El-P

Well, the American Bad Ass gimmick was pretty much a giveaway of who was Mean Mark IRL. The irony, when you think about how he hated to have the US flag on his Taker outfit at Survivor Series 93 (per Bruce Prichard). Agreed.

I knew the porn analogy was a bad idea the second I typed it.

I'm pretty sure I saw *that* movie. Or a remake maybe... Or a prequel...

I'd love a Bloodsport-like promotion done as Lucha Underground was.

The whole storytelling aspect of pro-wrestling is way overstated and overrated. I mean, sorry if that offends anyone but watching pro-wrestling for the stories is like reading Playboy for the articles (or watching porn for... well, the stories, too). And I don't mean the angles, who really at best are so simplistic that they would make mediocre plots for a Transformers cartoon episode (and at worst, really, really the dumbest shit you can find anywhere). I'm talking about the in-ring stuff. What is so compelling about the stories told inside the ring, really now ? "Oh, my leg got a boo-boo, the other guy is kicking it and so I have to fight on one leg to win the belt !" "Oh, the bad guy is cheating and the good guy is crying and now he's making a comeback. Yaaay good guy !" OOOOOKay, that's stuff some 8 years old could write. You want compelling stories ? Read Dostoïesvki of something. What makes things actually compelling is the *form* of pro-wrestling, which is unique. There's exactly nothing like it, which is why it's so hard to compare and nail down because it's not really theatre, it's not really circus, it's not really sport, it's not really acting, it's... pro-wrestling. And the form through which those stories are told is what makes it so fun to watch. Which is why, sorry to say, execution does matter (with a degree of acceptability depending on the context). Which is why also pro-wrestling is actually progressing with new generations because as we get new kind of athletes, they can do more and invent new kind of forms (new moves but also new postures, new ways to move inside the ring and even use the physical elements of the ring and its surroundings, new ways to use yours or your opponent's body). The stories are always pretty much the same and are really not that interesting in themselves. What the moves (very broadly speaking) mean sure is important, but in the end pro-wrestling is not a language at all (it's not even a code). It has its value as a pure form, in and out of itself. Which is why an out of this world spotfest will always be much better (to me, doh!) than a logical but dull "good story". It's not a surprise that the usual excuse for some of the worst shit is "But we're telling a story", as Bruce Prichard would say (which also finds its way into "He's playing his role right", which doesn't matter when the role ain't worth shit). Well, telling a story doesn't mean the story is good or even interesting. The form(s) of pro-wrestling is what makes it so unique and great. Or so terrible.

Well, we don't know what the fans really *thought*. There's no way of telling. And no, surveys don't work, because people lie. BTW, that supposed double-cross shoot, whatever that was, was brutal to watch. Rikidozan stiffed the hell ouf of Kimura. Those punts while the guy was on the floor. That's Maeda level assholliness. The story remains unclear to me, although Kimura stated that it was a double-cross and it sure looks hellish. If that was the case, then Rikidozan really was an unprofessional asshole (they never worked again after that point either). If not, well, they sure made it look good.... Stuff like this killed the perception indeed, but where does perception ends and belief begins, that's a mystery.

You're absolutely right. And that doesn't mean they are genius (which don't exist) or that they don't screw up and have terrible ideas at times. Like every successful booker had. The greatest minds also did some awful stuff (Gedooooo, what's up with Great O Khan and EVIL ?). There's not one great of even good pro-wrestling mind that is not gonna make really bad mistakes (Hey Choshu, wanna put someone from UWF-I over ? No ? Really ? Ok). Agreed. Also, Heyman working for so long in WWE may be pretty much set in his ways in more ways than one, so having him around really should never be about giving him full creative. He still has an eye on younger/fresher talent as showed by the guys he wanted to push last year in WWE, so there's that.

I'd much hire Scott D'Amore than Paul Heyman in 2021. I wonder were you got that impression from... Meltz posted funny bits of on old interview with Karl Gotch bitching about the young guys (from the 80's) not knowing how to work and making things unbelievable and doing trampoline shows instead of legit looking pro-wrestling and how that is killing the business. Like, word for word the same stuff we hear today. Meanwhile, I'm currently going through Rikidozan matches and I see soooo much totally ridiculous stuff even by today's standards. The idea that pro-wrestling was ever "believable" in and out of itself is ridiculous. What should be studied is the sociological profiles of audiences over times and places and the relationship they had with the idea of believability in such a spectacle, all of that wrapped up in an ever changing context of entertainment industry. That would be much more interesting than shouting at clouds because "young guys can't work and are killing the business".

That it took 97 is undeniable, that's well established. My question is, has it really that much to do with the fact both Cornette and Russo were involved ? The Austin push happens because of Bret wanting to work with him. As far as the TV goes, I haven't watched it since it happened and probably won't ever watch it again, but I don't think it was setting the world on fire apart from the main stuff. The undercards were brutal (GANG WARS !!! With babyface white powers bikers). As a matter of fact that was the talk of the day, WCW had the hot under/midcards and big angles and shitty matches on top while it was the opposite in WWF (that is, until those dreadful Taker matches in 98), with the little difference of WCW main events actually drawing big then. The hot stuff in WWF was only at the top of the card (Austin vs Bret, Austin vs Hart Foundation, Michaels vs Taker, Michaels vs Bret), and we know Vince was always all over this more than anything else.

Yeah, I think it was Johannesburg. But was it really ? If you don't have the rise of Steve Austin due to the great feud with Bret Hart and the most promising rookie ever showing up at the same time (and almost tanked due to really tone deaf booking at first), does the hugely successful period happens ? I guess Russo has more to do with DX's rise in the fall of 97 since it was more his style of bullshit, but when Russo really takes over, Austin is already on a launchpad and nothing is gonna stop him while The Rock found himself already and it was a matter of time. If Russo isn't there and they don't do the crash TV shit in 98/99, doesn't the huge successful period still happens because Austin was just red hot and the Mr. McMahon character (who stemmed from the double cross which was designed by Cornette) was just the perfect foil ?

Obsessive workaholic micro-managing sociopath. Yes, at this point : it doesn't matter. Maybe at one point it will again, but as of now, it doesn't. They've reached the top of a system where their revenu is almost totally detached from what they are actually producing. When they get shitloads of money from MBS, it has nothing to do with booking or creating stars of being hot, it's just a communication performance because of what their Brand is. More than ever before we live in an über-capitalistic world where the Brand and its narrative is everything. It's an illusion (which is why part of why the workforce can be exploited even more than before because the actual production is almost transparent, we barely pay attention to it while we consume Brands like WWE, Netflix and whatever). WWE with the same booking 25 years ago would have been slaughtered by an up and coming WCW. Now ? Doesn't really matter.

Well, the WWE HoF really is Vince saying who gets in, so honestly I don't see what's the big deal. Plus, you really want to get into the same club as Donald Trump and Jimmy Snuka ? But to me all awards like these are just meaningless. Just like Academy Awards and the likes (really, a HOF is just a bunch of honorary awards). I guess it's nice to be recognized by your pairs, but you get recognized by your pairs in criminal organization too. I've always got more sympathy for the directors/actors/artists who don't give a fuck about anything but their actual work and don't participate in such social events (where everybody is a great happy family and everyone loves everyone of course). The whole "prize" business in general is kind of a shady affair anyway. To go back strictly to pro-wrestling, the WO HOF is much more real because actual people from different generations who watch a lot of pro-wrestling actually vote. It's only representative of *this* group's opinion of course, much like our GWE final list is only representative of a limited bunch of people arguing to death on an internet board at a specific time (even though we like the idea that we known better than every other pro-wrestling fans out there !). But that's the way it goes. Whatever float's people's boat. Like I said, the fact they induct Bischoff *now* is kinda hilarious to me.

Right back in time to push the joshi candidates for the next GWE. Hi John !

I can totally picture Misawa totally no-sell a Jumbo unfunny joke now, with the usual stoic Misawa look. Again, this is much MUCH appreciated. This is such a sumo-like interview ! One day there has to be a study on how much pro-wrestling in Japan has been heavily influenced by sumo. Hell, watching Rikidozan I just learned that his chop was basically a modification of the sumo harite.

Sabu is the perfect illustration than "working hard" equals nothing in the big picture (as opposed to be lucky, knowing the right people and knowing how to navigate through politics). He's easily one of the hardest working guys ever and also easily one of the most influential pro-wrestler in the last 30 years (really, if he had a cent by broken table spots). Also, the WWE HOF is indeed, a fake HOF (whatever a HOF means anyway) because the criteria is "Vince said so".

He should do his infamous Shawn Michaels impersonation. That would get over well.

No shit ? I'm talking about the perception of the promotion by its audience. We talked in length with the Christian deal about how they did not want to be TNA-like. It's kinda the same thing here, it's a very WWE-like programming. Again, if it works, more power to them. But there's nothing surprising about some backlash or tedious reaction to this announcement.

Cody replaced the promising young talent, who's not in the picture anymore it appears.

They have never been a part of Dynamite. They were always supposed to be JTTS (well, and do backstage work).

Wait, are you running AEW ? Are you Coach Tony K. ? Chasing other avenues hasn't been exactly the best business model for growing pro-wrestling promotions. Sure, the Reality TV show stuff works *for WWE*, and I would guess they do *because* they emanate from WWE to begin with (and build from there). But again, do something to get eyes on your *pro-wrestling* stuff, sure. But a reality TV show... Plus we dont know how much of AEW money is going into producing that stuff either. The issue is, the desire for an alternative in *pro-wrestling* is what drove AEW to existence and the insane enthousiasm at first. Them going straight into WWE-like ventures doesn't seem like the best idea. Also, the one thing that has been mentioned before but undersold, is that the QT angle at first seemed to be designed for Lee Johnson (with actually quite an interesting subtle angle). Now Cody is putting himself into what looked to be some undercard angle to get some light on a promising young talent, all to promote his reality TV show. Again, not coming off good, not to mention QT is way lower on the totem pole whereas against Johnson it was a much more balanced feud while having a much stronger mentor/student aspect since QT is known as the trainer of the promotion. Yeah, sorry, but I'm not a fan of any of this.

Why are you even posting here then and not on reddit ? Since apparently the PWO/GWE kind of fans are the "wrong" kind ? The "right" kind being the kind who only cares about the mainstream promotion and acts like anything that doesn't happen there is beneath him. That was answered later. ROH is still around. Promotion that almost died in Japan like AJPW and NOAH are still around. And the thing is, people are talking about doom & gloom for AEW since day 1. The Librarians and Micheal Nakazawa were gonna kill the promotions because it sent such a horrible message to anyone watching the Buys-Ins. To you maybe. To the people who work there, it sure matters. For the people who watch and enjoy their product (hi !), it sure matters. So again, patronizing tone. It's almost like the WWE mentality of "no one knows who these TNA people are", yet anytime someone from TNA showed up, they got the biggest pop. And BTW, it's kinda funny that nothing they do matters yet they are working with the N°1 company in Japan AND AEW, so I guess they matter more than say, ROH. Wait. The CORE audience doesn't matter ? You realize that in pro-wrestling, the only thing that remains once the fickle mainstream audience goes away (like they always do) is the CORE audience right ? Which is why WWE still can sell their shit, because they have a core audience who will watch it no matter how many Fiend segment they do ? If you manage to kill your core audience, you'll end up like WCW. I'm not a brand fan. If AEW suddenly produced shit I don't want to see, I'll stop watching. So yeah, more power to them if they replace the "toxic fans" by the "good fans", but why should I personally give a fuck ? The thing is, a pro-wrestling company is not Best Buys or whatever. AEW trying to be WWE is not the way you want to go. Well, it makes those people come off really unlikeable. So, if it attracts people who love to watch unlikeable people doing shitty TV shows, more power to them, as long as I can get off on mOVEZ and fLiPS. Honestly a real TV show is not even the easiest way to go. They should just sign Enzo & Cass. Or something.

Apparently Natalya came off like a star too in those Diva whatever shows. Sure meant a *lot* in the actual product pro-wrestling fan watched. I watched like five minutes or something once. I was appalled by John Cena's house. The nouveau riche vulgarity of everything was just enough to make me want to vomit. These rich people, the issue is that they are really good at making a lot of money, but really bad at spending it.

The comments under the videos are... what you'd expect. Maybe Hogan can pull that one off this year. I mean, he's only half racist apparently now.

Be happy you did not get "lockdown diaries" from rich writers telling their weekly stories of the difficulties of living during those trying times in their vacation homes on the seafront. We sure got those last year.