Paul Ellering [RF Video Shoot Interview]



The Good
Sometimes people who were around big stars can provide a level of perception that those big stars cannot or would not share. The Road Warriors did a fairly early RF Video shoot and it is one of the most famous, especially since Hawk's death has prevented anything like that from ever happening. Paul Ellering was a "shoot manager" like Gary Hart and a few others, who legitimately took a talent and molded it. Ellering managed a few different people, but it was the Road Warriors who he will always be identified with. They talk briefly about his experiences breaking in, his less-than-stellar runs in some well-regarded territories and the injuries that ended his active career. Then they get into his decade with the Road Warriors when they toured the world as a huge attraction. Ellering has so many interesting stories and pieces of information to share, but I think I prefer him in sound bytes than in a lengthy interview.

The Bad
This was an odd shoot interview. I've never found Paul Ellering to be the best interview in this capacity and when RF's questions get disorganized, Paul gets emotional about Hawk's death and things start getting too heavy, they rush to the wrap-up. This could have gone another 30 minutes, but it just kind of went to hell. Rob unexplainably confuses their WWF runs as he jumps from their departure from WCW to Paul's time with the DOA and back to working at Wembley Stadium and then to Hawk's pathetic drunk angle. It is all so muddled and pointless. When they get into Hawk's death, Paul gets a little upset and RF is unable to continue with clear and compassionate questions. They talk about his drug abuse, his self-destructive ways and it is all rushed. This was a decent interview that got worse at the point that it should have gotten better (so to speak). This revealed some of Rob's greatest weaknesses as an interviewer.

The Rating: ***1/4