In the Pit with Piper: Roddy Gets Rowdy
Author, Ghost Writer, Editor: Roddy Piper, Robert Picarelli
Publisher: Berkley Boulevard
Released: 11/02
The Good
Really fun stuff. Similiar to all wrestling books in that it has some priceless retelling of funny road stories. Piper might not explain psychology perfectly, but I think he does a better job than most. I guess it's just a matter of fact thing for him.
The Bad
This book is like a montage of Piper interviews. When you know what he's trying to say it's easy to follow and has funny bits thrown in. But when he's just talking...he's just talking. The rambling gets tedious at times with funny jokes having no real purpose. While chronology is good, he bounces around in his thoughts it seems. The prevalence of contradictions is really bad. One chapter he's saying his morals took over when something immoral happened then in the next chapter he says he was totally devoid of moral character. The faulty reaccounts are obvious in points like that, but I don't think he was malicious in his fallacies. My one complaint is that Piper's delivery isn't as good as Heenan's because Piper's might sound better on tape, but doesn't read as well. His voices and facials are 75% of his interviews and you can't have it here. You hafta want to read this to read, otherwise it can be slow going.
The Rating: ***
Showing posts with label roddy piper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roddy piper. Show all posts
Friday, May 13, 2011
Monday, July 12, 2010
Roddy Piper [RF Video Shoot Interview]
The Good
Roddy Piper is a tremendous talker who goes up and down, fast and slow, funny and serious and it all seems to work. Obviously, this is not a four hour promo, but he throws some of his personality in there (you might say). His autobiography was interesting, but like Superstar Graham, Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair, you'd rather hear them tell their story rather than read it. This is sort of that in a way. It does not feel pieced together and revisionist like the WWE's, it does not lack the depth of a radio interview and a little less structured than his book. I think within a lot of blabbering there are some hints of great insight as he points to examples of Vince McMahon being ignorant to the true nature of pro-wrestling, how he got himself over and how he developed his character and promos. If you like Piper and even if you hate Rob Feinstein, you will enjoy this. Just when RF thinks they've got the questions, Roddy Piper changes the answers...
The Bad
The flipside of the previous statement, "Just when RF thinks they've got the questions, Roddy Piper changes the answers" is that Piper does not seem entirely direct and open. Could this just be his signature rambling run amok? Could he be more calculating and evasive than one might expect? Could he be working the entire time? My bet is that there is truth in all three possibilities. Roddy Piper is a self-admitted rambler and he seems to take a question and answer with a practically unrelated story. He is a good storyteller and all, but answering "what is your favorite match?" with a long story about working the Maritimes with Mad Dog Vachon is not really an answer. Although he has a rebellious streak in him, Piper is a shrewd businessman and this seems like just another "piece of business" at times as he makes some very measured comments about a host of people. I will always have a hard time believing that Roddy Piper has turned it off and is not still working to an extent.
The Rating: ****
The Good
Roddy Piper is a tremendous talker who goes up and down, fast and slow, funny and serious and it all seems to work. Obviously, this is not a four hour promo, but he throws some of his personality in there (you might say). His autobiography was interesting, but like Superstar Graham, Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair, you'd rather hear them tell their story rather than read it. This is sort of that in a way. It does not feel pieced together and revisionist like the WWE's, it does not lack the depth of a radio interview and a little less structured than his book. I think within a lot of blabbering there are some hints of great insight as he points to examples of Vince McMahon being ignorant to the true nature of pro-wrestling, how he got himself over and how he developed his character and promos. If you like Piper and even if you hate Rob Feinstein, you will enjoy this. Just when RF thinks they've got the questions, Roddy Piper changes the answers...
The Bad
The flipside of the previous statement, "Just when RF thinks they've got the questions, Roddy Piper changes the answers" is that Piper does not seem entirely direct and open. Could this just be his signature rambling run amok? Could he be more calculating and evasive than one might expect? Could he be working the entire time? My bet is that there is truth in all three possibilities. Roddy Piper is a self-admitted rambler and he seems to take a question and answer with a practically unrelated story. He is a good storyteller and all, but answering "what is your favorite match?" with a long story about working the Maritimes with Mad Dog Vachon is not really an answer. Although he has a rebellious streak in him, Piper is a shrewd businessman and this seems like just another "piece of business" at times as he makes some very measured comments about a host of people. I will always have a hard time believing that Roddy Piper has turned it off and is not still working to an extent.
The Rating: ****
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