his ethical beliefs. He is someone who sincerely believes in being as truthful as possible and does not let anything compromise that belief. People might disagree with his opinions, but no one can question his integrity and for that many people, myself included, are grateful.