Ep. 391: WWF's Saturday Night's Main Event 11.14.92 (Part 1)

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Yes and in a bit of lap Serendipity recently recovered the genesis of the
Papa Shango character. In the early nineties in the WWF, we did indeed,
and that comes to light in which particular film that recently went under the
Cinemat That would be the inaugural Roger Moore entry into the James Bond franchise Live
and Let Die. And in that movie, what do we learn about Papa
Shango's origins. We learn that it is the look, the laugh, and
the attitude stem from that movie very much so, a character that emerges sort
of like a voodoo master, right yes, yes, at Bond Encounters in
the Wild. And a key part of explaining the genesis of the Papashango character
in that episode of Under the Cinemat, of course, available to EP and
above tier members over at Patreon, is that for Papa Shango, it was
this night November fourteenth, nineteen and ninety two on the Fox Network, in
the very final Saturday Night's Main Event from the time period where Saturday Night's Main
Event meant what it needed to mean to the wrestling fan, felt the way
it needed to feel to the wrestling fan. The final SMM, the end
of a wrestling innocence that we fight for every day here at TLF ten Years
Running. Got a shot at Brett Hart, who us circumstances more than anything
else. Had been suddenly christened WWF Champion at a random television taping in Saskatoon
in October of nineteen ninety two for the very first time, and here against
Papa Shongo. It's for the WWF Championship, and it's the headline contest of
Saturday night's main event, the final network special of the Hasbro Era on Fox
Network. As subsequent to the show, Fox decides not to continue its relationship
with WWF. You know, I'm not sure we're taking this, so you
know, I think I think we're gonna move on. It's been great,
you know, and we really we really like where you're taking wrestling, and
we really appreciate the panache that you put onto something like this, and we
mean, this is no disrespect. We are definitely not going forward in nineteen
ninety three. You know, I just want to say, you know,
you know, we love what you guys have done. You know, look,
we love the creativity that you have in regards to the you know what,
where you see wrestling, what you do. Obviously, you know,
the the guys, despite the fact that you know everything about it is fake,
the guys are tremendous athletes. I'll concede that. You know, I
wasn't a believer. I'll have you know. You know, maybe I wasn't
going to tell you this during the relationship, but you know, now we're
all among friends. I feel safe telling you now. I wasn't a big
supporter in the beginning, guys, you know I was. Yeah, I
wasn't a big support in the beginning. And if I'm uh, and why
were you hung up? You did? Let him know, Lou, why
I decided to name this, Lou? Why were you hung up? Let
him know? I mean, look, look they you guys had your your
your moment in the sun, all right. Obviously you know eighty five,
you guys had the big, the big Mania show, whatever the hell?
And uh, you know you're built up from there, you have. You
and Dick grew togain. Look, look, you wouldn't, Yes, we
did. I always grow with Dick. I'll be honest with that. Yeah.
Well, you know, you guys, you really you you went above
and beyond anybody's expectations, all right. I feel confident in saying that.
I feel very confident in saying that you guys went above and beyond anybody's expectations.
And you know, and and and you guys should be proud of that.
You should be proud of that. And I and I and I you
know, if I were in your shoes, I'd be proud of that,
because you know, the expectations are everything, especially in the television business.
Yeah, expectations are everything. And and and if you can defy what people
expect, and then more power to you, you know. And uh and
and I got to say, you know, even uh, you know you
come here and and and and we uh we we we write out a deal
for uh for the the the the Saturday night show. And uh, I
didn't expect much. I didn't. I didn't I did not expect much.
But you know, again, you guys, you guys, uh defied expectations.
We won't say in which direction, without a doubt, I can tell
you right now, expectations my expected. What you guys did was was in
the other direction of my expectations. All right, well, I'm so glad
in the television world they don't have a way of bullshitting each other. And
and and listen, I want to say we we we've we've really enjoyed you
know, whatever this is, whatever, you know, what we've been what
we've built here over the the last you know, seven seven, six whatever
months. You know it's been nine months, whatever it's been, it's been
years, right, guys. Can I speak for everybody in the room,
especially our side, you know, you know the months of of real of
real growth, I think is a fair way to say it. Growth on
on on both within both parties, and growth. I just want to say,
yeah, that's definitely sincerely put growth on both parties. Got it?
All right? Great, continue, go ahead, growth forget it and I
and I. But you know the thing is, you know, we we
all sat down, you know, we we all sat down and we said,
you know, here's the thing. You know, I I don't think
it's good. I don't think we're good for you guys, is what it
comes down to. I don't think Fox is what you need with with the
with a with a television. Look. I see the look in your guy's
faces. I know you think you can talk me out of it. I
know you think I'm being too humble, but but guys, look, it's
not worth talking to me out of it. Okay, I just trust that
the bottom line is, you know, you guys are going in a direction
right exactly and it's it's honestly, it's a direction we can't follow. We're
just not equipped to follow in that direction at the moment, at the moment,
maybe maybe down the line. You know, you never know. I
mean, I don't, you know, God knows, God, God knows.
On a Friday night, we decide because we lost UFC that we should
bring you guys in. You know, I don't, I don't. I
just want to say, I just want to say this, it's over.
I thought I'm gonna say, it's been the pleasure, it's it's been the
honor of my career. What it said, Lou from Fox says, I
just want to say this it's over. In other words like this is the
absolute limit of how long I'm willing to have this conversation. You have no
idea how many more things are on my calendar today, including finding a replacement
for this bitch ass twice a year primetime special that does nothing for us.
Listen, I want to tell you, you know, if i'm if just
curiousity, what do you have? You know, I appreciate your your honesty
and your your compliments and whatnot, and your your well your genetic jack,
your geneticisms, and well, Vince, I'm glad you noticed. I don't
get as many compliments I expect you know that. But you know, I'm
just curious, I'm uh, you know, given that it was only a
you know, a couple of times a year where we would have the opportunity
to be on a Saturday night presentation on the Fox television. We get that
part. That's that's not the part worth you know, minding the detail on.
Just curious what what you what you see to will be the replacement for
the the the Saturday Nights main event vehicle. It's very you know, hey,
it's a very good question. It is talking about that a lot.
Internally. We've been we've been talking about that, and I love your thoughts
as someone that you know, is such a veteran on television. I mean,
you can give it to us later. I just I just want to
you know, I'll be honest with you. You know, what we've been
thinking is that you know, we get to you know, two times a
year where we didn't have where we have an hour of h of of of
you know, the w w e uh stuff that happened. And I'll tell
you you know, we decided, we said, you know, the best
thing we can do in that time period is just not air anything at all.
So it's just going to be dead. So so we we dead space.
In short, Fince, we plan to replace you with dead air because
that's that's a better use of our we felt, we felt we get more
viewers if we just put color bars up for an hour, then have a
wrestling program. And it's here where Lou turns on him and goes, so
what do you think about that? So? So do you feel like you're
worth anything? Changes the entire mood in the room. But that one comment,
it's suddenly, it's suddenly like you know, I didn't want to say
this, you know, but clearly you're not going to settle for anything less
than the honest truth. So here, here, here you go. So
so so basically, we hear it, We hear it, Fox, Okay,
this is we hear it. Fox. Want nothing to do with you.
Okay, we saw, we saw what you provided us. We want
a top thirty television show. You gave us this whole song and dance about
NBC Prime Time, Hogan Andre thirty rating top ten and then Vince, we
can't even get we can't even get top fifty with this look, and where's
hull Hogan? Vince, I'm telling you, listen, color bars, color
bars draw more of an audience than your fucking show on my fucking network.
Maybe we don't want you on our network. Vince. Have you ever thought
about this because your show fucking sucks? Maybe you fuckings? Did you ever
think of that? Yeah? Did you ever think yourself? You have any
idea, Vince, what Dick would say behind your back and meetings in the
industry. I'm I have been friends with with with Dick Appersol longer than you've
known him, Okay, and I've had him over at my house many times,
right exactly. And let me tell you what he said about you.
Okay, you smug, a little prick. Yeah, let's go. He
hasn't been done, he said. He. I mean, he is a
smug prick, but he hasn't shown that in this meeting at all, of
all the times to come at Vince on that he said to me. He
said to me, Vince mcman is a fucking joke. Yep, I'm fucking
playing him everything, you know, like a two bit whore. That's right,
Okay, that's what he said. It'd be nothing without McCarthy and the
rest of the crew was showing how to direct a television show. And now
he thinks because he's got some fucking you know, because he's got some monitors
set up in Stanford that we have to turn over, uh, you know,
state of the art primetime Nationwide NBC Network, New York, New York,
New York production values to him and his carnate bullshit and fucking suburban cannety,
he said. He said to me, he said to me, do
you see what I did? I made him think people give a shit about
him and what he's doing SETNS main event. Yeah, all right, not
in this network's opinion. Well I see, uh well, notwithstanding, I
suppose the question you have to ask yourself now, So like the question you
have to ask yourself now is exactly what it is that Fox thinks it can
do to out last the WW That's that's something he would actually say where he's
like, MTV wants to buy him in eighty four after the success of the
hoaded stuff, and they're He's like, I'll buy mt Why can't I buy
MTV? Why can't I? I mean, why can't I buy the Fox
Network? Excuse me? What makes it proposal. Why why this? To
Wall Street? I proposed and that the w w E. The w w
E buys the Fox network, we could actually have the the w w F
the world Wide Fox. I'll tell you what. If Randy and Liz have
a child, as they're attempting to when it comes to fruition, and they're
blessed with a child, we could do a series called married with Children.
Do you believe in reality TV? Well, I don't know, Vince.
Apparently you don't. I don't coming from you. That's half eaten corn beef
on the desk. I guess my question for why are you still in my
office? It's done, it's over. What do you what do you felt?
You see? The thing is pal Maybe you're in my office, Vince
picture Vince in ninety two what he looked like and he's sitting there with that
look on his face like, uh, well you know it's standing not nowithstanding.
Maybe you have to consider the fact that you are in my office.
Maybe you have to consider the fact. First of like he says, it's
a fact that's money in and of itself. And second of always says another
thing you have to consider it is can you reach the gun in your desk
before I can reach the knife on your plate. Do you know that I
have been surveilling your office since the the moment we signed a deal? Excuse
me you've been doing? What? What have you been doing? I know
the ins and outs of your office. You ever hear a Fairfax partner's pal,
that lady that you like to have on Thursday nights? I know her
as well. I know her very well. The fucking all right, what
do I you see? I've got to you by the balls, plle So
you can come in here and you can say, you know what, we
don't want the WWE. But you know what I don't want Fox. I
want to own Fox. There we go, all right, I'm gonna make
Fox the WWE network. I will own you when the time is right,
and Pale, that Thursday night adventure of yours will become mine real fucking quick.
So it's over between w W and Fox before it even starts. In
nineteen ninety two, and this is the final Saturday Night's main event of the
initial run as mentioned from of Course eighty five. With the success of WrestleMania
one and Dick Eversol really taking power as the chief programming officer so to speak
over at NBC Sports with his background and Monday Night Football and bringing the NBA
to NBC and Saturday Night Live and producing the Olympics on NBC. Really,
you know, the top sports production mind in the country working hand in glove
with Vince McMahon to try to capitalize in the rock and wrestling sensation and all
the wild celebrity crossover we've talked about so many times over the years on TLF
that took place and that they were enjoying around eighty four and eighty five.
Sure, but come nineteen and ninety one, the returns are very much diminishing.
And the final WWF Saturday Night's main event, as we you know needed
it on NBC was April nineteen ninety one. I think we've done that show
too. Yes, that is in the archives. That is in the archives.
And then we switch over. I mean, this is when the shit
totally starts to hit the fan with the steroid scandal stuff. You cannot talk
about this time period, especially this show. For reasons. We get to
god yeah without mentioning it all. And so Fox picks up the deal and
starts, you know, playing around with some thoughts. There's initial reports in
the newsletters that they're thinking about just like a sort of WrestleMania eight preview show
which ends up being the first Saturday Night's made event on Fox. At a
WrestleMania eight where Sid turns on Hogan and we go there. That's a massive,
massive show, and that was on Fox, and we all received it
on Fox, and we all came to believe that, you know that that
Hasbro era was going to be represented with primetime network specials on a Fox that
you know, had a bit more rebellious reputation. You know, it had
Simpsons that had married with children, that had edgier content and had you know,
more risk gay humor and things like that, and so, okay,
this is interesting. Maybe WWF can get a little more edge to it.
Then perhaps NBC Primetime or at least you know, eleven thirty in replacement of
a Saturday Night Live a rerun could afford a NBC apparently decided that a rerun
of SNL, which continues to this day when they're off season, is just
fine. And we don't need a wrestling show in its fucking entertay, you
know, we don't. We don't need that shit right, We're fine without
it. Let's leave it that way. And as we'll get to that first
one ahead of Wrestlingia eight on Fox in nineteen ninety two, did pretty decent
numbers leading to the second go round. But man, come November, is
it a different company. I mean, you talk about we've done Survivor Series
nineteen ninety two, and to go from a Survivor Series nineteen ninety one,
w We're hoping, man, he's running wild. Rick Flair is arriving.
The Golden era stars that you need are still there, looking and acting and
behaving as you need them to behave, with the exception of Warrior, who
had disappeared in Summer Slam ninety one. But let's just say ninety one with
luck turned the page to ninety two, and we have a complete, completely
different architecture here at I know, I know, Bredhart's WWF champ. You've
just been crowned on a thing that wasn't even a live television show. We've
talked about this and we'll get to it again about how weird it was as
a ww fan in nineteen ninety two to find out that Brett Hart had been
crowned on some random show without any build or any anticipation. Really, right,
I'll never forget that that mean Gene interview, that Gene interview that he
did. It's coming on his little stand and I'm there and I'm like,
holy shit, it's some holy him with the wing deal. You know,
when Flair's leaving and Davy Boy having defeated Brett SummerSlam ninety two and that massive
show in London is gone and is no longer Intercontinental Champion warrior who made a
massively impactful return at WrestleMania eight in April, and Who's your dumb is gone
for reasons well we'll talk about. And it's just like Shawn Michaels is now
being positioned. You know. We spent so much time on the sur Fibers
Series nineteen ninety two show talking about all these these changes, and I'm sure
there will be some level of duplication here, but this is the show in
a lot of ways where a lot it belongs. That was ten years ago,
after all, I know, indeed it was. This is the show
where all that context really belongs though when you think about it, because this
is the show where all of a sudden, Davy Boy loses the Intercontinental Strap
the debut to Shawn Michaels. And you know, I I I've said this
before, I've shared this story that I remember. I was at a Boston
Garden show, yes, my third ww Live event in nineteen ninety two,
and I saw, actually I had it up here a moment ago, the
whole the actual event, and a bulldog hold on you continue, I'll get
there. Let me, let me, let me. I want to have
the rundown of my matches that I had because it's fucking it was pretty crazy.
And this is the event where you know, Warrior appears alongside Randy Savage
building into a confrontation with Flair and Raisor Ramone at Survivor series that never happens,
and the show where at the tail end of the Saturday night's main event,
they shoehorn in a post produced segment with Vincent Bobby Heenan discussing how suddenly
one of the two Warrior Savage we don't know which yet is out of the
Survivor series and more than come. You know, I don't remember when I
saw this, this show live on Fox. I don't remember that at all.
Well, he probably knocked out by then. Yeah, No, after
Brett Shango ends, you kind of at that age you drift off to sleep
right shows over. Yeah, that's true. That's just that postcript they do
at the end where they come back for a wrap up. But this is,
you know, the show that that's announced and you know, because Warrior
had been fired for reasons. We'll talk about it, Okay. I went
to go see a house show at the Boston Garden on November seventh, nineteen
ninety two, a matinee show, okay with according to History of the WW
fifty five hundred people. I remember being pretty pathetic. I remember being pretty
pathetic. I remember being a very very and that's not a bad crowd for
the rest of Bret Brett's run. Yeah, and Davy boy Smith, I'd
be curiously enough, Pinn Papashango, and I remember them announcing at that show
that on October whatever this show actually was taped at was October twenty seventh,
Whatevert won the championship. When no, no, when when Shawn Michael's beat
Bulldog. Okay, yeah, that was that's the show which was taped on
October twenty seventh, until they said on October twenty seventh, Wow, Shawn
Michaels like, what I what I What I still don't understand of this day
is why they didn't just have Davy Boy come up with the belt? Maybe,
Yeah, why don't they have him come up with the belt? Why
do they have to announce? Yeah? Right? It was weird, very
weird to me that they that they felt the need to announce that. Yeah,
true, because they would do that. They would, you know,
they would tape title changes, but until it aired on TV, the guy
would still go and defend the belt on househ right exactly, but no he
he couldn't be And they made that a huge announcement and I was like,
and so I knew the finish to this match when they've when they announced Bulldog
Sean at Saturday Nights main event, I knew what was going to happen.
Yeah, right, And they kind of previewed it a bit too that morning
on Superstars. This is still the era where you had to pretend, you
know that the guys wrestled twice that day, right, right, So you
had to pretend the Saturday morning shows were live matches where the guys who are
going to wrestle that night. And by the way, back then Saturday night's
main event, with the exception of the Hogan Andre one was taped as well,
and so well that was tape too. What am I saying that it
was just in primetime? That was the distinction on that one. But yeah,
so that's all you can. Curiously enough, Davy Boy did wrestle two
times on November seventh, actually because he wrestled the Mattine Show in Boston and
they did an evening show and Lowell show right now, Yeah, there you
go. Yeah yeah, keeping him busy. And by the way, the
main event, by the way, I mean again, I know I've shared
this, but for those who don't remember, or for those who never heard
the story, the main event was a steel cage match. This is why
I wanted to go to the show, because it was a steel cage match.
Boss Man versus nails correct main event, Nails wins. What Yes,
I saw nails Pin the big boss Man in a fucking still cage man.
He's another guy from the Harsburrera that's going too. He'll be gone soon.
Yeah, they're all going unreal. So uh, they would pretend on television
you'd watch the Saturday morning syndicated shows that had been taped on some other date
in time, and the announcers are talking about how tonight Brett's gonna have to
wrestle again. The morning of this show, he wrestles some Wait a minute,
the morning of this show, Davy Boy wrestles Reponeman on Superstars. Oh,
finally settling Matthew from the entire summer. Good for him, indeed,
and defense at the Intercontinental title. The whole time they're talking about how is
will play the sound later, Shawn's got a great chance to win the title
tonight. In fact, mister Perfect goes ahead and congratulates Shawn Michaels before the
show before Saturday Night's Made the Man God has even aired on becoming Icy Champ.
That's how confident he is. Wow that Shawn Michaels is going to take
the strap. All those little details because they're just they're they're scrambling, they
are scrambling any any they had around Warrior, who they really brought back when
they knew Hogan was going to take the hiatus after WrestleMania. Ate to plug
that, you know, Mega baby Face hole were just ripped up to shreds
because he was just butting heads with management and he wasn't the best guy to
have around at a time when the federal government was really ramping up and subpoenas
were coming. Tom Titan Towers, what's wrong with that? I don't understand
him. That's a great point too. We shouldn't underplay the point you just
made. And and Flair's not working out his champ and Vince's clearly souring on
the proposition. There's no one really ready. I mean, Brett is there,
but they're not positioning him to be a WWF World Heavyweight champion at all.
He'd already initiated, interestingly, the feud with Papa Shango, who he
wrestles in the main event of this show. And you talk about that under
the sin about it. But in July twentieth was there? What happened?
Yeah? Tell them, well, uh do you want to know what happened
in my eyes or what actually happened. Let's do a little bit of both,
all right, So what happened when I was there and in Worcester is
I'm watching, you know, this show with my friends and and uh uh
uh, you know we're watching from up in our you know, nose bleeds
section. Not that the Worcester Centrum really qualifies having nose bleeds at all.
But the uh so we're there, we're watching and all of a sudden,
we're singeing a Brett Hart jobber match, and all of a sudden, Papa
Shango comes out, and we're like, what the fuck? Why is he
out there? Like we actually thought that Papa Shango had made a mistake and
and came and come out like as if oh shit, I did I thought
my match was now, you know, we thought it was that kind of
a mistake. And then later on in the show, in our in the
TV taping, Brett Hart comes out and saves a jobber from Papa Shango.
Now, when it aired on TV, they played it in reverse. I
don't know why they filmed it the other way, but they played it in
reverse when uh, when it came out so so so so Brett Heart was
the was the hero trying to save the job or from getting an unnecessary beating
from Papa Shango. And then it was Brett Hart. It was Papashanko who
came out later and cursed Brett Haart for interfering in his match. Amazing,
So you figure that out, and this wasn't the Warrior curse where black stuff
starts running down Bretteart's forehead. No, because it was the beginning. I
mean, I don't know if it would have gotten to that part, that
that point of it, but you know, at the time, it was
just like the initial curse. He might have taken a wristband or something.
I don't know. You know, you get into that weird trance. It
was the you know what you do is you start off the curse a little
light and then and then you get to the the goo and the vomiting and
shit right right, and so the seed had been planted and this is going
to be like a mid card feud. Clearly this wasn't going to be your
WWF championship program. Well, I don't even know if it was going to
be a program, like you know, it might've just been one of those
weird little house show things that they did all summer long that never panned out,
Like Bulldog and Repo Man. Remember Bulldog threw Repoman over the top rope.
No, No, a Repo Man threw Bulldog over the top rope while
he was he lynched him. You know, he had the hook and the
rope and he tossed bulldog over the top rope and hung him sane. Yeah,
they're definitely building to a series of Brett Shango matches, but the fact
that one of them happened to you know, be sort of penciled in around
the time they had to shoot a Fox Special was not done with the intention
that Brett would be defending the WA Championship and it would be the main event.
And so for a Papa Shango who was really green in the business,
as he's talked about, and if you want more detail, JP did a
great job laying that foundation under the cinemat and the aforementioned Bond episode. It
was a real sort of quantum leap for Charles Wright aka Papa Shango to be
in this kind of a match with these the stakes, this kind of exposure,
and in the consequences of you know, Brett hard having to sort of
fit into the boots of WWF champion having a wrestle against opponents who just weren't
weren't the caliber of WWF headliners at all. But they went with the whole
Brett's a fighting champion because he had so many Yeah, Brett was working every
show. He was the absolute workhorse of the company. And now all of
a sudden, if he's the champ whoever, he's going to work on these
shows, which would just be sort of middle card fodder and him doing his
thing, or now WAF championship defenses, so he's wrestling the Berserker for the
title here? Did it ever? Did it? Did it? I mean,
did it mean anything for the belt? Like? Did it make it
more valuable? And the eyes of anybody? I mean it did to me
as a fan, Yeah, no, it didn't. Know, No,
it didn't. It didn't as much as like a Rick Flair would like to
think. It didn't depreciate the value of the belt. You know, it's
not like Brett saw it drop a notch, because it really was. It
really wasn't in a meandering position in nineteen ninety two. I mean that WTBA
champ ship was not coveted at all. It was not a It was not
guaranteed money that if you put a WWF title shot on a pay per view
that it was going to sell, not even close. We're very much in
the Man makes the Belt era. In a lot of ways, we're learning
now that the man makes the belt. You know, Hogan was going to
do business. He could make the man. We saw that with Warrior,
but it didn't last very long. So you kind of learn. You learn
very quickly if putting the championship on someone new is going to cause them to,
you know, kind of transform the way people look at the WWF,
or if it's just going to go okay. So this is not exactly a
Hull Cogan, but it's the next best thing. And if that's the mindset,
it doesn't mean people stop buying tickets. It doesn't mean people stop liking
WWF. But it doesn't mean that they enter a new stage of growth or
that they can use this new champion of some kind of springboard like Cody Rose
spent a springboard, you know, for instance, as opposed to this kind
of thing. But here is here's a bredheart with all these opponents. We
talked already about it earlier this year when Virgil passed away. This is also
the exact time period he defends the title against Virgil and pretty much Virgil's best
WWF match yep. And that was like just totally random, a guy that
Brett was sort of booked to come up against. He told the story and
we'll get to it on television and we told it during the Virgil tribute as
well, and discussing how this match came together. What Brett said to the
cameras was that Rick Flair had a ton of obligations already, right, he
was wif champ, he had a bunch of opponents lined up that he was
going to defend against, and so by taking the championship unexpectedly from Rick Flair
as he did in early October of nineteen ninety two, Brett Hart had to
fulfill all of Rick Flair's obligations. Ah, look at that. Whether Rick
Flair is going to wrestle the Berserker or on Superstars or not a little.
I think the WWF title took on all of Brett Heart's obligation. You go
one, Brody, I mean Berserker Brody got did it again? Rick?
It'shit all right. It always looks like you bit the edge of your tongue
in the back of your mouth, curly fage, Virgil, Virgil, I
see you looking at me. I know you want exactly what I've got on
my shoulder, big man. Ah now, mister perfect, who's been in
the background as the executive consulting yes during this whole Rick Flair run. Now
of course he's got to be the guy to save the day with Warrior out
of the company for Survivor series, and so they have to stitch together this
leg It turned out brilliantly because you got Oh, it's the great, right,
it's it's, without a doubt, the greatest moment on primetime wrestling.
I think, out of all that it's it's without a doubt, it's so
brilliantly played out. It's it's it's exciting, and it's it plays over the
entire episode. It's so good. The show long storyline explaining how they go
from Savage needing a partner to suddenly mister Perfect stepping forward when they think he's
on Team Flair. But he's suddenly enticed, right, he's enticed by the
notion of coming back to the ring. Yeah, yeah, when when when?
He when? When? When? Yeah? When? When Savage says,
I want you perfect, right, spell it out, it's mister Perfect.
Wow, and that and the Heena does a great job losing his mind
that Miss Perfect is turning on him, basically, and they do this all
on the set. It's not in the ring, it's not in front of
fans. It's not even like a vignette. It's just like on the same
primetime Tell Wrestling Talk set that they always sit at, they contrive this absolute
last minute angle to keep the Survivor series interesting, and I think they pulled
it off. I mean yeah, I mean it made me want to see
it more than I than I had before. That's the old, uh,
the old Vince adage is if you lose a headline match for some reason,
you got to replace it with something that's even more enticing, something that's unexpected
and big, Like they brought Kurt Angle back one year to a team with
the Shield to save the pay per view main event and put Kurt Angle of
the flat garre. There is no plans to make Kurt Angle a member of
the Shield, I assure you. But that's I mean, was there were
they were they talking about bringing Perfect back into the ring at that point.
I never really I don't remember what now. What it kind of was was
he was injured, he was on the shelf, he had the new Yeah
insurance policy thing, but he was talking about there was stuff in the sheets
about how he'd love to follow Ric Flair to w CW. Because it was
already pretty clear Flair had already made overtures back to w CW that once I
wrap up here and we figure out where to get the belt off me.
Vince had always said, this is what Flair says that, you know,
whenever I wasn't happy here anymore, and all I had to do is tell
him, and I could see my way out and it wouldn't be a problem.
And he stood by that, and of course he lost the retirement match
to Perfect in January ninety three, and with the transition from Bill Watts to
the Eric Bischoff regime under Bill Shaw at w CW, you know, Flair
very much had had a roll there, a space there and power as well
coming back in ninety three as he did. But all that aside, you
have a situation where Perfect is can that are leaving too and going with Rick
Flair to WCW potentially, And I feel like that may have been part of
forcing the hand and letting Perfect get back in the ring. Can't even though
they told themselves he was now, you know, sort of damaged goods from
an inn ring perspective, and he kind of was. I mean, this
return wasn't It wasn't the Great Shakes, It didn't last very long. It
didn't produce very much. I mean no, he was gone and he was
gone by within a year. Yeah, he was out. He was supposed
to be sure. Although hey, he did have that classic with Brett Hart
and I will say that, Yeah, let's hear the ring, but you
know, he was. It's it's kind of funny actually that he that he's
filling the shoes of somebody who who who had to walk out, you know,
at the last minute. Yet he did the exact same thing the year
later at ninety three Survivors series. He he for whatever reason leaves I don't
remember why. Yeah, and then they got to bring Savage in to replace
perfect. I'm that opening that opening match with the Razor amone. Everybody listen
to me, and they are, they are. That's it. That's that
one. And he kind of does it again in ninety six when he leaves
his Triple hus manager. He does that's and they have to and it's around
the same time of year. I don't know, this guy's contract must come
up every Thanksgiving. This is not a fan around. Yeah, he's like,
I want to go home for the holidays. I guess, okay.
I love that actually, like the Crusher, right, it's like got summertime.
I'm gonna find the reason to get pissed off and quit. All right,
you your fired crusher, see you later, Oka, Okay, I'll
see in September. So it's it's a fascinating point in time because this is
the show where all these little things we know happened behind the scenes that we
always talk about when we talk about this time period, they actually are manifested
on the broadcast. Brett is defending, Sean is winning, Bulldog is leaving,
Warrior is missing. This is all that it is ending as far as
Saturday Night's made. Evandy, Yeah, a Network prime time proposition. The
pressure is building from the federal government on what would be the eventual indictment of
Vince McMahon in the summer of nineteen ninety three. I don't believe in the
federal government. I don't believe in in federal governmentation. Are you a strict
anti federalist? I listen, I don't believe. I don't I believe.
I believe in in in you know, the House of Burgesses. I believe
in certain federations for sure. You know Mark Henry, Well, he's my
second favorite, Henry, my first Patrick Henry's right, and well actually before
that. I love Oh Henry before, really I think I think he came
after. That's fine because oh Henry's Irish, right what well, oh Henry
comes before? P so oh p before exactly. That's all I mean,
want money, just just so much to get to and we're excited to do
it. And it's a short show. These these Saturnians made events on Fox
one hour one hour, not even like not even the ninety minutes of the
other of the of the NBC ones. They don't even take the time to
do the musical beginnings with that God that's from the February one that they actually
had an opening credit sequence for the February one where you had the interviews people
saying things and no, no, it just had the just opened with the
song and then no, they didn't even they didn't have time for that,
like they you know, you look at how tightly the shows are edited.
Oh my goodness, you know they are, like the matches are. So
it's kind of interesting because it actually makes for a very very easy watch.
Yeah, totally, because there's so much action going on. Everything's gonna move
at a breakneck pace because you're trying to fill in so much stuff in between,
you know, to within an hour, and you have all the time
and post that you need exactly, you know, you get like like two
weeks, I think, to put this thing together and trim it down and
do what they have to do. But like it's it's yeah, for this,
there was so much they needed to get across. It didn't even fucking
have an opening credit thing, like an opening title sequence, even though it's
like a that's a thirty second song, for God's sake, you know,
they didn't even have thirty seconds. It's the only event that just opens with
the ding ding yep exactly. I remember being so bummed because because when I,
you know, again this story, when I saw that February ninety two
Saturay Nights event, I was looking for it all over the place, not
sure when it was going to air where you know, what channel it was
going to be on, although I assumed it was gonna be Fox. Is
that where that's where I would watch Superstars and Challenge, But the it was
so I missed the opening. I missed the opening, so I never heard
the song. So when I when they finally were bringing it back and doing
another Saturday's Main Event in November. I was so excited to see what the
opening credits were, Like, Wow, it took until the w network became
a thing and they put the Saturday Night's main Event main events on there that
I finally saw it. I had no idea what the what the Fox version
looked like, Yeah, that's it, that's it's short lived. You know,
they redo the logo so instead of that, like, you know,
cursive. I love that logo because that's what I remember, you know,
that's the one that I fucking grew up, you know, essentially watched seeing
Hogan had it on his on his shirt at the in the February show.
It's like these neon colored rings ye around the ww F logo that maten,
the logo that matters, Yes, and yeah, it's a trip. Do
you remember having difficulty figuring out that it was on Fox? Did you think
it was on NBC? Still? No, I didn't know. I didn't
even know what Sertainize main Event was in February, so I didn't even know
that that was a thing outside of you know, what I of what I
saw on Fox. I wouldn't doubt that I didn't know it was on NBC
or you know, earlier on until you told me, you know, because
like there was no way I would have known that because they didn't talk about
it. I didn't really, I didn't really have access. I didn't have
access to to any sort of wrestling history. Maybe and maybe I did.
Maybe it's in the in the the the w Wrestling the book, in the
official book, but yeah, I mean now I had no clue to me,
to me, this was Saturday's main event. That's right, this is
what it was, and it it Uh, yeah, I would never Yeah,
I had no clue about the other stuff, clue that it was on,
no clue that it was on multiple times a year instead of just this
twice, no clue, no clue about that at all. And it was
a challenge for them because you can tell watching the syndicated programming at the time,
they were not allowed to say Fox. They were not allowed to say
that Saturday and Night's main event, even though it's tonight and they're hitting you
over the head that morning on Superstars, it's tonight. They can't say it's
on Fox because you know, the syndicated shows what air on affiliates of any
given network across the country you knows I'm going to be just happened to be
Fox for me or Boston, so that probably gave us the leg up.
Oh for us, Yeah you had too Fox twenty five ye fo five,
yep, yep, Fox there was. That's why I used to watch.
Yeah, I used to watch it was Superstars and Challenge, and so it
would be we'll play it. Actually because fortunately for us for two enough and
thanks to Matt for this, the copy of Superstars we have from that morning
was from Channel twenty five Boston. I'll tell you, man, I've gotten
so much weird shit from local channels and so it has an ad as would
have been experienced and will play it for you in nineteen ninety two telling you
precisely where to find the matches that they can't stop talking about on Superstars.
But that wasn't Koshar and never you know, you might be on an ABC
affiliate and was Wisconsin, you might be on a on a CBS affiliate station
in California, who knows. So it was really hard for them to really
communicate that, like Satay, It's main event is happening, but it's not
going to be on the channel always was on. That's weird, you know,
to can rely on people to sort of have the resources to check their
TV guide, which you know, all these rustling Fields kids, they didn't
no fucking idea what the TV guide is. Yeah, nope, I barely
knew how to use the thing. There wasn't even that digital channel yet where
you could put it on and see the grid, you know, navigating up
like krylt you had to thumb through a literal thing that came with the newspaper.
Yep, so there's that. And even in the NBC NBC days,
you know, it was easy enough because NBC's are highly rated network. Not
to say fuck didn't have high rated shows. They did, but they were
nascent network NBC. They knew they had enough, you know, huge shows
that they knew how to, you know, get the word out that this
is one and where to find this exact card. Even if WWF on syndicated
television couldn't tell the story, I'm not sure about the USA network and Okable.
Traditionally it's been a lot more lenient in regards to WWF promoting stuff.
You know, you'll see them talk about SmackDown on Fox on USA these days,
no problem. I'm not sure there's always the case, but you know,
so much of what drove it wasn't primetime wrestling, but indeed Challenge and
superstars, as we've talked about. So it's a time of transition for the
WWF, and in one important way, it's a time of transition here at
TLF Boss. We got a little announcement for the Solar system ticularly those who
are proud to be wearing TLF swag out in about yes oh yes. Recently
heard from our friend over at Mabel Toys who was out there at the super
show from ww wearing an XLF shirt. Yes you was, I mean and
answering so many questions from people who wanted to dap them up for the vintage
XFL threads. They realized that two letters are transposed. That's an extremely lapsed
fan sharp pal. Oh my god, fucking love. That's that's my favorite.
Now. When we were in LA last year, fucking same thing.
Oh dude, those guys talking about the XFL, I'm like, don't look
read the shirt, dude, read the shirt. X l F unbelievable.
Smash mouth football, smash mouth podcasting. That's right, smash mouth reality,
smash mouth. Somebody once told me. The world is going to roll me,
brother, so exactly, and I am the sharpest tool of this year.
And you know that's available along with so many other wild designs from our
mind over Pro Wrestling Teas dot Com. Slash the Dash, of course,
absolutely has been bringing you lapsed fan swag since inception, or at least since
since we started Schwag here on the podcast. Yes, but there's gonna be
a little bit of branching out happening around, yes, because you know,
when you put certain things out in the universe, when you spark inspiration.
You don't just spark inspiration for you know, some of the great songs that
we've heard Solar System members we that we've been proud to share. You don't
just spark some of the great artwork from the likes of Chroma Slam that we've
been proud to share in our socials. You also sometimes spark entire enterprises.
Yes, you also sometimes spark folks like our pal Dicky G. Decid.
You know, I'm going to start a new kind of licensed to peril one
off direct consumer apparel print printing chain. It's going to be called Chopped.
Yes, and here are t lef We're proud to announce, if you haven't
already heard through our social media, but just here formally in the podcast proper,
that we're expanding what we're standing the brand. Yes, we're going beyond
just traditional T shirts. We are finally thanks to Chop Teas, everything but
the short sleeved T shirts that will remain available exclusively through Pro Wrestling Teas where
Boss is still doing his designs, putting them up Yes and running point.
We're also sharing some of our more inspired ideas for things like button up shirts,
snap bat hats, bomber jackets. These things a more believable. They
look absolutely bonkers. What was your reaction when Dicky shared the artwork with you?
I was I was flabbergasted. I was absolutely flabbergasted to see, like
to see the baseball shirts and I love the the button down jerseys like that's
fucking yep. And the hats. I love the retro logo with on the
blue like the blue track jacket. These are just fucking amazing. Yeah,
you can wear these things with Bride. I saw a lot of those bomber
jackets at Wresselmania this year and in recent years. It's not a brand new
thing, but it's it's a cool thing because these things apparently are not economical
and easy enough to print high resolution designs on. I mean, and you
know what, for the first time, for the first time ever, we
can have we have the design that I made ten years ago, but it
was rejected because for those kinds of things, these offend notions. We've had
the new warl order shirt. It's it's the way that I envisioned it.
It's available for you over at that chop tas gimmick, unbelievable. So again,
nothing is changing with Pro wrestling. T's in us, Boss still doing
his designs, putting them up. Chop T's came to us and said,
hey, we want to license that brand. Yes you did. We want
to be a creative spin on that fucking ip. And it's very similar WW.
They got ww shop, but they're also a bunch of these other online
sites that have the license to produce their own official w W branded merchandise,
mostly in depend that that fucking XLF shirt looks on. I mean, they're
not the shirt, the the hat looks unreal. I mean, I'm just
electrified by these things. Yes, I'm electrified by having a button up.
I know, it looks like security polos almost in some ways, or like
Hawaiian shirts. Yep, yeah, that's what I love. I loveing the
like these Hawaiian shirt types. So chopped. I mean, this guy's fucking
for real. He was at our show in Philly, no joke, real
fan flew from Australia requested some of the Boss's designs. They go off do
whatever they wanted to do with them. TI you left, by the way,
you'd have to know over on our chop Teas store still approves anything that
goes up there, Yes, but you know they do their own thing with
our designs. We let them run wild with the creativity sparked by the cast,
and it's so great. There's nothing like being able to partner with people
that you know actually listened to the show before they came up with some way
to try to make money off you, because that's not always a case.
Yeah right, you know you rank it a certain point in those charts,
and these strangers come out of nowhere looking for a taste like they're entitled to
it, and it's just like, no, we're just gonna We're just gonna
fuck with people who we know understand why people love this show and are just
like, uh, though the numbers though, you know what I mean,
Yep, yep, And so we still prove everything goes up there. We've
seen a couple of future items in the pipeline which are gonna be hilarious,
so keep eyes out for that. And this is what you need to know
about chop Teas, the new online apparel site specializing in merchandise for wrestling podcasters
like our friends at Post Wrestling, Wrestle Nomics, Poison Rana, and of
course TLF. But chop Teas isn't just any other T shirt company. They
are no bullshit, that is right. Other online retailers will tack on charges
when you check out, like handling fees, service fees, overpriced shipping fees
and then taxes. Not at chopped Teas. The price you see is the
price you pay. That's huge. No handling fees, no service fees,
taxes are included in the price. And most importantly, if you live in
the US, Canada, UK, the EU, Australia and New Zealand,
you pay absolutely nothing for shipping. Look at that. A lot of you
living outside of the US are probably used to paying upwards of twenty extra US
dollars for delivery from other websites, but because Chopped Tea ships from over one
hundred and thirty warehouses across thirty two countries, they are able to keep shipping
prices so low they may as well be free. And if you order any
items from their standard Paeril line like T shirts, hoodies, hats, beanies,
et cetera, your delivery is lightning quick, taking approximately one week to
arrive on your doorstep. Each product has an estimate we did on the re
rerelevant web page, so we'll always check that prior to ordering. And now,
for the first time, chop Teese is selling premium apparel, starting with
the lapsed fan like the terry button down shirt, Oh my God, or
mid Carters and Zero's baseball jersey. Indeed, maybe we should get a vest
made up. I know, seriously, a vest should be made up.
Or the fake sports club track jacket. I can't with that. That's so
fucking amazing. I mean, hold on, let me get this fucking thing
up here. Look at the look at the fucking the jacket is really the
sports jacket is really fucking crazy, all all the sports jackets. I Also,
I'll tell you what I'm very I'm very interested in in maybe getting the
uh the uh the WBF version, the TLBF Lightweight tried to track jacket.
That's pretty cool. That's fucking great. Like that looks so cool. Yeah,
I love the TLF. I love the tl F two in the fit
in the form of in your house and your ass. Ye, then you
get to stop the Boots Hogan button. Upp. Holy shit, this is
fucking big. Let's see the fake sports Club track jacket. Ah, yes,
that beautiful yellow and blue, like something Heart would wear. Yeah,
it looks like, oh my god, it looks like this is in Michigan
colors. Yeah right, but it's given me stronger vibes than that. It's
my god, this is inspired. I'm gonna buy this thing. I'm buying
this and it says fake sports Club in the back, and it's got like
you know that classic illustration of someone executing a picture perfect German. It looks
like a ring boy. It looks like what the new japan ring boys wear.
Oh really, really, yeah, that's what it looks like. So
fucking cool. Oh my god, this is so awesome. So for more
subtle look you can go with the designer denhim or leather jackets with the LAPS
Fan logo simply embroidered on the left chest. So coming up in the wintertime,
folks, no excuse for the LAPS fan in your life. It's not
just T shirts anymore. Bundle up that fucking past. Okay, I'm gonna
throw this out there because you know what I really want. You know what
I really really want. I want a jacket, like a varsity type jacket,
like the like the old raws War ones, but with our stuff on
it, you know, like that like that Jr. And Vince used to
wear ninety seven. Yeah whatever those are called. Sure, Letterman jackets almost
like Letterman jackets. Yeah, amazing. I'm sure it can be arranged.
I'm sure it can be arranged. Most importantly, the quality of these products
is guaranteed. Folks. Don't worry about if your writem will be damaged or
misprinted or sent in a different size than you ordered. If there's ever anything
wrong with your order, just DM chop ts on x or Instagram at Chopped
Underscore Tees Chopped by the way and let them know. And for a limited
time, you can get ten percent off your first order by going to Chopped
dash Teas dot com slash the Lapsed Fan. Just wait for the pop up
box, enter your details and select the Lapsed Fan as your favorite brand.
Not only will you get a unique discount code, you'll be notified about any
future Lapsed swag that they drop and there will be more coming and coming hard.
That's chopped, C H O, P P E, D, hyphen
ts t ees dot com forward slash a Lapsed Fan, get hashtag lapsed and
get chopped. Bitch, not a fucking joke. That's a chop. I
can talk Jesus Christ, that's a chopped. That's a chop. I can
wu to Boss brother. And speaking of brand extensions, you may have already
seen this on the feed by now. If this drops in accordance with our
anticipation, but really proud to bring a little something special to the Solar system
in coordination and cooperation with the folks involved in the Who Killed WCW series on
Vice. Yes, you know that your co chairs have been intimately involved,
including producing the Dark Side of the Ring Unheard podcast companion to the last season
of Dark Side of the Ring and our friend Evan Husney. Well, we've
made common cause with guy Evans, who you know from authoring the book about
the history of WCW that was so well received. He did one of Bischof's
books. He also has a new book out on the life and career of
Dave Penzer that has a lot of fascinating WCW behind the scenes insights. He's
a longtime partner in crime of Neil Pruett, former WSW producer and voice of
the New World Order Guy, who has a lot of I need a loser
from him. Loser Yeah, yeah, that's not on the house, as
we found one time, and I approached it stardcast, but he was a
great sport about it. But Guy Guy is a true blue lapsed fan.
Guy has been a fan of the show since day one and was reaching out
to us and corresponding with us well before that book ever came out, and
everybody you know, was sort of a hip to what he was able to
do, and he played no small part in consulting with the folks advice and
putting together this four part Who Killed WCW series, really intriguing spin on an
age old story, and we look forward to bringing a companion podcast to the
Lapsed Fan main feed with Guy, where we're going to be breaking down all
four episodes from the perspective of you know, being in adendum right, being
a little bit more than the folks could afford to get into with the time
constraints they have, but they talk to a very diverse and fascinating range of
folks, including people with inturner. Brad Siegel sits for the show. Okay,
wow, how a lot? How many times over the years have we
talked about what Brad Siegel has to say about w scheduling? I'm always I
need to know exactly what Brad Siegel has to say. He's the guy everybody
points to because they don't think he's ever going to talk and contradict him on
the record, So they leave a lot of things at his doorstep when they
talk about what went wrong over the years, and so we look forward to
hearing all these things and helping you parse through what isshoff. Have a beer
with him? Though? That's quest? Yeah, maybe that's the closing scene.
That's the question I need to ask Brad Siegel, has you have you
ever had a beer with Eric Bischoff? That's uh. I don't think they
got that question to him, but there'll be something like that. That's the
thing they need people. They need people asking the real questions, not wasting
their time. What happened, righty oracle? Bullshit? Oh my god.
So guy, you know, has done a wonderful job sort of honing right
in on the material questions that really help us understand what happened at WW quickly
in the complicated corporate structure it fit within Turner Broadcasting and eventually the AO All
Time Warner merger. So much of that stuff is just sort of like,
you know, people in wrestling will say that's complicated. You know, no
one will get it, and it's like they say that because they don't get
it, you know, so they're capable of explaining it. If you can't
explain something, you don't understand it. It's that simple. And guy took
the time to explain, you know, how WCW fit into the corporate structure
of Turner Broadcasting, how that impacted the budgetary resources they had at their disposal,
how that affected the level of expectations that were set for revenue that they
came in so short of. As the ship started to sink and all of
the germane things. You see Dick Cheatham, who was sort of like an
accountant on that side. He sat for the documentary as well, and he
had a lot of great insight in the nitrobook. So we're really looking forward
with this companion podcast to the show to take in the time to sort of
you know, stretch out and say, all right, here's here's something that
worthy of further extrapolation that the show is able to touch on that you know,
prior treatments from w W and the like just breezed right over or perhaps
didn't even you know, feel it Germane to explore. So we're looking forward
to this. This is going to be a nice opportunity for us to bring
a little bit of you know, lapsed, open ended you know, no
bullshit, no like no need to like artificially like deflate things, you know
what I mean, like artificially Yeah, of course, you know, condensed
things for the sake of brevity. Just really let's talk about everything that comes
to mind when someone who knows the story inside and out watches it, and
we come at it with the spirit of adding to the understanding that the episode
presents, not of not of you know, offering some kind of it was
good, it was bad. Roger and Niebert no shit and Ebert or Gene
and Ciskel for that for that matter, I just think of it as a
lot more meat on the bone. Having talked so often over ten years about
what caused w w's collapse from the Starkad memorial tour, that in a lot
of ways tells the story to our coverage of the final Nitro, to the
coverage that we've done in the Bash at the Beach two thousand debacle, and
how you know, reflective and indicative that was that whole saga about what killed
WCW to even doing you know, Black Saturday, and sort of like yeah,
right right, the battle lines being drawn all those years ago between Vince
McMahon and Tary Turner, that would and so many ways animate what would happen
when WWF and ww went to war in the late nineties through two thousand and
one. So we're looking forward to that check it out, stick with us,
looking forward to having guy in the fold officially, and hopefully you find
it a value add in addition to U, of course, how can you
not co Chairman, we're involved the bed in the front end of this one
in terms of conceptualizing, like how best to approach such a weighty subject like
the death of WCW. And yeah, I remember who killed WCW being the
title that was decided on when I was having conversations with them, Like that
makes a lot of sense, like because we already know the story. Yeah,
but what we haven't done is, you know, give people material through
the lens of no. But who did it? Everyone was, Yeah,
everyone's pointing at everybody else. Right, yeah, we get we get that.
Uh, you know, we get all that. We get it wasn't
your wrestling. But let's talk about exactly what who Who finally decided, you
know what? Fuck it? All right? Who decided fuck it? As
far as I'm concerned, ten years since, ten years since we launched,
that's us, we decided fuck it. So check it out and of course,
no shortage of other sweeteners available to you at patreon dot com. Slash
the Lapsed Fan. The engine that keeps running, the thing that sets us
apart, the thing that establishes proof of concept, the thing that makes the
effort we put in worth it and keep that going over at patreon dot com
Slash the Lapsed Fan. Of course, the the the VIP tier gets at
free versions of this show. The Deep Dives day early as well as our
monthly WWE Premium live event or oftentimes when they're in national delayed calls as we
watch modern w W so you don't have to heading into a summer slam Boss
and a busy summer schedule for WWE. Goodness, probably a good time to
get involved. I would say, yeah, it's always a good time.
I guess sure. Why not always? You got to hear Boss's call of
Cody Roads versus Logan Paul in South. I think that's the only one we've
ever done where you're asleep the whole time, like, not even in the
beginning. You fell asleep in the co main event. Oh Jesus Christ.
And it's just I mean, look, that's what it comes down to.
We are men of a certain age and we are lifelong wrestling fans. That's
what it sounds like when you do this to us. Oh my god,
that was our fault, because we you know, not our fault. But
it's unfair a little bit because we're watching it not at the time ww intended
for us to watch it, right, So we can't really hold it against
them for doing these late shows like they used to do. No, No,
that's just because you know, I'm not going to watch watch in a
way, it's a problem of their movie Afternoon. But yeah, it's it's
very much on brands. You do want to check that out. That's one
of a kind. I had to turn to the Joey styles there read so
yeah, even fucking know. Yeah, I just I just knew, I
knew. I knew. At one point, I was like, I knew
at one point, I I I I caught myself singing. Yes, I
caught myself singing, and I realized, oh, you were really passed out
there, man, for a moment like that was legit, Like you were
really passed out. And I was like, oh shit to myself, like
all right, well, I guess we're going to keep on singing, not
even the perfunctory Yeah no, no, it was just gone, that's what
Hey, look, it's it's it's not a it's not a bullshit story.
When it comes to the boss, he has last, I just be like,
oh, it's better now Cody as the belt and expect like him not
to fall asleep. He's gonna fall asleep if the drink is more interesting than
the show. Yeah, yeah, that's kind of that's their competition. It's
like yeah, I mean, and that was what I have, Like,
I don't know I even had that many three drinks. Amazing. I mean,
I I got no tolerance anymore in my old age. Yeah, that's
that's becoming clean. That's serious. Not even in terms of alcohol. We
talk about suffering, but you don't suffer fools, that's for sure. That's
right, damn right. So yeah, all that fun happening over every month
at Patreon several times a month this summer Patriot dot Com last fan of course,
with the cinemat Tier twenty dollars Tier Executive producer tier. Just rocking and
Roland as we continue this one of the kind journey through all the Bond films
featuring wrestlers. Yes, which, as I have said, many of them,
the majority of them, dude, we have you know, we're not
many are being are being withheld. But yeah we are. We're rocking and
Roland. We are. We're balls deep now into the Roger Moore era,
and I'm very very excited. No secret really this one. This one's kind
of easy to give away because you know, I said from the beginning that
all the Roger Moore Bond films qualify for the journey so they're all all all
seven of his So up next is the Spy who Loved Me? Yes,
and and we are for those who heard the Man with the Golden Gun.
We started chronicling the end of the of the producing relationship between Harry Saltzman and
Albert Cubby Broccoli, and we will put a put a final mail on that
coffin with a spy. That's an amazing moment to reach. Yeah, it
is. I I ask you a question as we talk about the Papa Shango
character coming up in our James Bond timeline, and as we talk about this
big transition point for the franchise away from the bankable hulk Cogan esque, right,
Sean Connery once and for all, Yes, are we not also seeing
strange, serendipitous reflections of it in the sh shows that we keep drawing randomly
out of a hat? It is? It is so true. It is.
Then we just talked about Papa Shango and the last thing and Brett Hart
being the guy. We did, I mean we did, we did.
It was just like a random It's so fucking it's bizarre. It's very bizarre
how that happened. And that's again just drawn out of the fucking hat.
I mean, it's just a it's just a an almond bin, an old
almond bin that you know. I just put some pieces of paper in and
just put my hand in and grab it. Well, if we're gonna transition,
let's transition Brother Sean vsu Brett Survivor Series for the WBF title. Your
feelings at the time, Ah, uncomfortable. I mean no, not at
all, not at all, because I'll tell you you know, I was
very invested in the the vers I was very invested in the macho man feud
with Flare and Savage Flair and Razor, very very invested in that. So
I was to me that was exciting. And regarding Sean and Brett, I
was very excited because you know, they had had so many matches all summer
long. You know, that was the house show thing. Like every fucking
time they were I would see a house show promoted, it was about Brett.
You know, Brett and Seawan were the two guys. Like the moment
Brett won me in a continental title, suddenly Sean was right on his ass
h and so to me again, much like all the feuds of the summer
of ninet ninety two, none of them panned out at SummerSlam. You know,
nothing that I was invested in all summer long came to fruition at SummerSlam.
So it was like great, like finally this this thing is going to
happen on television. So I was actually very excited for it. I had
no I didn't. I didn't think of it in terms of like business or
whatever. Like I was a fan of Brett Hart, and I hated Sean
Michaels and so, and I knew that Brett Hart hated Sewan Michaels, you
know, not as much as he would but in five years, but still,
you know, it was it made sense to me that they would have
this this battle, okay, yeah, and they didn't plan on it for
this pay per view sure, as as mentioned, but here we are.
They were headed towards basically a warrior flair feud for the deputyf title. That
was clear, right Yeah. Well yeah, you know I remember too in
the uh it was a that was a weird thing for me too. So
when I that, uh, I mean it must have been the November one.
It must have been that that show I went to with the Garden where
I got you know, I got the program magazine and they kept talking about
Rick Flair and Ultimate Warrior as being the big feud, and I'm like,
oh, that doesn't seem right. It doesn't sound right, And it seems
such an easy thing for Warrior because I always considered Rick Flair to be like,
you know, weak, yeah, kind of like right, take it
off if you really put the muscle on him, right, Like, if
you fucking get a powerhouse like Warrior in there, he's just gonna wipe the
floor with him. You know. That's how they ran into the WWF mind
expectation, you know, the fans mindset at the time. Well, it's
just kind of like the heel thing. You know, you didn't you didn't
think of it. It was rare that you'd see a heel that. I
mean, you guess like a DBAs would be in that in that regard where
you'd see this this really good wrestler who would somehow always find a way to
win. But you never saw Devers, you know, carry the title front
of length of time to where no, not at all, you have to
like conceive ahead of time. Oh my god, you as thought the same
thing anytime Debasse came up against a superhero. Yep, you know he's gonna
get killed unless he finds a way to cheat. And so right to see
this generation the Brett sean, this this change the razor thing in that old
WWF ring steel is something because it's like, you know, and I know
that the design of the ring stuck around, but there's something about just these
earliest days of them realizing it's not going to be Warrior anymore. It's not
even really going to be Savage anymore. It's really not going to be anybody
that defined the heyday of this company anymore. No, no, everyone will
be weeded out by force. Yea. And yet the ring looks the same,
the ropes look the same, the commentary sounds the same. Yes,
the banners hanging from the rafters feel the same. Yep, yep. And
it doesn't feel like that, you know, you know, there came a
moment where the the the like I would say in early maybe like mid ninety
three, where all of a sudden, everything just they Yeah, they had
some like technical things that were kind of cool or whatever, but everything just
felt so like trimmed down, as you know, like they are only they're
filming raw at that fucking up in uh uh hand Center. Now, Manhattan
Center was fine for me. It was the other one. Oh uh god.
I keep want to say Patucket. It's not Pentucket. The fuck is
it called talking about It's it's it's up up Piughkeepsie, you know, Poughkeepsie.
Thank you. Yeah, Like it's just like you look at that and
it's like, oh shit, what the fuck? High school gyms? Yeah
right. Raw was a big part of it because you know, Raw was
a scaling down of their sort of wide arena ambitions. Yeah. Yeah,
what was so what was so amazing about the eighty five and on Saturday Night's
Mad Events that these were packed houses anybody could watch wrestling on network TV and
s packed houses. Yes, people going nuts and you couldn't deny that.
You couldn't quibble with that. And they knew how to light the crowd to
make it look especially energetic and lively and happening. They figured all those things
out, they dialed all those things in. But now they're losing that and
they're trying to dress it up as like a production decision, you know,
but I don't know. Once the post Monday Night Raw, which of course
launches in gen worry of nineteen ninety three, so that we still haven't even
become acquainted with the idea of Monday Night Raw here right, No, No,
not at all. So that's weird. And there's even talking the sheets
about them working on a new show called Slam Jam, which was apparently supposed
to piece another idea that Fox may have picked up. I don't know what
it was going to be. There's clips out there. I know one was
in the twenty fourteen documentary WW Did and Warrior where he's standing in a music
booth in full gear and he's got the headphones on just like Russell Rock Rumble,
you know. Or you got all these wrestlers to sing lyrics, to
sing verses in a song and have Warrior recording his and a total stupor.
And I think I can identify what drug it is, perhaps even later,
but it's just like, what are they doing. It's like this this project
that went nowhere, and it almost felt like it was for USA Network,
an idea before Monday Night Raw really crystallized. We've done the first RAW,
and I feel like we touched on the heart of this, like three raws.
I think indeed they feel like we've touched on a lot of this,
But it wasn't always Money Night Raw. They were going to do something thing
instead of primetime wrestling on USA Network weekly. Yeah, but the idea of
being mon and Night Raw came together kind of quickly and suddenly it wasn't like
a you know, day one plan to do this. We're doing something.
What's it going to look like? And I think the slam jum idea was
maybe like a nascent version of what would become Monday Night Raw. Anyway,
you know, after Raw, it's like you do do you see a company
that's different? You see a company even though Hogan comes back in early ninety
three, it's just he's in a different context when he's standing in the ring,
whereas he or Brett standing in the same context that Hogan says yes,
same context Warrior and Savage and Flair stood in and it's it's jarring in a
way. Ah, the way I found them, I found the program by
the way, oh my god, I picked up that. I picked up
Yep, I found it. I think Tasty on Warrior Flair, it's here,
it is, Yeah, this is this is it? So the in
the program thing they had a the Survivor series will head your way on Wednesday,
November twenty fifth, Thanksgiving e from the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio.
The action will be broadcast live on pay per view cable television. For
more and on this Fiber series, stay tuned to the WWE Television Network,
or for an interupth analysis of every match, pick up the December issue of
w Magazine, which will be available at your local newstand on November ten.
The Ulphant Warrior says that he will be the ww Champion bhind Thanksgiving. He
is determined to pummel the current title holder, Rick Flair into oblivion. Rick
Flair, you may die on champagne and cavi are, but my warriors and
I don't share those tastes. We died on rage and on intensity, and
soon my warriors and I will turn that intensity into victory when our destinies clash
at the center of the ring. So many trial of his life vibes getting
ready to any one. Macho Man Randy Savage says his destiny is to eradicate
rays remote from the World Wrestling Entertainment. Savage has his reasons, as millions
recall, millions recalled, it costs the Macho Man the W title when the
Cuban inter The Cuban interfered in the title match between The Macho Man and Flair
on WWE Primetime Wrestling. The Macho Man vows vengeance and he says that he
will do whatever is necessary to obtain it. No, it's good in personal
ras ramon w W Championship was all at the Mucho man head life. It
was all that mttered to me because of you. I don't have it to
day the whine. Don't the Mucho Man's living on the edge of a lightning
bolt and I'm going to zapu big time? Did it? That made for
good reading in the seats at the garden, didn't they? Oh? Absolutely,
give me more of that great picture of fucking There's a picture of Flair
with his mouth wide open, like doing a high five with Razor and perfect
laughing, and he got the belt. Yeah, man, it's hilarious.
This happened like I got this fucking program a month after he already lost the
belt essentially, or maybe like maybe like two weeks or whatever it was.
I don't know, but it was it's wild, like like I was like,
wait a minute, this is old and warrior and flairing what's going on?
It's weird. And what did they call this tag team of Warrior and
Savage here on the show, the Ultimate me So yeah, not trying to
go back to the Hogan days at all, not at all, especially not
when they're wearing red and yellow, right right, It's amazing. They even
came out with toys of this. Look. Do you ever see that Warrior
it's a it's a two pack recently, you mean, like in the New
Rag Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I've seen them. Yeah,
I know. It's weird. It's weird how they once Yeah, and they
have these weird celebrations of like Warrior in ninety two and they have his fucking
his onesies and shit, and it's like, really, like that's what we
like, that's the worst Warrior, Oh totally. You know, I hate
him wearing the fucking onesies. We've talked a lot about it. I mean
basically, you know, he comes back knowing you can't Roid in the traditional
way. They're testing strong and then you know the scrutin he's on and the
raids, you know they're afraid of the raids, yep, And he comes
back looking so unlike the old Warrior that people thought it was a fake warrior.
Yep, because he was so slimmed down. And and as nineteen ninety
two goes, he starts wearing these singlets that in some cases have abs airbrushed
on them, right to make up with them. You know. The thing
is, it's not like he wasn't fucking in in in good shape either.
He looked fine, It looked fine. He was just so out of control
before. Yeah, I guess I wasn't disappointed. Oh here's another part too,
This was this was amazing to me. So again later on the program,
they've got this this thing, a little profile on Rick Flair, and
this this phrase has always stuck with me, he says, regards d the
Dow Championship for the second time. He says, it's mine as long as
I want it. Wow, And that and that thing in my mind has
always been like I've always I said, so waiting him. So that night
he faced Brett Hart. Obviously he didn't want it anymore. Okay, that
makes sense. That's actually true, by the way, in a lot of
ways, because they had this on board. It. It's awful to hear
him describing this book and stuff. They had these matches where they switch the
title in September between him and Savage. Yeah, and it's just such a
fucking nightmare. They go out there and they and they fucking then they yelled
at it. He had to do it again. Yep. They were taping
and Vince said, sent it back out there. He had heen and go
to ringside and give them the signal that we got to redo this. And
so they just leave the ring and having not finished the match, and they
go back out there and try to do the finish that Vince had in mind
to get the belt back on Flair from Savage, and uh, and they
come back and get chewed out by Vince again because it just wasn't what he
was looking for. And it's really interesting kind of clash of like Rick Flair's
way of doing wrestling with Vince Ogman of producing wrestling. Yeah, like sometimes
it doesn't work. Sometimes Rick is not going to be able to do exactly
what you direct him to do, because that's he learned instincts that work for
him coming up. Yeah, it's that simple. Not to say he's not
a versatile performer, but if what you're asking him to do rubs up,
so like impossibly like sandpaper. With what his instincts are, It's going to
be shit. It's gonna be shit. Yep. And that's your fault as
a producer for not getting quality out of the best wrestler to ever do it
in so many ways. But whatever, that's another debate for another time.
But Flair's WWAF confidence at an all time low. And then he's working Warrior
on the house show circuit. He gets an injury that basically gives him vertigo.
We'll talk about it. Will Warrior cracks him in the side of the
head and he's really really yeah, no shit, I don't know that.
He's really not interested in extending this WWF title run much further. It's just
not working out for him, and he can read the t leaves pretty well
on that front. So the time comes to sketch one place a sketch one
Canada. October twelfth of nineteen ninety two was the date bunch of fans show
up up there in Canada for a Wrestling Tape Challenge taping, a Superstars taping,
Primetime taping all the rest. They're ready for the usual kind of you
know, Marathon Knight of WWA, the action and all of a sudden,
Brett's facing Rick Flair for the WWF title on the show, and to me,
it's no, it's no different than seeing the fucking U. It's seeing
the Natural Disasters taken on money Incorporated at U in Worcestern. That's the exact
same thing in my mind, because Okay, actually, legitimately there is a
connection because you're you're watching this match and you do not think there's going to
be a title change. You know, you think, okay, here's another
just title defense. You know, you you know, you hope, but
you know there are moments they get your kind of heart race and like,
oh my god, it could have happened, but it's not going to happen,
and then it does and you're like, fuck, yeah, it doesn't
happen because they're masters of surprise. It happens, come to find out later
because someone's leaving unexpectedly. And then why did they Why did the Natural Disasters
get the tag title that I never understood. I got it because they were
over, I think, But why they lost them? I seem so fast,
was miserable. I was so upset about that they were so awesome because
Earthquake stuck around until that sumo match on Raw right, No, no,
he he he was gone after after the Survivor series. They well, no,
rumble, he's sort of around for the Rumble, That's what I meant.
Yeah, the Rumble. They were in the Rumble together, and then
he was gone for about a year. Oh yeah, things back into the
and then he comes back into the They repackaged him with that. Yeah,
yeah, they repackaged it. Yeah. Like but the oh by the way,
speaking of that, that actually it's funny you're mentioning that because by the
time this drops, that would be the latest wrestle mamia. Actually, oh
my goodness, speaking of that earthquake yokas doing a sumo match that yeah,
damn right, that's for the big boys. You know, we understand we
don't spend so much time getting close to that. I'll just say this,
we're getting close to, uh getting close to episode one. Wrestle available simply
to our tip top tours, those nearest and dearest, the Ride or Die
crew, basic, very simple remote tier. It's not for everybody, but
it's for the right kind of person. Ye. So yeah, money suddenly
loses and and you know, there was there was disagreements going on with with
John ten ten ww F. It was was touched on on the Dark Side
of the Ring that came out this year about it and uh and he left
and because he was leaving and got the straps off them absolutely out of nowhere
and are afraid to tease that maybe Warrior and Savage are going to win the
tag titles from Money Ain't here. Oh, I was really open, but
it's like, you've learned about these title changes just as it looks like they're
about to lose them again. You know, it's like, what the fuck
is this? Yeah? Yeah, And they got so many you watch the
Superstars back then, they get so much going on. They're trying to promote
next week's Superstars where Brett's gonna wrestle Virgil, Plus they want to promote that
he's gonna wrestle Papa Shango and Center. Plus he's wrestling on Superstars, plus
he's wrestling a Survivor series. So they're promoting like four different things. Are
busy, I know, And it's like it's not like they're executing a bunch
of master plans. They're busy because a bunch of is in chaos, because
the fucking world is collapsing around them, So Brett winning the title in Saskatchewan.
No one expected it. It was released later on the WWF Smack Them,
Whack Them Colisseum home video release. It was it was I have that
one? Yes, many do? Is that in the archives? How do
I know we did? I don't think we did Smack because we did do.
We have done a number of Colosseum videos before the Colosseum Journey collection,
but I think we ever did that one. I don't think we had done
that one yet. We did Bash in the USA, Yeah, I don't
think we've done Smacking Whack Him yet. That's that, That's where you found
the match. I mean, they never played it, and it's entirely entirety
in television. No they did. They did cover in the magazine though,
they did, and there's a prime time wrestling banner up when they're having the
match. They always did. They always had that. That was the go
to b right, It was like that was like the go to banner for
colosseumdeos. But so you know, we don't have that like live show reaction.
We have kind of like that post produced. The emphasis is more about,
you know, gorilla Monsoon's word choice and making it seem epic. And
that was probably in post too, because they wouldn't voice over calls and videos
live at the That's what matters, That's right. I don't care what the
fans there. The people didn't pick that apart as much back then. I
know, And this is so what would that be down fink it would sound
something like this Now it's going for to show that he's gotten turned over.
I'm just doing this, just getting over. We've said history, let's get
him for one who what it's pretable? The over hand sends, the tim
put the hippen be hold just did the holistic Flation Championship nevers ful put time.
Then beginning he was up tost he posity. He forgot that I didn't
he need to full control this. Sorry f daffy jumping empty. What a
classic mind chip for this condoct Exclusive wrought the hip in the world that's his
stay and becoming the new World Wrestling Federation Champion. I'm not you at Chap,
but he's sad. Oh he's kid there everyone the lord show that this
made mesask to what is his worldwide use? This is one of it's a
oh man who is divided his entire light this moment right here, and no
one who desert that pt hit bade you turn down. Kind of does it
for me? God damn it. But not world war, not worldwide news,
damn it, worldwide entertainment. The by the way, this is what
the magazine says. By the way, this is the last couple of paragraphs.
The crowd in the Saska watching plot Place arena was shocked into silence.
It's and I've always remembered that too. I remember that too, like the
idea that he wins the belt and the crowd's quiet it They don't fucking and
they say it seemed as almost as if they could not believe what they had
just witnessed. When the fans realized that Brett was indeed the winner, they
erupted with a roar of triumph and adulation for their native son. Watching that
video they stood right after the match, Heart seemed almost dazed by the wind,
but he soon recovered and proved himself a gentleman. I'm grateful to Rick
Flair for giving me the chance to wrestle for the title, Brett said,
this is the greatest moment in my career. Now that the title is mine
mine, Yeah, totally. I'm going to defend it against every worthy opponent
and if he wants, if you want it, that includes Rick Flair.
So look at that. So see there, he's already they're already changing the
narrative right there by calling him he's going to be a fighting champion. Yeah,
and Gorilla leans into it. You know, this is like hard work
personified here. Yeah. And as much as they sung Hogan's praises is the
greatest professional athlete in the world today, they never really framed him as a
hard worker in the same way. No, we're going to go all the
way, like practically, why are we choosing Brett because we're in a pinch
and he's the person that it makes it feels the best to put the strap
on at a time like this. We got nobody ready under the traditional way
of getting a champion ready. This is this can be seen to sort of
like the gold watch you get for doing a great job over the years,
and we'll go with that. We'll lean into that story and it worked for
Brett and this is good. Later on that taping, Brett's first promo the
thing you were talking about, Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, with the
championship in front of that same crowd. Brett Hart, you were born for
this moment. You were born for this day. You, Jean, I
can't tell you right now how proud I am of this moment, because it's
the greatest moment to my whole life. I get a case all the people
that believe that the biggest dreams can still come true. You know, Bratt
Hart, I could not agree with you more. I know about your work
ethic because I've watched you virtually for your entire career, and I can't help
but believe, Bratt Hart, that this World Wrestling Federation title in your hands
at this time is the result of determination. It's the result of perseverance.
You've paid your dues. I've seen you the last eight years in the trenches
here on the World Wrestling Federation, and finally, this instant, this moment,
all of those dreams, all of that hard work is made off.
And of course your wishes, your dreams, have now come to fruition.
You know, Jean, Since I was this tall, I've been involved in
wrestling. My whole family's been involved in wrestling. I've dedicated my whole life
to wrestling. My father's taught me. He's took me on the mat,
he's made me scream, he's made me feel the pain. And I've listened
and I've learned, and I've thought about it, and I've dedicated myself to
the technical wrestling, to learning wrestling, following up on all those last details,
the endurance, the strength, that wrestling ability, and never ever thinking
that I knew it all, because you never know it all. And I've
had my share of wins. I've had my share of losses, which you
wait your whole lifetime for one chance, just one single chance, and I've
got that chance. And I gotta thank I gotta thank every single wrestler but
I've ever wrestled against. I've wrestled the greatest wrestlers in the world, and
I've learned. I've learned so much, and I gotta thank each and every
one of them. And one in particular that I want to thank is Rick
Flair. I want to thank Rick Flair for stepping in the ring with me
tonight and giving me that chance how classes from the hit that Yeah. I
want to thank each and every one of my fans around the world for supporting
me all these years. I want to thank all my friends that have backed
me up to the thick and the thin, and most of all, I
want to thank my family. They've been with me since since the very beginning,
since I was just a little baby. Most of all, I want
to thank God above God Almighty, Thank you for the greatest moment of my
entire life. I'm proud to be the w w F chap here. I
remember being fucking just gone, like, what the fuck. Yeah, it's
a it's a mind fuck for the fan at the time. Yeah, totally
is No no, no, no, no, no, no no.
Bert Haart was different. I was different. Luger was your new Hogan.
Luger was going to be the new Hogan. I don't think even Warrior was
my new Hogan. I didn't even consider war like Warrior was. I don't
think I had a new Hogan. And in ninety two, like I was
so as Brett, what did the title mean? You give up on the
new Hogan? Ever happened? Never never, never, never never, There's
going to be a new Hogan. There was going to be a new Hogan.
But Brett just wasn't. Oh no way, he couldn't. How could
he. He wasn't strong, he was a fucking technical dweb. Look,
folks were recapturing it, you know, we are, you know, we're
saying what was in your head back then? As much respect, I mean
as listen, I was happy, Listen, I was thrilled. I just
you know, understand, until until that interview, I never saw him as
as world champion material. He was intercontinental always, you know, like I
can't even think of a match that I would have seen or he went for
the world title yep at that point, you know, so it just didn't
make sense to me that he was of that caliber. He just was.
I mean, if anything, if anything, to me, it made wrestling
more real, you know, because like, holy shit, this guy,
Yeah, there's a way to beat the ww F champion with just like Savvy.
It's not just like you know, you know, it's like fucking Flair.
You know. I was just barely getting used to Flair's champion too,
you know, Like to me, him him winning it back from Savage was
one of the most disorienting things of my entire life. It was very like
I was like, oh shit, what we're back here, Like did WrestleMania
mean anything at all? Right? What? Then? And then and then
fucking Brett Hart goes and wins, and it's like it's a different world and
it's just shocking to the point where you know, you talk about it,
how how what a kind of crazy decision it was even in so it's it's
very weird. So in in the uh, it made me want to go
and look at them. That's fucking funny. So I went into the into
the December ninety two issue of the WD magazine and they have the Survivor Series,
you know, preview thing, and what's funny is they talk about they
talk about Flair not being champion anymore. But when you scroll down to the
Brett Hart versus Shawn Michaels match, it's not for the title. Wow.
Also, Sewn Michaels has not won the Intercondinal title because according to the magazine,
the British Bulldog is facing the Mountie an INTERCONINALD title match. That's a
fucking pay per view barn reference on the broadcast the Saturday ann'st main event show,
and in fact, it looked like Brett Hart versus Shawn Michaels was just
going to be a straight match between the two guys with no you know,
it's just weird that they would mention in the in the opening bit that Flair
is not the champion anymore. They never talked about Bertteart winning the championship,
just that he's not the champion, he's the former champion. It's very bizarre.
It's very bizarre. But yeah, and uh yeah, I was just
that was that was wild. But he also have the a print ad for
for Primetime Wrestling and it says, you know, they got all these pictures
of like of from the fifties or whatever, and they say six symptoms of
WWE Wrestling withdrawal. You act like a ring announcer, and they've got a
guy with a fucking microphone like a fifties announcer. You punch your own head,
and they've got a guy with a fist against his head, acting like
he hurt himself. You feel like you've spent the day in the ring,
and they got a guy like who looks like, you know, like a
fifties dad or just came home from work, who's just like slouched in his
chair like miserable. You write fan letters all day, and they got this
guy like with a pencil on his chin, like hmm. You form your
own tag team, which is two women with two glasses of milk, two
twins with two glasses of milk. So that's your tag team. You wake
up feeling like you're on the ropes and fucking guy in bed with his hands
up on his fucking bler. Oh exactly. It's definitely like a Hogan thing
the Cure watch WWE Primetime Wrestling. They thought they were so clever. Who
are you fucking advertising to? I know exactly what are the matches going to
be? How about that? You know you are? You know it's your
own magazine. Like if we don't fucking know about primetime wrestling, you know
there's a problem buying your magazine. Absolutely, So what's going through Brett hartsthead
as he heads into this historic night for him? While we turned to his
book and Papa Shango, his opponent here on the Saturday night's main event,
plays no small part. On the last day of September, He remembers of
nineteen ninety two, I sat on the balcony of a huge hotel suite looking
out over the historic landscape of Berlin. Earlier, I'd posed for wwa photo
shoot at the Brodenberg Gate. I stood with the Reichtag once was buying tiny
chunks of the Berlin Wall to take home as souvenirs. That night I left
them standing and sharing at the Douchelan Hall. Yeah, after a terrific match
against who do you think boss ah Bam Bam, Papa Shango. Papa look
at that, So you get this context of like, Okay, they had
just come off a successful tour in Germany, whereas we know brought Hart for
some reason was super over compared to the rest of the country, the rest
of the world, I should say, And yeah, maybe all of a
sudden, it does make sense in a pinch to pick him. Of course
he got Saskatoon coming up on the schedule, right, what the fuck?
Yeah, put it on to do it, get it done. Elsewhere in
the book he talks about Papa Shango and you talked about this. Also on
the end of the cinemat Treatment, he writes a wrestled by the name of
Charles Wright had just joined the WWF. He was bald and covered with tattoos.
Sounds great management. Gave him Voodo gimmick and called him Papa Shano.
That night in Hamilton, Vince started an angle between Papa shang Wan Warrior that
was so cartoonish that would have been funny, except that it was evidence of
one of the few times that Vince was embarrassingly off the mark. The favor.
No, we talked about it. We talked about it knowing it worked.
I mean, it didn't even lead to big business. But no,
but like you know, people were afraid you will still remember it. It
worked. I'm sorry it worked. It worked for what it set out to
do, which is create a memorable moment between Shango and Warrior. Doesn't mean
people are going to want to watch the matches, but the moment resonated the
fake blood and flash paper fire where so phony. Brett writes that the fans
laughed when it wasn't intended to be fun, as you talked about under the
cinemata we've talked about before. JJ Dillon in his book takes full blame for
the Papa Shango's silliness where he's lighting opponents feet on fire and things. That
was his idea. He says, I mean, while Warrior was selling it
to death, clearly Vince was missing the balance that had come from Pat Patterson's
contribution of wrestling smarts. Another perfect example of that loss of balance was Vince's
idea to reunite the Legion of Doom with a ventriloquist damain named Rocco, which
was supposed to be long lost childhood toy. It's like that, It's like
they're Woody from toy story that had some kind of power to lead them on.
The gimmick drove hawk In particularly crazy. He remembers on July twentieth,
Brett does of ninety two, I shot an angle with Papa Shango and it
wasn't anywhere near his phoney is the voodoo angle he did with war Charles Wright
was a tad green, but he was big, strong and eager to improve,
and I was happy to help him in any way that I could.
And this match, more than anything, is really a testament to that part
of what Brett Hart was as sure a WWF leader at the time. Charles
Wright has never shot away from talking about it, including this snippet from a
shoot interview that he did with Title Match Wrestling, reflecting on what Brett Heart,
his opponent on the show, did for him in his career. Great
dude. I actually, at one time Pat Patterson was trying to heat te
Brett that he didn't want him to work. I think Brett wrote about this
in his book. But Pat told him that I would hurt his career and
I couldn't work and I couldn't do this, and they was going to bring
him down, and he said, no, I dude can work, and
I'm going to work with him and I have no problem. So he really
stood up with me for me, and we had some really good matches.
I think me and Brett were the first main event on Saturday Night main event.
Me and Brett Hart were the first ones to do it, and the
main event I was Papasher, So I think we I think I had some
good matches against Brett's a really good matches as Papa Shango. He did stand
up for me, so I mean, good dude, nothing but love and
respect. I said to that whole family, did you hear about that at
the time that Pat Patterson may not have liked the gimmick, or maybe he
was a little too Brett told me Brett told me, hey, it's going
back so long ago. But I think Brett was more like, hey,
if you're going to try to get somebody that changed their opinion of you,
you might want to have Pat. He goes because Pat doesn't have really high
regards for you. But I will tell you this at the end, me
and Pat were good friends, and I've had drench with Pat and we were
good friends at the end. So there you go. So well, yeah,
there you go. Brett does it again. Yeah, always continues in
this book. Everything I hope might happened after SummerSlam was happening, and I
felt almost out of control as I rocketed ahead. There wasn't a ticket to
be had for Sheffield, Birmingham, Hamburg, Munich, Dortmund, Keel or
Berlin, and in fact, the entire tour was sold out months in advance.
The European fans were watching American style pro wrestling for the first time,
and it was like another wall coming down. Germany loved me as I loved
it, and I actually enjoyed the long, scenic bus rides from city to
city, usually sobering up from one wild night to the next. I had
my headphones on, listening to Pearl GMS Eddie Vedder yelling about running away and
seeing the world. Every day, mobs of screaming fans, mostly teenaged girls,
waited for me at the hotels. I was more over in Germany than
any other wrestler I'd ever seen anywhere in all my years in the business.
I wondered about a conversation I'd had with Chief at the Chief Ja Strongbow at
the Winnipeg TV tapings. Chief told me that Vince was looking for a new
world champion, and there was a list with six names on it, three
of them circled, and mine was one of them. You're on it,
stew so don't fuck up. They're thinking of putting the big belt on you.
I was flattered, but I'd learned not to get my hopes up because
nothing is ever for sure, and wrestling, if it wasn't wrestling Papa Shango,
I was working with Rick Flair, who had taken the title from Savage
on September first. Every night, the crowd stood and cheered while Flair staggered
past them, dragging the world belt on the ground behind him. In the
eyes of my fans, he was lucky to still have it. Flaire and
I had our best matches over there, while I took such a good beating
against Papa Shango that when I heroically battled back and put him in the sharpshooter,
German fans wept with joy. Chaining Hitman over and over. So that's
kind of interesting thinking of the seven. The Knight's main event is just a
you know, a run through of the matches they've been doing in Germany and
around the hole. Every night the barricades were stormed, and more than once
I knocked. I was knocked flat, sometimes with security lying next to me
smiling at the mass of tangled, sweaty arms pinning us down while I was
flooded with kisses in hands, squeezing my button and crossed. This is a
fake bullshit that what he does is fake hit fake bullshit. Hit man isn't
real hit man, fake hits man. What do you say that? Fake
hit man? Not even a real hit man. I'm a real hit man.
I fucking shoot people about that? How about that? How I shoot
you nine? Yeah? Shoots man? Ha shit? And yeah, what
are you gonna do? Chasing me into the sel shot man? You phony?
Phony? Yeah. I'm so glad he gave it the matches. I
couldn't help the thing. You wanted it, you got it. I was
Vince's brightest hope now and I finally understood that he needed me as much as
I needed him. Life was great when I got home from Germany, I
found myself in a dressing room and deer Red Deer, Alberta to work a
sold out show with Rick Flair. Chief pulled me aside to tell me that,
on Vince's direct orders, I was to catch the very first flight the
next morning with Saskatoon TVs and go straight to the building to see him.
When I arrived in Saskatoon and saw the WWFS always immaculately clean ring trucks and
the stage hands all wearing matching blue coveralls, including state of the art TV
production, I don't like dirty and dirty ring trucks. I can't do that
right. Clean and pal clean cleanliness. I want to watch you clean empal
cleanliness. I want to I'm gonna watch you. I'm gonna watch you with
my own eyes. Get your fucking hands and knees. Do it with your
tongue, cleaning cleaning. Yes, lick it, look it, bitch,
huh what yeah, okay, good, I'm glad you got confirmation. I
was struck by the contrast with the old days, when one of Stu's dilapidated
ad vans and a rusty old ring trailer would have been parked out back.
I patiently sat in a chair at the end of a long backstage hallway,
waiting to see Vince, who was having a closed door meeting. After a
few minutes, the door opened and out came Flair, who turned around and
shook Vince's hand in the doorway. Neither of them saw me waiting at the
end of the hall as Flare briskly walked away in the other direction. Then
Vince turned and saw me and waved me over. He shut the door behind
us so I could detect neither good nor bad as I tried to read his
face. He took a seat, tanting his fingers as he looked at me.
You've been with me now for how many years? Eight years? I
replied, realizing eighteen? I said eight? I said eight? Eight?
What eight years? Eight years of what I've been with you? You just
asked me how long I've been with you? Me? What's that? How
long? What did you? How long? Wait? You've been with me?
How long? There's a particular I've been with you eight years? Who?
Yeah, that's my brother in law. Eight years, I replied,
realizing I've been with him longer than any other working wrestler left in the company.
With the exception of mister Fuji, who is a manager. Now,
everyone from the early days was gone about that. M I mean he did
get there before. Now I'm taking who was there before him? Before him?
Old Dog came at the exact same time, didn't he. No?
Yeah, no, well ish he came in as a cowboy friend. Bob
was about to come back though. Yeah, yeah, that's true. Tito
was still there was barely. But here's the way, And how many towns
have you missed in that time? Vince asks one? Vince praised me for
my dedication that he said of that, I'll tell you that that one town.
I'll tell you that. I'll talk about that one town. Pal,
I mean, why'd you miss it? Well? I was, ah ha,
why I had a I had tits rubbing on my bare back in the
hotel. Bit you were basically you were telling me that your your balls were
running hot. That is that what you're saying that, that's that's my reason
for missing the town. That's fair. I've I've missed towns when my balls
run So you're telling me you missed the town because your balls were running hot.
Great fucking line. Who's ever said balls running hot before? But it
makes so much sense. It's something that things would not belong to if you
describe it. I know what you mean. I heard her put that way,
actually, but I know what you mean. You know they were put
so succinctly, But I totally understand in need of draining hot balls and hot
dog. You got it right. It's a wonderful life line coming to a
chop tease, And next time I'm in New York, It'll be a chop
cheese, Thank you very much. Then he said, I've done everything I
can think of, put the tag belts on you in the inner car mettle
belt, and I finally reached the point where I don't know what else to
do with you. I wondered if this cold hearted son of a bitch was
actually firing me the very same day that he was supposed to be flying my
dad up to be in my corner, and envision trying to explain and all
this to stew the blood going to my heart began to turn thick as mud.
When suddenly Vince broke into that goofy grid and said, so that's why
I've decided to put the world belt on you tonight. How do you think
about putting how do everything about taking the big belt? Hmm, what do
you think about that? Are you afraid of because he says it like to
be disappointed if he wasn't afraid put the world belt on you tonight? What
do you think about that? Are you afraid of becoming champions? It's a
great lie. That's a good shirt too. Are you afraid of becoming champion
of the front? Are you afraid of becoming w B champion? M do
you have what it takes to not be champion? That's more of a bumper
sticker than a shirt, but it'll hold people in traffic for a half hour.
Do you have what it takes to not be ww champion? Sounds like
a hell of accoplishment when you put it that way, doesn't it. Why
would he say that I can't even go anywhere with that? Why would he
say that it doesn't It's just it's like most things, we just want to
hear ourselves say it. Put it out in the world so it's not left
unsaid, just to see what happened? Do you have what it takes to
not be w W champion? Brett? Thanks for the time, I know,
I know. We have had a couple of minutes. I wanted to
ask you. You described this in your book, and you sat with Vincent
Saskatoon the night he told you're going to win the belt. But I always
wondered what was your reaction when he asked you the following do you have what
it takes to not be w W champion? Oh? He didn't say that,
what Brett? I just want to say, you know, I've you
know, have done everything I can, put everything I can on you,
but to give you the the tag Belts have given you the Intercontinental strap.
You know you've I've done it all with you. So where's a question for
you? Though? Where's Julie? What do you think? What would you
say if I told you I was gonna put the WW championship on me?
I wanted you to be the first to know I'm putting the belt on myself.
Brett isn't even the champ. It's alway he has anything to do with
it. He just tells Brett first. He builds him up with us all
this shit. How long you've been with us? How long you've been with
us? You've been with the Human Movie for eighteen twenty years? Would that
but that all said? I want to let you know we're tremendously grateful for
all you've done. Is here tonight, So therefore I've decided you should be
designated the first to know that I am the next WWS and I just wanted
to know what you heard thoughts were on that side. Definitely, Vince Muocman
w champions did you look? You know? We're really proud of, really
thrilled everything you've done for us. And that's why I want to sit here
and look you in the eye and tell you that you're looking at the next
w F championship me. I want it. That's why I will let you
know that I'm going to be the next WWF champion. How about Mcmanamania,
what do you think running wild? Brad Hart? I want your opinion.
I value your thoughts, and I want you to I want to know if
you think me as champion is a good idea long term. I think carefully
about your answer, pal, and I would suggest that you think very carefully
about how you respond to me if you want a job tomorrow morning. He
comes right at him, is the thing? First of all, why is
he in this conversation? He has nothing to do with it, And now
his job is on the line related to how he reacts to the notion of
Vince being champion. His job is on the line. Of all the guys
in the longer room. He decides that is too funny. I want you
to be the first to know, need to be the first to know that
I have been decided that that that the new Dade Champion. He's gonna be
crowned tonight. It's gonna be Vincent Kennedy mcmick before he's done anything in the
ring, you know, physical angle here or there. But I'm gonna I'm
gonna announce myself as as a candidate for the championship on the commentary booth,
and I'm gonna face Rick Flair tonight and I'm gonna pin him clean or I
might make him submit to the sharp shooter thoughts. And then I want you
to know, Pal that after I win the title, I'm gonna go to
the crowd and celebrate with your family. I'm gonna make out with your wife.
I'm gonna hug your dad like he's my own. I'm going to mean
all right with Eleans do like I'm gonna. I'm gonna I'm gonna kiss your
your mother, I'm gonna fornicate with your wife. I'm going to father your
children. They're already there. The children are already born, but he's gonna
find a way to have fathered them. It's amazing. What you didn't know
if we talks about the Memphis run in ninety four, as Vince's forts attempt
to be an on screen character, well you didn't know is he first pitched.
I want to thank you for the time. I know, I know
our time is short here at Wrestle Tan, but thank you so much for
greeing to this quick interview. I always wondered what your reaction was when in
ninety two and Saskatoon Vince told you that he was going to be the next
w F champion. Oh imagine the look on his face. I don't know
where you got you're in for. Oh my god, dude, that's so
funny. What he actually writes is, so that's why I've decided to put
the world belt on you tonight. Dead silence. I simply did not grasp
what he just said. Hell, aren't you going to smile or something?
He laughed that famous Vince McMahon yuck, yuck, yuck. I promised him
I wouldn't let him down. He said he wasn't worried about that. All
I had to do is keep on being the best worker in the business and
take care of the rest. Nothing's ever written in stone, but my plans
aread to keep the belt on you for at least a year. Congratulations,
Brett. We talked a little longer about what this would mean from now on.
You'll fly only first class, Vince said. When I asked him if
that meant the customary limo every night and every town like all the champions before
me, he had said, he said no, And then he was also
cutting out the private dressing room complete with fruit basket. And I get the
fruit basket, Vince, first, I want to know how you feel about
flying first class and regarding the bout. No, we're cutting that out,
along with the fruit baskets in the private dressing room and the first class tickets.
We're cutting those out as well. Fruit basket would give you a lifetime
supply of ALPO. It's a level to your doorrow instead of H, instead
of instead of H a fruit basket. What we're gonna do is give you
a championship run length worth of handshakes every time you come to the arena instead
of a fruit basket, I will guarantee you a handshake every time you come
to an arena for a show until you lose the belt. It's it's so
brilliant that I don't even want to go with a rodchee. It's good.
So like it's so understated. It's stupid. It's so stupid. He says
it, like is it like we all agree that's that's great stuff. And
uh, I was gonna say, is instead of a fruit basket in your
private dressing room every time, well, we're gonna do a switch it up
at every time you open your dressing room door, a different member of the
roster is going to be having sex with Julia. And you know what the
other little twists owner is it every every arena there'll be a different one of
your children watching saying daddy, Daddy, new daddy, what new daddy?
This sounds like a record label? Is that, by the way, working
title for Glenn Jacobs in ninety six? New Daddy cool, Cool, Good
luck Teddy elected mayor with that one new Daddy cool, new mayor cool.
Oh god wow, Oh he's a problem. We're getting sillier than're having a
long time right now. I know, I can't believe he put the fruit
basket thing in this book. I cannot believe that wanted a basket. That's
all it tells me. He wanted fresh pears. You know, I can
well, U, well, the fruit basket means, I'll tell you,
you know, here's you know, Brett, I appreciate that. But here's
the thing. You can have the fruit basket or you can have the championship.
Your call. He gets the title for a year, or he gets
one fruit basket. Tough call. And you know, and that's the thing.
H well, this isn't the championship fruit basket like you well, you
know that the old days, yes, but these are the new days.
You're a part of the new generation of the w W and we're trying to
bob better for eight years, I understand, But you are the new generation
of of the w. So Vince decides, you know, if the fruit
bath I'm gonna give you, I like that supply of handshakes, championship handshakes.
You're guaranteed at least one handshake every time you come to the reading,
and that makes up for the fruit pasket. In the little load Vince is
willing to take time out of the schedule to do that for you. I'm
going to to just check in on you and wish you luck in your endeavor
of the evening and what brought. Was pleased to find out that, much
like you know, the rib he played there, intimating he may fire him
before telling him on the belt, there was actually a rib. He showed
up in the building first time as champion. They direct him to his private
dressing room, where he opens the door. Find what he said right there,
fruit basket. You know, all the things Vince said they were doing
away with. What he didn't expect that was he put his belt and gear
down and sat on the on the leather couch in the private dressing room.
Vince proceeded to enter the dressing room, take the fruit basket in his arms,
and exit the dressing room with it. All right, See there it
is you. You have been awarded the fruit basket. But now I am
taking the fruit basket right because I need to give it to you. I
need to give to you the next town, all right. And then Brett's
like so confused, but he's a new champion. He doesn't want to ruffle
any feathers, so he just nods along. The door closes to the private
person room, and then Brett hears the sound of someone punting the fruit basket
like a football down the hall, kicking Patterson. Click that fucking fruit basket.
Your fruit basket. Shit, Eh, oh my god, this is
too much. I told him I didn't mind, because I preferred to be
one of the boys. Anyway. I was in plead, in total shock
as I shook Vince's hand, promising him that I do the best I could
every night for him in the company. I left the office like I was
walking on air, called Julie to tell her what was going on and asked
her to pull Jad and Dallas out of school so they could fly up to
celebrate the big moment. It would be easier without the two. It would
be easier without the two little ones. What does that mean? Then I
called Stewart, so I have a question. After he leaves that office and
shuts that door, and before he places the jewbilant phone call to Julie back
back in Vince's uh you know, makeshift office at the arena. After Bred
exits and the conversation has happened and the message has been delivered. Does a
closet door open in Vince's office? Brother? Brother? What we clear?
Doing? The clear? All right? Tell me what do you say?
What do you say? Let's talk, Turkey dude sits at the desk,
Feed up Terry. You were in the you heard it. He knew,
he knew, Terry, I delivered the message. What you say? I
couldn't hear it? There? What he say? Brother? I heard something,
But I want to know what you think? He said? Brother was
good? Well, I mean I think he's the top guy. Brother,
I mean, well, you know the you know. The thing is,
he does believe that he is of the of a different stature than he was
prior to the meeting. So he does he is he the top guy?
I don't know. We don't know yet. He didn't ask about private accommodations
and little private rooms, so that Terry he did. He did ask about
about private accommodations. You know, we said we're gonna give you the belt
the strap as a as A specifically said, and I don't know if you
heard this rap, but I specifically said, as a placeholder until Hulkvid comes
back. I didn't hear that, brother, And I was listening for it
because I thought that's we worked out. You know, I listen and uh,
and you know what, it might not have been said verbatim, but
it was implied in a subtextual format. We didn't afford to do a subtextual
implication. Dude. Well, you know, stipulate are listen and listen,
listen, listen. Stipulations are of a varied degree of nature, right,
and you know we have to consider we have stipulate stipulations and how exactly we're
going to present stipulated stipulations in a more professional gravitas nature and things of other
natures. So did I say what exactly what you wanted to say? You
say, yes, I did, just not in the way you wanted me
to say it. Don't worry, Come WrestleMania. We'll figure this out.
Listen, listen, I promise you you'll be going over WrestleMania. How brother,
if he's going to get the strappeddude, what do you How am I
going over WrestleMania, dude, Terry, it's a long time. We got
many months to dictate the WrestleMania organic plan hood. What did you just coined
a phrase? Plan hood? Did you decide to do that Okay, what
do you That doesn't make him satisfied at all. What do you plan hood?
Dude? Planned parenthood? Brother? Well, Terry, I mean yes,
you had you planned your parenthood? Am I wrong? Well? Yeah?
That is that is why I sought out doctor Z in the first place.
That is why I got out of testifying in ninety one. I did
plan my parent dude, how do you know that? Brother? Okay,
okay, He says, I didn't see this one coming at all because you
decided to say plan hood and we went with it. And he goes,
I did plant my parenthood, brother, how did you know that? Oh
my god, this meeting is too much. So Terry, just rest a
sure that you're going over Wessel despite all this. I just said to Brett,
I just understand you are the champion, all right, you are.
You can actually go out and you can promote yourself as don't be champions.
You feel like that weekend on television then you showed the graphic for bretton shot
his Vibras series. It's Brett's face, it's Sean's face. But for some
reason, Sean Mooney says, and Hal Colgan will be defending the We're gonna
listen, we're gonna have Mooney say you're champion. We'll just show Brett face,
you know, but it'll be the Hulk Hogan Championship. You can go
on leto whatever, say W Champion, Paul Cogan, go on Letterman,
W Champion, Promote, promote rough stuff whatever, mister Nanny, whatever the
fuck it is, say WW Champion, Paul Coban. I will let Brett
know that this is just a formality of sorts, you know, and things
of that nature and boop squad. I will let bretton know that this is
a formality. Brett take a seat. It's like one day after he's depended
the title, like the next show come on, you know, like I
talk about champion every day, you know the listen. I wanted to know
something that you are my day to day champion handed down always. Uh.
However, there are some you know, extenuing circumstances that exitucancies. I can
say it, yes, extinguish, of course, but I just want to
bring to your attention and that it is, Uh, this is not the
tone you want to hear from Vince one day and your He's like, it's
not gonna add well, so yes, so every week you're gonna meet W
Champion, you know they'll say that you are the champion, but you might
but you might hear an occasion that someone may say, you know, uh,
W champion Hulk Hogan. You know, maybe a thing. But listen,
I don't want you to know. It doesn't matter. You know,
you've got the belt, Hulk Hogan does not. Obviously you've got the belt,
but things that have developed over the time, hul Cogan not the champion
right now. You are. Obviously you've got the belt, you've got the
strap. And but you know, if say Hulk Hogan is on Letterman promoting
rough stuff, mister nanny, you know, whatever it is he may say,
you may hear them say, W Champion Hulk Hogan, and it's not
a big deal. It's generically, you know, it's a generic it's a
generic job champion, not like the he just w W champions. He's not
the Curry, He's not and uh you know, and uh you know that's
what we worked out. I mean, we want him to be perceived as
the top guy, you know, in the company, because he's out there
with us un precedented exposure. So we're not gonna call him us you know,
it helps us, you know, just to kind of milk some of
that that extra mileage of the Hulk Hogan brand, uh in this time of
turmoil. And but I just want to assure you, man to man,
face to face that we will not be presenting him as the current WWF champion.
That's been made up unno clear. I can tell you right now.
On the weekly television it will not be said that Hulk Hogan is w champion.
In fact, we will probably not mention him at all, except occasionally
it may be brought up that he is champion in promotion with Striver Series.
Fast forward to Leno that night. All right, La, our next guest
is coming up with a new movie. Wen understand, I want to welcome
the current w w F. That's why I say, dude, I'm facing
Seawn Michael's Survivors series brother title versus title, dude, and I'm gonna tell
your brother it's gonna be a big, big match, dude. I'm made
it in a Survivor series brother, me and Sean Michaels And then as Brett
does the match, and they never mentioned Hogan, but like the run up,
it's Hogan and it's Brett's picture, you know, Brett, I just
want to say, I'm sorry. I don't know how this happened that they
kept saying Hulk Hogan. I don't know. There must have been an audio
glitch mix up. We're certainly not contractually obligated to announce Hulk Coogan as champion.
That would make no sense at all. I mean, we can't.
I mean, I would know if we were contractedly obligated to do anything like
that, and we definitely are not in that sort of a of an agreement
of a particular podcast like the level. Okay, okay, but and I
know, listen, I know that there was you listen, I you know,
as you can, as you know, with all the the the impending
investigations and the you know, the potential of a of a grand jury debacle,
we are uh, you know, the things are just kind of all
up in the air, and we're you know, these things are going back
and I know, I don't know why. I don't know why. And
I apologize. Normally I'm very on top of the w W magazine. But
the fact that Hogan was on the cover with the belt saying he you know,
saying, and that the headline said, Hulk Hogan versus Shawn Michaels nineteen
ninety two is the Fiber Series. I don't know why that happened. I
don't know why that happened, and I apologize. I don't want to make
you any audio on the cover here Logan possibly miss it. I don't,
you know. It just makes no sense because he didn't win the championship for
anybody, you know, like he's off a champion. Obviously you beat Rick
Flair, hell Goo number favorite Flair. I just want to say, you
know things, We'll get this back in order as soon as we can,
and Hulk Hogan is definitely not the current champion, so I hope it clears
things up. Oh my god, it's so good. It's amazingly kid.
Oh okay, anyway, just so this doesn't get any more absurd Brett than
right. So then I called Stehen Helen. As the day went on,
Whord got around to the boys, and I was congratulated by every one of
them, even Warrior. Vince had also told me that Flair was fine with
it, that he had a great respect for me and was honored to put
me over. So in October twelfth, nineteen ninety two. I came out
to a sold out crowd in Saskatoon, right my very first pro wrestling match
fourteen years earlier Askatoon. Who'd have ever guessed? As Flair made his way
to the ring with his manager, mister Perfect, I hoped this would be
one of the last times that Flair called the match for me. I was
going to be the king now. We had the usual tight, repetitive match.
Early on. When I had Flair locked in an arm bar, he
told me to climb up the second rope so it would appear to put more
pressure on his arm somehow. When he jerked me down, I rolled my
ankle injuring it. I had no choice but to keep going. Minutes later,
he called for a figure four leg lock. I scooped his legs and
limped around to lock it on. When he unexpectedly kicked me off sideways,
I fell backward and jammed the middle finger of my left hand on a taut
ring rope, Jesus Christ snapping it at the knuckle. I sat looking at
it and realized that it was bent rather oddly. It felt like I couldn't
uncross my fingers. I calmly reached up and grabbed it with my right hand
and snapped it back, hearing Curt grown from the ring floor, Kurt right
behind me as he watched me do it. Nothing was going to ruin this
moment. Flair called every spot, even the outdated ones, including a barrage
that, oh my god, a barrage of his painful, stiff, open
handed chops that left red handprints across my chest. Some guys liked it stiff,
while some were too light and phony to meet. Chops were stupid and
brainless and went against everything logical about the business. We're only supposed to pretend
we're hurting each other when you really are hurting each other and being hurt.
You're the mark. The only guy more stupid than the guy chopping you was
the guy taking them. I suffered through more than enough chops if out of
respect, before exploding into a huge comeback. I suplexed him off the top
corner into the ring, stepped into the sharpshooter. My mind flashed back to
all those wrestling magazines I created as a kid, the times I'd made my
own championship belts out of cardboard and broken bottle glass. Rick Flair pounded his
hands. Why glass. You know why broken glass? We pick up something
like beer caps or something. Rick Flair pounded his hands on the mat,
screaming uncle, and my childhood dream became a reality. I was world champion.
The crowd was stunned, and so was I. No one figured I'd
be the one to pull the sword out of the stone. I had to
respect that Flair at least passed the torch to me. I came back through
the curtain, limping and holding my finger to an ovasion of handshakes. There
it is, and backslaps, oh and flapping the hardest. Before I was
taken to the hospital, I did a live interview with Minchin Oakland, in
which I said, since I was small, I've been involved in wrestling.
My whole family's been involved in wrestling, and I've dedicated my whole life to
wrestling. My father taught me, took me on the mat and made me
feel those years he tried to be a filmmaker, I know, right,
Oh my god, those the earliest ambitions. Yeah, right. So he
then replicates a lot of the speech we just heard. Oddly enough, he
writes, my title match never aired on TV, and afterwards, Flaire promptly
gave notice that he'd be finishing up in a couple of months to go back
to WCW. I limped back to my room light that night after a visit
to the hospital revealed that my finger had been dislocated. Julie and the kids
were too exhausted to celebrate. I fell asleep in my cramped hotel room,
tired, sore and hungry. The following night, at Regina TV's it was
announced that I was the new world champion and I received a long ovation.
After the show, I celebrated with all the wrestlers at the hotel bar.
Taker Kurt and Shawn Michaels grinned at me with the deepest respect, Owen,
Bruce and Davy. I'll slam down empty glasses, and even Stu wandered me
by tossing down a shot of JD. It burned. It burned his gums
and eyes and really lit him up. That's how he celebrates though in Regina.
Ah, my god, no one called an ambulance. No one gets
concerned. This fucking, cocksucking bitch. Aha. It's sound just won this
strap, and so the lobby at the Best Western Vagina no more celebrating for
that fucking asshole. Fuck you Gallon was impressed at Brett on the belt hardly,
hardly hardly. You know where you sit there with your fucking fake chip.
Anybody ever tell you it's not a real ball? Hey, guess what
you know something your father never told you. Everything you do is fucking fake.
You're a phony brat. You're a fucking phony ship. Oh she's so
wind up. No, yeah, let me tell you something, big mot
Man. Huh your big oh, your big tough guy with your championship belt
made of tin. Fuck you bread, fuck your father, Fuck you breat
that's what That's what Helen says to him the night he wins the belt.
You're a fucking phony. You have no idea what real life is like,
dumb bitch? Do you know? Do you have any idea what I've sacrificed
you heart for this I have. I live with all these fucking, these
fucking cunts, most of all Bread. I live with regrets. I live
with the regret that I ever had children, because they've all been devoured by
this business. And therefore I've been devoured by this business. If you're gonna
get devoured by the business, just fucking do it. On your own.
Can it be something? For Christ's sakes, you wanted to be a job
in a fucking as a fucking film director. You're fucking idiot. You're not
even trying to be job. You're fucking you're trying to to dance with each
other, fucking doing the old two step like it's fucking nineteen thirty four.
Pathetic, You're fucking You're a loser. I bore a dozen fucking losers out
of my fucking pussy. Your brothers are losers, your sisters are losers.
Your fucking kids are losers. They're gonna marry losers. They're gonna marry losers.
You're fucking Julie. You're a fucking loser, all right. You know
how I know because I'm a loser because I married the biggest loser of them.
War so fucking stupid. What again? What noise is that man making
it this particular moment? Ah ah he ah ah right eye ah god he
oh. I go. I hope you die, you fucking cunt. I
hope everybody dies. And Brett puts the bell on her like he hands it
to her like a trophy. I'm gonna fucking smelt this thing all right.
Oh, Brett, it's a beautiful belt. I'm so proud of you.
Oh my god. U uh here, Brett, I'm so fucking proud of
you. I'm really loving huh. How you fucking you fucking worked your so
hard for for fucking fourteen years. You're one miss fucking fake chi your belt
one can go out there. Someone let you beat him. Someone said,
hey, you know what, Brett, it's time for you to win something
here. Why don't you win this? All right? You didn't have to
fucking earn it. He just decided that you're gonna win it. And some
guy's gonna lay down and let you fucking beat him. Oh, it's a
big fucking deal. I wish someone gave me a big gold belt for pretending
to do something. Let me tell you, I wish someone gave me a
big fucking gold belt, tied it around my fucking ankles and drop me in
the ocean. She brings the mood right down, Sherry O. Terry over
here brings the mood right down. Amazing. Hate my life. I hate
your life. I hate all the lives that have intersected with mine. I
just want to go. I just want to go go forever. Go forever
go. Oh no, are you losing her? Is she becoming something else?
Oh no, this old family, this old family, reptile family,
one twitch away from like that, the lizard skin just popping through. They're
all, ye wow, wows this were ex victims to go, folks.
It's by the way, by the way, it's the final Saturday Night's Mad
event on Pop in case you forgot. Oh, I can't do this.
She just starts going far Hall transformation, glory of you met as just drinking
your brad what follow you? Fuck? She turns to fower your blood.
But I feezed on the flash of my family. Yeah. Shit, fuck
with her? Do not fuck with her. She's transformed. Oh god,
nothing even prompting it. Onwards and upwards, he writes. I quickly adjusted
to being the biggest star in the company, the guy with the heaviest load
and the biggest pay. What's up, Brett? What was I want to
see a question about this line in your book? God, can you tell
me about your heavy load? Please? Cureous about how that all transpired.
That's funny. I got a fifty five thousand dollars check for Summer Slam ninety
two and my paycheck's triple to six to around six seven grand a week.
I finally believe that I'd one day be able to pay my house off,
and took down the for sale sign for good. One of the first wrestlers
I called after I one was Roddy. Id already said to Owen that I
was relying on him to help me watch my back, because as much as
the wrestlers all said they were happy for me, everybody wanted my spot.
Roddy echo of those words, stressing how important it was for me to get
close to Vince s try to be his best friend. I'd already been told
by Pat that Vince liked to hear from his champion every day, so I
was calling Vince daily, even though to me it just felling my god Brown
nosing. On October twenty seventh, at TV's in Tara Hout, Indiana,
that's right, this taping of Saturday Nights Made of Man, Vince and Pat
told Davy it was time for him to drop the icy belt to Sean Wow
Wow. Instead of reminding Davy that dropping the belt to Shawn was part of
the plane all along, Pat explained that they could only push one baby face
champion. At a time, and I was it. This showed seeds of
discontra talking about Brett. Brett was in a cannial champion, while Savage was
world champion, well and hell, while the natural disasters were fucking tag champions.
No, I don't understand. I think he's saying that by saying this,
Davy knew it was bullshit. Oh, I say, it's kind of
the way I took it. This sewed seeds of discontent and Davy meanwhile,
I did my best to be a friend to him, reminding him not to
take it personally. But Davey grumbled long and loud about leaving to go back
to Japan or WCW Over the top gimmicks had been the fad for some time.
The wwf it's newest creation was an evil clown called Doink, worked by
Matt Bourne. M not yet but okay. In a couple more months,
talks more about Doink. Okay, but when Vince sha n Angel having Davy
lose to Doink, that happened. No, Davy was well gone by then,
Davey misread the opportunity. I think he's thinking of repot Man. Probably
not, maybe because because Davey was Davy's gone pretty much after this. He
is gone after this. Yes, this is it, you know, I
mean he he's got the shot in Boston and the run. Yeah, but
yeah, like after that, he's he's gone until ninety four. Instead of
realizing, Brett writes that unless he's doing unless he's doing jobs on house shows
that I'm not aware of, I think that's entirely possible. Yeah, but
he's pretty much in do he's w by early ninety three. Anyway, it's
the end of ninety two and that's it. Yeah. Instead of realizing that
working a program with a hot new heel would be good for him, he
chose to listen to Diana, who was increasingly calling the shots and new convinced
David that he was above jobbing out for a stupid clown. As Vince's new
champion, I was counted on to Phil Hulk Shoes. Being a successful World
Champion requires more than just being the best worker, and in fact, sometimes
the best World Champions aren't the best workers, Hogan and Warrior being the prime
examples. Although I had a massive grassroots following, I didn't have the level
of promo skills of Chrisma of Hogan. I wasn't six foot eight to twenty
four in charms. Strangely, it worked to my advantage. My athletic physique
was as realistic as my wrestling, and Vince, in the midst of a
steroid scandal, was doing his best to turn his business around based on my
believability. If anything, I was the perfect contrast to Hogan, especially for
fans who were sick of his all too familiar, familiar act. What what
do you when you said by sick? Dude? Whoa style this thing back
into sit out of the weeds, start to turn the starting to put things
together, dude, not trying to figure out you know, I'm just trying
to go trying to figure this whole thing out. Nearly at the time,
brother, I'm not sure I'm digging your creative. Brother. Well, we
got to talk about And what are you saying, Brett, Dude? What
what are you saying? Brett? Awesome? What are you saying, Brett?
It's gotta put it all on the table, dude. I want to
always have what's going on? Brother? Who said what? Who's going where?
Who's getting pushed? And where does hul Cogan stand in this whole thing?
Dude? Where are we at brother, h Brother, what what'll you
say? I'm sitting there waiting for you to say something? What do you
mean? Why? Why? Why are you waiting for me? Did you
what are you waiting for? Are you? Why do you keep looking behind
me? Dude? What do you realize Dude that when I turn around to
look behind me, my back is turned to you? Brother? Is that
part of the player? Are you trying to Are you trying to get me
from behind him? To get me to turn my back to you? Dude?
Are you trying to get se Dude? Here's the thing, dude,
You've got me in a very particular situation. Brother, I need a mirror
to look at so I can see I've got nothing behind me. Dude.
I can't see behind me, brother, yet at the same time, you
want me to turn around so you can see my back? What's the diz
dude? What's the end game here? Brother? How can we talk about
ways to make it work for Hulk Coke and Brother? I want to know
exactly exactly I want to get I need. I need a diz creative brother
in your dude, what do you see you know we're talking about We're going
to talk about exactly which side of Curatism's brother we're coming from. You know
you're coming from left. I'm coming from rizzle. We've got to figure this
ship out. Dude, what's the diz? I mean? Is this war?
Are you claring civil war? And whold Hoagan? Are you seceding from
the union? Brother a brother? Are you saying Hulk Cogan is at war
with himself? Dude? Who's the champion? Dude? Brother? H I
just what was that? Exactly? Who is that? Davy by the way,
finished out in November. He wrestled in Wichita November fifth, according to
wrestling data, beating Sean Michaels. It says win or unknown. Actually win
or unknown and then uh. November sixth, he wrestled Uh Michaels in East
Lansing, Michigan and beat him by count out. Uh. He wrestled in
Lowell. No Number seventh is mentioned. It's earthquake, typhoon and bulldog beating
raised in Boston and Boston yep, that's next, and Lowell he beats Razor,
Tedy Bastie and I with the natural disasters. And in Boston he beats
Papa Shango. November seventh, ninety two and then just two more matches left
in the run. November eighth, they went to Portland, Maine, and
Bulldog beats Papa Shango and it says here an intercontinental title, which is just
wrong, and he'd already dropped the strap and then monkedon New Brunswick, Canada.
According to Wrestling Data, is the final shot for Bulldog in this run
November fourteenth, nineteen ninety two. Bulldog versus Papa Shango, winteror unknown.
So that's it. That's the extent of the run. Brett writes, I
was recognized for being an artist and a storyteller. If Hogan was the Elvis
of wrestling, I was the Robert Erneiro. Vince needed me to steer clear
of Veny in all trouble, and he was counting on the fact that I
could work a four star match with almost anyone. The days when the WWF
was stocked with the best lineup of heels in the business to get over the
Warrior over, we're gone now. Almost all the great heels had Vince had
invested so much TV time, and it disappeared from the WWF out of the
harsh light of the steroid scandal, and some are now riding high in WCW
pardon the pun. So soon enough I was launched on return bouts with Flair,
who seemed bent on sabotaging our matches. I wasn't sure whether he was
doing it accidentally or on purpose, but he was never there for me on
my comeback and seemed to bungle the finish every night. I began to refer
to Rix' ring style as full blast, NonStop, non psychology. He made
things up on the scat and did them whether they made sense or not.
As a technician, Flair was one of the best, but I was baffled
by how little he really knew about building a great match, and I was
even more baffled by how this went undetected by fans and chet riders who continued
to worship him. On Remember eighteenth, Vince phones to tell me he just
fired Warrior and that unfortunately Davy was going to be next. He wanted to
tell me first so I could prepare for any backlash that might happen as a
result. He said that Warrior and Davy had been receiving shipments of growth hormone
from a dealer in the UK who'd just been busted and was so under the
gun that he fired both of them immediately. Fanciful vision I'd had of me
twisting Warrior and in the sharpshooter and him screaming Uncle at WrestleMania nine vanished forever.
After so many wrestlers had lain down to make him a star, Warrior
would never return the favor. As for Davy, he was out of work
and trying to get on with WCW Taker and I knew we were being heavily
he relied on to be the new leaders. Vince also pinned his hopes on
Sean, who was beginning to blossom into an obnoxious, pretty boy heel who
took great bumps, comparable only to perfect or Dynamite. He was attacking wrestler,
finally finding his niche as the singles performer. I fondly remember Sean praising
me the night I won the belt and telling me how grateful he was that
I had finally opened the door for the smaller yet better workers who never got
a break, guys like us. He smiled and slapped me. M hmmm,
Wright's the champ. It's official. Now. As for Flair, I'm
going to send you Boss some passages from his book that put his perspective on
things, because it's also something that comes hard across the TV when you watch
this Saturday and ain't made event that Flair is still there, still in the
foreground a bit promoting the Mass with Razor Ramon and whatnot against originally Warrior and
Savage and then ultimately mister Perfect and Randy Savage. And for Flair, I
don't know, maybe Brett having difficulty finding Flair being in the right place at
the right time and the ring had something to do with the injuries that we
mentioned that he suffered around this point in time that affected his balance and all
other kinds of things. Here's Flair on this from his book, To Be
the Man. I was just a go between champion. Vince's intention was to
put the title on Brett hard and crown him the leader of the world Wrosting
Entertainment's new generation. The fans liked it when Brett was pursuing me for the
title, even in a down period for the company, when Vince was preoccupied
with his legal problems. We drew good houses in Ottawa, Boston and la
in Phoenix. The Ultimate Warrior gave me a supplex and messed it up.
I landed on my head, dislodging a chip in my inner ear and upsetting
my sense of balance. But I didn't realize that anything was wrong at first.
Charles Barkley at the Basketball Star was sitting in the front row, and
I wanted to show off for him, so I told the Warrior to throw
me into the corner for an upside down flip. That's when everything started spinning
wildly. I completely missed the turnbuckle and flew out onto the floor. I
stood up and fell down again. Fortunately before the Warrior could put his hands
on me, Earl Hebner stopped the match. I couldn't figure out what happened,
and I wondered if I'd had a stroke. I was okay if I
was standing or tying up with my opponent, but once I was on my
back for an extended period, I became dizzy. One thing was obvious.
I was in no condition to be in the ring, so I had to
drop the title to Brett right away. I flew to Saskatoon, Saska,
Saskatchewan at Saska Watchin and lost the championship on October twelve, nineteen ninety two,
in a match that was never televised. It was awful. Yes from
Saskatoon. I went to the Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis with my dad and the
mystery was solved pretty quickly. I had something called benign peroxysmal paroxysmal I don't
know position vertigo. The doctors explained that when I leaned upward, the chip
that had broken in my inner ear went backward through a canal of fluid,
unsettling my equilibrium. If I set up right, the chip would float back
wow in the opposite direction, and after about thirty seconds, drop into place.
After seeing three specialists at the Mayo Clinic and Duke University as well as
in Charlotte, I applied for the benefit it's of an existing Lloyds of London
policy. It would have paid me thirty thousand dollars a month for three years,
with a balloon payment of a half million dollars. The day before I
went to file my claim, I woke up in the morning and had no
sensation of dizziness. I couldn't believe it. I even banged my head against
the wall a couple of times. As a result, my Lloyds of London
policy stayed in place and I went back to work. I have no regrets.
I wouldn't trade good health for any amount of money when I returned.
When I returned, the fans weren't interested in watching me chase Brett for his
championship, and our rematches drew poorly. Personally, I never saw dollar signs
on Brett Hart. He was good. He was a good, sound,
physical wrestler, but with limited charisma and interview skills. He also could have
been president of his own fan club. Brett truly thought he was the best
technical wrestler who ever lived, and he was stuck in a routine that he
refused to fucking liked it. They're both, yep, they're both in a
routine. It's almost like workers develop a routine, right exactly. It's like
that's part of it. When he'd make his comeback, he'd rely on the
same sequence of moves and atomic drop, a clothes line, a gut punch,
a Russian leg sweep, a backbreak, or a fist drop from the
second rope elbow, and finally his finisher of the sharpshooter, night after night,
with no variation. Not true. Every well known wrestler has patented things
that he does in his matches, but you can still entertain your fans by
putting those things in different spots or doing them in different ways. If I
tried adding up adding things to Brett's comeback, like hitting him with a chop,
he couldn't stand it. It had to be in rotation. Don't get
me wrong, Brett could have a tremendous match when it really counted, But
day to day I found him to be in flexible. And the facts are
this, Hogan, for all he did right and wrong, drew a lot
of money. Savage for all he did right and wrong, drew a lot
of money. Arty Piper, Dusty Rhodes, and Rick Flair drew big money.
Brett Hart did not. Vince had other distractions at the time, but
when Brett beat me for the title, the company went to hell for a
while. We were in Madison, Wisconsin when Vince pulled me aside and yeah,
we're going to startuggling with the younger guys. I want you to wrestle
raise Ramon, do the favor for him, and that I'm not sure where
we're going to go from there. That was there was nothing ambiguous about what
he was saying. After holding the championship twice, I was about to embark
on a reduced role in the WWE. My friend Robbie Jewish Lightning. Jewish
Lightning, that's a nickname. He has a barrel Okay, offered me a
job with this toy company, using my notoriety to travel around the world and
schmooze clients. He was ready to give me a three year deal with one
hundred and seventy five thousand dollars base salary plus a percentage. It was a
nice gesture from a loyal friend, but I wasn't ready to say goodbye to
wrestling. Down in Atlanta, Bill Shawn was now running WCW and had hired
Cowboy Bill Watts as booker. Watts was a big star, even challenging Bruno
San Martino for the title in the WWE had to run in the UWF and
was I had run the UWF and was a disciple of Eddie Graham, credited
with perspecting the conceived the best conceived match finishes in the history of the business.
He also had a huge set of balls. So when he contemplated my
situation, Watts picked up the phone Cold Vin's personally and told him I've talked
to Flair about coming back to w c W. So much going on at
this point in time. Jesus Christ, so here Flair tell that they put
the belt on Brett because he was having vertigo. Yeah, that's wild.
There's no like, you know, even thinking, you know, there's no
defense, are going to get me because I'm because they're rooting. I'm rooting
exactly. That's why they can put the belt on himself. I did,
Jim, I'm desirable. I I love the Brett versus Flair fight just the
best. Yes, Oh, it's so fucking great. It's so great,
like taking criticism personally, taking criticisms so personally, just knock it off.
You're both pitches right, but Overnetheless, Brett's the champion. You heard it
now and we see it here on fresh display in really the first big way
on Saturday Night's main event. As for the shift from NBC to Fox,
not a whole lot made about it in the press or really in the newsletters
or anything. Well, we'll get to what is said, but it wasn't
really like a big deal that surprisingly that for all those years in NBC,
that WWF was no longer with them. It wasn't really something that seemed to
be noted heavily by the media. Britt Large, there was this piece in
the February second, nineteen ninety two wrestling column in the Boston Herald. Innotations,
Okay, ladies and gents, wrote Cliff Doucy, from the people who
brought you The Simpsons, Beverly Hills nine O two one zero in Drexel's class,
please welcome Live in Living Color, which of course was another one of
Fox's big hits at the time. Your friend and mine the WWF. This
is of course, before the first one, not the second one we're talking
about. This week, Vince McMahon and his Merry mirthmakers will make their network
return Saturday with the live on tape showing of Saturday Night's main event on Fox
Channel twenty five. Although it's only a first date, WWF and Fox are
taking a big step forward toward the media alter rights. Fox's approach let the
inmates run the asylum for a while, I'm going for Coffee allows the WWF
to be at its best venomous, snake biting, shocking, cattle brod therapy,
dances with death behavior. Headlining the nine pm show will be hul Covid
and Said Justice, teaming up to take on Undertaker and with Flair. I
ask you, Boss. April nineteenth, ninety two, nine pm Eastern Time,
Fox Hogan and Sid versus Undertaker and Flair. Are we in a happy
place? I mean April about February? I'm sorry ahead of the April Russell
mean February. Well, oh my god, that's the happiest place. I
mean, why why why do we keep going back to it? Because it's
the greatest. It's because, you know why, because you're that's the time
when you're still like a a like that. That's still the It's like in
a relationship. It's it's that honeymoon period. You know, everything's perfect,
all right, everything's great. It hasn't yet, you know, it hasn't
yet become work. Yes, all right, amen, a that'sive thing.
Wrestling becomes work. Yep. And it's a pain yep. That's why it's
pain. Yes, it is work to be a wrestling fan. It is.
Yes, Yes, it's hard to enjoy it unless you go at it
with a certain discipline, of course, because you just you miss stuff and
it's nothing they can of course. Yeah. Also on the card, Watchman
Savage meets Jake Saint Roberts and Piper versus Mounty and Legion Doombrius Beverley's you know
all about that show? Yes, indeed, so there is this pull quote
from November of nineteen ninety two. Apparently this is in the progressing Torch Fox
put out some kind of press release that couldn't find where they said. Wrestling
is fun as well as hugely successful sports entertainment, which attract hordes of fans
across the country. In fact, WWF Wrestling is consistently one of the highest
rated syndicated programs on television. So Fox is sufficiently intrigued that they can pick
this up with NBC NBC's interest in it having apparently lapsed, and this is
what it sounded dun Fox presented a Saturday Nights made events featuring three WWS title
matches. The Ultimate Maniac Much Man, Randy Savvy and the Ultimate Warriors go
head to head with money each a Million Dollar Man and Il rest U k
He Competition, rep kit Man of Heart battles the Mysterious Pop by Shanago,
plus the British Pulldog. Is I'm used against Sean Michaels if I might have
not stopped Actually Posted by al Bundy the son following Cops gun Fox fundy by
following Cops Cops. That's it right there. Think about Cops in nineteen ninety
two when ugh, I mean, so that's pretty highly rated program to come
on after. I don't know how Al Bundy exactly hosted the night. He
didn't, He's not even honest did He certainly wasn't included in the body of
the show. Maybe when they pitched a break and I'm I mean, I
don't listen. I don't recall that I had, I don't recall him,
and maybe he introduced it. I wouldn't know that because I didn't watch the
beginning of it. But I mean, I i've again I watched that.
I don't have that tape anymore. But there was nothing like that on you
know, there was no Al Bundy stuff. Bundy of course the character of
Married with Children played by Ed O'Neil. Yes, they had had King Kong
Bundy on an episode of the show. They'd had some wrestling references over the
course of that hit sitcom, and they also did this little bit on Fox
Television featuring is the Homie put it a piece of Fox ip in Al Bundy
talking about the upcoming matches. So this just seems like an ad they ran,
and not so much Bundy hosting the night. But here's a bit of
a Fox synergy for you. It wasn't like a good work, Hey boy,
what did you say? Boy? You say? The WWF Wrestling Specials
about to begin, Ladies and gentlemen, the World Wrestling Federation presents Saturday nights
and now, ay Ol Bundy. I'm ready to meet the ultimate maniacs British
bulldog in the murdy man of the WWS on this the greatest night of my
life. Fuck, old boy, you can't read. So I guess that's
hosting. I guess how fascinating, you know, because you think about that
show and you think about how they portray al Bundy as like the the American
everyman, Yeah from anytown, USA, and they see him as someone that
would enjoy this WWF Wrestling special. Yes, they think the audience will accept
that as consistent with his character, which is wild because he was just you
know, he wasn't some like social outcast or some like you know what I
mean under it. He was like a guy with a nuclear their family,
in a dead end job who just like you know, his kids were mooching
off of them all the time, right right. His wife drove him nuts.
But I was I don't know, I don't. I wouldn't think of
network executives thinking of Al Bundy as the ww fan. I think, well,
he's ever, he's an every man. Yeah. Do they see it
as every man entertainment? I guess they do. I would think below that.
Well, I mean, all Bundy is slightly below every man too.
It's true, you know, he's he's not He's not like he's always fearing
poverty. Right, well, I mean he doesn't, you know, and
he doesn't live great, you know, it's not like Yeah, I can
see that as being their demographic of sorts. Yeah, very interesting. So
here's a bit more color on the situation at the time heading into the show.
Brett's defense here talked about on WWF Television heading in to Saturday Nights main
event, the final one of the run, that we all remember, Oh
he's gone, hort, we're gonna see them. Perhaps they shot shot up
Henny get it on tho two Monket's legs. This is the morning of the
Saturday Night's main event show, and it's Brett Hart versus the Berserker. And
this is the aforementioned situation where you have the WWF asking its fans to believe
that Brett defended the title against Berzerker in one city in the morning and was
to defend against Papa Shango in a different city that night. Oh, he's
gone forrt We're gonna see thee Perhaps they shot Sitter. Can you get it
on those two monket's legs. Yes, stick the pork in the Berserker.
He's done. Such fake crowd noise. Now let's get you for your word.
God, a tremendous victory here for cut the hit mad Heart raining.
Tell me you have champion holds onto the gold hold, Matt bro this guy's
gonna be champion for a long long time in my book. After that superb
victory, Brett Hart will again put the title on the line. Tonight on
Saturday Night's main event, Brett takes on the mammoth Master of Voodoo, Papa
Shango, and should he be successful, then next week on WWF Superstars,
the Fighting Champion again defends the gold, this time against the adventurous but persistent
Virgil. Now let us hear from the champion. You know when I became
the world Wrestling Federation Champion. I picked up all Rick Flair's previous obligations.
I'm not gonna hide behind this title. And next week it's Virgil. Virgil,
you got yourself a title shot. But keep one thing in mind,
Virgil, when you step in the ring with me, you're stepping in the
ring with the excellence of execution. Brother in the same boat that morning on
the syndicated shows, Intercontinental Champion Davy Boyce Smith, who we were asked to
believe, defended the title against Repo Man in the morning and was to defend
again Shawn Michaels at night. And here he is, mister perfect. Talk
about it the U. The outcome is already in the can. How true
that would turn out to be? That's true, I'll look out cock up,
oh let macsh lamp tools collect break it's I don't believe it. Buys
Man's way to a seller at the Mets tonight. That's not out here by
mister Perfect. But grits balled up on Saturday nights. May of tonight,
we'll spar off. I guess Sean Michael, that great Shawn Michael and I
make a verdiction that Shawn Michaels is the next inner Continental Champion. Well,
I don't find out later on tonight what a champions were the British boas right,
mister Parker, you god all want referred to earlier and congratulate Seawn Michaels
on becoming the inter Continental champions. Simple reason is McMahon, never before World
Wrestling Federation history has an inter Continental champion been able to go out and defend
his title twice in one day and listen, a continental champion was me the
greatest inter Continental champion of all time, the greatest athlete of all time.
Shawn Michaels, tonight on Saturday Night's main event, will become the Intercontinental Champion.
I's just one of three titles up for grabs tonight on Saturday Knights mana
that indeed, it's the WWF's triple crown. What with the Tag team Championship
of for grabs as well, money Incorporated squaring off against the Ultimate Maniacs,
consider that a done deal, Money Incorporated They were too good as a tag
team. The Ultimate Losers will come up losing once again, and tonight as
well. The hit Man brad Hart, the reigning World Rustling Federation Chapions squaring
off. I guess three hundred plus pounds of Papa Shango. It's WWF's triple
Crown headed to your way tonight on Saty Night's Beta. Beck. I mean,
it's like a foregone conclusion. Yeah, it really is. Jesus,
what do you reckon you watching this TV show back then? H totally absolutely,
yeah, no question. You don't remember the feeling of hearing a special
called out in the Morning show. What do you mean, like hearing on
the Morning Show that there's still more to come tonight. Yes, I do
remember that for this particular one. I don't remember that. Wow, I
remember for this one because I was kind of like always listening for it,
right because after missing the uh the other one or not like I'm missing it,
but you know, not nothing on top of the of the February one.
I was very very very concerned, you see, Hogan. Yeah,
right, you know, I was like I need to be I need to
be there for this, like I need to make sure that I am I'm
I'm I don't miss this ever. Such good stuff. Yeah, I've talked
about this before. We've covered the show. The last Saturday Night's made of
an NBC where mister Perfect wins the Battle Royal, right, right right.
I had that one taped by a close family friend and I had no idea
where it came from. She just thought of me when she was flipping the
channels on a Saturday night and saw wrestling because she knew I was into it.
And I watched that tape four thousand times yep, and I was I
always wonder what was that, Like, it wasn't the wrestling I watch every
weekend. It wasn't. I could tell it was different. I didn't quite
understand what NBC was, you know, or Network TV, but I could
tell it was on in the evening. For some reason, I probably just
told me it was. And so I thought that there was this show on
on Saturday nights that if I could just stay up late enough, I could
watch yep. And yeah, that was a thing. That was the thing
about it, like that that was what it really It really felt like,
you know that that they have this that I thought the same thing that that.
After that, after the February ninety two one, I would always look
on Saturday nights like I would I would turn to Fox around like maybe at
nine o'clock at nine thirty at ten o'clock at ten thirty, just wondering if
God there was wrestlings knowing that bad yep, Like I'm you know, kids
are don't even do that anymore, Like they don't have the option. They
couldn't if they wanted to, No experience it that way, And that was
so much of the magic. But was you felt like you learned it when
you found it. You found things by accident, and it was magical,
and you sat there transfixed by the privilege of being able to capture this thing
that you had made no plans to take in exactly, just stumbled into at
the right time, exactly. I've told the story countless times over the years
about how I would just stay up so late watching the Spanish station to see
if ECW would come on, because they would fly er the shows i'd go
to around here, but I didn't have the Univision affiliate that they were on.
I was too far outside that zone, right, and so it wasn't
on. I'd sit there. I remember watching Star Search in Spanish. What
the fuck is it not on? Or is it just on delay? Was
there a live sports event on earlier that just pushed it out? At two
in the morning and I just fuck this. I just go to bed.
That's great. Imagine working that hard for it, staying up watch Shotgun Saturday
Night thinking it was going to be a big deal. Yep. And then
there are three weeks in when they realize it isn't doing anything, gets preempted,
and you're like, what what I missed it? How did I miss
it? I was where I was supposed to be. Nope, it's not
there anymore. It's fuck. How do you feel It's not great? No?
No, nor should you not? Like justice has been done? No?
So I mean the best and justice was done in ninety two after WrestleMania.
He was done. I talked about a little bit, but unfortunately,
the best source of information I think we have on this NBC did Fox transition
is Pritchard, who's talked about in his podcast several times, and one of
the things he points to a kind of the severing of the relationship between WWF
and NBC was the fact that at Dick Ebersoll's production company was really the one
that handled all the post production on those early Golden Saturday Night's main events.
Okay, which was just as well for events. Who was just learning the
television business right sure talked about, you know, even in the WrestleMania journey,
how huge that was when you consider how WrestleMania one looked. When in
the production hands Vince McMahon and you know, some of the local partners he'd
bring into produce shows, it was really no different than the team he would
use to just do the MSG cable network productions of the matches at the guard
And even though it was pay per view, wasn't really gussied up much more
than that from a production standpoint. And as time went and he you know,
made an allegiance with Dick Eversoll, who had a great spot for him
to fill on NBC, he learned a lot of tricks of the trade,
and suddenly the show starts to look great and starts to look bright, lively,
all the things we've talked about. And so what ended up developing was
was a relationship with WWF would work with Dick Eversol's production company to put the
show together, to film it, set it up, descript it out scripted
promos before we were led to believe scripted promos existed, very much existed under
Eversol's Saturday Main Event era and they would insist on doing post production in a
production house they had called Beetlejuice I think was the name of it in New
York. Yeah, there's a guy named Lou del Prett and a guy named
Matt McCarthy who were sort of the front lines for Dick Ebersol's production company and
were most hands on and producing Saturday Night's Main event. Like if you look
at Matt McCarthy's IMDb, Saturday Night's Main Event take one of the big things
that are called out there. But come nineteen eighty eight, as the WWF
grows and gets its bearings, they complete their own television production facility in Stanford,
Connecticut. Big investment for them, and they're now accustomed to producing the
television with their own hand, particularly the wekn syndicated shows, and they want
their fingers on the controls. They really don't want anybody else involved in the
decision making of what may looks and sounds like. So WWF started to take
over a lot of that post production element of Saturday and Night's Main Event.
To hear Pritcher tell it, that would come to create some friction between the
parties. Broadcast, as he notes, was not as forgiving as cable at
the time, so it wasn't always easy for WWF to get across exactly what
they wanted to get across. There were stuff in the newsletters at the time
that perhaps network execs weren't happy when some blood would make it onto NBC and
other things they were customed to be able to get away with on cable without
questioning, you know, producing themselves what were becoming an issue now. Pritchard
flies into a tizzy when it suggested that that was part of the reason that
WWF was not happy with NBC. But I figured i'd mentioned it because he
is the one that said that indeed broadcast was not as forgiving as cable television.
But you think about the fifteen point two rating that the Andre Hogan special
did the big event to the main event rather in nineteen eighty eight. We've
talked about that in the archives and what a landmark audience that was. And
then you think about fifteen point two network and you think about for this show
this Saturday, and it's main event on follow six point one. Wow.
So who Richard said, it's a logical extension to go to Fox. They
were looking for programming, they said it is Yeah. Apparently they saw the
success a snemy had had on NBC, and Pritchard said, frankly, the
NBC deal was up and there was no interest in doing a Saturday Night Live
replacement anymore. And Fox came along and uh, he made the point.
We've made that anytime you moved back then, especially whether you know they say
that, you know, it's so annoying too. I really don't like that
because they make it seem like it's a it's a more regular thing Saturday Night
Live replacement. Yes, it's like I know that they were. I know
the idea was that on certain Saturday nights where they would do a rerun,
that's when you would do Saturday Night's main event. But like it wasn't every
rerun, no, like, but they always make it seem like it is
the way they the verbiage they chose they choose to use. It sounds like
every time like I'm sorry, but Saturay Night Life shows way more than six
fucking reruns a year, totally okay, Like it's not a common thing.
No, it was just at strategic points in the year where they needed a
bigger rating than an SNL replay would do. For them. So they put
these specials from like sweeps weeks or something where, right, Yeah, which,
like I get it, but like the way they say it is always
it's such like it always bothers me, Like, yeah, they don't make
that careful qualification of life. Not at all, that's true. I mean,
you look at how many there were in a year, and you can
clearly tell that they didn't do one every time. There wasn't ano SNL.
But but the fact that it was in the precise time slot was big because
you know, sure people hadn't committed to memory when SNL would be new or
not, so they tune in they would see this, and that's why they
always put the big angle on first, because they wanted, yep, to
grab that audience and see if they could hook them on a something that could
sell the next play per view. And so anytime you move nights or programming
back then, you know it got tough. People were used to finding you
on a certain station, even if it was four or five times a year,
YEP. And you know you remember this it was Channel two or Channel
five or Channel twenty. It wasn't Fox. Yeah, you know you didn't
even think of that, really, No, never. But Pritchard does say
that there was no long term commitment from Fox to Saturday and Nights main event,
which I guess, if I can interpret, is in contrast to NBC.
I don't know if you'd point that out if that wasn't the case in
NBC. But there was no. It wasn't like they came on board and
had a whole lot more that they were contractually obligated to produce and cancel the
contract. It seemed like a one show to show deal. And he said
it was an experiment. He characterized this Fox run as an experiment. I
see an experiment. Yes, of course, they returned to NBC in two
thousand and six and revitalized Saturday Night's main event for a little while. That
was an interesting little deal. I watched it with an excitement. I was
very excited. Yeah, I was very excited to see what it was going
to feel like. And it just didn't feel very good. It felt like
going into it like it felt when we got together to watch the first Wednesday
Night Wars. Yes, it's like, okay, like the conditions are here,
you're you're singing my song. Let's see if it feels the way it's
supposed to feel right. And I remember I watched it. I taped it.
I mean, I you know, a DV artic. I put it
on DVD. The whole thing. I was very you know, it was
very exciting. Definitely. Was this when they came back from Spike back to
USA in the NBC family and they suddenly had in the contract a deal to
do as the Saturday night's main events. Again. It's fucking awesome, and
they you know, they tried really hard in the beginning, but it just,
you know, it just petered away. Just they couldn't get the kind
of numbers that NBC felt was worth putting wrestling Han for. Yeah, oh
totally. I mean it was it a I mean yeah, like, yeah,
I didn't. I remember it didn't do very well. I remember it
was. I remember reading the next day. I remember really wanting it to
do well because I really thought this would be so exciting, and it was
like, nope, it did very poorly. They even brought back the rapid
Fire interviews at the beginning. Yep, yeah, no six, and that
was when Edge and scenea feud was hot. They did some hot angles for
that. They had an Evander Holyfield appearance. I remember that was a big
deal. They did a lot of stuff but just didn't take didn't click,
didn't they did. They did two in two thousand and six, they did
two in two thousand and seven, and they did one in two thousand and
eight. They did in two thousand and eight. Really wow, I didn't
that late. Yep, they went to they did three. They had five
specials total. They and then they started doing like tape things instead, like
like a show on NBC in primetime was kind of like in the contract for
years and it just turned into like a best of WrestleMania clip show once a
year. Rympathetic, right, I remember that towards the end there, even
during COVID they like put wrestling to clip show and NBC's there's nothing to show.
But yeah, that that that eventually petered out. And you know what,
ever, I wonder if they'll be I wonder if they'll be uh Saturday
Night's main event on Netflix. You know, anything's possible. I suppose.
But these were live too. That was a big difference. They were going
live on like the originals. Yeah, it's just it wasn't that this the
the circumstances changed too much, A changed for that concept to win anymore,
I feel like, which is now sad state of affairs. But they did
try it. It's not like a what if they tried it. They brought
it back and they tried hard, and yeah, it just wasn't there.
But but that would have been that would have been a sweet taste. And
NBC, you know, NBC aw kind of sees themselves as doing that,
because they do when they when they introduced their Saturday night show Collision at the
very beginning, they started doing the exact same rapid fire opening interviews. Yeah,
the same exact production approach, and they I think they can of saw
themselves as producing like a weekly Saturday night it's made event, but it was
not to be. Yeah. And one of the things about that time when
they when they made that transition back to the USA NBC families, they had
lost a lot of leverage because Spike canceled them before they could renegotiate. So
they lost like exposure to the revenue that came in from commercials that would air
during their shows, like one hundred percent of that went to NBC Universal now
right, So it wasn't even that lucrative to be in front of that many
more people necessarily for them either I'm not sure if they bartered time back then
in the NBC days, if they got a piece of what advertisers paid against
the show back then, or if they just got like a flat fee.
It was like a fifty to fifty. Dick Eversol talks about in his book
how like the whole deal was getting bogged down and lawyers arguing deal points,
and he always remembers events just saying, let's just do this fifty to fifty
and let's actually get a fucking show in the air. And he loved that,
Convince, he loved that moments, and that's what they did. And
it worked for until it worked, until it did less than fifty to fifty,
so we can Yeah, of course he loves that it worked. He
get fifty percent out of it, and then not folencey fucking get the goddamn
show on the air, and he lover Christ. He'd come back in Vince's
Life for the XFL. Vince is out there pounding the table about this new
football league without a TV deal, and Dick Eppersall is thinking, Vince is
going to do this again. He wrote those coattails once, Let's try it
again. And didn't work out that way. He did it. But yeah,
according to the newsletters, a deal had been signed to produce a show,
a WrestleMania Countdown Show on Fox, and reportedly Fox was willing to pay
more than NBC was accustomed to getting. That kind of sounds to me like
the kind of thing that WWF would float out there to make it seem like
they weren't being demoted here in the problem. But apparently U I think this
was for ninety one, this report, not ninety two, that there was
already kind of flirtations between WWF and Fox, and then NBC was kind of
concerned that they were jumping ship, not happy about that. So, yeah,
there's this like long period after they do the April nineteen, April ninety
one, is it, yeah, April ninety one that that twenty men rumble,
Yes, yes, you know, the rest of ninety one there's nothing
else on NBC. So there's definitely a process happening there. Yeah, blooms
off the rows. Richard said it wasn't so much NBC was unhappy they had
a great deal, but he said a key thing was and that was the
only one two in ninety one. You know, they only had that one,
that one show, which tells me there's trouble in paradise, you know
for sure? Oh totally because they because like in nineteen ninety one two there
were four there were four excluding not even including the main event special amazing,
you know with Hogan Hogan Savage main eventing hereby declared myself obsessed with why it
ended on NBC? Yes, like really do they just not want to extend
it them? Should? They'll say that but in all honesty, you know,
but like why? But but there's something certainly different because when you look
at it, this is the way they always They were always done quarterly,
right, because you look at like in nineteen ninety you think about like that.
I mean, I know sometimes they had them more than had like six
of them in some years early on when it was really really hot. But
you look at in nineteen ninety you had one in January, and then you
had one in April, then you had one in July, and then you
had one in September. So you know, what the fuck? Where's uh,
you know, where's the where? Where where are the other ones?
Like what happened? Like? What where's the January one? In ninety one
like, where where is that? What happened? The where is you know?
Yeah, there is it? Exactly where? What has? Answers Mom?
What? I doubt it? Who? Yeah? Portchard thinks a key
thing was that they opened the new studio. They had their state of the
art editing facilities and producers, and they no longer needed to go to the
Beatle Juice facility and do it in New York City. But that's what Dick
Ebersol's folks wanted to do. They wanted to edit the show with their folks
in NYC, and WWF was insisting on the other side, no, let's
use our facility. It's kind of clear that Bruce had like a WWF had
like a butting of the heads with this McCarthy fellow. When it comes up,
it comes up with kind of like a well, you know, kind
of no sound effect. Yeah, most people do have issues with McCarthy's.
Indeed, indeed usually can't me one. But it didn't sound like well,
I guess okay, there was the main event. I'm sorry, the main
There was a main event in January, like so, the the big one,
you know, the Friday night one. But it wasn't a you know,
it's weird. The main event and Saturday ninth main event. It's like
a it's I know they're basically the same thing. They're kind of like spinoffs
of sorts, but I don't know. You're talking about nineteen ninety one,
ninety one, there was a main event, you know, the the spinoff
show where they were you know, like that's the February eighty eight one where
Hogan loses the championship. There was one in ninety one in January. Okay,
yeah, I don't remember that, but is that oppress on eighty seven?
Yeah, it's yeah, Slaughter versus dug In was the main event.
Is that what they draped them in the flag? I think I think so,
But yeah, that was that was the thing where we're going to produce
the show and they want to do things his way, Vince want to do
things his own way, and that's that's that. Sounds like Vince went out,
but they lost interest at that point. Did the Dick Eversol sign.
Yeah. Continuing to propagate this, Pritchard saying we had gradually taken more and
more control of that product, whereas before Dick Ebersol's production company hand much more
than us. We were taking more ownership of it. We go to the
Observer, which in December nineteen ninety two, after the show, Rap says
this, don't expect another Saturday mad An event on Fox. Wow, He's
not in primetime on Saturdays. Is one week after the wrestling special that a
six point one rating. The regular three Code three show and the same time
slot did a ten point eight. So it's a it's it's you not us
WWL. Yeah right, And the November thirtieth, nineteen ninety two Observer contains
this note. The television ratings from the big shows this past week in the
US indicate more of the pattern of wrestling viewing being down about twenty five percent
across the board. The Saturday Night Man event on Fox on November fourteenth through
a six point one rating and a ten share, which placed it eighty sixth
place for that week among ninety two primetime shows. The rating and total viewing
audience was the lowest ever for a WWF network show. It was correct down
a full thirty one percent from the February Fox special and the same time slot,
which featured Hult, Covid and Sidjusice breaking up in their tag Magic Aastwick
flaired Undertaker. I don't know if this would be the end of WWF getting
network specials or not, but I'd say that one more rating like this would
conclusively be the end of the line. Fox put the show in during the
important November sweeps period with the idea would deliver a rating like the previous one,
which was a success. Instead, it lost thirty eight eight percent of
the audience from the Cops show that was its lead in that they should not
go down that much from Cops. Honestly, no, not at all,
which in television terms is considered a terrible performance. It also drew rating slightly
lower than Fox normally does with Code three during the same time slot. Nevertheless,
for from a short term standpoint, the show reached five point twenty seven
million homes in about eight million total viewers, which is the best exposure any
pro wrestling event in this country has had since the February Fox special. It's
nearly triple the weekly audience the tunes into WWF Superstars and Syndication nowadays. It
should be noted that the audience for the Fox special with them plugging Warrior in
the Survivors Series match was nearly quadrupled the audience watching two nights later, two
point er rating in one point four to four million homes for the two hour
angle were mister Perfect turned baby Face to a place warring. Ah, that's
it right there, baby. While the Angle itself, although predictable and coming
off slightly desperate, was as well executed as it could be given the circumstances,
largely due to Bobby Heenan, it was still a relatively small audience that
saw it. I saw it, I remember that. I was that.
I didn't see the whole thing, but I did see it eventually. I
don't think. I don't know if I saw it live per se. But
the larger syndication audience didn't see the Angle unfold. Although the interviews on Saturday
from both sides after the Angle were excellent, still more people than not again,
and that was of course always the idea of these shows, right boss.
It was like, let's shoot the angles to the pay per view.
They couldn't. They couldn't hear it because of Warrior circumstance. But it is
wild. But like you know, they open, like we said, with
no bullshit right to the match. It's Warrior out there right away and he
doesn't do a rating. He doesn't. You can't hang this on Brett when
it goes down thirty eight percents from Cops and it's fucking ultimate Warrior out there.
They couldn't do any better than Warrior at the time, right, he
was the guy. I mean, you had, you had your four I
mean not only that, but you had also that was your main event for
the show. That was That was your your advertised main event was for Survivor
series was Warrior, Savage and Razor Ramone and Rick Flair, you know,
and this Warrior and Savage or probably you know are the two most mainstream names
that they had at the time. I think what we're coming to realize is
it wasn't Saturday and Night's main event all those years. It was see Hogan
on NBC. Although right, well, it was se Hogan wrestle on TV.
That's what it was. That's what it was exactly because the Fox one
in February with Hogan wrestling did very well, of course, I mean that
was the most exciting thing I had yet to see Hulk Hogan wrestle. It
was Hogan. Yeah, yeah, always is always is. I don't I
don't get it. Like, what's what's so hard to understand? He's the
guy, he's the draw, He's what people want to see. Yes,
so true, fuck yourself. Thank you. Still more people than I watch
the show and Fox probably still unaware. Meltzer wrote that Warrior isn't on the
show, and there was plenty of advanced warning to make it clear to the
total audience that Warrior wasn't coming to be in the pay per view, probably
due to as much as such a plethora of free television over a five day
peros is anything. All American Wrestling on November fifteenth was the victim of this
overexposure, drawing a one point through rating and the three share, both all
time lows. So yeah, here's how it ranked. This is something that
would run through I think the AP nationally new newspapers how they rate. Basically
breaking down Nielsen ratings from the past week on broadcast TV. This is from
November twentieth, nineteen and ninety two. The number one program in the nation
that week was sixty Minutes on CBS, which drew a twenty two point five
rating, followed by rose Anne the Jackson's Murphy Brown Cheers Coach home improvement,
something called Sinatra on CBS. I don't know if that was a movie.
I must have been a special or something in murder, she wrote. And
then Monday Night Football. I don't know if you can imagine a world where
Monday Night Football is tenth to fucking you know wow eight scripted dramas. But
something tells me that's when we lost. It was when we couldn't produce scripted
dramas anymore that could outdraw NFL. Yeah, yeah, that's what we lost
with that. Wings. Remember Wings, I don't know, I know,
Yeah, that's that shows love Wings? Wow? Well yeah, I mean
I look, I was a sucker for any show. I was a sucker
for any show that took place in New England night. You know who else?
Love Wings? Earthquake, earthquake, loved Wing. I thought of earthquake
too when Rick Flair was describing sitting up in the chip floating back. Oh
yeah, I definitely heard many a time where where John Tenta would sit up
and the uh and the chip would float back. Oh my god. So
Wings was number eleven. I'm just gonna go on older here, Full House,
Unsolved Mysteries, Fatal Memories. I don't remember that one. Love and
War twenty twenty Fresh Prints on NBC Evening Shade Northern Exposure, like Evening Shade.
You know that show? Holy shit, Yeah, it's fucking Burt Reynolds
fifteen point one. Yeah, I don't forget that he was still on it
for a wrestlming of ten. Right, Burt Reynolds from Evening Shade, Right,
that's right, fifteen point one rating. Jesus or with an exposure Hearts
of Fire and Rescue nine one one. I forgot these shows were even on
NETWEK remember that show, Jesus. There's a Donahue twenty fifth anniversary show.
Simpsons is the top raty Fox one yea, if we want to compare apples
to apples as far as Fox, they came in at twenty third in the
nation that week with a fourteen point four rating for the Simpsons. Yeah,
makes sense. Then we get Primetime Live Hanging with mister Cooper. I forgot
about that. That's not Primetime Wrestling Live either, to be clear, Hanging
with mister Cooper. I forgot all about that one. Hanging with mister Cooper.
Another episode of forty eight Hours Blossom Blossom was on then, Yeah,
here it is at number twenty seven. I thought Blossom was more of a
mid nineties, like ninety five. Oh it was. It was mid alright,
joint in the heat of the night at twenty eight, twenty nine,
the heat of the night, Oh my god, and no one would listen
thirty la law, Yeah, we gotta taste. Give me the sound,
Yeah, yell and ye got it. Bro butt up up so good,
bump everything hills another two and o Sisters Family Man. That was another Fox
Oh tell you that. That's that's like the Fox show. That was totally
that was Fox back. Yeah, that was kind of risk. You know.
It's about like total teenagers, like getting drunk convinced that there was gonna
be did you did you thought this chance? I was always gonna I was
gonna see some titty The twelve point six to Saturday's man have been six point
one. That's right, that's right, that's right. No, no,
No, Sisters Family Matters, Slyn Oh my god, not Sning was still
on Holy shoty fourth for the week. Doogie howser. Wow, that's another
theme. I kind of remember. Baby Beep, beaty be beep, you
got it? Yeah, betpep. I wonder if anybody can do the Jingles
TV shows anymore to new shows, modern shows. Hardly, they hardly do
it now anyway. You know, they hardly have like themes. They don't
have montages. Yeah, no, they don't have the whole thing. And
my cat like usually it's a it's like a like a ten second red ten
second riff. Actually abbot elementary. All it is is dent, don't dent
dent little ten ten that's it. Awesome. Yeah, they're gonna be singing
that in twenty years. They're gonna be recording a podcast designing women step by
step, Jesus a Different World. Seinfeld at number thirty nine. Wow,
that's nineteen ninety two for you, right there, Empty Nest Nurses, American
Detective Dateline, NBC, Martin on Fox, remember Martin. Yes, it's
number forty four, so three appearances and forty shows for I used to think,
what was her name? My god like his his his main girlfriend there?
Oh my god, I think you were so fucking fucking eat her up.
Fascinating. Yes, I haven't seen a living color yet. Top Cops,
Golden Palace, Major Dad, Oh my god, Major Dad, your
dad, Doukie Hazard again America's Funniest People which I'm sure was the funniest video.
Oh god, I hated No, that was the spinoff, Yeah,
America's I hated America's Funniest people. So fucking Dave Coolier a idiots moron.
Such a fucking about commission. Do you remember commission? I remember the commission
ye with yeah, like way overweight? Uh what's his name? It was
the Shield there? Oh yeah, yeah, I can't think of that,
Michael Chickling, so like when he was fucking massive, it's such a before
he was like a bad ass and it became a bad ass on the on
the on the shield. But like the commission was a big gentleman commission.
Let's be honest here, Street Stories, Law and Order. Mad about you?
Dinosaurs? Remember dinosaurs? You? Yes, fucking loved my My kid
loved dinosaurs for like a while. There was a there was a moment where
like she was obsessed with idea for show with it and and like I bought
like the first season on iTunes for her to watch, and then that ended.
It's like that was very quick. I don't think Major Major Death Team,
the Major Dad theme Dan down Dum dum dum dum dun dum dum dun
down down dun dun dun dun dwn dwn dun dum d d d Yeah,
I remember it used to fucking that was my summertime. Like they would have
reruns of Major Dad on on USA during the days, and I would watch
Major Dad like every summer h during the day, hell like like a I
don't know, maybe it was an hour or two hour block of Major Daddy
runs. Wow, yeh FBI the Untold Stories. Married with Children at number
fifty seven for the week point nine, so not too much time. When
when was Roseanne? Where was Roseanne in the in the number two, number
two and twenty one point ABC and fucking Married with Children, the show that
they always say Roseanne ripped off the most down in fucking amazing. In the
fifties, Cops two was number fifty eight for the week on Fox at a
night Cops too, apparently, and Living Color was tied with with Cops two
on Fox at a ninety Funny Home Videos, Bob remember the show, Bob,
I don't remember that. I don't know who Bob was. But eyewitnessed
video quantum eleap? I remember, yeah, A leap was that low?
Columbo cries wolf Camp Wilder, The Regular Cops Cops one if you will,
just one one thing did a nine point zero on Fox, and oh it's
a Bob Newhart show. I do remember that. He was like fucking cartoonists,
right, I remember that. Yeah, l Rose Place, El Rose
Place, trying to try to make you think it was even more possible.
Yeah, of course, of course on Fox that was an eight point three
delta. On ABC, Reasonable Doubt, Civil Wars, home Front, Picket
Fences, Pickets, Does that take your back on Jesus Christ? Yes,
Tequila Sunrise, that was the show with uh oh that was Tequila and Benetti.
I know, Tequila Mockingbird. Oh my god, help us hat squad,
Powers that Be with Vince Russo. Uh, powers of Pain Here and
now America is most wanted the hard Way. Herman's Head, Holy Herman's Head.
Oh seven point one? Rock? Remember Rock? Yes? I do.
On Fox Sightings, I remember sightings too, like this paranormal show.
I has to freak me out. Back then, I used to watch sightings
about UFOs and stuff. Yeah right, keep me up on a summer night,
Scare the out of me, Brooklyn Bridge Room for two, Making of
Home Alone two. Wow, Oh wow, there was a TV special on
Fox. Yeah, that makes sense. They would that number eighty four Making
of Home Alone to Fox six point two, number eighty five WWF Main Event.
Oh, that's a lot of shows I listed off there, Boss,
I'm not sure that's what Fox was looking for. No, I don't think
so either. In the Deal eighty six, I'll Fly Away at NBC eighty
seven, The Heights, eighty eight, Flying Blind, eighty nine Likely Suspects,
And finally, for the week, number ninety had a four point zero
one Fox The Ben Stiller Show. Oh, I forgot he had a show.
Parker Parker Lewis not even Parkers doesn't even fucking rank Parker Lewis can't lose
Jesus Christ on an all new Parker you got that's right on, and all
new on an own new Parker Lewis, Parker Lewis loses. So I guess
I don't have to watch it. Then, In terms of what they'd be
thinking bringing in the programming, here's an article that I think might help a
bit. This is from Electronic Media, February seventeenth, nineteen ninety two,
headline CBS skates to early sweeps lead one weekend of the February sweeps. Again,
that's the time periods where you know the advertisers would look for the ratings
to dictate how much they should charge to advertise. So you really wanted to
put your hottest stuff on sweep weeks to get that number up one week.
In the February sweeps, CBS and Network Television looked like early winners, thanks
largely to CBS's early coverage of the Winter Olympics. What the Olympics represents for
us is a tremendous infusion of people watching network TV, said George Spweitzer,
cbs Senior VP of Marketing and Communications. The Olympics stands alone as been the
thing that's getting people to come to television, and I think we're seeing a
lot of multi set viewing too, he said. Last week. CBS's Winter
Olympics opened February eighth, two days late after Nielsen Media Researchers sweeps began through
February twelveth CBS won five of seven nights of the sweeps with games Fair Olympic
games Fair. The network's seven day average was a seventeen rating percentage of TV
homes and a twenty six share percentage of sets in use. So that's the
difference between the rating and the share. The rating is how many homes have
TV that watched, and share is the percentage of TVs that were on at
the time that watched. I remember, I remember the share was always the
better number. You needed to know what the share was not the actual rating.
Rating was not as important back then. No one talks about share anymore,
No no one cares. Now, all it is is viewers. Like
they don't eve talking about eighteen thirty four, it's all I want, right,
Well, they also talk about like how many viewers. You never hear
about a rating anymore, right, The number doesn't fucking matter. It's about
how many you know? How many millions of viewers do you have? NBC
followed with a fourteen point two and a twenty two share, ABC with eleven
point nine eighteen share, and finally Fox Broadcasting Company with an eight point five
rating and the thirteen share. Seven days into the nineteen ninety one sweeps,
they report here NBC led followed by CBS, ABC and they wrote FB I
think they mean Fox, Yeah, Fox Broadcasting Come, Fox Broadcasting compan Yeah.
CBS's ratings increased thirty seven percent. That's why the Olympics are there man,
wow and no totallybc's eleven percent and FBC twenty one percent. Only ABC's
ratings decline, dropping three percent year over year. Nevertheless, the network's combined
rating has acclimbed sixteen percent to fifty one point six from forty four point five
to nineteen ninety one, while the share has risen from seventy nine to seventy
nine from seventy two. The projections look like we will exceed Calgary. David
Poltrack's CBSC or VP of Planning and Research set of the Olympics results so far
that, of course, being the Calgary Winter Olympics was the last one.
Anytime anything in network television does better than something four years ago, that's an
extraordinary situation, added mister Poultrack, who was in albert Viaux, France for
the games. ABC's coverage to the nineteen eighty eight one Olympics averaged a nineteen
point three and a thirty share. Wow. Although CBS's cut Olympics coverage has
been most popular sweeps programming, averaging a nineteen point one and a twenty nine
share for its first five days. Other networks are also seeing some bright spots
We definitely think that this is going to be one of our best sweeps ever,
said Andy Fessel, Senior VP of Research and Marketing for FBC. FBC's
early sweeps programming helped it post its best weekly rating in history at eight point
five and a thirteen share for the week ended February ninth. This stemmed,
in large part from such specials as w WF Saturday Night main Event, So
Don't come with you know they it was over in ninety two. They really
impressed Fox out of the gate. It was hOgain ho again. That's right,
don't forget That special had an eight point two rating and a thirteen share
on February eighth, and a special live Rock Remember they would do live sitcom.
Yes, oh my god, well rock especially that was a big fucking
deal for that show. Yeah, you were watching them do it. Yeah,
like it was on stage in a theater or somewhere exactly like you know
that things could things could fucking fuck up, things could fuck I think that
would attract people. That's so awesome, yeap. Yeah, And a special
Live Rock which earned a le ven point three and a sixteen share in February
ninth, So wow, out drawing a wrestling there. We believe we are
getting a lot of audience sampling over from the Olympics, Mister Fessel said,
nearly half of the Olympics audiences outside of the Fox demographic. NBC got a
boost from its Late Night with David Letterman ten anniversary special, seventeen rating and
twenty seven share of the first Night at the Sweeps February sixth, as well
as the tearing of the Kindergarten Cop theatrical on Febrary ninth, Wow Kindgarden Cops
scored a twenty one point four rating and a thirty share, make the top
rated theatrical of the season and placing at number four out of eighty six shows
for the week ended February nine. NBC aired the film again on Friday.
Results were not available at press time. Meanwhile, ABC's miniseriies Burden of Proof
came in third on February nine, behind CBS's Olympics twenty three point five rating
and a twenty three share. At NBC's Kindergarten Cop the miniseriies first part had
a twelve eight eighteen share. Februy tenth portion posted a fifteen one twenty three
share. The Olympics run through Febry twenty third. Nielsen sweeps in March fourth.
The Arbitron company sweeps run February fifth to March third. That was another
Row TV measurement company in play. Okay, and so that was good for
seventy third on the week that big February nineteen ninety two rating on Fox.
So much better than not much better at all, but definitely a higher rating
and something that worked for them as sweeps. Here's an article from November of
ninety two and the Orlanta Sentinel. Networks turned to evil women, including Warno's
for sweeps. Excuse me, I don't know is w I don't know what
that is w uo r n os. I guess we'll get to it.
It sweeps time again, the month when the networks do their darnedest to beef
up viewership so Nielsen can find huge numbers when it measures the audience of local
affiliates, so they can charge their advertisers huge numbers of dollars. Thanks for
that, as long as we're not cynical about it, That's what I care
about. The movies based on a true story abound, only two of them
spotlight worthy women who battle the odds to see justice done more common this month
or bad Guy Women. A famous textas tale finally turns up, the one
in which the loving mom tried to boost her daughter's chances on the cheerleading team
by arranging for the murder of the mother of one of the kid's rivals.
Double murderer Betty Broderick is back, played again by Meredith Baxter, but the
evil gall of the Month prize goes to a Leen war Noose. Okay,
so apparently she was an actor. Eileen Waros, America's first female serial killer,
Gene Smart. The ditsy Charlene on Designing Women takes a different direction in
a telemovie that tells warnoses story sweeps highlights including oh isn't that? Isn't it?
The one that that U? What's your but di? Movie Monster with
Oh my god, Hilly Berry, I can't not halle Berry. Yeah,
is not the same thing? No? Is it? I don't know?
It's an Ileen? Isn't it? I? Leen? Something? Eleen?
E I Lean brother. Sweeps Highlights include two mini series about very popular entertainers
from different generations, Frank Sinatra and The Jackson's Yeah. The Jackson's ranked really
highly on that list. Totally read. Both promised to be upbeat since they
have lots of family participation. Here are the made for TV highlights of the
month, with a caveat that the networks are forever re arranging at the last
minute when more than one appears in an old time period. They are listed
in order of probable entertainment value. Tonight, nine to eleven PM, Miracle
on IA eighty I eight eighty rush Hour. Motorists get trapped again under ton
toll tons of concrete as the San Francisco Bay Area Freeway buckles in this drama
drawn from the Big Earthquake three years ago. NBC. So I kind of
remember that a little bit. Thursday, eight nine pm TV's Funniest Commercials,
Patrick Duffy renferls a passel of giggly local, regional, and foreign ads.
That's kind of a good idea, okay. Ten to eleven PM Oprah Behind
the Scenes. Oprah Winfrey interviews Richard gee Or, Jody Foster and Vanessa Williams,
and an animated Wimfree courtesy of Simpsons. Critter Matt Granick sits down with
Homer, Marge Bart and Lisa on ABC. Wow Friday h ten PM.
Matlock the Vacation. The dapper defense lawyer makes his first appearance in ABC in
the It's made for TV movie. Matt Locke the what now key Lock Hammer
Lock is it was all part of a block fact then remember eight nine to
eleven PM Willing to Kill the Texas Cheerleader story. Here it is Leslie and
Warren is the mean mom. Tess Harper the Designated foot to ABC Well the
Designated Driver. Nine to eleven PM. Sinatra starring Unknowns with Frank's daughter Tina,
one of the major powers behind the camera. Sure to present Old Blue
Eyes in a favorable light. Part two areas November tenth, CBS. November
ninth, nine to eleven PM, Fatal Memories. Everything's going great for Shelley
Long and her little daughter until Long starts to remember how twenty years ago,
when she was eight, she watched her father murder her best friend Dean Stockwell
co stars and oh good, how about Dean Stockwell going to break? You're
always happy to hear that name called love to hear love to see Dean Stockwell's
getting work. November fourteenth, nine to ten pm, Yes Saturday Nights Made
Event The WWF special. This show features the greatest superstars of the World Wrestling
Federation, Fox, Donahue, Jackson's When No One Would Listen, Michelle Lee's
second Stream TV Diva plays a battered wife who decides to fight back a child
lost forever overkilled. Great television moments when we watched more than forty years of
tele memories introduced by stars from New York's Museum of Television and Radio on ABC.
So there you have it. And that's compared to a seven point seven
rating those numbers I listed off there for the February SNME it was eight point
two, and for the final SNME on NBC it was a seven point seven.
So Fox must have been really happy to outdraw the last NBC Saturday Nights
made event in terms of rating well, and they weren't happy enough, hope,
because their second one fell way below it. So that was that heading
in. Obviously, the Ultimate Warriors situation in future is very much up in
the air. Sure we didn't know this watching at the time, No,
not at all. But did you, like you said, you don't even
remember that sort of PostScript where they say someone's out of the Survivor series.
Nope, Nope, I don't remember that at all. I remember, you
know, it's always so funny. So there were I had a couple friends
who were into wrestling, and they would kind of, you know, they
were allowed to stay up later than I was, and so they would give
me updates and stuff that happened on primetime wrestling, and there was something like
they would always make the this like the same thing that happened the following you
with mister Perfect. They would say, like the Ultimate Warrior decided to go
to let mister Perfect take his place. I see, you know, like
it was like the Warrior stepped aside or to let this happen. And so
I always believe decided they would. They said in ninety three that mister Perfect
stepped aside so Savage could take part in the in the Survivors series and therefore
attack Crush if you needed to, you know, and that, and it's
like the idea then was like that they were okay, so they're just they're
being kind to their friend, but we'll see them back on TV shortly.
That's how I would perceive it. So I thought Warrior was just stepping aside
because something happened between mister Perfect and Rick Flair amazing and that Warrior would be
back in no time. Well, it wasn't to be. Here's what the
fans were being asked to accept as it regards Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage in
the same promo screen frame leading into the show, before it was clear that
there was sufficient trouble in Paradise between WWF Andel but Warrior that he'd be shown
the door quite soon. Here's a taste of the kind of wacky promos that
uh Jimmy Helwig and Rady Savage managed to cut before it was ended. So
prematurely, take your guard, Lock Prizer Old in HBr Rick Fire say,
across the back of this much a man, and across the face of this
one the Ultimate Warrior. It's the bondage of the Ultimate Maniacs. No sleep,
no bird, just maniacism has a skeleton. We still walk as Ultimate
maniacs. Therefore, what are you going to do? Buryus now? The
fuck is going on? Really doesn't matter. You guys don't really know us
like you think that you do. Riding on the edge of the Lightning bolt
year, we are when you are the Ultimate Maniacs and we are Ultimate Survivors.
We're not planning a year. Welcome to the big time, because we're
already here and we going nowhere to get Dick what I'm saying? Who yeah,
what listen again? Take your god look crazier remote in nature, borro
Rick fair for what you see across the back of this much a man across
the face of this one? What does he do? Ultimate warriors, the
ultimate maniacs, No sleep, no f just maniacism. This sounds like Homer
still and we still walk as ultimate maniacs. Therefore, what are you going
to do? That's the question. What are we going to do? No
sleep, no fish, no fish, no sustenans. What are you going
to do? And now he's totally off the reservation. I mean totally if
there was a reservation. So what happened here, Well, it was already
sort of telegraphed in that excerpt from Brett Hart's book. But here's Vince McMahon
on the WW produced documentary from twenty fourteen when Warrior came back into the good
graces and yes, ducked it into the Hall of Fame and then dropped dead.
They did release this looking back things that you know, just the individuals
of a certain nature are of a very peculiar reality, right right exactly.
That's not said enough, and for good reason perhaps. But here's a quote
that Vince contributed back when he would, you know, speak on camera on
these w W documentaries about what really happened in nineteen eighty two with the Warrior.
Warrior has always been very, very honest to a fault. He and
Davey Boyce Smith were experimenting with something that really no one knew anything about,
and it was calling growth hormone. It wasn't anything where he really broke the
rules because no one knew anything about growth hormone, you know, But it
was something in which, hey, look this is not right. He was
offended by whatever action it was I took at the time. It caused a
rift between us and so and so that Jim as he was known at the
time, would would miss some dates because he felt like, hey, wait
a minute, that's the only leverage I have right now, Vince will wake
up, you know, and realize he was wrong and will settle this.
And it didn't work out that way. It worked out by a suspension.
Two. I just got a phone call or a letter, I think a
phone call or a letter, maybe both saying not to come back because of
this and this and this, this and this and this. Jeez, yeah,
this and this and this. Now that's kind of a capitulation there from
Vince, because you know, in the Self Destruction DVD it's hardly touched on.
Vince just simply says there was a violation of the drug policy and they
move on. He doesn't get into all this about how no one knew what
growth hormone was and almost like it, you know, he there is sort
of throwing Jim Helwig a bone and saying like, it wasn't technically a violation
because you know, we didn't know to make it against the rules to take
growth hormone because it not as much was note about that as the anabolic steroids
that the federal government was putting on the same you know, tier as illegal
drugs to possess. We talked about this endlessly during the trial of his life,
of course, and so you know, growth hormone was something that you
could take and remain something you can take without the anabolic effects of the traditional
bodybuilding steroids, but it can get your size back up if in the past,
particularly in the past, you've taken anabolic steroids to gain unnatural size,
and it can kind of get those gains back for you. I'm not so
sure it can create gains in and of itself. My interest in this gets
a little limited at this point. Might about create gains, but I have
been told he creates gains. Yeah, creates trips to the hospital is what
it does. And as you know, it is now pretty much seen in
the same category as the traditional bodybuilding steroids that the government came after in the
late eighties and early nineties in terms of you know, it's kind of considered
bullshit. If you use a lot of a growth it's called for short,
but it doesn't come up in terms of detection the same way. And it's
always been said that no matter how sophisticated, for example, the Olympic drug
testing program is, which is supposed to be the most sophisticated in the world,
of course, they still can't really detect growth hormone. And the evidence
for that is the fact that no one ever fails for it, and so
the lack of evidence is evidence apparently on that front. But this is kind
of cutting ed shit. This is the kind of thing you'd turn to if
all of a sudden ww put a piece of paper in front of you that
said, you can't take wind Stroll, you can't take annavar, you can't
take all the drugs we talked about. Okay, well get me something that
isn't on this list that produces the same effect. Roughly, but I think
growth hormone is the one that makes your head like extra big. You know,
everyone stuck about Barry Bonds his head size, remember that, and so
many others got these huge fucking dome pieces as they got older. It's like,
what happened this guy's head? Why is it so bitch? Just explode
up with crany exactly? The head gets wider, to be clear, not
taller, but wider right right, what the fuck? And you get this
huge jaw was pronounced. I remember, I remember you even remember seeing Scott
Hall at the first Star cast and just like really you're looking at it,
fucking how giant his head is? Wow? I didn't remember. This was
like what the fuck? Like, it's just massive. That'll do it,
man, that'll do it. So again, you know, they kind of
got back together. And that's Evins's statement on it now, not so much
drying that line. If you feel drug task because you're an idiot kind of
right, right, and now warrior, you know, kind of Olive branchy
too in his comments. But in one of the first sit down, long
form shoot interviews that he had done that that's on the internet, he kind
of sung a little bit of a different story in terms of, you know,
the degree to which he was willing to finger point about his nineteen ninety
two departure and whether he felt that the punishment fit the supposed crime. Okay,
you were scheduled to work the Survivis series pay per view in nineteen ninety
two and you left the company pretty abruptly. What happened that led to your
departure, Well, Ben started concocting stuff up to save his own butt when
it came to the steroid thing. You know, I kept put I put
pressure on him to follow through on the things he agreed with, for me
to go out and do stuff outside the business so he could go ahead and
start grooming the fans to accept the entertainment of the littleer guys. And then
they, you know, the government started applying the heat when it came to
the steroid thing. So he needed some scapegoats and he used me and Davy
boy, what he did? What did he do? Well? He started
making it look like the drug test we were taking our levels were high and
stuff. But the and turned that into a reason why he needed to get
rid of us, Jim, so he wouldn't have to deal with it.
And if he did it that way, then he had the upper hand as
far as controlling us outside of our wrestling, outside of our contracts at WW.
In other words, if he if he terminated the contract and made it
look like we did something wrong, then we didn't have any powers even outside
the WW, that we didn't own who we were, that we couldn't go
wrestle for other people and stuff. And uh, I mean even the doctor
is on the record pres qually at the time saying that our levels were not
uncle pat indicative that we were using steroids or doing drugs at the time and
stuff. But that didn't matter to Vince. Vince was going to do what
he wanted to do at the time. He made up his own stories.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, well I do it, make it win it
every every week? We do tell stories, right, yeah? If you
expected to tell stories, uh, you know, professionally, Why can I
tell stories from an HRC, We're a weekly storytelling medium. Why wouldn't that
be a natural extent or HR practices? Why are you complaining? The second
you fault me for telling stories is the second you fault me for my success,
and the second you fault me for telling stories a second you fault me
for for making them a living, for being lost. Second, there may
be knocks on the door. Real for being humanity, right, for being
humanity exactly. I'm glad you landed on it. Finally, so his the
whole thing. Yeah, the zip A Squally guy, remember marrow deepisqually from
the true I do I do? The expert they hired to run their drug
testing program and make sure the guys weren't cheating, when really he wrote the
book on how to cheat. I mean, that's kind of a flippant way
of saying it. But the guy was not anti steroid, let's put it
that way. Yeah, if you could do columns and bodybuilding magazines about he
got that right. Canadian doctor they hired, and he would make himself available
to the media and explain every you know, to try to make it seem
like WBF was really on their front foot about stamping out steroids. In their
locker room because they knew the Feds were coming. Great stuff, great time
would be alive. Oh yeah. But of course they manufactured a story because
they needed a scapegoat. You know, no one's ever been scapegoated more in
his life than Jim Halwig. I mean, the guy's got the scapegoating championship
of the world. But that's the story he was telling before they kissed.
He made up, is my point. He's the he's the goat at scapegoating.
My favorite thing in the world is finding out what they said before they
made up with WWF. Yeah, sure, my favorite. Well, there's
much more honesty there, oh always, you know, and they're all pissy
about it, and they're all pissed off about the fact that Vince big league
they're sorry ass and and expose them as the you know, clueless carnies they
almost always are. So you have this, you have this dynamic where you
know they're they're they're feeling the pressure and warriors trying to find work arounds.
You notice he said in there that we weren't taking steroids. I'm sure he
would. I'm sure his equivocation there is that, you know, growth hormone
is necessarily classed as a steroid at that point. No, of course not,
so you get that around. So you know, Hogan wasn't I don't.
I don't take steroids in our cineo hall. In other words, I
quit two hours ago. I mean I didn't take him this morning, agains
later. I've quit smoking until I have another cigarette. Yes, I quit
smoking today, but I'll be smoking tonight. I don't know what his point
is about, how like, somehow if they could demonstrate he failed the drug
test that he couldn't use his intellectual property. I don't know what that is.
Maybe we'll get to it. I think I think piece of paper that
might help in that regard. What's it? You know, I don't think
there's much intellectual property right with the Ultimate Warrior. He was obsessed Why I
changed his legal name to Warrior because he was obsessed with being able to use
the Warrior character I career. In other words, the only reason anyone cares
about me, right right exactly? That's that's that's kind of the secret there
is that you don't matter otherwise, that's right. That that exposes it when
you fight that hard and go to that extreme, like Warrior loved a lawsuit
man. He loved to be litigious, and thanks to that we have so
much great juicy, behind the scenes detail and memo, so many things filed
in court as exhibits, like memos between him and Linda. We know he
called Linda mom like it's great. All the legendary memo he wrote firing Warrior
after SummerSlam ninety one when held him up for money the last minute. That
is, Vince, just tremendous stuff. And there's a lot more we're about
to convey to you. Is you better fucking buckle in, because just when
you think it's safe to sleep on an episode, just when you think it's
no we happen to touch on some of the most like consequential stuff that ever
happened during the Golden Era. So this is the most recent treatment from WWN
Warrior. They you know, post mortem, of course post posthumously, I
should say, they did an A and E biography. You know they're doing
all these biographies these days. Yes, and they did one on Warrior.
And here's how they treated it. Here with a gentleman who's identified as Warrior's
biographer. I'm still waiting for that book to come out, but here he
talks about all that went down now now that we're permissioned to come closer to
telling the truth about this whole. Yes, Helwig did fail tests and also
admitted to it, to taking steroids, but I think it was more than
anything in his end. And if I don't have this, I'll never be
the same guy. Every time he takes a drug test, he has to
list the kinds of medications that he's taking already, And at the beginning of
this process in May, he writes motrin pretty simple. The next test it's
tail and all with codine in a nasal spray. By the time we get
to late October, he's taking multiple medicines for anxiety, for depression, for
insomnia. Damn, you're getting dark for Jim Elwig. In the documentary they
show screenshots of documents. For some May you had to like write down,
like what are you taking? So when we detect it in your sample,
it's not it doesn't give us a red flag. We know you had it
in your system, and it's okay in the beginning, like mentioned in May,
and I just picture him going through this like cycle that you go through
in your Bodybuilder, where you've talked so much about it where if you can't
take your ship, just keep your size up. You start to think you're
a useless human being, you can get suicidal. Well, I definitely,
I definitely do not say to anybody that they are worthless. If they don't.
Oh, I would never say that to someone's face. Never to someone's
face, that's right. I would never would write it to someone's face.
So here we are, and uh yeah, he's going down the spiral by
the way, just to throw out thailand al with codeine Like that's a nothing.
That was a huge thing that our pal Bill done, was was dealing
in mmm, you know, and this big cocktail of things that so working
the doctor's the horian was working with a connect on procuring for the purpose of
selling the steroid abusers tailand all three was very much among them. Okay,
this is like the kind of fucking tail and all you need when you're destroying
your body on the weight set period and fucking racking your joints in don't I'm
not aware of what you're referring, of course, what so I don't consider
that just like a normal hood thing necessarily, who know what's normal. Virginia
State Police raided Bill on August twenty second rated as a horion. Actually it
is when they taped it and they got fifty fials of testosterone scipion, eight
thirty winstrel tablets, one hundred valiuet tables. I missed that one. In
sixty to seventy Thailand all codines, I missed that one. I wasn't doing
privy tone, the situational situational nasal stray. But come July of ninety two,
warriors taking a drug by the name of boost par which is a medication
used magerat anxiety disorders. So he is going through it. Man, come
the summertime, it is not a good time to be Jim Halwig. He's
taking vican in, he's taking percocets, he's taking taking soma valium placidal is.
I'll tell you what he's taken. He's taken so much, Oh my
god. Come October. According to those screenshots I mentioned in the documentary,
he's taking placidels, which we know those from the dmentable tragedy of World Class.
That was some of the Von Eric's drug of choice in their contemporaries.
That you stayed fucked up on that shite. He's stayed fucked up on that
shit, so that he's writing down and disclosing that he's taking this stuff in
forms he's filing with WWF. No wonder he's getting so pissy about the drug
testing. It's painting a picture of his fucking psychological tail spin and his increasing
chemical dependency. And you rendered, I think they rather artistically included that aforementioned
scene where he's doing that slam jem in studio recording session and looks like he
doesn't even know where he is. The look in his eyes couldn't be more
distant. He's mostly worried about recording audio, so he's not, as i'd
imagine, as mindful of how his eyes look right in this eventure, in
this exact moment, and he looks like he's gone. So I'm sorry,
man, it's it's going well for the Ultimate Warrior at all. And it's
all consistent with what happens when you take steroids away from a steroid hound.
You know, just your whole life starts to fall apart, because it's your
whole idea of self worth is built on looking fucking jacked all the time.
What a miserable existence. I just thought it was kind of a powerful thing
that we've learned about what Warrior was going through in ninety two. It wasn't
just him playing the usual litigious games, you know, it was also him
suffering from having to get off the shit. But for Sean Michaels, the
door of opportunity is again swinging wide open, and it's his good fortune that's
very much tied to the aforementioned misfortunes of the Ultimate Warrior. Because it's said
several times now it wasn't just Ultimate Warrior that was cut up in this this
crack down. It was Davey boy Smith as well. We turned to Sean
Michael's book. I had now been here long enough to realize that the really
good workers like Santana, Savage, Hending Steam got to be intercontinental champions,
and I set a goal of winning the IC title. Sure I dreamed of
becoming the World Wrestling Federation champion, but sixty one, two hundred and fifteen
pound guys like me with very little marketing savvy didn't win that title. This
was a big man business, and I definitely wasn't a big man. I
was a bumping heel that could make a baby face look great. I wasn't
the marketing guy who was going to sell out arenas. So the icy title
was the spot I was looking for, figuring that would define me as a
great worker and a success. I reached that goal on October twenty seventh,
nineteen ninety two, and Tahut, Indiana, when I beat Davy Boy Smith.
I didn't know I was going to win ahead of time. I just
walked in the building and Davy Boy came up to me and told me I
was going over. I was very excited to hear the news, but I
didn't fall it takes I know. I didn't want to show how I really
felt because I didn't want to look like a Mark pat Patterson had a little
talk with me, and oh my god. After I spoke with the Davy
Boy, he was always supportive and told me how I was different, that
I was a heel who never never got back to me. What he meant
by that, Yeah, you're different, av all to heel, I have
a scene, you are different, different, you had a different and I
was a heel who liked to bump for people, and that I would do
well with a belt. Davy and I ended up having a decent match for
the finish. We had it is a good match. Actually, yeah,
it's pretty good. Oh yeah, they sell the finish very well. For
the finish, we had him fall in a superplex attempt and I landed on
top of him and got the one, two three. I'd only have been
wrestling we had him do this? What is that collaborative effort? Idiot?
I had only been wrestling singles for about nine months, and I had a
real sense of a company accomplishment. Shortly after I won the belt, I
was wrestling at a TV taping at Kurt Hennick, who was announcing at the
time, called me the heartbreak kid. Yeah, isn't I listened closely.
I don't think they were calling him that yet, not yet. After the
show, he told me about it and thought it would be a cool nickname
for me. I wasn't so sure. I definitely liked it better than the
boy toy, but I didn't see myself as some tough guy. I was
worried how that name would go with a young, smaller guy. I was
afraid it might makee me look like a woosy. I started to throw it
into promos and it took life of its own. A woosie. He's worried
about a whoosy. So, yeah, Sean, I'm worried about Whissi's as
well. Already think Sean was ready for the icy strap back then? Uh
did it feel right? I mean ready, yes, totally did, totally
did. But what I didn't want it? I didn't want him to do
that because I didn't like him. But right, yeah, when the time
came for sure, he was ready. Wow. And this that time period
after he had accidentally smashed the mirror over Sherry's head. Yes, she was
shelved. So she's singing his theme song here on the Saturday Night's Made Event
broadcast. She's not there. He does it all by himself. That's right.
We turned out of Stephen Bell's book on Dynamite Kidden British Bulldog for the
bulldog perspective. You could say the closest we have I think to this point
in time. Sure, he writes dutifully. Davy allowed Sean to pin him
following a purposely mistimed superplex attempt at the taping of Saturday Nights Made Event on
October twenty seventh. The mattress heired on November fourteenth, and Davy was subsequently
called into Vince's office. And to his astonishment fired on the spot. Growth
hormone had been abused by Olympic at sheets as a substitute when testing for steroids
had started, and wrestlers had now discovered this loophole while or the whilse they
had been in England that summer. So apparently this goes back to the summer
Slam and associated shows. The Ultimate Yes, the Ultimate Warrior had asked Davy
if he knew anyone who could get him some. Davy had pointed him in
the direction of a gym manager. Liking the product and price on offer,
Warrior proceeded to have large shipments sent over to him in the States. When
one of these was confiscated by customs, the Drug Enforcement Agency got involved and
tied it to Vince in the WWF, who were still under investigation. Vince
had to be seen to act fast and mercilessly. He had fired Warrior immediately,
who sang like a canary and implicated Davy. After the recent positive test
and suspension too, Vince had no choice and fired Davy with a heavy heart.
He liked Davy and saw him as one of his next generation of headliners
and told him the door would be open once the heat of the oncoming investigation
had gone away. Davy had fallen so fast Vince's office and to his stile
fired on this. Okay, sorry, Davy had fallen so fast. That's
the conclusion. So what did we get? We got a truncated Davy boy
icy titled run Yes, where he didn't really get to have any real feuds
of consequence. I mean, really it was the Rebel nine one right,
Well, that was that happened before he was champion too, write it kind
of set in motion before that. Do you remember, as much as you
know, Sean, you don't want to running the belt. Do you remember
feeling really underwhelmed by that magical moment Davy had in Wembley and then it went
nowhere? No? I don't think so. Now. I remember being very
alarmed that Davy was no longer champ and not being able to appreciate when even
lost it, or like what was the build? Was it a big show?
Like? Yeah, I guess maybe I don't know. I don't I
didn't feel I didn't feel that. I don't remember. I mean I think
I was shocked. I was. I think I was just more or less
shocked because of how I found out about it, right, it was a
weird thing, like I didn't have because I did because I didn't witness the
actual thing live, you know, Like I knew he was losing. I
knew he was losing before the show, before satur Night's main event, and
so I it was a very weird thing. Like I kind of was numb
about it in a way, yeah, because it wasn't a surprise to me
anymore because it had been spoiled by going to that house show. Yeah,
that's a unique perspective that you have there, because yeah, yeah, I
remember not really sinking in until years later. I got a copy of the
Almanac that Pro Wrestling Illustrated used to publish once a year. Yes, and
when you flip through the title history section, in the intercondinal title section,
they had a black and white picture of Sean putting the adominal stretch on Davy
Boy in this match, saying this is where Davey lost the championship. And
it finally crystallized to me. I was like, oh, yeah, that
is the moment of transition in there. Davy did disappear in ninety two.
I knew nothing about the growth hormone story or any of that shit. But
I also couldn't for the life you remember when he actually dropped the belt that
everybody remembered him winning at SummerSlam, And here it is. But what do
we lose? Well, we lost great promos like this for months more to
come. Here's British Bulldog in the short time he had the icy strap over
his shoulder on television talking about his upcoming opponent, the Repo Man. Everybody
wants a shot at the British Bulldog because everybody wants the Intercontinental Belt. Well,
it looks like the big boys a gun in for the British Bulldog.
That's you, Kamala six foot five, three hundred and eighty pounds, plot
with your manager, Harvey Wimpleman and mister Kimchi in your corn. Harvey,
Well, let me tell you something, mister Wimpleman. It takes more than
you two guys and Kamala with his spear that might take British Bulldog out.
Because you see, Kamala, when I step in the ring with you,
I'm not coming to wrestle Kamala. I'm coming to fight you and beat you
one, two three and walk out with my belt. What do you like
about that one and the bike, I mean the bite of the bulldog like
Kamala. He was doing that on purpose, but he didn't realize he was
supposed to do it on purpose. Such a fucking idiot. He's just reading
it. Stupid, He's so stupid. They wanted him to emphasize it,
like you know, wimpleman, but he just says that that's his name,
and at the end you just end up thinking, this guy doesn't know this
guy's name exactly. And apologies, it wasn't a Ripoman promo. That was
obviously a Kamala promo for House show. But that's uh, I don't know.
That's what Intercontinental Champ. Davey sounded like with the red light on,
So yes, I guess it's better than the red lights on the camera than
flashing in his pupils. It's it's yeah, it's it's not okay, Well
it's Davy. It's not okay, it's Davy. It's a tough time in
his life, that it is. We need some truth. I think there's
only let me tell you, there's only one truth. I know you said
it to me. I had already prepared sure, all right, So I
got a matte here. Should I look over it? Under it? I
think I think it's best that we go under the matt. What is it?
The fucking is from this book in in years and we've read it three
times, totally arbitrary, pulled from the random Hopper, told from the random
Hopper, There's no fucking beautiful thing, Chapter twenty six, My wrestling career.
At the ww SummerSlam nineteen ninety two, Davey was wrestling Brett for the
Intercontinental Championship belt. All eighty thousand seats at Wembley Stadium and in London were
sold out to hours after the event was announced. Officials at British Telecom sent
out press releases stating that at one point twenty five thousand people simultaneously dialed the
credit card ticket number. Well what exactly what the credit card ticket number they
dialed it? I guess well the speed huh speed you say speed? You
did die? The speed of the sellout broke records previously held by Michael Jackson,
Eric Clapton, Elton John and Madonna. I remember what records are we
talking about? Though? Is what I'm curious for? Forty five on the
sidewalk, Yeah, exactly. I remember being escorted by Vince McMahon's son Shane
from the Royal Box at Wembley Stadium to the field. I thought she had
the Royal box. That's a different Diana, Oh sorry, and being put
right at ringside. The angle of the match was that my brother and husband
were at odds and it was tearing the family apart. The We did televise
interviews all of July with our whole family. They liked mine in particular,
and I was front and center for the cameras at the match. I was
so excited and felt like this was a real big step for me. I
was not going to let anyone down. I was also a nervous wreck,
and my nervousness made it that much more convincing. A London Daily Mirror article
dated August thirty first quoted me at ringside saying, quote, I'm so worried
they're going to destroy each other. No one but Vince Breton Davey knew who
was going to win, and in a rare display of trust, Vince told
Breton Davey not to let him in on how they were going to end it.
He wanted to be genuinely surprised. It was an incredible match. My
dad, who was the world's greatest judge of good wrestling, brook laim a
man, and so he was impressed. I wouldn't change one eye ordea that
match. He said, that match shown on television around the world, was
a fantastic endorsement for wrestling, and that the endorsement for then the Chicken.
No, it's funny. He also didn't say that at all, you know,
it's funny. He also didn't even watch the match. The Daily Mirror
article described it this way, quote his beautiful wife, I love that.
That's what they that one. Yeah, His beautiful wife watched helplessly and ashen
faced at ringside as the British Bulldog lay pinned to the canvas, painful defeat,
staring him in his sweat streaked face. Davy Boy had dreamed for so
long of wearing the gleaming golden belt of champions. He was at the mercy
of the opponent he had most dreaded to have to meet. The odds looked
hopeless. His dream was fading fast. Desperately, Davy Boy fought his way
free, turning the tables on his opponent in a lightning sequence of brilliant moves
and it was all over. The twenty nine year old Bulldog had pitted against
his brother in law WWE heart Throb Bret the Hitman Heart in a WWE heart
throb in a real needle match. Yeah, before the bell sounded, Huh,
who's good needle? Huh? Who can ah get a needle? Someone
say this one is rigged? Who's going rig Where am I? What's the
dow Oh Davis quasi moto. Oh, he's qua quasi mobile. Actually in
a real needle match. Tension gripped the family and and woman. Tension gripped
the family and woman torn between the giant pair Bulldog's wife and the Hitman's sister.
She sat close to tears at ringside. The Hitman nonchalantly whizzed the both
The Hitman nonchalantly whizzed on the Bulldog from one set of from one set of
twain. She stopped describing before the match, because after the match there's sour
and going, well, that's okay, we want to throw your waiter out
too. All seemed lost for the Bulldog when the heartless hit Man squatted on
his back in a classic Boston crab, wrenching his legs to force him into
submission. Did you find this article? Is there any fucking No? I
didn't, Oh god, I mean because I didn't need to know if this
was actual verbiage used in a supreme effort, Davy boy inched his way painfully
to the edge of the ring and forced his way free. Then, in
a stunning set of moves perfected by years of relentless training, he took the
boastful Brett by surprise, pinned him upside down shoulders to the mat. And
that was that. Yeah, that's years of relentless training. You fucking you
let the guy flip over your half fucking stoned head and then you just grab
his legs and fall to your knees. How many years and wrestling school did
that take? Did I win? Who won? Did Dynamite win? Oh?
I knew, I knew the moment was lost. I think he'll be
fine. Definitely a good long run I had with this guy. He sounds
like that, imagine that. Oh my gosh. They have a great picture
of him just like out on like on the floor in the anti biography.
Just saw he's such a fucking mess. I think I think we knew that
Davy wasn't wasn't really appreciating the moment immediately after thrilling eighty thousand fans and yes,
the nearest person he can did Dynamite win? That was a good one.
I wasn't gonna let that one go on. Remind Dynamite Wind Dynamo.
Did I in my home? Is it my home tone? It's take about
Yes, it is, yeah hom tone, home tone, home tone,
Lord of England, the Royal? Did I win the Royal Samova Trophy?
Again? What did I win the Royal? See again? Is that the
noise one? Ma fine, he's fine, he'll be fine. He's in
he's in peak condition. He's just how do you do that? I want
to piss myself? How do you do that? He's just getting fulse in
the kindly tell nobody's helping him. Because there's a match, here's a match
ring. There's this podcast for these two guys. They they see like what
happens? Just make noises? A podcast about making noises at each other.
That's what TLF is. Oh my god, Oh my god. As the
cheers echoed around the stadium, the Bulldogs snuck out his meaty Pawen friendship.
I don't need to have it spurned by his broken hearted brother in law.
But finally, the pad, the Pad, the pad embraced to the screams
of the crowd, a pad, Diana leaped into the ring and hugged them
A huge Union Jack Shawn michaels from on the middle of his b does he
have news for me? I got news for your Union Jack. A huge
Union Jack waved above the bulldog's head. Fireworks, short showers of stars into
the sky. Rule Britannia funded out of the speakers. Diana sobbed in Davy
Boy's arms. Vince was so happy with the way the match had gone.
He gave Davy a big hug. Davy was in a fog. Absolutely he
was, that's right. The excitement and adrenaline left his mind a blank.
I don't know if Davy was working me or not. He's but he said,
did I win? I hadn't even read ahead. I want you to
know, I didn't read a head. Why to that whole fucking big I
have written? I had not right ahead? I didn't win? Did I
win? So high? He is so high? I was hugging him and
checking him for injuries. You were wonderful, Davy, just wonderful. Well,
I can't remember what happened in the match. I really can't. How
did it look di? Did the fans lock it? Oh? Did the
fangs like it? What do you say? It like that? How about
this, Davy? It looked like you sound okay? The fans went home
delirious and I told him so some Davy. Ah. Yeah, he went
home delirious. And then they had the one for the one two three,
right, he went home delirious. I saw it in the ring. They
could have watched bretton Davy Russell for another hour. I saw. I saw
Brett the next morning at breakfast at London's Ramada Hotel coffee. All right,
fucking guys, set the funk down, all right, Jesus. I sat
down with him for a moment. You're really hitting me. I cover up
one part, I cover up a vital organ, and you hit me in
the exposed one. You're bringing my hands up to go to the gut.
Are you doing today? Brett? He forced the right grin. I feel
like a hip hop truck. How's Davy? He's about the same. I
told him, Brett like my dad as a man a few words, unless
he's angry. This whole thing between bretton Davey was a strong angle. They
were set to mix it up again at WrestleMania in the spring. Really,
I've never heard that one. Brett thinks he's gonna be a Ultimate Warrior exactly.
But Brett never got the return match instead, he got the w W
World Championship Belt instead, and Davy was let go. While in England,
the Ultimate Warrior asked Davy for the name of a steroid dealer. Davy poked
around, got a niece, So, Daisy boy Smith, can you get
me a steroid to well? We try to be a little more conspicuous about
it, Jim, I mean Jesus Christ, I'll tell you what. I'll
poke around for you. Think he doesn't know what. I'll find one for
you, Jim go he's six holla seven. He's in crisis. It doesn't
take much, doesn't boss. He can't lave I'll fight one for you.
He goes from, I don't know anyone here. I'll try to find somebody
within seconds. So fucked up, so fum all the time. He's such
a mess. He's like on the verge of just completely falling apart. David
poked around and got a name and a number for him. And that was
that the Aliphant Warrior made the contact and started getting steroids into his house in
Arizona. He was receiving deliveries after of course, it's stuck out like a
big word. Exeter questions and the confiscated the steroids. They're not steroids,
Diane, I get with it. Meanwhile, Vince was under grand jury investigation.
They were trying to close him down, claiming he was basing his business
on wrestlers who were using illegal drugs and that he was providing those drugs.
Then said that if they were going to close him down, they have to
close down every professional sports industry. It was a real witch hunt. He
was working hard on cleaning up his wrestlers. He had them tested weekly and
randomly. If their drug levels were dropping, that was acceptable. That's right.
That's a big one. All right. Well, listen, you know
what last week you you had quite a bit. You've gone down. You
still got drugs in you, but you've gone down, so we'll accept it.
Yeah, oh pal, it looks like you've gone up. Well accept
well, you know what, you've gone up a little bit. So tell
you what, let me let me, I don't mind, you know what,
tell you what, You're usually on a very good regiment. So what
I'm just gonna let this one slide. All right, We'll slide, and
then we'll get back to it. See what happens. All right, sounds
good, But if their levels were up or elevated, or TC eight showed
up in their urine, they were either fined, suspended, or fired.
The tests were costing Vince a fortune, but he was determined to prove he
was serious about running a drug free federation. Vince's medical technicians actually got down
on their knees to watch the wrestlers urinate into the receptacle that was their mouth.
Otherwise, some of the wrestlers would cheat. They'd have a vizine bottle
full of someone else's drug free urine tucked under their testicles. Instead of urine
coming out of their penis, it was coming out of the eye drop's bottle.
Sometimes they'd squeeze a bit of vising into the sample to ruin it.
Jim knighttheart's would say, Jim Knightheart's favorite cheat was claiming it was claiming he
had diarrhea so bad he couldn't take the test. Oh my god, that'retting
get out of it. Wait, here's another way. If he were made
to anyway, he'd make sure fecal matter landed on his sample. I'm very
glad to have that detail. I felt that one. I tell you,
old Dad on that one, pops making sure. Yeah, a bit of
ship fling, drizzling some of that fucking ship into his floating Oh god,
I mean in all directions. Most most people's ship goes down. His goes
left to right. His his makes a fucking circle motion. What fucking spring
carpet. It's it's like it's like like a fucking you know, a sprinkle.
Can you picture his face red on the bowl as he ship forces out
of time ship that fucking you know that, that giant face of his,
but it's all squinched up. He's beat red, pushing out red. He's
pushing so hard. He's pushed so hard. He said, he's pushing so
hard. Uh uh. Davy failed his test at the beginning of nineteen ninety
two. They detected ecstasy. Wow, that's a new one, or mb
A. Missie. Vince was concerned and warrened Davy. You know, if
you take that stuff, you'll kill yourself. That is something people making bathtubs
in their garages. I know because I've taken it and I've made it right
right. Davy was given six weeks off to clean up. Is that why
he didn't wrestle with the Berserker Wrestling? It's a great call, I think
it was. That would make sense to me. Call the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Confronted Vince about the Ultimate Warriors steroid deliveries, Mister mc manner, you're
aware of any steroid deliveries going to the Ultimate Warrior? I don't know if
that is. I'm not aware of I'm I'm not aware of an Ultimate Warrior,
Final Warrior of all time addressed. I don't. I don't know,
so I don't. I don't communicate with him unless he's at the arena,
so I don't know what he does. And is a free time? Am
I responsible for his free time? I mean, listen, if for anyone's
free time, it should be my own. Oh yeah, that's good,
that's coming, Vince. Don't you worry. I have responsibilities in my free
time, and i'm you know, my free time is responsible for me,
But I'm not responsible for the Old Warriors. Sometimes, I mean, where
are you at with your free time? Fucking you know, poking around furniture.
How about we let's let's talk Turkey. What we're talking? Turkey?
Dude? What? Who? What? It's ahead? Turkey? Vincen any
in all knowledge and fired Warrior immediately. I deny these things, and then
I knowledge, and I fire you for it. I didn't, I knowledge,
and I fire you for it. Warrior assured the FEDS that Vince had
nothing to do with his ten thousand dollars per week steroid. Then he rated
Davy out. On the advice of his legal team. Vince had Davy's job
with the we terminated privately. Vince assured Davy he would bring him back when
the heat cooled down. I was just sick about it. I could not
believe this, Vince. How could you do this to Davy? How could
you let him go? Davy vehemently denied, giving Warrior the phone number.
I had no doubt he was telling me the truth. But after months of
going over it again and again with Davy, how did Ultimate Warrior get the
steroids? He finally broke down and admitted it. Well, I introduced him
to the guy. Bod didn't know he was selling steroids, right, he
confessed. Then a few months later, he said, well, okay,
I knew the guy had steroids, but I figured since I wasn't the one
using them, what did it have to do with me? Exactly? You
know, I just took the crack from him. Why didn't you steroids?
Monster? I'm not a monster, I'm a hometown duh. It was such
a shame because Davy may have become the world champion. Instead they let him
go and ended up putting the belt on Brett. Wow. So she's saying
that Davy boy could have I mean, anyone could have. I could have
been champing. Yes, that's what she's saying. Yeah, they could have
put the belt on me that you know. It's it's a nice one to
slip it in there. He may have become world champion. Vince had Davy
losey is a continental title to Shawn Michaels, the Heartbreak Kid, and a
week later Brett won the world belt. No, but okay, get that
backwards. But okay. He wrestled Rick with a k flair in Saskatoon and
Vince flew my dad out for it. Davy was there and he was happy
for Brett. He really felt Brett deserve the win. Yep, We had
a long battle with the WWE, fighting over the rights to the British Bulldog
name. Davy couldn't go anywhere else to wrestle because Vince owned it. It
was in their contract. Vince had the rights, including merchandising. After Davy
stopped working for him for two years. After Davy was let go, Vince,
not Davy, made a small fortune on British Bulldog, betting, wallpaper,
Teddy Bears, videos, Super Nintendo games, running shoes, coffee cups,
action figures, night clothes, boxer shorts, watches, playing cards,
TV trays, birthday cards, lunch boxes, scarves, Halloween masks, calculators,
T shirts, hats, ice cream bars, foam hands, wall clocks,
poster, an asshole poster, poster, singular windbreakers, umbrellas, erasers,
paper dolls, slippers, pins, badges, and backpacks. I can
tell you that maybe one of those things happened. Actually figure, I know
for a fact he did not make it into any Superintendo Halloween mask either.
No Halloween masks, no running shoes, no coffee cups, no night clothes,
maybe a T shirt, wallpaper, no betting, no videos, maybe
one or two calculators, no ice cream bars. Yes, yeah, that
is foam hands. No, never, no foam hands for the bulldog wall
clocks absolutely not poster maybe, but I don't think they usually made money off
the posters. I doubt it. Erasers, Yes, I definitely had a
British Bulldog eraser. Yeah, E raised them for my memory, Like,
what a fucking bunch of bullshit that It was a long cost illegal battle and
it caused a lot of animosity between Vince and dv So Yeah, Diana definitely
an interested observer as Davy Boy gets a shit canned from. I think she's
got the truth matter. I don't care what anyone else says. For various
shipments and shipments shipments, yes, shit shipments BA, various shit talks.
And when I think about the idea of importing gear from England, I'm like,
where does that ring a bell from other than this Davey Boy Ultimate Warrior
nineteen eighty two story. Then I thought back to Trial of his Life and
goddamn it was Terry Sepinski, the warlorder himself, not on the stand.
What did he say talking about yes, the following m who is your first
source of steroids at that time? I got mine from overseas what was the
person's name. I don't remember his name anymore. He's in jail now for
it. I don't know. He didn't have a name. Had to meet
that person. I met him through through when we were in Europe with the
WWF. So there it is. That's what I was thinking. He didn't
have a name. He didn't. He wasn't really a person. He was
a robot with the consciousness of a of a drug dealer. Who introduced you?
He came to the show's over there? Another wrestler introduced you to him.
No, not another wrestler, my mom did. Who introduced you to
him? He just came and I met him through a gym over there is
that legit. That's a fucking quote. That's a quote. Oh my god,
you he didn't. What do you want? What do you want from
me? Best thing to sell? Truth? Sy? I want the truth?
Please. That's what he said of the Vice Steroid episode, The best
thing ever Douce sell truth? Okay, fuck Christ? How about five hundred
dollars for fifth five minutes? War lord brother? Do I have to wait
for you to to come back at the end. I don't want to cost
you thirty dollars in autographs. I'll give you. I'll give you more for
autographs. You're going to get in in an in two hours for five minutes
of your time. How about that, right, idiot, nice guy?
Where did you make arangements like a goofball? And did you make arrangements through
that man the ship steer roids back to the United States for you? Yes?
I did. Let's go fast forward to November ninety two. Who else
is missing from the roster by this time? Warlord? That's correct, You
can't really have Do you remember when he left? I don't remember. Uh.
I'd say he left somewhere early to mid ninety two. I think his
last pay per view appearance was the Rumble. I don't think he was at
WrestleMania, right, But I just kind of got billboard for the problem.
Oh he is the billboard for the problem. Fucking balloon muscles is what he
has. And they get to the point in the testimony speaking of November ninety
two, right where we are this week? Hey, Terry Sipensky, were
you arrested in November of nineteen ninety two? Yes, I was, No,
the Warlord was, but Terry Spenske was not. Where we arrested at
Egan, Minnesota. And and that was when you were no longer with WWF.
Yes. And when did mister McMahon tell you to stop using steroids?
Did you? Yes? I did at that time for a period of time.
Let me repeat this, And when mister McMahon told you to stop using
steroids did you? Yes? I did at that time for a period of
time. I stopped using steroids for ten minutes after Prince McMahon told me to
stop. I had. There was a period of time where I was not
on steroids. There's a period of time where I can tell you I was
not putting steroids into my body when you left THEBF, did you go back
on steroids about three months after? Yes, he did, and then you
arrested? Yes, I was. And what was the disposition of the charges?
I have a year and a half probation? What were the charges?
Having a controlled substance? So if we're talking about having having controlled substances is
what happened. I was controlling substances and I had them, and that's how
it all worked out. That's a crime his prior life, having controlled physicality
not a crime, but looked upon with even more scorn by the general public.
It's exactly right. You'd be better off just having fucking done the drugs.
You know, you have more street cred if you just fucking done the
drugs. But the fact that you were a wrestler makes you a complete idiot.
So tremendous stuff. And when we're talking about holding controlled substances, that's
what did Warrior in has mentioned already in a few different snippets, there was
an interception of a package headed to Warrior from Great Britain. It was it
was designed and gussied up, so to speak, taped together to look like
a shipment of toys. Oh my not. And I guess you could say
there were toys in there, for sure. I guess though for sure,
I'll tell you what. There might not have been toys, but there was
definitely candy, which you can get at toy stores. Uh. And so
they're doing the intense drug testing program, and you heard make reference to levels
and levels. You know, all these guys were fucking had stuff in their
system. You know, if you tell someone to stop cult turky on steroids,
it's not like the next day they're they're gonna piss clean. So they
developed the system instead of suspending everybody day one, which is ridiculous. You
sort of like take that first test as a level set, and as long
as you can show that the levels of the metabolites that are produced when you
take steroids are going down, down, down, down down every time we
decide to test you on a random base, then we'll believe you and not
penalize you for having banned substances in your system. Now, Warrior didn't love
this, as you can imagine, Warrior doesn't love much if it if it
affects Warriors like routine or things that he wants to do. He's not a
fan, absolutely, all right, absolutely, And David Bixon' span has done
a lot of great work on this. He's pulled a lot of records as
it regards all of Ultimate Warrior's lawsuits through the years, and done a lot
of great long thing pieces on it. And one of the things he ascertained
was that when Warrior returned at WrestleMania eight, he three days earlier signed a
new contract that increased his royalty rate on merchandise beyond the standard amount of paid
to WWF Talent. And on that same day, Titan gets its first subpoena
from the Department of Justice. Oh my god, can you imagine the buyer's
remorse, thinking a deal with this guy and then that comes in the mail.
I mean, fucking hell, god it, damn it, what the
fuck happened? I had the testing program I'm implemented. But the fact that
there's like a federal fucking like an indictments coming, that's a different level than
just why why Warrior? Why Jim Why? He starts calling him James James
Yamas. Oh that's gonna be That's what reader. Vince was cracking. He
brings him Jerry Jarrett to run the company when he's in jail, and he
starts calling Jim Hell and Yamas. But he also called Jerry Jarrett Yary.
It's like Vince spend time in Puerto Rico. What's going on here? He
just ordered to have mo and cheese. Patterson, could you please send in?
Could you please go ahead? You can say it, Patterson, Could
you please send Yer Yamus please? So that's Jesse right, his shoot,
last name? What I want? Yer and yamis in my office? Dammit?
Translated James Genos right? What no? So this is just tremendous.
Okay, what what now? You know, look if there's health these lawsuits
right, Oh no, there's paper on this ship. Is that where we
accel on the paper? The troll behind just like just like, let me
tell you this. We excel at the paper, just like wrestling organizations excel
at paper. In the crowd. Do we have do we have in our
possession? The very contract Ultimate Warrior signed on April eight was nineteen ninety two
to come back for this run. That wait eighth, did you have nineteen
ninety two Dash Ultimate Warrior? He signed waite hold on? Oh goodness,
I haven't check my anailia, Oh my Dos Warrior. He just like he
got a special delivery and then the fall of ninety two, which one am
I get? In ninety ninety two? Dash Ultimate Warrior Dash Ultimate Warrior PDF
booking contract. My god, Titan Sports Incorporated booking contract. This contract has
made this I think it's eighth, not third. It's gonna be third because
wrestling. He was April fifth, Well, it's like a scribble for the
day. Well, this is a that's sumbre well whatever this on this break
of of March April April crossed out March and for April by in between Titan
Sports, Incorporated, a Delaware corporation DBA the World Wrestling Entertainment WWE, with
it's a principal place of business at twelve forty one East Main Street and Stanford,
Connecticut. Herein after referred to as promoter and Yamas Helwig residing at six
two to nine East. We don't need to give his whole address, thank
you. Well, he's dead. He might still have ties to the property.
It's in Arizona, whose ring name something like zing name. Ring name
is Ultimate Warrior. Premises premises upon which the contract is based. We mustipulate
the premises before we lay out terms of numination. That it glasses at the
tip of his nose, coffee like still steaming, and the course of course,
you know, just like you know, and like little remnants of of
of coffee on his mouth, you know, like he's so cross. Whereas
promoter is duly licensed as required to conduct professional wrestling exhibitions, they put wrestling
their contract. I can't believe it, and call themselves out in public.
And its actually engaged in the business of organized publicizing, arranging, staging,
and conducting professional wrestling exhibitions throughout the world, and of representing professional wrestlers in
the promotion and exploitation of a wrestlers well of an of wrestler's name, likeness,
personality, and character. And whereas promoter has established a nationwide network of
television stations which regularly broadcast promoters wrestling programs for purposes of publicizing promoters professional wrestling
exhibitions. And in addition, THERETO Promoter has developed and produced certain other television
programs such as TNT and Saturday Nights Main Event, which are also used to
publicize promoters professional wrestling exhibitions. And whereas promoters business operations afford wrestler opportunities to
wrestle and obtained public exposure which will increase the value of his, slash her
wrestling services, slash her standing in the professional wrestling community and entertainment industry more
than anything, will you afford wrestler's opportunities to obtain public exposure. That is
to say, our business operations go ahead. Whereas wrestler is duly licensed as
required to engage in professional wrestling exhibitions and is actually engaged in the business of
performing as a professional wrestler, actually actually engaged. You know, if you
don't put that word in there. It gets a really messy. No one's
actually engaging in anything. It's not real. Whereas wrestler is a what is
he so now? Is a performing artist, and the professional wrestling exhibitions arranged
by promoter constitute exhibitions and promotions organized to provide Go for it, please say
it. This is athletic, athletic styled entertainments, athletic heyen hyphen styled provide
athletic styled entertainment to the public, and such wrestling exhibitions constitute entertainment. Look
at this contracts. Whereas wrestler is a performing artist and the professional wrestling exhibitions
arranged by promoter constitute exhibitions and promotions organized to provide athletic style entertain to the
public, and such wrestling exhibitions constitute entertainment and are not competitive athletic competition.
I fucking can't. I can't, I can't. Oh my god, I
just did I think? And whereas wrestler desires promoter to arraigned wrestling matches for
wrestler and to assist wrestler in obtaining public exposure through live exhibitions, television programs,
public appearances, and merchandising, activities or otherwise. I believe one of
the things that we definitely excel at is merchandising activities couldn't agree on now.
Therefore, is in consideration of the premises and of their mutual premise promises,
premises and promises and agreements as herein set forth, the parties do hereby agree
as follows. Number one, booking one point one wrestler hereby grants exclusively to
promoter, and promoter hereby accepts the following world wide rights. A during the
term of this agreement, the right to book wrestler for and to arrange wrestler's
performance in wrestling matches at professional wrestling exhibitions, as well as appearances of any
type at other events, engagements, or entertainment programs in which wrestler performs services
as a professional wrestler, collectively the quote events unquote, whether such events are
staged before a live audience in a television broadcast studio or location for later viewing,
are broadcast or otherwise b during the term of this agreement, the right
to sell or otherwise distribute tickets or of admission to the general public for viewing
any or all of the events, as well as any closed circuit television or
other video exhibition of the events. These are the venues in which you're granting
exclusivity to WWF to book you. Booking is in the contract. That's right
see during the term of this agreement, the right to solicit, negotiate,
and enter into agreements for and on behalf of wrestler for the exploitation of publicity,
merchandising, commercial tie up, up, publishing, personal appearance, performing
in non wrestling events, and endorsement rights, collectively referred to as the quote
rights on the quote of wrestler quote his slash, her legal and or ring
name, likeness, personality and character, or any other of his slash,
her distinctive or identifying as indicate them, provide promoter. Provided promoter shall inform
wrestler of any such agreements. So what we have a deal not for your
personal appearance, Jim, but for your indica is to appear to a verticals.
We are about Indicia. So we have given Now your Indica is a
different story in Inducia. Your Sativa is a different story Sativa Indusia in proxim
maximus. That's the four or five different languages there. Moving on one point
one point in consideration of wrestler's grant of rights, license and other services as
here and after set forth and provided wrestler shall faithfully and fully perform all obligations
here under. Promoter shall endeavor futurely yeah yeah, to book wrestler in wrestling
matches at various events and during the term of this agreement. Promoter guarantees wrestler
a minimum of ten bookings per year a promoter's own events. Right, No,
listen, no less than ten, of course, that you have faithfully
and fully performed your obligations. The next ten days are your bookings, and
then you will no longer be well, will no longer require your services,
and I want you to I want to book you for less than ten.
We have no problem finding a reason to say that you have not faithfully and
fully performed all your obligations. Listen, listen, As of right now,
you have not faithfully engaged in any of your rights and rights notice as such.
All right, notwithstanding, so that, notwithstanding, you are on the
verge of being fired as you signed this contract. Fine, what do I
sign that? Oh? They talk about a series of matches here number two
Program two programs two point one. Wrestler hereby grants to promoter, and promoter
hereby accepts the exclusive right during the term on this agreement to videotape, film,
photograph, or otherwise record, or to authorize others to do so by
any media now known or hereafter created. Any or all of the events.
These recordings, by tape, disc, film, or otherwise are collectively referred
to here and as programs. Two point two Promoter may produce, reproduce,
manufacture, record, perform, exhibit, broadcast, televise by any form of
television, including without limitations, free cable, pay cable, closed circuit and
pay per view television. Transmit, publish, copy, print, reprint,
vend sell, Well, what do we do at our heart? We vend,
sell, distribute, and use, and to authorize others to do so.
The programs in perpetuity and in any manner or media, and by any
art, method or device now known or hereafter created, including without the limitation
by means of video, disc, video cassette, theatrical motion picture and non
theatrical motion picture, and also a non theatrical entertainment as well, And most
of your motion pictures are non theatrically. Two point three Promotershell on his UH
shall oon in perpetuity. All of the rights, results, products, and
proceeds in and to were derived from the programs, including with the limitations,
all incidents, dialogue, characters, actions, gags, gag orders for that
matter, route you know, we own the gags, pal, We own
all your gags, pal, routines, ideas, titles, inventions. What
is happening? So you invented? Uh? I invented a cotton gin No
not the therefore the Ulti Warrior did, and therefore and rights notwithstanding, we
own the cotton that is a proceed derived from the programs. From Therefore,
taking this machine derivative of said programs entertainment motion picture events such where you're reading
or you're not voices totally changes the meaning. It totally does and another material
written, composed, submitted, added, improvised, interpolated, and invented by
wrestler and connection with his slash for appearance in the programs and to obtain copyright
and or trademark protection. Therefore, in the name a promoter or promoter's design
name number three trademarks three point one, Wrestler hereby assigns and good faith to
promoter and promoter hereby accepts the exclusive right during the term of this agreement to
use Wrestler's service marks, trade marks, and emmy and all of his slash,
her other distinctive and identifying in dissia, including but not limited to his
slash her legal name. Thank you, I'll have that, thank you,
his slash her ring name. Give away the right during the term of the
agreement to use your real name, yep, your likeness, your voice,
your signature, your costumes, props, gimmicks, gestures, that's mine,
thank you? Oh did you just wink at me? I will take the
wink. Thank you? Does a gesture the agreement? Did you just you
just scratch your eyebrow? I will take ownership of that. Thank you.
Routines themes, oh my God, personality, character, and caretacatures as used
by or associated with wrestler in the business a professional wrestling, collectively the quote
intellectual property, Get the fucking IP. It is the intention of the parties
that the agreement granted with respect to intellectual property is exclusive to promoter during the
term hereof even to the exclusion of wrestler, and includes the right to sub
license, promote, expose, exploit, and otherwise use the intellectual property in
any commercial manner now known or hereafter discovered. It's interestingly say, during the
term thereof of the agreement they have the exclusive right. I wonder if as
if that's like a term just for Jim Helwig, because they would claim that
they have the right to do that forever, even after the contract is up
right right, It's not like you can leave them and go call yourself,
you know whatever, viscera and sign autographs, you know, I mean,
would you want you though a warrior would? And he did, well,
warrior would. Yes. Maybe that's a clause that isn't consistent across all deals
at the time, it seems like boiler plate language. But I do wonder
on that on that's wild and the agreement ends that's wild. I mean that's
like harding holy shit, Like what a what a weird? I mean,
what a uh what a not at all? I wonder what it is that
happened where he was like, I need to own your legal name. Yeah,
that's a wild one legal name and personality Like what gestures? What?
Yeah, Like you can't do that, you know, we own the two
sweet hand gesture. We own Steve Austin to be the middle finger. We
own the people's eyebrow, Like, what the fuck that is? That is
very bizarre, very bizarre. Three point two. If wrestler does not own,
possess, or use service marks trademarks are distinctive and identifying indissia, and
promoter develops such service marks trademarks distinctive and identifying indusia for wrestler, they shall
belong to promoter, and promoter shall have the exclusive license and write in perpetuity
to use and to authorize others to use wrestler's ring, name, likeness,
voice, signature, costumes, props, gimmicks, gestures, routines, themes,
personality, character, and caricatures as used by or associated with wrestler's performance
as a professional wrestler, collectively name and likeness. Okay, that makes sense
to me. Well, here we are for sure. Okay. So what
they're saying is, if a wrestler does not have a trademark, we can
we have it forever. The prior paragraph doesn't you know, really well,
the prior paragraph says during the course of the agreement, even if you have,
yes, the trace mark, you license it to us. That's what's
so bizarre to me, Like, that's that's what's so weird. This one
makes sense to me. I can understand if if while you come in and
you have no gimmick and you've got noted d da da da the legal name,
I still don't you know, that doesn't work for me. But the
other stuff I'm thinking through it. I'm thinking like if that didn't if that
wasn't there, and you had you had a trademark on Ultimate Warrior coming in
with a lot of these guys did figure out a way to trademark their shit,
then conceptually WCW could sell Ultimate Warrior T shirts while you're in WWF.
W W could sell T shirts say Jim Hellwig on them when you're with WWF.
But if you if you set aside this term where even if you have
the trademark, no one else can license it while this agreement is in order,
that's what that's for. The second one is if you don't have a
trademark, pal, it's it's ours forever, you know. Yeah, I
mean I guess, but like, still that just seems weird. To me.
Like to sign over I mean maybe it's common and I'm just not aware
of it, but like to sign over your your your legal named, it
seems weird into really weird. To sign over personality, your personality to them,
that's the that's they chat traffic and you know, gimmick infringement, what
is that? That's that's the personality that they chose to retransmit via their television
signal. It's what they want. They want to own that. They don't
want you to bring that essence anywhere else. Of course, for wrestlers who
came in under names that they used before they ever signed a WWF contract,
all this stuff doesn't apply, which is why they got so crazy about renaming
everybody and repackaging everybody. For the most part is because they could from inception
own conceivably every dollar made off of that creation. It's weird. It is
the intention of the parties that the assignment with respect to name and likeness belonged
to Promoter in perpetuity, even to the exclusion of wrestler, of course,
and the assignment includes the right to sub license, promote, exposed, exploit,
and otherwise use the name and likeness any commercial manner, now known or
here and after discovered. Three point three wrestler agrees to cooperate fully and in
good faith with Promoter for the purpose of securing and preserving their respective rights in
and to the trademarks, service marks, intellectual property, and the name and
likeness at Promoter's expense and requests. Promoter and wrestler shall take such steps as
Promoter deems necessary for any registration or any litigation or other proceeding to protect their
respective rights in such service marks, trademarks, or other intellectual property and name
and likeness Number four Merchandising, Yes four point one. Wrestler hereby grants to
promoter and promoter hereby accepts the exclusive right, during the term of this agreement
to use the intellectual property and or name and likeness to manufacture, have manufactured,
print, produce, reproduce, broadcast, rebroadcast, distribute, to sell,
and otherwise commercially exploit, and use any and all copyrightable material, goods,
or merchandise, or any other items containing copyrightable material. And as to
all such items created and produced during the term of this agreement, promoters shall
have exclusive right in perpetuity to sell and distribute to them by way of example
and not of limitation. Such items include T shirts, posters, photos,
television rights, videotapes, and video cassettes. What's the difference a videotape,
a video cassette. Oh, there is no difference at all. No,
you try to If you try to come at us with a difference, you
can suck dick. Read this. Look, we have videotapes and cassettes.
Why not to say any home media? That's that includes way more than that.
Well, media is designed to be consumed at home. Pow, Well,
I'm home or public media? What about private media? Poll? Private
media to be exhibited in the home? Private media, public media? I
want your private media. Glad you said media. I do not know where
that was going. I desire require and hereby obtain your private media. That's
a shirt waiting to happen. Last vice, I desire so I acquire dolls,
books, biographies because they were doing biographies a lot, bactes, articles
and stories and any other such copyrightable material or item relating to wrestler or is
slash her performance as a professional wrestler. It is the intention of the parties
that this grant is exclusive to promote her, even to the exclusion of wrestler.
Promoter shall own all copyrights in any and all such materials, goods,
merchandise, and items, and shall be entitled to obtain registrations thereof in its
own name, and wrestlers shall provide all reasonable assistance to promoter in so obtaining
such copy rights. Jim, I want you to I want you to file
this, Pal. I want you to look at the paper that gives us
the right till one hundred percent of the proceeds of this character that you think
you breathe life into. And I want to watch you file it in the
in the in the patent office. That's reasonable, Pal, that is a
reasonable assistance we're requiring, Pal, do it. I want don't want you
to file it now. I want witness. I want to give us these
rights. Yes, I want to see it. I want to see the
rights go from your body and your essence into my essence. Well, at
least he isn't weird about it. At least he's buy the books, you
know, just professional. Despite all the baggage between the two, at least
he doesn't do anything weird. You know. I want your essence in mine.
Give it to me to become one, become our essences, become essential.
The ultimate warrior walks into a courthouse. Just watch him file and it
says his known in his it says WWF on it. You know, it's
not even he's not he's not even the one who's filing it. But he
makes Jim Hellwig himself do it. I would like the ultimate essence so much
like there's only like one person in the world that would have that kink,
and that's that's him. Violet Bow Viilet violot or I'm going to file you
away, get it done, shit box ultimate shit box. Yeah. By
the way, did we do we reserve the right to anything distributed to red
Box that reminds me that falls under videotape videos. Oh good, all right,
we're covered. Then four point two. Wrestler here by grants to promoter,
and promoter hereby accepts the identical rights described in paragraph four point one above
for non copyrightable material and items such as keychains, pens, et cetera,
upon the same terms and conditions as stated in paragraph four point one. It
is the intention of the parties that this grant is exclusive to promoter, even
to the exclusion of wrestler. Speaking of which number five exclusivity five point one,
it is the understanding of the parties that all rights, licenses, privileges,
and all other items herein given or granted to promoter during the term of
this agreement, are exclusive to the promoter, even to the exclusion of wrestler
five point two. In the event wrestler desires to participate in any commercial activity
in which Promoter is not otherwise engaged, and Wrestler's participation in such activity requires
use of he is slash her intellectual property or name and likeness, Promoter may,
at its discretion, upon Wrestler's written request, execute a sub license to
wrestler for the limited purpose of authorizing Wrestler to participate in such specific commercial activity
upon mutually agreeable terms and conditions. This is like Vince try to get a
piece of Rock's movie career. Of course, yes, this is why Rock
tried to get all those you know, made it a point to get all
these rights back when you join the board. Yes, promoter's sub license to
wrestlers shall constitute an exception to paragraphs three and four herein solely with respect to
Wrestler's participation in such specific commercial activity, and shall not license, sub license,
authorize, grant, or permit any other or further appropriation or infringement of
Promoter's rights whatsoever. Furthermore, promotional appropriation. Furthermore, promoter obtains the right
and the option to claim all monetary financial benefits of wrestlers sub license opportunities.
Sure, absolutely, with no retribution, with no retribution being given to said
wrestler. Retribution. Yes, we we we reserve the right to retribute and
tribute to the troops. Retrie retribute to the troops, retribute. That's that's
like your fucking uh uh uh beware of dog happened and fucking yeah, retribute.
And I don't want to let this one's pass without remarking upon it.
I believe you said moments ago. Yeah, we reserve the right to retribute.
I hadn't tribute, and that's not like a big tribute package they put
together for somebody. Though we reserve the right to tribute, we also preserve
the right to distribute as well. We obtain all distribution, retribution and tribution
rights whatsoever whatsoever the NSCAN sorry, furthermore, whatsoever right of Ben sick Man
number six term go ahead number six term and territory as largely the contiguous Ees
Coast States the New York Territory sex point one. The term of the agreement
shall be two years from the date hereof more like six months. Yeah,
well, you know the cover up Thereafter. This agreement shall automatically renew for
successive one year terms, unless either party shall serve written notice to the other
party at least ninety days prior to the end of the term of this agreement
of such parties decision to terminate this agreement as at the end of the term.
Reference herein to the term hereof means the original term, and any such
renewal or extended term. During any such extended term, all rights, duties,
duties, as well obligations and privileges hereunder, shall continue as stated herein.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary termination of this agreement shall not affect promoters
ownership and right to any programs, the rights, results, products, and
proceeds in and to and derived from wrestler's performance as a professional wrestler during the
term of this agreement, and the exploitation of the rights set forth in paragraphs
one, two, three, and four hereof in any and all media now
known or hereafter developed in any agreement concerning any and all of the rights to
wrestler's name and likeness. So think about that two years. Think about Wrestling
the ten an Ultimate Warrior still bring them a contract? Yep? God,
I mean was he though? I'm sure they terminated the contracts. Yeah,
when you fire somebody, you can't say, yeah, we still have your
contract. By the way, we still have you on a contract, but
we're not going to pay you. Right, you can't work and we can't
pay. Oh I'm glad. This territory clause is in here, just to
be clear. Why don't you read this to folks? Six point two The
territory of this agreement shall be six point two. The territory of this agreement
shall be the world period end of paragraph. In New York City. I's
gonna say, that's a very small sex at Times Square. There. It's
one fucking building, that's it. Wow that Oh do you want to know
the territory global? Yes? Huh do they? I thought ESPN canceled them.
We are the global territory. No events. Actually, that's done in
Dallas. Oh, now we're talking Turkey. What's next? Number seven payments?
That's correct, seven point one. If wrestler appears in any event in
an arena before a live audience at which admission is charged other than those arena
events, which are taped for promotional purposes, Sue and two paragraph seven point
two. Here of that we have not yet distinguished he slash she shall be
paid by promoter an amount equal to such percentage of the gate receipts for such
event as is consistent with the nature of the match in which wrestler appears,
i e. Preliminary bout, made event, et cetera. The prevailing practices
of the United States professional wrestling community. Now, Vince, if you're not
professional wrestling, why do your contracts stipulate that you will pay people based on
the prevailing practices of the United States Professional Wrestling Union. We are putting on
entertainment in a professional wrestling basis. You know, we are entertaining via the
illusion of professional wrestling entertainment community. You can say that again. I'll though
I really really wish you would instance and he centers, promoter or others established
specifically for such event. However, such amounts shall not be less than one
hundred fifty dollars per event. So if you're trying to figure out how much
Ultimate Warrior got paid per contract in nineteen ninety two, and you control f
the dollar sign, don't be fooled by the one hundred and fifty dollars stipulation.
You know that, you know, depending on how well the arena is
filled to the capacity allowable right that we decide is allowable, We therefore hereby
do obtain the right to pay you no less and no more than one hundred
and fifty wars, right. I mean, that's what they're saying there.
So that's why you know when guys talk about the pre you know Hall Nash
Guarantee contract era over WWF that that's what they're talking about, is these events.
Would always say his shorthand for it was I don't offer money, I
offered importunity. I mean, here's the thing I mean, I I did
you know that? The thing was we were discovered that the crowd, although
it was full, they were not here to see Yamus Helwig the Ultimate Warrior.
And who do you be how do you know that they weren't there to
see the old Talbad Warrior. Well, you're in the opening match, pal,
I well, not only that, I mean, yes, number one,
you were in the opening match. Number two. I did ask.
I asked everybody, I said, who did you come here to see?
And they say, well, we came here to see the w WE.
You asked every that's so incredible, the leeway that gives him. Can you
imagine someone as you know, fastidious and litigious, it out of his mind,
as Jim Hellwig was about business matters. Ultimate Warrior, a guy they
absolutely had to come begging to bring back because of all the shit that was
going down. Even he can't get you know something that says we'll pay at
least one hundred and fifty grand a year or something. Now even his contract,
this is one hundred and fifty bucks in it. That's right unbelievable.
How long's got away with that? It's exact. I mean, look,
I mean, I can't help it if the crowd has from their mouth they
have said we're coming to see the WW. Not the Ultimo Warrior, not
in Jim Helwig, not you know, Hulkamania. No, they said we
are here to see the WW. What blows my mind about the prevailing practices
of the United States professional wrestling community is that whether you go back to Crockett
or whether you go over to Jim Hurd and kept Fry, those prevailing practices
were guaranteed fucking money. Pal That's a problem. Exactly. So what prevailing
practices are you talking about about? The prevailing practices that you decided in your
own mind? Who gets what territorial devices in which we use a percentage of
the you know, I mean, just think about it like this, you
know, think about it as a movie star. Movie star, they they
perform a movie in a movie, and they get a certain rate, no
more, no less than what they are offered, and most of the time
they are given a percentage of However, many people are brought to see in
the movie that their likeness, at their character, that they're enigma, that
they're in Indicia brought the movie, Vince, I'm not happy with my payday.
Well, well, it's a prevailing practice, I mean failing practice.
Failing practice prevails. I suggest that we talk about that, we talk about
maybe uh changing or modifying your Indicia. What these guys are like totally juice
head idiots. I have no idea what he's talking about. Oh, they
always they expected three hundred and they got two seventy five, and they're getting
quote quote screwed. So we give them. I mean, they walk away
happy as a clan. Meanwhile, they probably should have gotten six grand,
right, exactly everybody in the in the business they have identifying Indicia, and
we need to I think you know this, bell You're you're a professional,
You're you're aware of this. I mean you've been even call you your full
name for instance, quite a quite a quite a few years. They're Terry
Sepinski, and you have, like Terrence Sepinski, you have identifying Indicia that
uh that is currently owned and UH licensed by Is this a medical examination or
well, we don't induce Indicia. No, clearly, not until you do,
right until I mean, that's the thing. Maybe we do need to
induce a new set of identifying Indicia for you in order to re establish your
your credibility as a as a performer, a performance artist, uh in competing
in your exhibition bouts. What are your thoughts on this? Looking for feedback
here, pal, I mean, do you think do you think you should
be w champions? What I'm asking, that's what you're asking. Well,
that is definitely modifying identifying Indicia. Putting a strap on you? Correct?
Are you deserving of said strap? Am I deserving of you? Deserving of
said strap? Are you strapped for slash? No wonder Evince doesn't like to
call a belt a strap because he's he only cares if you're strapped for cash.
Let's continue on payment now, Maybe have established a one and fifty dollars
base base pay Jesus Christ seven point two. If wrestler renders his slash her
services in connection with an arena or studio event which is taped for promotional use
on promoter's television network which they don't have, well they mean every station they
have a drill I know, or otherwise, he slashed she shall be paid
by promoter an amount not less than fifty dollars for each day fIF standard free
screen or something if any Oh shit, they don't even have to pay you
fifty on which wrestler renders services here under in connection with the production of such
promotional television shows slash spots. Well, I know, I listen, Jim.
I appreciate you coming up to Stanford. I know you get paid for
the ticket. You know you've flewnm from Arizona on your own dime. That's
private contracting is all about pal But think about the freedom you have as a
private contractor. Think about all the freedom that I allow you as a private
contractor to go anywhere else to do anything you want. But here's the deal.
So, yes, you came up. We definitely we we filmed,
We filmed for five days, different promos and stuff. However, we're not
going to be able to use that stuff. So therefore, your your your
your likeness, and your use for promotional ventures is not happening. So therefore
we reserve the right to not accommodate you, and we reserve the right to
change our minds about usage of said material after making a final determination to where
we will pay you for I sell this. The final determination is you will
not be paid. But I can tell you there is no final determination if
we will or will not use the pieces that you recorded it. Oh my
god, you know it's it's absurd, But if you rephrased it two or
three times you probably get close to something. He'd degrees. Oh, I
think so. Seven point three. In the event, wrestler's intellectual property and
or name and likeness are licensed to, sub licensed, or otherwise assigned to
third parties or for reproduction and or sale and distribution in conjunction with any copyrightable
material or items pursuant or to paragraph four point one here of or non copyrightable
material or items pursuing to paragraph four point two here of hereingafter licensed products,
such that the applicable product features product features wrestlers intellectual property and or name and
likeness. Only wrestlers shall receive twenty five percent of licensed products net receipts received
by promoter. Wow. Oh my god, there's the keyword there, the
keyword you see it? Oh, Net receipts, Oh, of course,
meaning not gross receipts. I mean, if they they it is possible that
they see nothing right because by the time we get our cup under whatever deal
we have with the toy manufacturer or whatever. I mean, the bottom line
is, you know, I mean, yes, that they've listen to your
action figures have sold millions and millions of copies, but it hasn't been successful
enough. We haven't seen any of that cash. You know, I don't
know what, We don't know what to tell you. And they have paid
so little on our split that your twenty five percent of so little is especially
phenomenal. It's deminimus pal never settle for the net twenty five percent, and
it's we should note it's crossed out. The sib AT filed in court and
handwritten in with I believe Linda McMahon's signature, or yeah, thirty percent.
So that's that's a bone to throw to Jim Helwig instead of twenty five he
gets thirty percent of merchandise, I mean net receipts. That's a huge get,
a huge catch by you. Here we go. Yep, you know
why, you know why. I will never I'll never forget that from when
we did Batman Returns Wow on cinemat because they're the I forget. I think
it was the guys who were originally the producers or writer producers of the original
Batman movie with Michael Keaton. They signed a deal where they would receive a
percentage of net profits and they never saw a dime. So tremendous, right,
because they came up with all these false expenses that cut exactly there,
Yeah, exactly at that point, you're incentivizing the person who distributes the net
profits to find a way to make their books look like they made no money
either, right, that the money they made was just sort of like standard
salary to execute the project. Right, but there was nothing left over after
or or studio expenses or whatever. In other words, complete hogwash. Yes,
shit coming out of the ass licensed products. Net receipts means the gross
amount received by promoter less expenses incurred by a promoter's licensing agent for the applicable
product. I just want you to know. I'm the licensing agent, and
I'm paying myself six million dollars. Here's the thing I have to. I
have to I do have a fee for my for my uh my involvement in
this. As the licensing I would affect you and you can't see you just
as well get out there and do it yourself. Bewell, could you?
I mean would you? Would you if you were the licensing agent? Would
you deny yourself the money for your time and for your energy and whatnot?
And yet that's a true me to do. And I think that's just inherently
unfair. I mean, I'll just say this, you'mus. You shouldn't negotiated
for the gross pell Wow. It seems like every conversation I have with you
Vince about the finer points of this deal somehow end up with me getting nothing
and deserving it. That's kind of a theme here. Well, that's because
you're a fucking musclehead boso. Pretty much all right, The ultimate BOSO.
If wrestler's intellectual property and or name and licensed likeness are licensed sub licensers otherwise
assigned to third parties in connection with the licensed products featuring it, Wrestler with
other wrestlers represented by promoter Promoter Shell allocate and pro rate the amount of compensation
paid to wrestler pursuing to this paragraph seven point three based upon the number of
wrestlers whose intellectual property and or name and likeness are so exploited. Right,
So, if you're liking a thing with ten other wrestlers, every wrestler gets
a little slice of it. You can't just say that's all my money.
Right, I'm on there exactly exactly, unless you're Hogan, in which case
he claims it for every odd bowler. I just have well, Broler.
The thing is, you know you're on with Hulk Hogan. You're getting the
role from Hulk Hogan. So Hulk Hogan, I guess your cut. Yeah.
I mean basically that we read the contractor and Bash to the Beach two
thousand and an other episodes. That's kind of that agreement was that anywhere the
NW logo was printed, he got paid, not all of it, but
he is he's not on there. His face isn't on there. No,
And you know the whole thing about that. You buy the toys and it
brings up a Holgan doll and it's not a Hogan. That's the fucking greatest.
That's that's fucking phenomenal. It's not true. You hear it once and
god damn it. Yeah, it needs to be true. I ever forget
it. That's so great seven point four. In the event wrestler's intellectual property
and or name, likeness and our license sub lescens or assigned for non wrestling
personal appearances and performances such as personal appearances for advertising or non wrestling promotional purposes,
radio and television commercials, movies, et cetera, wrestler shall be paid
an amount to be mutually agreed on by wrestler and by promoter of the quote.
Personal appearance net receipts received by promoter. Personal appearance net receipts means the
amount received by promoter after payment of and provision for all costs and expensive accept
income women, so they translate that one to English to me. Personal appearance
net receipts means the amount received by promoter after payment of provision for all costs
and expenses. So yeah, if we set up personal appearance for you,
go sign autographs, they pay us one hundred dollars. We before we give
you your your cut. Take out all two hundred dollars is related to getting
the there, which just happened to be one hundred dollars right, which happened
to be ten dollars more than we wanted to pay. Then we to pay
it. Well, actually, yeah, so the expense you always ready for
that appearance. Actually you owe us. You have to pay us fifty fifty
dollars for your contractual appearance, except income taxes, because of course we're not
going to be doing your taxes power what are you contractor contract deduct things for
you. This isn't somebody holding kindergarten operation here. You're grown more. You
can figure out your own taxes. You're denying, you're you're you're saying to
me, listen, I give you the freedom to be an independent contractor,
and I give you the privilege of being an exclusive contractor for the w w
E. And you're throwing this back in my face. An exclusive independent contractor.
There's nothing nothing contradictory there. I don't know what you want from him
giving you the world really, all that real estate, all of it.
It's a lease anyway. But uh, how funny is that? Like,
oh my god, all right, we want to we're going to pay you,
all right, let me get this straight. Okay, we're going to
set you up for personal appearance, and the company is going to pay us
one hundred dollars. And so under this agreement, let's see, you were
going to get an amount mutually agreed between us for the appearance. So let's
say you know you want a ninety percent, so they paid us one hundred,
you're going to get ninety dollars of that or whatever whatever the total pie
is after we cut our expenses out of the problem. Is our expenses to
get you there were four thousand dollars, So technically speaking, Hugh os quite
a sum of money real But now we're not going to look to collect it
pal because this is a this is a relationship here. You know, we're
not looking tell Glendimie. But just no, we did your favor here.
It's not a transactional relationship, all right, We're talking about this is your
personal just want your family, So I'd like to do business. No,
it's not get lawyers involved, it's not get agents involved. I only work
on handshakes, right, all right, just as Dick ever saw. That's
right, And I'll tell you you know what I mean. Yes, in
many, in many, in many avenues. You know, people think about
it, you know, well way where you know there's no paper trail that
way. It's handshakes. And I say, yeah, you know what,
I'm putting myself at risk, right exactly, But just putting a handshake out
there. That's how I like to do business. Yes, Mark Henry,
by the way works on milkshakes, and Big Show works on shake shack.
Yeah, he works out it all right. He's not careful. He's gonna
be working at one pretty Oh god, where are we at? Where are
we? Seven seven five? In the event, any other products developed by
promoter pursuing two paragraph four point one four point two above are exploited directly through
arena sales and or mail order sales. Here in direct sales products such that
the applicable product features wrestler's intellectual property and or name and likeness, only wrestlers
shall receive an amount equal to ten percent. They crossed it out and wrote
in set of five. Or you're getting some give here signed by j H
there. Yeah, I don't know where that is. That's Jim Helwig.
Oh, he has to initial it as agreeing. I see. And there's
another little let's be up there, Linda McMahon up there. The direct sales
products net receipts net receipts derived by promoter from such exploitation. Direct sales products
net receipts means the gross amount received by promoter for sales of such products sold
at arena and or via mail order, after deduction of local taxes and applicable
arena commissions allocated for concession sales of any T shirt you bought of his at
the arena after this agreement, after we have well taken care of all applicable
commissions, concession sales, local taxes, and company A proud needless to say,
there are many commissions. Do here concessions. There are many concessions.
I'll tell you that. Or I need to be conceded too. You asked,
all right, I'll concede the point. Then next in the event wrestler's
intellectual property and or name and likeness are exploited by promoters such that direct sales
products feature wrestler's intellectual property and or Promoter shell allocate and pro rate the amount
paid to wrestler pursuing to this paragraph seven point five based upon the member the
number of wrestlers whose intellectual property and or name and likeness are so exploited seven
point six, and the event wrestler is a featured performer who's in eleectual property
and or name likely are exploited with other wrestlers represented by promoter in the videos
made of pay per view specials such as Prusselemania, Royal Rumble, Sumer Slam,
and Survivor Series. Here in after WWE video specials, Premium LIVEDEO specials
tell me about live in video doesn't work but fine, not at all.
It doesn't know. But that's a feature performer. That's a language from the
Hogan WW contract. I thought he just created. But no, no,
there it is promoter shall allocate and pro rate twenty five percent at thirty percent.
Yes he got that concession there. It's written in of the WWE video
specials, not net receipts paid promoter by licensee based upon the total amount paid
to the wrestlers for the live event whose intellectual property and or name and likeness
are so exploited WWE video specials. Net receipts mean the gross amount received by
promoter from its licensee, less all costs if any incurred by promoter to produce
the applicable WB video special. I want you to meet our new WWF home
video producer. He will be paid a salary of six hundred million dollars a
year. So every time that you A you are a A A on a
WAE video special Jim, then you you get a percentage after he gets paid.
You can say you've been caught up in the net pal starring Sandra Bullock.
That's right, seven point seven. In the event, wrestler is a
featured performer who's intellectual property and or name and likeness are exploited with other wrestlers
represented by promoter in non pay per view video programs such as Best of which
they weren't doing at this point. Oh but this year, you know,
we did the Ricky Steamboat Show on the Coliseum collection. We looked at his
lawsuit. Yeah, that's that's probably it. They start doing these compilation videos
and it's like, well, who gets paid for those? Because there's a
million wrestlers on him. It's one thing when it's an individual wrestler profile tape
right, such as Best of We and saturn Ni's main event. Here and
after WWE series promoter shall allocate and pro rate twenty for Jim of the WB
series net receipts paid to promoter from its licensee based upon the number of wrestlers
who's intellectual property and or name and likeness are so exploited. W Series net
receipts mean the gross amount received by promoter from its licensee, less expenses if
any incurred by promoter in connection with production of the applicable WWE Series seven point
eight and the event wrestler is intellectual property and or name and likeness are featured
exclusively as described below in video discs or cassettes. Here in after video products,
wrestler shall receive an amount equal to twelve and one half percent of the
video net receipts derived by promoter for such exploit. This must have been I'll
tell you what. I'll tell you what. Yeah, let's probably post Jesse
lawsuit, post Jesse lawsuit and the action figure thing. Yeah, remember that
they must have redone all their contracts after you know, once once deals started
coming up and they would renegotiate their their contracts. They must have started put
in these net things then, Yeah, because a lot of the guys that
got that first wave the velj N money were just blown away. It was
like three times their annual salary in some cases, because they hadn't really properly
papered the distribution of the proceeds. When they realized the kind of checks these
guys were getting, most of them went out and got most of them.
Many of them went out and got so fucking bombed, you know, pocket
money. They really all of a sudden, all the wrestlers said, those
next those next checks after that first one were nowhere near. And that came
after they started hitting out these these contracts for everybody to design. We have
to do net net receipts for that. You know, it's common practice for
that. You know that, you know you you want you want net receipts.
It's serious's honestly, I want net receipts. I'm very upset that I
have to take a gross a portion of the gross into my own paycheck.
I want net receipts. You should have net receipts, you know, it's
a better organization. You don't get fucked over in the end somehow, what
it's less money, but you don't get fucked over. We know, we
know the big problem in entertainment of people getting paid too much. But but
fence, I got no money this time. I think I got fucked over.
Uh, you know, net receipts, PAL don't not tell you it's
not a it's not a science. So yeah, okay, hold on,
fine, you want it, you got it. I don't know what to
tell you, pal, net receipts not a science. What what what?
And he's halfway down the hallway by the no one, no one finds a
reason that this is a visual Okay, you get the guy he's in he's
in a hallway and he's like any any and and and and uh you know
he's there. They're having convers he says, yeah, net recedure. No,
it's not a science. And the guy looks down at his check and
he looks up and it's been like one point five seconds okay, And Vince
is like one hundred feet away from the northern I love that, but walking
like not even like you know, he's not running away. I must see
that depicted. I must see that before I die? See that depicted.
That is a hilarious idea. Oh my god, He's like, he's the
size of an ant down at the end of that hallway. It's the longest
halway you've ever seen here life, four hundred mile hallway. So he's already
fucking down the whole fucking way and it's like, I can't call him.
He won't even fucking hear me. Such a good idea, video product.
What are we seven point eight? Or did I start it? Or is
it no? You just do twelve and a half percent of the remaining twelve
and one half percent royalty allocation will be pro rated among the other wrestlers who
appear incidentally on the video products, but who are not the featured wrestler.
Video net receipts mean the gross amount received by promoter from its licensee, less
all costs if any, incurred by promoter who produce the applicable video product.
An exclusive feature shall mean that the wrestler is shown in each and every match
on the video product. That's how they distinguish them. Wrestler is is entitled
to the payment provided for above only for those video products which feature his slash,
her exclusively Ie Roddy Piper or Under the Giant, or on those video
products which feature a tag team or group to which wrestler belongs i e.
The Heart Foundation. Relative to a tag team or a group appearing on a
video product, the remaining twelve and one half percent royalty will be pro rated
among the wrestler according to the number of wrestlers in the featured group, So
that sets it apart. Like to them, if you're in every match on
the tape, that's that's the one that qualifies for the twelve and a half
percent. Yeah, I'll to you, it's still fucking crazy. It is
a top of seven point nine. It is the understanding of the parties that
wrestlers shall not be paid anything for promoter's exploitation of his her intellectual property and
or name and likeness in promoters wrestling magazine known as the WB Official Magazine,
or any of promoter's other magazines which promoter may publish, producer, distribute at
arenas, at newsstands, and or by mail. Paid nothing, nothing,
nothing at all. Now, this here, Jim, you'll see is best
of the Ultimate War heor it's three hours and it's one of our finest ww
official magazines hours. It's a three hour magazine. Hey, do they call
these magazine shows in the industry. Yes, sorry, you know it's like
it's like sixty minutes. It's a magazine format, and that's what we have
here. We have a magazine. So a multimedia magazine is a magazine nonetheless,
and therefore you won't get financial reimbursement. Foresaid magazine cassette. You don't
want to know how Dave Schultz interpreted the magazine part of his contract. A
lot of dead animals from that magazine. Seven point ten. All payments made
to wrestler are in full without withholding of any federal state, of course,
not without it's underlined. I just want you to understand we are not responsible
for your personal expenditures. In regards to repaying our great country back. We
pay on holds, boss, not too not to withhold. Yeah, we
we pay you to put on holds and we don't pay to withhold, and
we don't bother withholding on your behalf. That's right, that's right. Or
any Social security FIKA or FEUTA or MUTA taxes MOODA taxes. After the end
of each calendar year, promoter show issue to Wrestler Internal Revenue Service Form ten
ninety nine. It is showing all payments to wrestler. Isn't that the fine
you paid the commission for blating? Hey look, I'm a fucking w two.
I'm ten ninety nine. I'm fucking coming. He got it from you
learn first contract? What does this mean? Fucking ten ninety nine? What's
that ship? Hey? Hey? What's a fik? What's a fuda?
What's fubu? I've been wearing a nitro for six months. I don't even
know what it is. Fuck it is shit. Someone told me it's Tupac.
We've got some West Coast hit. Oh fuck it? Okay, next
seven to eleven, and this isn't Mark Henry's favorite sessions. But you're two
things. Seven point one one statement says to the royalties payable hair under shall
be sent by promoter to wrestler within ninety days following the end of each quarter
annual period, together with payment of royalties if any earned by wrestler, if
any earned by wrestler here under during with such quarter annual period, less advances
and or debits made by promoter on Wrestler's behalf. A subsection a Wrestler shall
be deemed to have consented to all royalty statements and all other accountings rendered by
Promoter here under, and each such royalty statement or other accounting shall be conclusive,
final, and binding, shall constitute an account stated, and shall not
be subject to any objection for any any reason whatsoever, unless specific objection in
writing stating the basis thereof is given by Wrestler to Promoter within one year from
the date rendered b Promoter shall maintain books of account related to the payment of
royalties here under at its principal place of business in Stamford, Canadian Wrestler or
Wrestler's designated Independent Certified Public account Designated Certified Independent Certified Public Accountant who is a
member in good standing of the a ICPA, may add Wrestler's soul expense,
examine and copy Promoter's books insofar as they pertain to this agreement for the purpose
of verifying the accuracy thereof, during Promoter's normal business hours and upon reasonable notice.
Now we don't have normal business hours. Our business hours are from one
am to two am the Sunday night before a holiday, on Sunday night before
holiday generally, well we do it usually on a pay per view Sundays when
we're open for one hour one am to two am, usually while everyone else
is on a flight home. Well, you know we're a business that keeps
irregular hour spell. I don't know what you want. I mean, you
know we are not a you know, we're not just your typical mom and
pop corporation. We are an irregular corporation promoting irregular activities. And I'd like
to know why you don't trust us in the first place. Bell, Why
do need to audit the books? Why do you? I mean, why
have I what have I done to you? Do you not trust me?
I mean? Do you are you accusing me of providing false irregularities? No,
I'm in terms of you, you're providing true irregularities. Actually, well,
how do you know they're true or they're false? He's gonna he's gonna
audit. He's gonna he stands out and watches the guy. Okay, Microtunda
standing behind him. You know that's what this was. You know, somebody
exercise this clause in Vince Maita, heel out of that guy, the guy
who showed up. And this is for of course, but some of a
bitch, such an audit shall be conducted in a manner that will not unreasonably
interfere with promoters normal business operations. Wrestle shall not audit promoter's books at any
time. Shall not audit promoted books and records more than once during any calendar
year of the term hereof, and such audit may not continue for more than
thirty days. Statements may be changed from time to time to reflect year end
adjustments, to correct errors, and for similar purposes. Number eight promoters obligations.
Eight point one Promoters shall be responsible for obtaining all appropriate licenses to conduct
professional wrestling exhibitions. Nothing wrong with that. Eight point two Promoter shall bear
the following costs and connection with the development and enhancement physical enhancement of the value
of wrestler physical outvents. Oh what just my suggestion? Oh, of the
value of wrestler's performance as professional wrestler and his slash her standing in the professional
wrestling community, all of which shall inure to the benefit of wrestler. So
can we do it? I just relate to do we know how they're standing
in the community. What is the standing of Brett Hart in the community?
Well, these days depends if you're in Germany or if you're in Nashville,
but Calgary or San Antonio. But I need to know. I need to
know. Are you sure I'm willing to let go of him if his standing
is not at a at a decent level. It says the professional wrestling community,
by the way, not the community what I'm talking about. I'm talking
about the Greenwich community. His standing in the Greenwich community is none. I
think we should let him go because I live here. Greenwich is a professional
wrestling community. That's right. I am Listen. I'm a professional, and
I work in the entertainment division of the entertainment industry. I work in the
wrestling division of I was swepping water. It came through my nose right now,
in real time. First time is ever helping? So as I just
jumped in the pool because you said, because you caught yourself. You ever
have a thing where what makes you laugh is more what you could have said
than what you did say, because I know that you meant to try to
go there. Yes, so what you said was the entertainment division of the
entertainment industry, which is great because you knew you couldn't say wrestling. But
what made me laugh too, is like this notion of like leave it up
to Vince to contort things such that. Like, I know, I'm in
the wrestling industry, but here's what you do understand. I'm in the entertainment
division of the wrestling industry. So therefore all these contracts are still fine to
say, wrestling, but I'm still in the entertainment. I'm in the entertainment
industry. Yeah, right, we are in the well, I'm in the
entertainment industry. We promote a wrestling division of entertainment, and within that division,
with that division, entertainment subdivision. That's right. We have an entertainment
subdivision within the wrestling division of the entertainment industry, and within that I do
find that the that the Grantwich community does does warrant the termination of Brett Hart.
What are the the homeowner's fees and the entertainment subdivision? I wonder,
Well, you know, for for all those involved besides myself, there is
it does follow a net format. Okay, got it, That's that's what
I figured. That might be one little net receeds, you know, for
the proceeds net proceeds, and I take gross, I'm gross. You give
a whole new meaning to gross. Then so I thought you said you sold
two million dollars worth of dollars. Well, we're talking net. Pal Net
is not scientific. Net is open ended with hills and valleys. It's a
riot. That is a riot. Oh my god, he gets all flowery
and like he makes people think they're in on a secret. You know,
so we can just get every last penny. He can't. I mean,
I'm not getting any money out of either. You know. That's just the
way it goes. My you know, my my family. That's a different
story. In the beginnings, Financial anti hardship, we're back where we were,
where we're just saying things to see how they sound. One put out
into the world. What would it be like if he said this out loud?
How would that change the mood in the road? Financial anti hardship.
That's one way of saying payment box. Fuck this, it's t lf X.
Walk through the door. It's open. Oh yeah, it's fine.
Keep going a funny. It's bad when a is funny, you know,
it's no oh it. In connection with the wrestler's appearances at event stage before
a live audience, promoter shall bear the cost of location rental. Promoters Third
party comprehensive liability insurance for the benefit of the venue. I mean, does
this contract really say that the wrestler doesn't have to pay the rent in the
arena? What? Of course, I just want to make it clear,
you know, people, I want to make it clear to you as as
as the new talent, that you don't have to pay the rent for the
venue as I would, Well you should, you should assume that you would.
I could delete that if you want. I mean, I think the
biggest problem is that you have assumptions nothing kind of added to right attitude in
their brain. Well, let's let's see about deleting that clause. Jenny,
what do you say. I don't think that we I don't think that you
should have an assumptive exactly in regard to our lady of assumption over here.
All right, I mean, you know what assuming means, right? Do
you know what happens when you assume? I've heard, Yes, you know
what happens with when you when you make an assumption, It makes an ass
out of you annumption. I don't think that's so the phrase goes, but
police continue. You don't even know the phrase, so fuck off, And
you don't even know the phrase. Actually you don't know the phrase, but
whatever, I know more phrases than you can count. That's right. What
promoters third party comprehensive liability insurance for the benefit of the venues, applicable state
and local admission taxes, promotional assistance please go, sound and light equipment,
wrestling ring officials, police and fire protection, and such additional security guards as
promoters shall require in his discretion to protect wrestler's safety during his slash her performance
in a professional wrestling match. You don't have to worry about any of that
stuff. We'll take care of that exactly. You don't have to worry about
the uh, the the admission taxes, Okay, we will handle that does
come out of your paycheck. See that clause is why they had to move
Wrestling seven. What it is they couldn't provide for the wrestler security. We
couldn't provide additional contracts to move the arena. Listen, we got to move
it. You know we don't have we don't have, we need additional security
guards required. They were required them for discretion to protects our our our our,
our wrestler safety during his her performance. Oh great point. I don't
think of that. What a genius. Let's get this moving, guys,
fucking the The people at the La call Sem were like, what we have
to protect his her performance? Vince is reading Vince as a meeting with the
l A Coliseum people and he just just reads their contra. He reads the
standard w F contract to them. You have I just want to say you
have see here. This is a This is section eight uh eight point two.
All right, sub paragraph A. You as the as the place.
You have not provided additional security guard that that promoter me require. This is
regard for you and Jim Helwig. This is an agreement between you and us.
No, this is this is general contract between promoter and everybody. Oh
my god, It's an answer for everything, and none of them make a
lick of sense. The contract the La Colisseum Arena venue is not a repeat.
It is not providing safety during during his her wrestler performance. You have
failed. We will move. You have failed, we will move. Keep
going at Saturday night. It's made event by the way forty show by the
way b in connection with the production, distribution, and exploitation of the programs.
Promotershell bear all costs incurred in connection with such a production, distribution,
broadcast transmission, sexual transmission, or other forms of mass media communication. In
case you're wondering you don't have to pay for any mass media communication, we
will handle that. Unlike other promotions, they will make you pay mass media
communication fees see. In connection with any licensing activities and or merchandising activities,
Promoter shall bear all costs of negotiating, securing, or otherwise obtaining the licensing
arrangements, including costs of agents, consultants, attorneys, and others involved in
making the licensing arrangements. And Promoter shall bear all costs of creating, designing,
developing, producing, and marketing merchandise. In order to fulfill these obligations,
Promoter may make any arrangements contractual or otherwise it deems appropriate to delegate a
sign and or otherwise transfer its obligations. Eight point three. Promoter shall schedule
events and book wrestler for events. In doing so, Promoter shall select the
time and location of the events at which wrestler is booked, wrestler's opponent,
and other wrestlers who appear at such event. Promoter shall provide wrestler with reasonable
events notice of the date, time and place any such event, you gotta
be there tomorrow, pal right, reasonable, reasonable, and wrestler shall appear
at the designated location for any such event no later than one hour before the
designated time. If wrestler fails to appear as required without advanced twenty four hours
notice to promoter and promoter, so we okay to promoter and promoter must substitute
another wrestler to appear in wrestler's place at the event. Then wrestler shall be
subject to a fine to be determined by promoter. You'll be fined your entire
year's salary for missing this one event. Please hand me a check. It's
fine eight point four. Notwithstanding the above, if wrestler shall be prevented from
appearing at an event for by reason of force monsure, what is is that?
That's like a nature an act of God. It's like, okay,
a hurricane or something force monitor The above fine shall not be imposed for what
about being held by the crown Prince. No, that's not a force majeure.
All right, you will be fined. I wouldn't say that I was
standing in Saudi Arabia for purposes of this agreement. Force majeure shall mean any
act of God, fire, flood, war, or other calamity. Yeah,
you call it a calamity, I guess. I guess a strike or
other labor difficulties, any governmental action, or any other serious emergency affecting a
wrestler which occurrence is beyond reasonable control, and which, despite his her best
efforts, prohibits his her performance or appearance at such event. And so I
couldn't make the town because was being held hostage by the Saudis on the tarmac.
Well, mom, I don't think you made your best effort too well,
I mean, did you did you try to apprehend the terrorists? Because
this contract says you have to make your best efforts? Did you step?
I mean, you know, everyone's best efforts are different on any even day.
And as the promoter of the promotion, I believe that I can definitely,
and you know here there too, decide whether or not you put your
best effort forward. And I can tell you right now. I don't know
if you know a lot about you know precedent in this illegal arena palvot.
You know, the jurisprudence indicates that the standard for best efforts in a situation
like you found yourself in is, I mean, is set by the passengers
of United ninety three. Are you aware of best effort practices? Exactly?
Right? Exactly, Don't pretend I'm not going to come at you on that
front. I know you know I'm gonna come. I'm going to bring up
best effort practices. I mean, just because you're on fire doesn't mean you
can put your best effort to get your ask to the arena. Yep,
just because fire doesn't mean you're not obligated to put it out. Exactly.
Maybe your leg is on fire, and is is is you know it may
need to be removed from your your musculature. You didn't see the guy that
Papa Shanga lit on fire suit? Did you? Again? I mean,
but I didn't get a chance to look at that injury and make my own
determination as the person who is forfeiting their finances for your employment. There's a
whole section here. We haven't even gotten into Section nine wrestlers obligations. Everything
I've been reading thus far as section eight promoters obligations, I have a lot
of obligations to you. Pal. Let's not pretend this isn't a two way
agreement. How obliged are you exactly. That's the question you must ask yourself
in the morning. Section nine Wrestlers Obligations nine point one Wrestlers. Sorry,
it's just one sentence and wrestler's obligations. Wrestler shall pretend to fight. That's
the end. Wrestler shall shall shall engage in fictional athletic opportunity. Okay,
great, next, here we go. Nine point one. Wrestler shall bear
responsibility for obtaining all appropriate licenses to engage in, part, bid in,
or otherwise appear in professional wrestling exhibitions. In other words, you need to
be a member of SAG after us. Okay, bet or not? Yeah?
No, no, no, no, I found my union. Yes,
I know you did, fucking bitch. Nine point two. Wrestler shall
be responsible for his own training, conditioning, and maintenance of wrestling skills and
abilities, as long as they do not interfere with wrestler's appearance not physical appearance
at scheduled events. As follows. A wrestler shall establish his her own training
program. Shall Jim hell read this one very close? Shall select time of
training, duration of training exercises, pattern of exercise, and other actions appropriate
to obtaining and maintaining his her physical fitness for wrestling. Wrestler shall select his
her own training apparatus, including stolen weight machines delivered to George Horrian's house.
I believe that you have the uh the uh you need to You need to
purchase and maintain your own apparatus, right, I think we all know that
that's that's standard practice, including matts, weights, machines, and other exercise
paraphernalia. Wrestlers are possible for supplying his own training facilities and equipment, whether
by purchase, lease, license, or otherwise. Be It's wild to me
they have to put this in the contract, and is like, who cares?
You have to buy? You have to pay for your own training equipment.
It's like, yeah, the only reason I have a job is because
I already do that. I mean, But also like why, I mean,
I guess okay, I mean, I really think someone's going to sign
a contract and say, unless you buy me all the weight equipment you want
me to us, I'm just gonna not train unless you unless you select my
pattern of exercise, I will not unless you tell me how to train.
I will not sign this contract. So fucking weird, I mean, also
the fact that it's in there It's like to me, that's so, that's
such an odd thing to put in there. It's like, why don't they
just say, you know, like the leave it out and then what they're
going to ask, like, hey, you know, can you buy this
from me? No? Okay, thanks, see you later. I'll get
back to renting my workout equipment. No, these be in the fucking contract.
Be Wrestler shall establish his per own method of physical conditioning. I will
not do that. Oh no way, never would never do I will not.
I will not suggest to you that you use steroids. I do wonder
if this would have been in an earlier contractor if this is like a we're
paranoid about stereoids. Maybe shall select time for conditioning, duration of conditioning,
and forms of conditioning. Mm hmm. Wrestler shall select his her time for
sleep. You must select when you sleep. We're not going to do that
for you. Time for eating, and time for other activities. Wrestler shall
select his her own foods, vitamins, and and other ingested items, accepting
accepting illegal and or controlled substances and drugs. That's wild. You shall not
select those. I will select those for you. That's what it says.
There, wrestlers sell select his her own foods, vitamins and jested items.
Accepting illegal and or controls, shuddnesses and drugs, the boss will handle those
are up to me. We have our own, our own selection of illegal
and or control substances and drugs in the basement of titaned hours for your perusal,
peruse and your use. Perusal and useful. You can take out.
You're ready, you can take out the per on that. Nine point three.
Wrestler shall be responsible for supplying all wardrobe, props and make up necessary
for the performance of wrestler services at any event at which wrestler appears, and
for any costs incurred in connection with his her transportation to and from any such
events, except those transportation costs which are covered by promoters current travel policy,
as well as the costs of food consumed and hotel lodging utilized by wrestler and
connection with his her appearance at such events. Nine point four Wrestler shall use
his her skills and talents as a professional wrestler and be responsible for developing and
executing the various details, movements, and maneuvers of each match, consistent with
and complying with all requirements, directions and requests made by promoter and connection with
the booking of wrestler at scheduled events. Nine point five Wrestler agrees to cooperate
and assist, without any additional payment, in the publicizing, advertising, and
promoting of scheduled events, and to appear at and participate in a reasonable number
of joint and or separate press conferences, interviews, and other publicity or exploitation
appearances activities. Oh sign me up. You have to it that we are
doing a well, we're doing a NUDI film right to promote this show,
and it is an exploitation appearance, an exploitation appearance, and exploitation experience,
and you must comply. Any or all of which may be film, taped,
or otherwise recorded telecast by any form of television now known or hereafter created,
including without limitation, free cable, pay cable, and cable or pay
cable. Wouldn't the distinction between free and cable be one is paid and one
isn't I get? I get what they mean? And closed circuit and pay
per view television broadcast, exhibited, distributed, and used in any manner or
media by any art, method, or device now known or hereafter created,
including without limitation to by means of video disc, video cassette, theatrical motion
picture and or non theatrical motion picture at times and places designated by promoter.
Wrestlers will receive no additional compensation in connection therewith you nine point six its correct
wrestler shall use his her best efforts in the ring, in the performance of
wrestling services for a match, or other activity, including fornication, in order
to provide an honest exhibition of his her wrestling skills and abilities. Because isn't
with the customs of the professional wrestling industry. I love that an honest exhibition.
In other words, we know what you can do, and you need
to go out there and do it. You held back that was not an
honest exhibition, which is so funny to call wrestling an honest exer. I
know, I know, I mean, I'm aware that the Big show can
jump off the top rope and do a do a drop kick of nine points.
I believe, I believe that what you did was you provided a dishonest
representation, a dishonest exhibition more so than you have a dishonest representational exhibition of
your abilities. Therefore, I'm left with no choice. Therefore, I'm left
with no choice but to terminate your lunch menu. Breach to this paragraph shall
cause a forfeiture. And this is so fucking but like so vague, it's
tremendous as what it is. Like it is they're saying that that breach of
this paragraph will cause a forfeiture of any payment due wrestler. Hey, value,
you didn't do your best. All matches shall be finished in accordance with
the promoter's direction. Breach of this paragraph shall cause a forfeiture. So yeah,
if you yeah, if you don't do what I tell you to do,
you will. But oh but also I mean use his best efforts in
the ring. Yeah, I don't think you used meathfast from the ring.
I believe you have forfeited your pay for the day forfeiture. Listen, hey
Patterson, a new character, a new a new stable forfeiture to paragraphs one
point one for the event at which the breach occurs and shall terminate promoters guarantee
are is provided in paragraph one point two above, as well as all other
obligations a promoter to wrestler here under I guess it's horror under almost but such
breach shall not terminate promoter's licenses and other rights here under during the term hereof
exactly just because I could. Just because I don't pay your track doesn't mean
I lose the things in the contract that I want. Just because I don't
pay you for what you did here, it doesn't mean that I don't get
paid for using your likeness. Right, contract continues. I just can decide
every now and then can not hold up my end. I can decide if
you have not done your best, amazing that that's in there. But I
guess they tell themselves, you know, that's to stop a guy from who's
pissed off with them going out there and stinking up the joint and they have
nobody but okay, but let's let's talk about this. Though technically speaking,
Flair winning the title from Savage, it was such an abomination that he could
have said, you know, you could do your best. I think it's
only there though when they suspect you did it on purpose. Mm, that's
my sense, But that's not there. That's not But why why hem yourself
in If you can get away with broad legs like that, I can't fucking
then you don't have to have a fight with the guy about whether he did
it on purpose, you can deny it. Nine point seven. Wrestler acknowledges
the right of promoter to make decisions with respect to the preparation and exploitation of
the programs or the exercise of any other rights respecting intellectual property or name and
likeness, And in this connection, Wrestler acknowledges and agrees that Promoter's decision with
respect to any agreements disposing of the rights to Wrestler's intellectual property and or name
and likeness are final, except as to Wrestler's legal name, which Promoter may
only dispose of upon Wrestler's consent. Wrestler agrees to execute any agreements Promoter deems
necessary in connection with any such agreements, and if Wrestler is unavailable refuses to
execute such agreements, Promoter is hereby authorized to do so in Wrestler's name as
Wrestler's attorney. In fact nine point eight, Wrestler agrees to cooperate fully and
in good faith the promoter to obtain any and all documentation, applications, or
physical examinations as may be required by any governing authority with respect to Wrestler's appearance
and or performance in a professional wrestling match. Nine point nine. Wrestler shall
indemnify and defend promoter and Promoter's licenses, assignees and affiliates and their respective officers,
directors, employees, and representatives, and hold each of them harmless against
any claims, demands, liabilities, actions, costs, suits, proceedings,
or expenses incurred by any of them by recent wrestler's breach or alleged breach of
any warranty, undertaking, representation, agreement, or certification made or entered into
hearin or here under a by wrestler. Slur shall indemnify and defend promoter against
any and all claims arising out of wrestler's acts, transactions, and or conduct
within or around the ring, hallways, dressing rooms, parking lots, or
other areas within or in the immediate vicinity of the facilities where promoter has scheduled
events at which wrestler is booked. Jesus Christ, I mean even the parking
lot. I know you can't. Nothing happened in the parking lot either.
Nothing happened in the parking lot not allowed unless I'm involved with it. I
will fortnicate in the parking lot if necessary if I deem worthy. Nine eleven,
wrestler shall re responsible for payment of all his per own federal, state,
or local income taxes, all Social Security FIICA and FUTA taxes if any,
as well as all contributions to his retirement plans and programs or other sublemental
income plan or program that would provide wrestler with personal or monetary benefits upon his
retirement from professional rest costs They don't have to pay, that's right. Nine
to eleven. A wrestler shall be responsible for his her own commercial general commercial
general liability insurance, workman's compensation insurance, professional liability insurance, and as well
as any excess liability insurance as he she deems appropriate to ensure, indemnify,
and defend wrestler with respect to any and all claims arising out of his her
own acts, transactions, or conduct as a professional wrestler. B Wrestler acknowledges
that the participation and activities required by wrestler and connection with his her performance and
a professional wrestling exhibition may be dangerous and may involve the risk of serious bodily
injury. Wrestler knowingly and freely assumes full responsibility for all such risks, whether
due to the negligence of promoter or otherwise. See. Wrestler hereby releases waves
and discharges promoter from all liability to wrestler, and covenants not to sue promoter
for any and all loss or damage on account of injury to the person or
property or resulting in serious or permanent injury to wrestler or in wrestler's death,
whate there caused by the negligence of the promoter or otherwise. Ooh do you
think he reviewed that one when Owen fell? Oh? Fuck yes, fuck
it. I'll just like to say paragraph nine to eleven subsection see I am
not responsible for the death of own heart, even if I pushed him d
Wrestler acknowledges that the foregoing release, waiver and indemnity is intended to be as
broad and inclusive as permitted by the law of the state, province, or
country in which the professional wrestling exhibition or events are conducted, and that if
any portion thereof is held invalid, it is agreed that the balance shall notwithstanding
continue in full force and effects nine to twelve. A wrestler may and his
her election obtain health life and free to do this I just want you to
know the contract. I want you to know we do not deny you health
insurance, life insurance, or any other disability insurance. You are free to
to undergo the process and application of any outside insurance policy. Exactly, we
do not provide insurance, but we do not deny you the opportunity to obtain
it. We only we only provide insurance for those who are full time W
two employees, of which you are not. You're a private contractor who is
working exclusively for the w w E. He just looks at you. He
thinks he's a lawyer. It's amazing, God. What is it? No
worry nine twelve A A. Yes, this is the health insurance activities and
as our acknowledge that promoters shall not have any responsibility for any for such insurance
or payment in the event of physical injury arising out of his her professional activities.
B In the event of physical injury arising out of wrestler's professional activities,
wrestler acknowledges that he she is, not is not entitled to any workmen's compensation,
coverage or similar benefits for injury, disability, death, or loss of
wages, and wrestlers shall make no claim against promoter for such coverage or benefit.
Get it on it. Sign initial here now now. I want you
to initial that you are not entitled to any compensation, coverage, or benefits
for injury or disability. I want you to understand this. I am entitled
for your lack of entitlement for this insurance coverage, your workman's comp Sign it
well, initial it. You have a job. Put right now, my
god, I will if you're locking my what a way to get a deal
signed? Sign Put your fucking name right next paragraph. Acknowledge it. You
fucking acknowledge what exactly? Vinced to be clear? Acknowledge what acknowledge Paragraph nine
to twelve, sub Session B. I claim no responsibility for you. Oh
my god, it's a riot. Nine thirteen. Wrestler shall act at all
times with due regard to public morals and conventions during the time of this agreement.
If wrestler shall be she'll committed with due regard to public wrestle. If
wrestler shall be committed or shall commit any act or do anything that is or
shall be an offense or violation. If you do something that shall be an
offense, if you if you can, if you commit an act that shall
be an offense or violation that not yet is an offense or violation. You're
in trouble bell involving moral turpitude under federal, state, or local laws,
or which brings him her into public or disrepute, contempt, scandal, or
ridicule, or which insults or offends the community or any employee, agent,
or affiliate of Promoter, or which injures his her reputation or diminishes the values
of his her professional wrestling services to the public or Promoter. Then at that
time of any subject, or any time after Promoter learns of any such act,
Promoter shall have the right to fine wrestler and an amount to be determined
by Promoter in addition to its other legal and equitable remedies, and or to
suspend and or terminate this agreement forthwith ten Warranty ten point one. Wrestler represents
warrants and agrees that he she is free to enter in this agreement and to
grant the rights and licenses herein granted to Promoter. He she is not heretofore
entered and shall not hereafter enter into any contract or agreement which is in conflict
with the provisions hereof or which would or might interfere, would be full and
complete performance by wrestler of his her obligations here under, or the free and
unimpaired exercise by promoter of any of the rights and licenses here and granted to
it. Wrestler further represents and warrants that there are not pending claims or litigation
affecting wrestler which would or might interfere with the full and complete exercise or enjoyment
by promoter of any rights and licenses granted here under. Any exceptions to this
warranty are set forth. An exhibit A attached here too. Ten point two
Wrestler represents, warrants and agrees that he she is in sound mental and physical
condition, that he she is suffering from no disabilities that would impair or adversely
affect his her ability to perform professional wrestling services, and that he she is
free from the influence of illegal drugs or controlled substances which can threaten his her
well being and pose a risk of injury to himself, herself, or others.
To ensure compliance with this warranty, wrestler shall abide by promoters drug policy
for wrestlers and consents to the sampling and testing of his her urine in accordance
with such policy. In addition, wrestler agrees to submit annually to have a
complete physical examination by a physician either selected or approved by promoter. Mm hmm.
Number eleven. Let's fucking go on this one. Number eleven. Yes,
take a look at this one, Jim. Early termination eleven point one.
This agreement may be terminated prior to the end of its term by a
written instrument. I mean they mean a letter, a written instrument, because
you're wondering is a letter. It's not a violin. It's not a book
about violins. Either would should be the real written instrument. It's not a
three D printed instrument, executed by each of the parties expressing their mutual consent
to so terminate without any further liability on the part of either. In the
event of such early termination, Wrestler here by waves any claims to future compensation
or payments in connection with revenues derived from use of the intellectual property and or
name and likeness subsequent to such termination. Eleven point two. Let's fucking go.
This agreement will be terminated by Wrestler's death during the term. To be
clear, I will not pay you after you die. No incentive to kill
anybody in this agreement, which is great, not at all. Brother.
What have you been reading? What do you what's going on? Dude?
Breach I've been I've been hearing this. You've been a contract dude? Brother?
Are you? Will you talking about the beach? Dude? That hold
beach house. Hogan's breach house. Brother, right, if you have my
contract, that's a hog breachhouse all day. Twelve breach right, bash at
the breach, batch of the breach. Twelve point one. In the event
promoter breaches this agreement, wrestler may recover such actual direct damages as may be
established in any court of law having jurisdiction of the parties and the subject matter
aka wrestler court. Yeah, pretty much, pretty much. Twelve point two.
In the event wrestler breaches this agreement, promoter may recover I love how
the I love how if there If you look at the two paragraphs, the
one for the promoter breaching is like two sentences, and the one with the
wrestler breaching is like a whole fucking paragraph. In the event wrestler breaches this
agreement, promoter may recover such actual direct damages as maybe established in a court
of law having jurisdiction of the parties and the subject matter, as provided in
paragraph thirteen point eight. In addition, wrestler shall forfeit any future payments do
pursu into paragraph seven point three, seven point four, seven point five,
and seven point six, seven point seven and seven point eight. Wrestler shall
not appear under use or exploit in any manner, parenthetically or otherwise his her
a intellectual property, except for his slash her legal name for the remaining yeah
for the remaining term of this agreement, and wrestlers shall not appear under use
or exploit in any manner, parenthetically or otherwise his her name and likeness forever,
forever, forever, forever. Twelve point three. The parties further agreed
that because of the special, unique, and extraordinary nature of the obligations of
promoter and wrestler respecting all rights and licenses concerning bookings, promoting programs, events,
intellectual property, and or name and likeness which are the subject matter of
this agreement, wrestler's breach of this agreement shall cause promoter irreparable, irreferable injury
which cannot be adequately measured by monetary relief. As a consequence, the promoter
shall be entitled to injunctive and other equitable relief against Wrestler to prevent Wrestler's breach
or default here under, and such injunction or equitable relief which shall be without
prejudice to any other rights, remedies, or damages which promoter is legally entitled
to obtain. Yes. Twelve point four. In no circumstances whatsoever shall either
party to this agreement be liable to the other party for any punitive or exemplary
damages, And all such damages, whether arising out of the breach of this
agreement or otherwise, are expressly waived. Never claim damages against WWF if you
signed this fucking wild thirteen miscellaneous thirteen point one. Nothing contained in this agreement
shall be construed to to constitute wrestler as a partner or joint venturer of hollowder
question, Nor shall Wrestler have any authority to bind and promoter in any respect.
Any respect. Wrestler is an independent contractor, and Wrestler shall execute and
hereby irrevocably appoints promoter his her attorney in fact to execute if Wrestler refuses to
do so, any instruments necessary to accomplish or confirm the foregoing thirteen point two.
This agreement contains and the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the
subject matter here of, And all prior understandings, negotiations, and agreements are
merged in this agreement. There are no other agreements ever at all representations or
warranties not set forth here in with respect to the subject matter hereof, And
the party is expressly acknowledged that any representation, promise, or inducement by any
party to any other party that is not embodied in this agreement is not part
of this agreement. And they agree that no party shall be found by or
liable for any such alleged representation, promise, or inducement not to set forth
herein, within buy in all in thirteen point three. This agreement may not
be changed or altered accept in writing signed by Promoter and Wrestler any term or
provision of this agreement which is invalid or un enforceable, and any jurisdiction shall,
as to such jurisdiction be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability,
without rendering invalid or unforcable or unenforceable the remaining terms and provisions of this
agreement, or affecting the validity or enforcibility of any of the terms or provisions
of this agreement in any other jurisdiction. Thirteen point five. Promoters shall have
the right to assign, license, or transfer any or all of the rights
granted to and here under to any firm or corporation, and if any assignee
shall assume writing promoters obligations here under. Promoters shall have no further obligations to
wrestler. Wrestler may not assign, transfer, or delegate his her rights or
obligations here under, in any attempt to do so shall be void. It'll
be I'll say this, it's time, It's time, It's voider time.
Thirteen point six. Any notices required or desired here under shall be in writing
and sent postage prepaid by certified mail, return receipt requested, or I prepaid
telegram, addressed as follows or as the parties may hereafter in writing otherwise,
designate Titan Sports, Incorporate attention President to wrestler jamis Helwink Paradise Valley, Arizona.
The date of mailing shall be deemed to constitute the date of service of
any such notice. Thirteen point seven. This agreement is made in Connecticut and
shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of
Connecticut at that right. Thirteen point eight. In the event that there is
any claim, dispute, or other matter in question arising out of or relating
to this agreement, the enforcement of any provisions therein, or breach of any
provision thereof it shall be submitted to the federal, state, or local courts
as appropriate only in the State of Connecticut. This provision to submit all claims,
disputes, or matters in question that the federal or state courts in the
State of Connecticut shall be specifically enforcible, and each party hereby waiving personal service
of process and venue, consents to jurisdiction in Connecticut for purposes of any other
party seeking or securing an illegal or equitable relief. Thirteen point nine. In
the event that any legal action or any other preceding is commenced to enforce any
provision of this agreement, or as a result of dispute, breach, default,
or misrepresentation in conjunction with this agreement, the successful or prevailing party shall
be entitled, in addition to any other relief, to recover all costs of
litigation, including expert fees and reasonable attorneys fees, incurred in such action or
proceeding, and all such costs and fees shall be made part of the judgment.
And lastly, number fourteen confidentiality springing home fourteen point one. Other than
as may be required by applicable law, government order or regulation, or by
order or decree of the Court, the parties agree that neither of them shall
publicly divulge or announce, or in any manner disclose to any third party any
of the specific terms and conditions of this agreement, And both parties warrant and
covenant to each other to one another that none of their officers, directors,
employees, or agents will do so either. Fourteen point two. Yet here
we are hashtagfa right. Each party acknowledges that he she has read this agreement,
that he she understands the terms and conditions set forth therein, and that
his her execution of this agreement is a voluntary act by which he she intends
to be legally bound in a court of law in witness here of whereof the
parties have executed this agreement on the day and year first above written Titan Sports
Incorporated by who Ultimate Warrior? Is that what it says? Yes? O?
Title by Ultimate Warrior James yamas Helwig. Wrestler's legal name or professional corporation,
Ultimate Warrior, wrestler's ring name, wrestlers signature and title if a professional
corporation? Yamas Helwig, what's the Titan Sports? Who's that are there?
It looks like it says CFO, But I don't recognize the Maybe CEO it
would have been in a nineteen ninety two. I'm not sure put them in
there. It is Vince right, I don't know. It doesn't look like
it says Vince mc man at all. But it's a signature without a without
cop without a you know, it being typed out. So don't you ever
say we don't read those fucking contracts into the record. That's right. Don't
you ever say we're not the only podcast in history that will say, I
don't give a fuck, We're going to read every last word of relevant wrestling
contracts. Consider the nineteen ninety two Ultimate Warrior deal on the shelf Boss.
Oh, that's tremendous. I mean so much in there. I mean you
really you really get an idea as to how just I mean, I guess
what a control freak Vince mcman is. Yeah, and his need to just
not let anything, anything be in the hands of somebody else. Right,
Yeah, there's no ball you can run with. And I'm sure Warrior felt
like he got wins by increasing this twenty five percent to thirty percent. So
that's just tremendous stuff. Net. Nope, as long as that word net
is in there, I don't think you won anything. So what are the
circumstances that are being referred to here where the Ultimate Warrior ran into legal hot
water. There's a commentary around some of these lawsuits about how Ultimate Warrior had
essentially had failures on the testing policy that started. But it's late nineteen ninety
one, so it doesn't seem like it's entirely clear that Warrior, you know,
failed steroid tests. It's just that there had been some prior disciplinary record
that comes up there. I heard he actually he failed math tests. Yeah,
exactly. Who knows what test they could be. We do know from
the trial of his life. In reading the transfer that he did testify as
a government witness against Vince. Of course, everyone who testified against Vince,
it seemed like had a lawsuit out against him at some point in time.
It's almost like that's how they recruited their witnesses. But a warrior's case,
he did remember he got this big, long line of questioning about how he
left steroids in a hotel room in Maryland. I do remember that, yes,
And you know how eventually he admitted that they were his after playing a
game of how you know, a lot of times we share hotel rooms to
administer these things. It's not uncommon, it's not necessarily we share vials,
share, we shared needles, rigs. And this is right around the time
they to put memos out about please don't carry this stuff on the road,
like it is now a controlled substance. It is as illegal to have in
your fanny pack as you know, an eight ball of cocaine. Don't do
it. And folks were still getting sloppy. Folks were still you know,
essentially bossed doing what they needed to do to matter to the general public,
which is what, of course it will be to matter be you gotta be
real. You gotta be a superhero until you're almost dead, right, Do
I have this straight? No, that's pretty accurate. I would say I
would say, you know, Royd, you know that's an optional term.
I would say, you could just inject yourself with air or fluids, whatever
it needed to just kind of be that size. How you get there is
not the problem. It's just as long as you get there, which is
wild because you would think since Vince said that exact thing, they would have
brought it up in the trial. That's kind of pretty damning evidence to me.
But whether it was this incident Maryland or whatever it was, Warrior was
already two strikes against him before leaving WWF in SummerSlam nineteen ninety one, and
then of course coming back with this contract, which as we mentioned, was
hilariously coincident with the federal government starting to deliver Supenis to the Titan Towers.
Yes, and so that's why it was so highly sensitive when this report came
across the transom. This is from of all regions of the country, boss
to intercept mail packages the Boston office. Okay, oh, thank thank god
for that. So this was that, this is documentation file. This exhibits
in a lot of the lawsuits and legal back and forth with Warrior and Titan.
This was apparently, if I'm reading the date correctly, sometimes it's transposed.
Sometimes they put the month first, sometimes they put the the day first.
You know how that can be in terms of seven to ten. Does
that mean July ten or is that night in October? October seventh, seventh?
I'm pretty sure we're talking about July here, just about you know,
the amount of time that passed before they were able to actually execute penalties against
Warrior. The seizure took place according to this document here, which is a
document that is, let's see mark from the United States Department of the Treasury,
which apparently is the custodian of records for customs seizures. So, of
course, since this is coming over the pond from Great Britain, US Customs
has to process this package, of course, and they're very much in the
business of detecting and intercepting, you know, things you're not supposed to be
having shipped to you, including drugs that are legal to possess. Charlie,
I believe we have we have a controlled something. Charlie can take a look
at this one. This it looks a lot to be. It says it's
it's toys, but it looks like, I don't know, twelve fifteen boxes
and vials. I mean, Charlie, I'll tell you right now. You
know what, I don't know about toys as much. It looks like a
bunch of candy. Right. I see, it's not toys, it's uh,
it's categorized toys. But then there's this little uh, well, I
don't know what this is, this fine print that says for steroid uses only,
which I thought was weird for a toy. You know, I was
gonna let it go through. But you know, I'm about to go on
vacation. The last thing I want is on my mind. I mean,
the thing is, you know you don't you don't want kids playing with needles,
especially dirty ones with steroids on them. Right now, if he was
important, you know some beers that'd be fine. You know, one has
a beer beer, It's fine. My two year old fucking you know,
drinks a fucking you know what kind of bud light? Hang? What the
fuck right? I mean, you can have twenty five pops every weekend.
It's not a big fucking deal exactly. I mean, you know, it's
like I'm drowning my kid yet. But but anyway, we got this weird
package. It came on July tenth, nineteen ninety seven, at fifteen thirty
hours, as I was taught in the when I was a cook in the
Navy, fifteen thirty. It's a great fucking time. I think we got
a mini series and just the two guys working customs from Boston. And so
the narrative reads as follows from the intercepting officer or whatever the case may be,
the employee, I work. I work customs. Yeah, no,
no, no, no, I work customs, Boston Customs. It's a
good job. I mean, you know, my father in law used to
know the judge, and the judge has a lot of pull and recommending people
these jobs. A good job, the good benefits. You know, you
get paid a lot, but you don't have to do hardly anything. I
mean, you do it one kind of well, you know, you know,
and and you know you end up you end u putting a lot in
the bank, you know, even though you know you just just because the
way the hours and all the other ship that goes on there, you know,
you don't. You don't make a lot, but you do pocket a
significant amount of that lock of a lot. Yeah, that's the thing.
You know, if you intercept a package or drug many or something, you
can do exactly. You couldn't throw a couple grand in your pocket. I
mean, I'll tell you. You know, some of these some of these
packages that have come across come across the United States borders here. You know
they have you know, there's a significant amount of international change that goes into
my pocket. He knots in the door. Boss, just want to run
this one by. It looks about like it's ten thousand, ten ten grand
in contraband here. It's very clearly illicit funds for the purposes of exchanging an
international commerce illegal drugs. And so we get ten grand here, and I
want to know how to process it. And the boss looks at them and
goes, you mean seven grand, right, charl you mean seven grand?
Right? No, No, it's ten. I counted it. I don't
know, as they say, I counted as myself, and I seven Did
you write you write ten down or anything? No? I can't write to
you. I don't know what to right. That's why I'm here. Oh,
that's right. I think you get to write seven clams down. I
was thinking about lots of rolls from lunch. But this is good. Just
these guys total crooks who work in customs. Total but they're not like Shady.
No, every single day they get their hands on ship that if they
put in their pocket, no one would be the wiser. They know exactly,
that's exactly it like, And I want you to know, like you
started and then and then the glasses were down by the nose, Well you
mean seven thousand glasses came off? You mean seven thousands? That's big,
fat ass guy, you know, tremendous stuff, fucking fucking just you know,
multiple sweatstains all over the body. He gets up from his day,
asked twice a day, and you better believe it's for lunch. Two lunches.
Oh yeah, So what do you want me to do? Well,
you know, just write down your circumstances remarks and your report and and we'll
see what we'll do with that. All right, So he goes back to
his computer and types of the following. This is it. This is actually
from the report. While conducting an examination of enforcement of mail, I selected
a small package. It's funny. That's what I do, and I played
no mercy too. A small package pulled from the belt by US Customs,
aid Joseph Fisher. The package was heavily taped. Can you imagine me,
Joseph Fisher and Joey Fish Ultimate Warriors Joey Fisher. Yeah, I went high
school. His cousin's friends dog. You know, it's a good guy,
good guy, Joey Fisher. You know, I mean, I got about
the rack, but he got a bad rap I'll tell you that. You
know, the guy he you know, you know, he didn't like to
touch my kid in Little league. But I agree, I agree, you
know, but but you know, he he got a bum rap in that.
You know, he was born under unfortunate circumstances. You know, he
was born under unfortunate circumstances. That's the first lad of the book, Joey
Fisher Book, Jolly Fisher's Story, Born under You know, poor Joey was
born on unforced circumstances. Oh my god, that's so bunny. Yeah,
but what about the rest of the New Kids. About Donnie? Donnie,
you can see him making out with Jenny McCarthy on ABC every New Year's Eve,
right, so Joseph Fisher. The package was heavily taped and identified as
a toy. Well, look, I'm not I'm not judging, you know,
I'm not going to assume it's gender up. That's the thing. You
never know. You never know which you know, what kind of toy it
is. You know, is it a grown up toy, a child's toy.
You know, it's you know, toys are very uh you know,
it's a subjective thing. Yeah, toys. You know, toys are rush
after all. Sometimes you get Look, sometimes they come in from Germany all
the time, big ass dildos, big fucking cocks. Yeah, I'll tell
you, I was very surprised to see that there were that many giant cocks
in Germany. Plastic so many, so many, so many giant plastic cocks.
They have like they go to like a ret like the supervisor, and
they talk about what the biggest dil though they've ever seen come through the transmit.
You know, I'll tell you the ones from Russia. The fuck yeah
fuck me is right? Huhh shit, Hey can I get to the Jamison
now? Not him? Where the bushwhackers? Why's Luke west book? The
package was heavily taped and identified as a toy. Upon opening the package,
I discovered twelve combination packages of injectable steroid. Hey, Joey, I thought
you said it was fourteen packages. Uh, right, twelve, No,
it was twelve twelve. There's twelve, twelve packages of injectable steroids. I
tell you. That's cut cut to the inside of his fridge at his house
in Charlestown. It's just like the buzz of the mini fridge refrigerating that fucking
growth. And then like you know, you hear it open and shutting.
You hear the clanking of the glasses. You know, read all these beerd
bottles. Clean, joe What are you doing with Joey? What have you
been doing, Joey, Joey, Joey looking good. Huh you've been working.
Look at you? Huh, look at you? You fuck and bricked
up. You're fucking filling out. Broh Yeah. This guy a twig his
whole life. He goes resource for fucking customs and all of a sudden he's
jacked. All of a sudden, he's fucking what are you? What are
you? You're fucking lifting up these these giant fucking packages from overseas, from
fucking India, your piece of chef's big toys. You told me, you
tell me get to set a toy the other day? What the fuck?
Yeah? Right, and now you're now, you're now, you're jacked,
all of a sudden, All of a sudden. Two weeks later, you're
sucking the size of a goddamn boulder, fucking cunt. Oh shit, I
guess there's problems here. We don't know about Terry the huge boulder over here.
Brother, what each box one I U of geno tropin and one thirty
melilate of asal of soma tropin Thomas, Now that it sounds like it,
but it's not, I know, prescription steroids. Special Agent Stephen Do just
I'll tell you what special Agent Steven do knows, Chief Brunch. Damn right,
gentlemen, I just want to say hello, this is a this is
Agent Stephen do here, and I just want to say, listen, I'm
glad you came to me. I know you had other choices. You could
have gone to Chief Brunch. I'll tell you he's not the most you know,
he's not the most reliable officer on the on the force, if you
know what I mean. Right, Yeah, there you know, he he's
he's you know, maybe back in his day he might have been something pretty
special, but I'll tell you he's gotten sloppy, sloppy in his agent years.
Two days later, Hey, Joey, I heard, uh, I
heard you had some interactions with a special agent Stephen Do the other day.
Oh yeah, he was. He's kind of weird. He was saying weird
stuff. But he's a nice guy, you know, kind of low key.
Yeah. That you should be glad you got you got Steve. You
should see how high strong his brother Mountain is. The brothers he's got it
right, Stephen, Stephen and Stevie and Mountain Dew better than Jacob and Eli
Blue. I suppose they know nothing about trafficking things across state lines, nothing
at all. So yeah, especially Stephen Do of ohe I don't know what
that stands for. What's contacted and handled per SAC guidelines. Acting sci Bernard
dre authorized SIEZEA gentlemen, thank you very much for calling me about this.
I appreciate it. You know you did the right thing giving us a call.
See something, say something, see something, say something. We will
handle this. You know, there are there are prestigious there are different things
we have to take care of instead of the procedures. Think that's what he
said, and I just I got to make sure there are procedures, and
there are procedures forgtting uh the uh the the the handling of of illicit substances,
control controlled substances, and uh. You know, I know you guys
worked for Customs, but you know you did handle a controlled substance. Congratulations
on that. So I got to tell you, you know, there's a
problem, trope and there you guys. So you guys, technically speaking,
even though even though you're doing your job, you open it up a box
containing a controlled substance. Technically speaking, you were handling a controlled So I'm
gonna have to take you down to the office. I think what you actually
say was a Pandora's box, because unfortunately that is against the law here in
Boston. The city only tackles and tackles is coworker. The boxes of roids
fly everywhere. You said, we're going to meet him at the data mall.
You're not, he says that, and they get pardon a fucking data
mall. It takes a long time for that to get old. Let me
tell you those are perennials baby that accent is deployed at the correct moments.
So this lie, you lie here lies. So gina tropin, it seems
like someatropin is actually the the the generic name for the drug. It's basically
something that you would give to, you know, somebody with with a growth
hormone deficiency, you know, marilla ye ga marella tropin. That's something he
was never called. So it's like children that have growth failure due to growth
hormone deficiency would take this. And so these guys are like, well,
this isn't an anabolic agent. It doesn't like, you know, build tissue
up it kind of, but it serves a very similar effect that just approaches
it in a different way and in a way that the laws around steroids didn't
necessarily capture. I do remember somewhere in the trial of his life we were
reading through and it was like they passed the law and they tacked on this
extra paragraph just to address growth hormone because it was very clear that there was
this separate class of drugs that didn't apply to the list of things we thought
of as steroids that were kind of being used for the same purposes. But
it was like much harder to do anything about because you couldn't detect it.
There are no tests that could credibly detect it. There are some tests that
claim to detect it. Like I said, the ability of those tests to
win the went over experts as being truly accurate or there's still a lot to
go there. But anyway, these things are R and D seized. And
yeah, when it comes to the address, see have said package. You
might remember when we were doing the trial of his life, there was a
lot of testimony in conversation amongst the attorneys about the fact that, you know,
you wouldn't just have these packages unless like in the George of Horion day,
some of them did. But you know, Hogan wouldn't just have these
sent to his house in Tampa, right with this actual dress. There's actually
a guide you remember in Massachusetts somewhere, Yes, who came up as the
guy who would receive packages for him. And in this case again it's a
guy in Massachusetts. That's why I came through Boston. Who see this ship
for the Warrior, it's a guy in Burlington or he said, no,
it's not Burlington. Hold on, what was it say that? Like you
have a high hope is coming from Brocken. Brocken, Yeah, Burlington,
sorry, Burlington, all right, still Burlington, mass just warriors, drugs
coming through. Hilarious, unbelieved, fucking money. It's fucking money. When
the when they just start fucking you know, coming through, always coming through,
That's always They're always coming through Boston. You know. It's kind of
weird. The more the more we kind of read about this and you think
about I mean, the bells, you know, the bells are from Long
Island, I think from bigger, faster, stronger. Yeah, but there
was there were a bunch of guys with Boston accents in that documentary and ship
yeah sure, the sun still shine and that guy, yeah, yeah,
shining. There's a lot of like juice head idiots that are out from when
you think about it, like of course around here, you know, there's
a lot of people that you know, they're like they're they're a stout stock,
you know, so they have to grow left to right instead of north
to south because they can't get taller. So of course to feel like,
you know, men, they got to just be fuck wide balls, you
know, wide motherfuckers. Oh my god, hilarious. I still remember one
time I was. I was on a cruise and was showing they had the
show, and this guy was comedian was calling people up. He was like
a comedian magician kind of thing, and he was calling people up and yeah,
they're from all over the country and all the world in fast sure.
And but this one guy who was like just that that body type I just
described Baldy came up on stage and the guy immediately goes, so, where
in the East Coast are you from? He knew immediately that this guy was
don from California. He was not from Oklahoma, was not from Sydney,
Australia. It was hilarious and he nailed it. The guy was, come
on, come on, you get to fucka it really is too much.
And so so yeah, once again that connection. So it gets down to
apparently you know, I'm sure what they do is they then trace, like
they didn get in touch with the person who was to receive the package and
maybe give him a break on penalty if he gives up who he was going
to pass it off to. Because so, for whatever reason, Vince was
fully aware that this this package, even though it was not addressed to the
Ultimate Warrior, was destined for Jim Helwick of course. And so we're missing
I don't know, We're missing a little bit of color, We're missing a
little bit of I don't know deposition. Oooh brother, we're missing a little
bit of blow by blow from a central character involved. Here. We've got
records, we've got a contract, We've got a lot of supposition. But
do we have in Vince's exact words under oath how the firing of the Ultimate
Warrior in nineteen ninety two, as reflected on this uh oh final episode of
Saturday Nights to Main Event went. Do we have in fact relevant excerpts of
said deposition given in the year of Our Lord nineteen ninety nine, as Ultimate
Warrior was still engaging the WWF and legal action around the use of his likeness
and trademark. Yes we do, Oh my god. Presenting now Vince and
Kenneddy McMahon himself under deposition explaining the ins and outs and circumstances of the nineteen
ninety two termination of the Ultimate war Here are you prepared? I am prepared.
I will ask the questions, you will provide the answers. Yes,
now, this is not beginning to end. This is just relevant excerpts the
whole transcript. As often is the case in depositions, as we've talked about
in Bashed at the Beach two thousand and other, things aren't always public record
in their entirety. Only the snippets that are relevant to whatever said in the
filings tend to be made public, although we did luck out with Laser Spine
Institute. If you recall, yes, yes, indeed, there's probably some
strategy on behalf of council to file the whole thing as an exhibit so the
public could read every last word. But that is not a requirement. And
if someone says the deposition is public record quickly in a civil matter, they're
lying because it's not necessarily. But here we are so very fortunate that filings
deemed relevant, these portions of the nineteen ninety nine Vince McMahon deposition, so
that we get the full final under oath scoop on Ultimate Warriors disappearance in nineteen
ninety two. Ahem, all right. In paragraph three of the affidavit,
you state that you terminated mister Hellwig's contractual relationship with Titan on November ninth,
nineteen ninety two. Right, did you do so during the telephone conversation that
we've already talked about on November ninth, nineteen ninety two, which is reflected
more or less in Exhibit fourteen. I believe so. Now, before you
terminated mister Hellwig's contract on November ninth, nineteen ninety two, had you notified
mister Hellwig of any breaches of the nineteen ninety two agreement? I don't know.
Do you know whether anyone at Titan Sports had notified mister Helwig that he
had breached in some fashion the nineteen ninety two agreement. No. You conclude
paragraph three by saying that at that time, that is November of nineteen ninety
two, mister Hellwig was one of the top talents within the WWF. Yes.
Is that still your view at that time? Pause? Is it still
your view that at that time you thought that's hilarious? Okay, back on
the record. Yes. Absolutely. In paragraph four of the affidavit, you
state that the termination of mister Helliwig came after an internal investigation, which culminated
over the weekend of November seventh and eighth, nineteen ninety two. Yes.
Is that also still true? Yes? Did you know did you prepare this
affidavit by the way, I I'm not Did I prepare did I write it?
Did you write the affidavit? No? I didn't write it. Tell
me how the affidavit came to be prepared and presented to you for signature.
I don't recall. I mean, I'm not in the habit of during my
normal course of duties, I don't generally sit down and write affidavits. Sure,
did someone request you to do so? I don't recall. Do you
testify in the affidavit that your wife, Linda McMahon and you had left Connecticut
on Friday, November sixth to spend the weekend in Florida? Is that still
your recollection? Yes? During that weekend, you testifying the affidavit, you
spent a considerable period of time on the telephone relative to the investigation of mister
Helbig's activities. Is that also still your recollection? Yes? Can you tell
me what you recall about that considerable period of time on the telephone? That
would be you know, again in throes of this, this would be something
that was of extreme importance based on again what I said earlier, of a
grand jury investigation. You know, this rumor from someone in the Federal Proscu's
Prosecutor's office to Henry Holmes that there was some sort of international drug trafficking of
some kind going on. This would have been a matter of great importance to
me and my company, So I would have I certainly would have called council
and discussed with counsel, you know, the ramifications of this and how it
related to what was going on in the grand jury investigation or you know,
all of that. I would have done that. I may have sought advice
from others. I don't recall at the time, but this would have been
a bad weekend for me by counsel. Do you mean, mister mcdebit,
Yes, the internal investigation that's referred to in paragraph for what does that refer
to? Is that something more than the considerable period of time on the telephone?
I don't think so. It may be there may be something I've forgotten.
I'm forgetting, but who was involved in the internal investigation? And then
we skip ahead zoo whatever that legal term is. What is the illegal substance
that you're referring to? Human growth hormone? Can we call that HGH?
Sure? HGH? Do you know what amount of HGH you're referring to five
thousand dollars worth of Okay, do you know now whether or not that is
a thumbnail portion or whether or not that's a that would fill this room?
I don't know, you know, it just seems like it seems like five
thousand dollars. There's a lot of money to spend for a drug. Do
you know whether that was a sufficient amount to distribute? You mean to beyond
Wait a minute, is better sufficient amount? Any amount is sufficient to distribute.
Distribution is a legal term. Let me rephrase. It doesn't turn on
quantity. Let me rephrase the question. You don't know what amount of HGH
mister Helbig purchased. Is that correct? Five thousand dollars worth beyond the monetary
measure? Do you know what mister Helwig purchased? No, have you learned
since what that amount was. No, you've described HGH as an illegal substance.
What state or federal law are you referring to. It is my understanding
that HGH is and in the same category as steroids, and I think it's
a class three category. I think it's called it's not. I mean,
if this were not an illegal drug, then mister Helwig would have gone to
his normal his drugstore or to his doctor and said I'd like to have some
please, and it would have been fine. This whole subterfuge of finding someone
in the United Kingdom and paying him, paying them five thousand dollars and then
going through is this whole rigmarole of not having it sent to you but sent
to a third party and all that. I mean, that tells me from
a layman's standpoint, that's an illegal drug in terms of what the FDA classifies
as an illegal drug. That's not like asprint or something like that. I'm
sure you would find that on the FDA's list in any event. In nineteen
ninety two, in and around November seventh or eighth, you determined that HGH
was an illegal drug. That's correct. Okay, did you consult with anybody
about that? Did you speak with counsel or a physician or somebody else.
I'm sure that I don't don't reveal the substance of discussions that you've had with
counsel. I'm sure I spoke with Morrow Topisqually about that. Do you remember
speaking with mister Dipisqually about that during the internal investigation in November nineteen ninety two.
In all likelihood I did because again, number of these test results I
don't believe i'd gotten back at the time there's been there's quite a lag between
lag time between when they're taken and when they come to the lab and when
we get the results back. It can be quite a long time. But
nonetheless I wanted to determine in my own mind this suspecting that mister dippisqually had
but again could not prove that mister Helwig, from his point of view,
was taking small dosages of testosterone. But again that was not relevant because I
had to wait until something could be proven to take action on it. This
admission by Jim Helwig, he just came right out and said it, as
I say, you testified that the region for the termination of mister Hellwig was
the importation of an illegal substance in the attempted distribution or whatever that legal term
is. Um hum. Let me ask you what your understanding of what mister
Hellwig was trying to do is. Well, my understanding of what he's trying
to do. Again, from a layman common sense standpoint, is you go
to a foreign country, you pay some cash for a drug and a legal
drug that you can't get back home. And instead of you know, having
some sort of direct line of communication, he set up this thing of you
sent it to a third party, this Wendell Robinson I think his name is,
and then Wendell Robinson was supposed to give it to him, So involving
a lot of individuals in some sort of ever to cover whatever it is he's
doing. Otherwise, my why wouldn't he have just send it to him?
Well, during your internal investigation, did you learn whether mister Hellwood was intending
to resell all or part of the HGH to another person? Oh, I
would have no idea about that. I'd have no idea whether or not it
was for his personal use. As a matter of fact, mister Helwig may
have told me that it was for his personal use. Could very well have
told me whether or not I accepted that as truth or not. I don't
know. That's a good one. Whether or not I accepted that as truth
or not, I don't know. Do you do you remember hearing that,
in other words, from mister Hellwig, that he intended it for his personal
use During the internal investigation. He may have told me that, did you
do anything to confirm or deny that he intended it for his personal use.
I don't believe. So did you speak with Davy Boy Smith, for example,
to learn whether he knew what mister Hellwig, whether he knew what mister
Hellwig intended once he received the HGH. I don't think mister Smith could know
what mister Hellwig intended to do. Well, let me ask during the internal
investigation, did you speak with mister Smith? Yes, of course, and
we're referring to Davy Boy Smith. Yes. Do you remember that conversation generally?
Yes? Were you at your house in Boca Ratone? I believe so.
Do you remember whether it was November seventh or eighth? No, I'm
sorry, okay, do you remember any of the particulars of the conversation.
I remember that Jim Helwig had said that Davy Boy also did the same thing
right in the process this drug and had it said. I confronted Davy Boy
with that, and Davy Boy said that, well, that's what he told
j Hellwig and that he really had not, but he did tell Jim Helwig
that he did, all right. So I don't know who's zooming whom in
this whole scenario, if zoom was even the thing back in ninety nine.
All I know is that they both admitted to doing what they did and they
sealed their fate. And during that conversation with mister Smith, is that when
he related whether mister Hellwig intended it for personal use or not, that is
the HDH. I don't think he made reference to that. I mean,
I don't recall anything about personal use at all. Was that fact important to
you during the investigation, that is, whether he intended it for personal use?
No, I mean the infraction was the infraction, whether he intended it
for personal use or or intended to distribute it. I don't know that it
would have made any difference. In November of nineteen ninety two, while you
were conducting this internal investigation, did you know whether there were different forms of
HGH. I'm not going to object to the form. What do you mean
different forms of HGH? Do you understand the question, mister McMahon, No,
I'm sorry, I don't. In November of nineteen ninety two, while
you were conducting this internal investigation, what did you think HGH was? Uh?
Well, I really wasn't sure. I mean, if you put HGH
in front of me and said, identify that as HGH. Right at this
moment, I couldn't do that. I don't know what HGH looks like.
Did you know what it did when it's ingested? I knew it was an
anabolic agent, and I know that if you take too much of it,
Apparently one of these side effects is that your bones grow. You're facial maybe
all of your bones, but your face changes. It's almost like you developed
like a crow magnin quar what chrow magnet. It's like, what is that?
Okay? It's a callback to like, you know, like a several
stages back in the evolutionary process where a forehead was especially big. I'm just
going to say this. Jim Cornett says, for example, that Triple H
has a crow magnin forehead. So okay, for what it's forth, what
is there? It's almost like you developed like a chrow magnin kind of look
in your jaw. You know, it'd change just the look of your face.
Did you know how much use was required before these sorts of changes occurred?
No, I don't know anything about that. Was it important to you
during the internal investigation to understand what HGH was or how it operated. No,
what was important to me is whether or not this was a legal substance
or an illegal substance. Did you know in November of nineteen ninety two whether
HGH was a legal or illegal substance in the United Kingdom where this was first
purchased? No legal substance obtained from who? I mean? You're asking him
legal questions here? Let me ask you this, mister McMahon, a November
of nineteen ninety two, did you know what the United Kingdom laws were in
any respect relating to HGH? No? Was that important to you? Oh?
I don't want our guys breaking the law, no matter what they are.
If we're in the United Kingdom, I would expect to abide by the
laws of the United Kingdom. If we're in the United States, then likewise,
you know, I wouldn't have any idea whether or not that was the
use or the acquisition of HGH was legal in Great Britain or not. And
can't tell you today. Are you able to recall that what specific provision in
the Titan Drug Policy see the importation of HGH violated object to the form it
is generally regarded. Generally regarded I think there's a reference to performance enhancing drugs
in HGH would be a performance enhancing drugs. And who made that determination in
November of nineteen ninety two that HGH is a performance enhancing drug? Was that
something you learned from someone? Sure? I mean again, there have been
articles written about human growth hormone and the enhancement of athletic performance and strength and
things of that nature. Get ready for this. Do you remember from whom
you learned that HGH was a performance enhancing drug? No? I can well,
I remember distinctly again this fellow Dave Meltzer, and a reference to talking
about you know, that was one of his criticisms of our drug policy was
that talent could take human growth hormone hormone if they had access to it in
some way, and that it's very difficult to catch something called a half life
or something which I don't understand, but it's very difficult to actually catch somebody
when you do a test and so forth. It's very difficult to catch,
you know. It's a way to circumvent a policy, but yet at the
same time using some sort of performance en answer. In any event, it's
your testimony that in November of nineteen ninety two, You determined that the importation
of HGH was a violation of Titan's drug policy? Is that correct? Object
to the form that it's not his testimony. It's my belief. It's my
belief that Jim Hilwig attended to circumvent our drug policy. That in and of
itself is a reason, and he admitted it is a reason to terminate him.
In addition to that, not being an attorney or not being a customs
agent of the United States of America, I can't tell you the specifics in
terms of the legality or illegality of the use of that drug, other than
the general knowledge that you can't go buy it in a drug store, you
can't buy it over the counter. I would suggest that you know in the
way that Jim Helwig told me he bought this and it had it sent to
a third party, and all of that this was an illegal substance. Did
you determine a November of nineteen ninety two that the use and the possession and
the distribution and the importation of HGA was all a violation of the drug policy?
Object to the form, I would suggest the very fact that someone admitted
to me whether all those were a violation or whether one of them was a
violation. If any one of those you just mentioned as a violation, and
someone is trying to circumvent our drug policy, that is a sufficient reason to
say goodbye. Let me ask you the first question, though, and that
is apart from the attempt to circumvent the policy. First, is it your
testimony that in November of nineteen ninety two you determined that simply the importation of
HGH itself constituted a violation of Titans drug policy. It wouldn't have mattered to
me. Let's start with what I know. Let's start with the admission of
what he said he did. I understand that which is a violation. To
try to circumvent our drug policy in and of itself is a violation. Let's
start with that. In addition to that, if all of these other mitigating
circumstances are also violations, then it just keeps adding on and adding on and
adding on. Why did you conclude that mister Hellwig intended to circumvent the drug
policy? What was the basis for that conclusion? Because he intended to use
HGH? No, why go through all of this if he didn't intend to
use it. You know he intended to use it? And how do you
know that? He told me? So? Tell me what he said in
response to what he had done. He told me this was for his personal
use, as I recall, Well, that tells me if it's if it's
for his personal use, he's probably going to use it. Why I spend
five thousand dollars if you're not going to use it? Are you aware of
any drug tests performed on mister Hellwig during nineteen ninety two indicating that he actually
had used HGH? Object to the form it presupposes such tests can be done?
I don't recall. Are you aware of any test results indicating the use
of HGH by mister Helwig? No? Have you had an opportunity to compare
the audio tape with the transcript? Mark exhibit fourteen to your deposition. No,
if you look with me, please at exhibit fifteen your affidavit over in
page three, paragraph eleven. It's your affidavit. So, I mean again,
it's like plush. Wait a minute, let's fast forward Z. So
I mean again, it's like, plus, what about the poor licensee?
You know? I think this is this is this is Vince because there's a
cue there. I mean, exan, it's at the end of the thing
that there's a cue, So this must be Vince talking. Okay, So
I mean again, it's like, plus what about the poor licensee, you
know, and how they're hurt as a result of this, because now one
of our major characters is no longer here, and the Bulldog as well.
I mean it's not just Jim Helwig. The Bulldog as well was involved in
some of the licensing, so not to the extent that the Jim Helwig Ultimate
Warrior character, but that was a part of it as well at the time
of his termination. The Ultimate Warrior character is one of Titan Sports his major
characters. Yes, you've described a connection between the success of licensing and the
character's appearance. Is it true that if mister Hellwig hadn't been terminated, he
would have continued to make regular appearances for Titan Sports during the rest of nineteen
ninety two and ninety three in the term of his contract. And you're asking
me to give you a supposition, a hypothetical if in fact he had not
I admitted to this that No, I don't. If I'd love to know
what question that's an answer to it's at Do you care if your talent lives
or dies? Is probably a question? No, I don't. It's attached
to the letter. Was it attached to the letter when you signed the letter
itself? I don't know. Between the time of mister Helwig's termination in this
letter, in other words, from November ninth through December seventeenth of nineteen ninety
two, do you remember having a conversation with mister Helwig specifically no, following
this letter. Do you remember response from mister Helwig. No, either by
telephone or in writing. No. Was the release sent back? I don't
know. One footnote I may have asked this, do you remember whether mister
Helwig signed a receipt indicating that he had received a copy of the nineteen ninety
two drug policy? I don't know. Was it the practice of Titan to
have its talent signed a receipt for the policy? It could have been.
I'm not certain you don't remember that it was such a practice. I'm not
certain if there were such a practice. If there were such receipts, do
you know where they're kept? No? Look me briefly again, please at
Exhibit nineteen. I'm hum well, page well, My question is do you
know why this letter was prepared for you? Why you signed it? Incentived?
Well, it says the purpose of this letter, if I may read,
sure, the purpose of this letter is to put you on notice,
you meaning Jim Elwig, on notice with respect to certain rights and obligations which
you are still bound by notwithstanding such termination. Tremendous, and so we come
full circle. He fires them, but he reminds him that just because I'm
firing you doesn't mean all of the contract still applies. Unbelievable. So this
is the story about where Ultimate Warrior went. Tremendous, absolutely fucking phenomenal.
It's all on the record. So and now it's in our record TLFX style,
and that leaves just some grim business to attend to before we rock and
roll the deep Dive. I would say, all right, Yes, indeed,
hit us with that Saturday Night's main event November fourteenth, nineteen ninety two,
death Toll. We have keep in mind it is a one hour show,
are really a forty five minute show? Twelve twelve in a three match
forty five minute show, Bobby Heenan, Howard Finkel, gene Oakerland, Rene
Goulay makes an appearance. Yeah, Pat Patterson makes an appearance, Randy Savage,
Ultimate Warrior, Craser Ramone, mister Perfect. Think about that for a
moment, you know, just think about that. Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior,
Razor Ramone, mister Perfect, British Bulldog, Paul Bearer, and the
Undertaker. Wow. Yeah, that's a lot. Yeah, all right,
I'm not afraid to say that that is indeed a lot. So you make
a good point. You know, we talk about this is this like distinct,
discreet event, but it was part of a must have been part of
a larger taping. I just realized as you were going through that that I'm
not sure. Yeah it was. I looked it up. Actually it was
part of a very much larger taping. In fact, in fact, there
was according to did you see on History of WWE there the listening for when
they recorded this show. Apparently the Bulldog Shawn Michael's match was supposed to be
for another event, the Survivor Series Showdown if they or it says I see
in there and that apparently we talked about those injuries with Rick Flair. Flair
was supposed to face the Big Boss Man. Wow, fascinating match up there
yeah, right, Yeah, So the full results from Richard Lands the history
of w W dot Com a tremendous resource has a Superstars taping Undertaker confronting Rays
Ramone Nails issuing a challenge to the Warrior. That's where the whole idea came
from. That Warrior was on track to have a program with Nails when he
was fired, which has been denied for some reason up and down, even
though there's clearly angles shot for it. Yeah, and I mean I think
that there were even magazine. Yeah, there was a magazine hint about it
too. Yeah, Bob back when comes back and makes a save and stars
a feud with Razor, Ramone, Nails, pins boss Man Brunzell, pins,
Spike Jones, Coco but Ware, pins Louis Piccoli. Yes, that
Louis Piccoli was doing jobs around the hole at this point in time. That's
right. Warrior beat Papa Shango, it says here the match was originally taped
to air on the November twenty first, ninety two edition of Superstars, but
when Warrior was fired, this ultimate Warrior Papa Shango match never saw the light
of day, so we never saw that we could have seen the u there
was the resolution to this fucking feud, but no, there is a match
between the two that's lampooned in the infamous self Destruction of Ultimate Warrior DVD.
They did really to fuck with him, and they find like the most absurd
moment in the match where Warrior is just like parading around trying to do the
war dance and it's just so shit. It looks so ridiculous, and they
just hover on it. They know how to do that. They hover on
yep, that to make it look like it's representative of everything Ultimate Warriors ever
did in the ring, and it's quite bad. Ramon beats Randy Savage.
If you count out. At this taping, Warrior pins name ls and ninety
seconds. It says here Neil subbed Fooba. It's interesting they taped for Primetime
Wrestling Terry Taylor pinning Joey Maggs. They taped also for Primetime Skinner pinning Jim
Powers, and also for Primetime Tito pinning Louis Piccoli, and then the Saturday
Night's main event. Of course tapings and matches they go. It seems like
they pretty much tape them in order. And yes, to your point about
Shawn Michaels. It says here Smith's last TV perians for nearly two years.
Oh. This is also, by the way, on the Shawn Michaels Heartbreak
and Triumph DVD set, as well as Best of Saturday Night's Main Event Sure
DVD set. I remember being quite excited about that Best of satur And Night's
Main Event set. Oh yeah, absolutely, so much to access before the
network before right, exactly, there was so much. There was so much
stuff there that you hadn't seen in years. Absolutely. So. Then Brett
beat Schango and then they do let's see No. Number twenty first ninety two.
What's reference. This is reference to special bulletin showing this and that.
Okay, and then Brett beats Virgil. Oh okay, so the Virgil Brett
match was on the same taping. That's interesting. Oh wow, that's crazy.
Yeah, Yokozuna pins, Todd Becker, Disasters beats, Steve Walker,
Mike Kramer, Lance Cassidy pins, Barry Horowitz, and then for November twenty
eighth, ninety two Superstars Bigelow pins, Jerry fox Headgehrinkers Pin, George Anderson
and Kevin Krueger, Backland pins, Tom Stone Damian Demento, who's just new
on the scene, pins Joey Maggs Ramon, pins Gary Jackson, Crush,
pins Red Tyler, and then they taped the December fifth, ninety two Superstars
as well, Owen Hart and Kocoba ware High Energy defeating Barry Horwitz and WT
Jones. Yoko beats Mark Morgan, Maximum beats Brian Costello, Kamala beats Bucket
Zoomhoff here in Tara hate Oh, Jim Duggan beats Dale Wolf, Tatanka beats
Louis Pacoli, and Sean Michaels actually works twice. He comes back to pin
a guy named John Paul in a minute fifty six with the tear drops suplex.
Wow. Imagine sitting through all that, sitting through a whole S ANDM
taping, and then you get fucking Tonka versus Louis Pacoli and Dugan versus Dale
Wolf. That's wrong with that? It's great, can't be anyone in the
crowd at that point. But yeah, if you include all those, there's
probably some dead fuckers in there. Louis Pacoli for sure, rest in peace.
Yeah, But that's not what we're here to do. We're here to
focus in laser focus in on that final Saturday night's main event of the Golden
Era on network television from November nineteen ninety two. It's Fox and it's on
the other side of this break, So tuck your hand into your waistband like
Al Bundy and join us, won't you. It's that cast